Verses¶
Question¶
What are the strongest arguments against preterism, futurism, and idealism as interpretive frameworks for Revelation?
PRIMARY VERSES — FULL CHAPTER CONTEXT¶
Revelation 1 (Prologue, Dating, Temporal Structure)¶
1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 1:12-16 [Vision of Christ among the candlesticks] 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Revelation 2:1-29 (Seven Churches — Present-Tense Conditions)¶
2:1-7 (Ephesus) — left first love; deeds of Nicolaitans 2:8-11 (Smyrna) — tribulation, poverty, "synagogue of Satan," tribulation ten days, faithful unto death 2:12-17 (Pergamos) — "where Satan's seat is," Antipas martyred, Balaam doctrine, Nicolaitans 2:18-29 (Thyatira) — Jezebel, fornication, "depths of Satan," power over nations, rod of iron
Revelation 7 (144,000 + Great Multitude — Israel/Church Identity)¶
7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 7:5-8 [Twelve tribes listed, 12,000 each] 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 7:14 ...These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 9 (Fifth and Sixth Trumpets — Specific Time Periods)¶
9:1-5 Fifth angel: locusts from bottomless pit; torment five months 9:10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 9:13-15 Sixth angel: four angels loosed from Euphrates, prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
Revelation 11 (Two Witnesses, Seventh Trumpet — Time Periods)¶
11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven... and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation 12 (The Woman, Dragon, and Child — THE SPAN PROOF)¶
12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. 12:7-9 War in heaven; dragon cast out — that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan. 12:10 Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down. 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12:12 ...Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 13 (Two Beasts, 666)¶
13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 13:16-17 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Revelation 14 (Three Angels, Harvest — Future Endpoint)¶
14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth... Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come. 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city... 14:9-11 And the third angel followed them... If any man worship the beast and his image... 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 14:14-16 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle... and the earth was reaped. 14:19-20 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Revelation 17 (Babylon the Great — Identity)¶
17:1 ...Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 17:3 ...a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition. 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 17:10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Revelation 18 (Babylon's Fall)¶
18:2 ...Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils... 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 18:4 ...Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins... 18:9-10 And the kings of the earth... shall bewail her... Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. 18:11-13 And the merchants of the earth shall weep... merchandise of gold, silver... and slaves, and souls of men. 18:20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. 18:21 ...Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Revelation 21 (New Jerusalem — Twelve Tribes + Twelve Apostles)¶
21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Revelation 22:6-21 (Epilogue — "Shortly" Inclusio)¶
22:6 ...the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Daniel 2:31-45 (Metallic Image — Counter to Idealism)¶
2:31-33 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image... head of fine gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, feet part of iron and part of clay. 2:34-35 ...a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet... and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 2:37-38 Thou, O king, art a king of kings... Thou art this head of gold. 2:39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron... 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 2:45 ...the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Daniel 7:1-28 (Four Beasts — Parallel Sequence)¶
7:3-7 Four great beasts: lion (7:4), bear (7:5), leopard (7:6), fourth beast dreadful and terrible with iron teeth and ten horns (7:7). 7:8 ...another little horn, before whom three horns plucked up... eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. 7:9-10 ...the Ancient of days did sit... the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 7:13-14 ...one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven... given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom... an everlasting dominion. 7:17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 7:23 The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth... 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints... and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
Daniel 8:20-27 (Named Kingdoms)¶
8:20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. 8:21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 8:22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. 8:25 ...he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
Daniel 9:24-27 (Seventy Weeks)¶
9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks... 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary... 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease...
Galatians 3 (Abraham's Seed Redefined — Against Futurism)¶
3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Romans 9:1-33 (Not All Israel Which Are of Israel)¶
9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9:24-26 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people... there shall they be called the children of the living God.
Romans 11 (Olive Tree — One People of God)¶
11:1 Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 11:18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. 11:23-24 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in... how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 11:25-26 ...blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved...
Ephesians 2 (One New Man)¶
2:11-12 ...ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh... at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise... 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity... for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross... 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
1 Peter 2:1-10 (Holy Nation, Royal Priesthood)¶
2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood... 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
2 Peter 3 (One Day as 1000 Years — Delay Question)¶
3:3-4 ...there shall come in the last days scoffers... saying, Where is the promise of his coming? 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish... 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night...
Romans 2:28-29 (True Jew)¶
2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
SUPPORTING OT PASSAGES¶
Jeremiah 50:1-10 (Babylon Judgment — OT Parallel)¶
50:1-2 The word that the LORD spake against Babylon... say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded... 50:8 Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans [cf. Rev 18:4 "Come out of her, my people"]
Jeremiah 51:44-64 (Babylon Destruction Parallels)¶
51:45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her [cf. Rev 18:4] 51:49 As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth [cf. Rev 18:24] 51:63-64 ...thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates... Thus shall Babylon sink [cf. Rev 18:21 millstone]
COMPLETE TABLE OF TIME PERIODS IN REVELATION¶
| Reference | Time Period | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 2:10 | Ten days | Smyrna tribulation |
| Rev 6:11 | Little season | Martyrs told to rest |
| Rev 9:5,10 | Five months | Fifth trumpet torment |
| Rev 9:15 | Hour, day, month, year | Sixth trumpet |
| Rev 11:2 | 42 months | Gentiles tread holy city |
| Rev 11:3 | 1260 days | Two witnesses prophesy |
| Rev 11:9,11 | 3.5 days | Witnesses' bodies in street |
| Rev 12:6 | 1260 days | Woman in wilderness |
| Rev 12:12 | Short time | Devil's wrath |
| Rev 12:14 | Time, times, half a time | Woman nourished in wilderness |
| Rev 13:5 | 42 months | Beast's authority |
| Rev 17:10 | Short space | Seventh king continues |
| Rev 17:12 | One hour | Ten kings receive power |
| Rev 20:2-3 | 1000 years | Satan bound |
| Rev 20:4 | 1000 years | Saints reign with Christ |
| Rev 20:7 | Little season | Satan loosed |