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A complete eassy on Biblical interpretation
What does Revelation 1:1-20 mean
Revelation 1:1-20 SUMMARY
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INTRODUCTION It’s a fairly formidable task to come to a conclusion on a Bible verse that there simply isn’t an answer for. What I am referencing is Revelation Chapter 20: 1-6 in which we see a picture of Satan being thrown into an abyss for a thousand years and Christ ruling over the earth. As I dissected the research paper directions for this assignment I dove into the process of learning about each of the views that scholars would contend for. There were several and each of them fairly complex. Very early on in the assignment I easily came to one conclusion; this wasn’t going to be easy. This assignment certainly is not for the faint of heart and cannot be answered by looking at a few verses and then reaching a conclusion. If it were that easy then there would be no debate over the meaning of this eschatological (end times) passage. Simply stated here is the topic; what is the meaning of Revelation Chapter 20? Should we regard the thousand years that is referenced in the chapter as symbolical or literal? Certainly, it has sparked an interesting debate but how should we view this span of time taught to us by the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos? Opposing views that mainstream Christians hold today help us to get to the heart of that very question. There are a few questions we must explore to fully grasp the topic; (1) what are the three main views that believers hold today, (2) what happens during the millennium, (3) how long is it, (4) who will be there (and what is the relationship of Israel and the church to the millennial kingdom), and finally (5) when does it occur in relation to the Second Coming of Christ. VARIOUS ESCHATOLOGICAL VIEWS Three views have dominated the discussion when attempting to understand Revelatio... ... middle of paper ... ...he Tribulation and come to a lasting belief in Him. Scripture teaches us that Israel will have an eternal place in Christ’s government (Romans 11:26-27; Daniel 4:3, 7:14; Jeremiah 23:5). Chosen believers will be appointed to reign under Christ, who will rule as the King of Kings (Revelation 19:16). Government and religion also seem to still be a necessity during His reign (Revelation 20:4-6). Additionally, there will be believers in glorified bodies who will literally reign on earth with Christ. At the beginning of the Millennium there will be those believers who are still be alive from the Tribulation who still have their old physical bodies (Zechariah 10:8; Jeremiah 30:20). These believers who have made it through the tribulation will still have their sin natures. Some of these believers will die and there will even be some whom will live the entire 1,000 years.
Much of Revelation is the source of debate. Many passages are symbolic in nature, and the exact meaning of the symbols can be difficult to determine. Some passages can be interpreted in various ways. The identity of the Four Horsemen, the 144,000, and Babylon the Great in particular are points of contention. Nevertheless, proper hermeneutics and careful study can illuminate these difficult passages.
Kenneth Gentry begins with a quote, “The closer we get to the year 2000, the farther we get from the events of Revelation.” This sentence summarizes the Preterist view nicely. The Preterist places weight on the historical aspect of Revelation by relating it to its original author and audience. The author was mainly concerned with the seven churches of Asia Minor who were facing difficulties during that time. John’s target audience was neither churches nor the 21st century. As most evangelical scholars would affirm, Revelation contains prophecies which were fulfilled in John’s near future. Their manifestation might not have been as graphic or literal as one might imagine, because John uses “poetic hyperbole,” yet these events were actually fulfilled in history. He argues that the use of highly figurative speech and symbolism is “not a denial of historicity but a matter of literary genre.” These were events that were to take place soon because the time was near. Then Gentry uses study of Greek language to support this. He argues that lexicons and modern translators agree that these terms indicate temporal proximity indicating that they expected to see the events in their lifetime. As much as a word study can be helpful, it can also be limiting. One certainly cannot base interpretation of the whole book on a loosely used term. Similarly, while the Apostle Paul spoke to the Thessalonians with urgency in plain language, we know that the Second Advent is yet to happen.
A Delusion of Satan was written in 1995 by Frances Hill, and published by Da Capo Press. Frances Hill, an accomplished writer and journalist from London, has been writing for a decent period of time. Aside from publishing two novels, Hill has written fiction reviews for The Time (London) and has worked as a reporter in in both New York and London. With such an accomplished journalist, reporter, and writer, we are due to receive a good read in A Delusion of Satan.
