Category Archives: Revelation of John

INTRODUCING REVELATION

AD 70, Revelation of John, Uncategorized September 22, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-074 by Larry E. Ball

Gentry note:
I am continuing introduces Larry Ball’s insightful primer on Revelation, titled Blessed Is He Who Reads. This article provides a brief review of some important issues necessary for entering into the Book of Revelation. I think you will find these words — and the whole book! — a valuable resource. And now from Larry Ball:

A Short Review

Before I look at the first few verses of Revelation chapter 1, I will review the principle of historical limitation that I described previously. Even though the Bible is written for us, not everything in the Bible is written to us. This is not being disrespectful to the Bible, nor does it deny that God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit can speak to us in his Word as we read it or hear it preached. It is simply being honest in recognizing that the Bible as a whole was not written directly to us. I will apply this to Revelation, but first I need to clarify a few things, and consider some significant points made by John in the first few verses of Revelation. Afterwards I will return to our main premise about how historical limitation applies to this text. Continue reading →

BLESSED IS HE WHO READS

AD 70, Revelation of John, Uncategorized September 18, 2026 Comments: 2

PMW 2026-073 by Larry E. Ball

Gentry note:
Victorious Hope Publishing released this book by long-time (now retired PCA pastor, Larry E. Ball. It is an excellent, fully orthodox, (partial) preterist commentary on Revelation. Larry’s pastoral experience and excellent research has allowed him to compose this very readable, very insightful Primer on the Book of Revelation. This article is his Introduction to the work. I highly recommend your buying it for yourself, and to recommend for a Sunday school or small group Bible study. Now for Larry’s introduction:

What is a Primer?

This book is intended to be a primer (pronounce like “prim and proper”) on the book of Revelation. A primer is a book for beginners, presenting the most basic elements of a field of study. It is a first step toward understanding something more complicated. Actually, a primer assumes you know very little about a particular subject. It is an introduction to a particular topic that may encourage you to pursue your own study in more detail and depth. Continue reading →

HOW TO INTRODUCE PRETERISM (2)

Interpretation, Revelation of John December 19, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-100 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In my last article I began to suggest an effective strategy for presenting a preterist approach to Revelation to any dispensational friend you might have (and if you are in America and have Christians friends, they are almost certainly dispensational). Unfortunately, after I began that article I quickly strayed off the path and ended up following a few rabbit trails. Now I have found my way back and will present the promised article.

Remembering what has been stated
Though much was written in jest (i.e., jest in time, you might say) in my last article, there are a few things you must bear in mind as you attempt to introduce preterism to any associates. I noted the following two matters: (1) To make your introductory presentation manageable, I recommend concentrating on one key passage rather than ranging over dizzying array of several. And (2) you should begin at Revelation’s opening rather than jumping into some of the more exciting and familiar portions of the book. So, let me map at a battle plan for you. Continue reading →

COUNTERING KEN’S CONFUSED COMMENTARY CRITIC

AD 70, Revelation of John November 14, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-090 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In an on-line posting, dispensationalist, Baptist pastor Miska Wilhelmsson (of Finland) has critiqued portions of my Revelation commentary. He does not seem to like it. And if I read it like he did, I would not like it either! One of his articles is titled: “Preterism, Church History, and Kenneth Gentry’s New Revelation Commentary.” I will briefly reply to his concerns.

My critic

Wilhelmsson opens his critique by writing:

“I want to point out a few issues relating to Gentry’s commentary, and how this novel preterist understanding of Revelation 1:7 connects to church history.

“Notice (see picture below from Gentry’s commentary) how after speaking of this preterist understanding of Revelation 1:7, Gentry follows with a paragraph saying ‘This judgment, being a prophetically-determined, redemptive-historical event, had enormous implications. First…Second…Third…Fourth…Fifth…’ And then Gentry follows by saying ‘Early post-Apostolic Christians saw AD 70 in these terms, including Justin (Dial. 1:35), Origen…, Tertullian (Adv. Jud. 8:18)….’

“So, when the reader reads Gentry’s commentary, how is he supposed to understand what Gentry says regarding these early post-apostolic Christians? Well, it certainly seems that the ‘in these terms’ might suggest that they understood Revelation 1:7 as a preteristic ‘judgment-coming’ event in 70AD, which is what Gentry has been here talking about, right? Well… when we actually read the early church fathers, we find out that they would have NOTHING to do with ‘these terms’ of preterist understanding!”

Continue reading →

THE MILLENNIUM EXAGGERATED (2)

Interpretation, Millennium, Revelation of John, Theology October 28, 2025 Comments: 2

MisdirectionPMW 2025-085 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the second and concluding study on the exaggerated role of the millennium in eschatological studies. It is important for you to read the preceding article before jumping into this one. I am arguing that John’s half-chapter is given too much place in prophetic discussions. This has led many Christians to misunderstand the function of the millennium in Revelation, as well as its length.

Properly understood, the thousand-year time frame in Revelation 20 represents a long and glorious era and is not limited to a literal 365,000 days. Continue reading →

SYMBOLISM AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Interpretation, Revelation of John October 17, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-082 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

When opening the book of Revelation, the would-be interpreter must understand that it is a highly figurative book that cannot be approached with a simple, straightforward literalism. It constantly amazes me that when I discuss Revelation with many evangelical laymen they are immediately alarmed that I am not taking Revelation “literally”! Perhaps one of our first tasks in convincing laymen of the preterist view of Revelation is to disabuse them of literalism.

The first thing we need to do is to point out that though Revelation is highly symbolic, the preterist view does understand Revelation’s prophecies as strongly reflecting actual historical events in John’s near future. And this is despite their being set in an apocalyptic drama and clothed with poetic hyperbole. As even premillennialist commentator Robert Mounce notes: “That the language of prophecy is highly figurative has nothing to do with the reality of the events predicted. Symbolism is not a denial of historicity but a matter of literary genre.” Continue reading →

THE APOCALYPSE AND THE OLD TESTAMENT

Old Testament, Revelation of John June 3, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-042 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Revelation is a difficult book to interpret. We must read it carefully to detect clues as to John’s meaning. One important issue regarding Revelation’s interpretation regards it extremely Hebraic style. In this brief series I will be highlighting several elements of its Hebraic character.

As a Redemptive-historical Preterist I believe that John is writing about the soon-coming destruction of the Jewish temple in AD 70. When we read Rev we are immediately struck by John’s strongly Jewish presentation. No competent commentator fails to mention this. Fiorenza notes that “it is often judged to be more Jewish than Christian.” Charles argues on the basis of its style that it is obvious that John was a “Palestinian Jew.” Buchanan agrees with J. F. Whealon who “observed that Rev 4:1–22:7 was a Jewish document that was later Christianized by the introduction, conclusion, and a few editorial additions.” Continue reading →