Both in the Old and New Testament, the Antichrist is described as this wicked individual who appears at the end of the age. Rising up politically to become the most powerful man on the planet, he will be regarded a Hero — the world’s Savior. Out of a power block of ten nations (or territories) rooted in the old Roman empire, he will establish some type of world government. Under his authority, Babylon (Iraq) will be rebuilt into the commercial center of the world. Through his mystical right hand man, a commercial mark will be instituted, enabling the Antichrist to control all buying and selling on earth. Peace between Israel and her surrounding Arab nations will be established when he institutes a seven-year treaty allowing the Jews to rebuild their holy temple; a temple he will later defile when he stands in its midst and proclaims himself — god. Satan himself will possess him. An anthropomorphic image, called the Beast will be created — through great signs and wonders — that all will be commanded to worship. Towards the end of his reign, he will bring the armies of the world together in Israel for the great battle known as Armageddon. The globe will experience what is called the Great Tribulation leading up to this time involving terrible cosmic and supernatural judgment. This seven-year tribulation starts when
These two literary works, 40 Hours in Hell by Katherine Finkelstein and Third World by Dexter Filkins, both present diverse perspectives on what occurred during the World Trade Center attack. Although both texts approach the coverage of this attack differently, as reporters, they both base their news using normative theory. Normative theory is the consideration of what is morally correct or incorrect. In relation to normative theory is the Social Responsibility Theory. This theory deals with how an individual must complete their civic duty, since they are apart of the press, as well as their actions must benefit society. Nonetheless, of these two texts, 40 Hours in Hell best fulfills the requisites of the Social Responsibility Theory.
Dante introduces Satan in the “Inferno” as the worst sinner of all times, and he relates his complexity with the sins that he committed and his punishment. Satan is described as the angel who rebelled against God, and hence he has wings. The wings of Lucifer are not the wings that an angel would have; instead he has bat-like wings, which demonstrates that now he has the wings the dark creatures as bats have. He is firstly in the story presented as an impure monster that is trapped in ice and unable to escape. “No feathers had they, but as of a bat their fashion was, and he was waving them, so that three winds proceeded forth therefrom” (Canto 34, 50).Dante’s depiction of Satan is different from the common known version of Satan, which is
Milton’s Satan in Paradise Lost is a complex character meant to be the evil figure in the epic poem. Whenever possible Satan attempts to undermine God and the Son of God who is the true hero of the story. Throughout the story Milton tells the readers that Satan is an evil character, he is meant not to have any redeeming qualities, and to be shown completely as an unsympathetic figure. Satan’s greatest sins are pride and vanity in thinking he can overthrow God, and in the early part of the poem he is portrayed as selfish while in Heaven where all of God’s angels are loved and happy. Satan’s journey starts out as a fallen angel with great stature, has the ability to reason and argue, but by Book X the anguish and pain he goes through is more reason for him to follow an evil path instead. Even so, Milton uses literal and figurative imagery in the description of Satan’s character to manipulate the reader’s response to the possibility that Satan may actually be a heroic figure. As the plot of the story unfolds there are moments where the reader can identify with Satan’s desires and relate to his disappointments.
This essay argues that the eschatology of the Book of Revelation is an integral part of John’s attempt to form a literary world in which the forms, figures, and forces of the earthly realm are critiqued and unmasked through the re-focalization of existence from the perspective of heaven. It attempts to show that, in response to the social, political, religious, and economic circumstances of his readers, the Book of Revelation forms a counter imaginative reality. Through drawing upon an inaugurated sense of eschatology and evocative imagery, John pulls the reader in and shows them the true face of the imperial world and consequences of its ideology, forcing the reader's allegiance to fall with either ‘Babylon’ or the New Jerusalem. Before beginning this essay proper, it is important to first comprehend some of what is meant by the term eschatology, and how it is understood in the Book of Revelation. Eschatology is that part of theology which deals with conceptions of the ‘end times’ and of the final things of the world and humanity.
The eighth and ninth dispensations are the periods covering the millennial rule of Christ and the rest of eternity. The Bible speaks of these dispensations sporadically and offer some glimpse of what is to come. Interests in future times, from the end of this period through the eighth and ninth dispensations, are intriguing and studied by many. These writings on the future warn of wrongdoing, and encourage moral living and honesty. The periods covered in the future, as many of the events in history, are widely debated.
No part of the Bible and its interpretation is more controversial than the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is the last profound book in the New Testament. It conveys the significant purpose of Christianity by describing God’s plan for the world and his final judgment of the people by reinforcing the importance of faith and the concept of Christianity as a whole. This book was written by John in 95 or 96 AD. What is, what has been, and what is to come is the central focus of the content in Revelation.
The term millennium does not appear anywhere in Scripture. The idea originated from a thousand year period of time that characterizes the reign of the Messiah. In fact, the phrase “thousand years” is stated six times in Revelation 20. There are three main schools of thought based upon one’s view of the thousand-year reign of Christ. These views are: Amillennial, Postmillennial and Premillennial. Over the centuries these prophetic differences have caused conflict within the body of Christ and are still currently widely debated. Instead of the book of Revelation being the basis of comfort (1 Thess. 4:18) among Christians it has become a bone of contention. However, this controversy should not deter Christ’s disciples from receiving the blessings that Revelation has to offer (Rev. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14). Rather, one should study prophecy under the Spirit’s guidance and look at the data provided within the full context of the Word assessing each of the views for correct motives and presuppositions. Therefore, this paper will examine the nature, timing, and duration of the millennium as well as the occupants of the millennial kingdom and the relationship of Israel and the Church to the millennial kingdom. The aim of this paper is to address “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place” (Rev. 1:1, ESV).
Revelation identifies itself as “both an “apocalypse”…and as prophecy”, making it distinctly different from the rest of the New Testament. “Jewish apocalyptic literature flourished in the centuries following the completion of the OT canon”, and it is scattered throughout the Old Testaments in books such as Daniel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah. Apocalyptic literature is full of “visions that dramatize the prophet’s admission to God’s heavenly council”, and convey their meaning primarily through symbolism. John brings a “balanced message of comfort, warning, and rebuke” in Revelation, testifying to the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Apart from the OT literature, Revelation shows a distinct optimism toward the end of days, for “Christ’s death has already won the decisive victory over evil”, with the Kingdom of God already among believers. This book was written in “approximately A.D. 95 on the island of Patmos”, which is still standing to this day. It was written under the emperor Domitian, with Roman authorities exiling John “to the island of Patmos (off the coast of Asia)”. The events in Revelation are also “ordered
One of the structural features of apocalyptic is that events and times are often arranged into distinct units, or epochs, which are then ordered into significantly numbered sets. 3, 4, 7, 10 and 12, and their multiples are especially significant. The seventy weeks of years in Daniel 9 is a prime example. This periodisation of history both highlighted the idea that the number and length of these units was determined - thus, despite all present circumstances, Gods purposes would ultimately be achieved; and to give the sense that the reader was positioned somewhere close to the end of the times described. That the number of days determined at the end of Daniel (12:11-12) are contradictory suggests that they were not to be taken literally.
The identity of the true protagonist in Paradise Lost is a mystery. One would gather that Milton, a Puritan, would have no problem casting God as the hero, and Satan as the antagonist. However, looking back in history, Milton saw that most epic heroes had conflicts that prevented them from accomplishing their goals. God and his Son have no conflict, and Adam’s story does not really begin until the Fall of Man. Therefore, Milton was forced to select Satan as the hero of Paradise Lost because he adheres to the guidelines of epic poetry set by Homer, Virgil and others. There are many examples of how Milton uses and edits the tradition of these previous epics in the formation of the Devil as a hero. One of the most basic examples of heroism in epic poetry is the exhortation of the leader to his followers. In The Odyssey, Homer lets Odysseus give a speech that would convince anyone they could survive the journey to the Strait of Messina, "Then we die with our eyes open, if we are going to die, or know what death we baffle if we can. (Ln.1243-1245)" After passing the Sirens, the ship approaches the Strait, and the crew sees the twin terrors of Scylla and Charybdis, they are mortified. Odysseus again lifts their spirits with this speech, "Friends, have we ever been in danger before this? More fearsome, is it now, than when the Cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had! Did I not keep my nerve, and use my wits to find a way out for us?
In Milton's Paradise Lost, he writes the story of the fall of Satan, his followers, and mankind. Many critics often view Satan as the unlikely or tragic hero of the epic poem. Satan is, obviously, the main character throughout most of the poem, but not necessarily the hero. Satan's main purpose is to fight G-d, and try to be on the same level as Him. The important thing is to realize that Satan is sin, and being humans, who are all born into sin, we can easily relate to a sinful character. G-d is holy and perfect. This is something which we, being fallible humans, cannot begin to comprehend. Satan does, at the beginning, follow many of the attributes which coincide with Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero; however, after the first few Books, Satan looses his status as a tragic hero rather rapidly. Along with this, Satan's thoughts parallel the idea of "Evil, be thou my good," (p76, line 110) which is the opposite of what G-d intends.