Revelation Part 2: The Timing
This is the second article in a series of lessons on the book of Revelation. In our last discussion, we noticed how the book of Revelation was written prior to the fall of Jerusalem in AD70. The dating of the book is important because it has bearing on the interpretation. For example, if the book of Revelation was written after AD70, then an interpretation that focuses on Jerusalem would be out of the question because the things in the vision were concerning events past, present and future to the time of John (Revelation 1:19). The first lessons, and those following will be for the purpose of arguing the following: “The Revelation that was seen by John was written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and found its full fulfillment in the overthrow of Judaism in AD70.” While this proposition may seem intimidating and, perhaps, threatening to some, I encourage you to read the following lessons with an open heart and mind – trusting only in God and not man. As mentioned, our second lesson will focus on the timing of the fulfillment of Revelation.
Audience Relevance
Before Revelation, or any passage of scripture, can mean anything to us, it must first be seen in light of the original audience. The epistles in the New Testament were written to living, breathing people. For example, Jesus said, “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars…” (Revelation 2:2). He is not speaking to you or to me, but He speaking to those of the church of Ephesus (Revelation 2:1). Can we apply this to us? Sure. It is important to have good works, to labor for the Lord, to not give space to those that are evil, and to try the teachings of uninspired men, but in considering the original meaning of this text, we must ask, “What did this mean to them?”
The same is true when interpreting the rest of scripture. We have to ask how the original audience would have interpreted the letter written to them because that is how the Holy Spirit intended it to be read. Another example is that of a love letter. If you were to find a love letter written from you father to your mother, you would interpret the meaning of that letter in light of the original audience: your mother! You would not expect others to interpret that they were the original audience of the letter. We must think of the letters written to the churches, and even Revelation, in the similar manner. While we know that all scripture is for us, we also must keep in mind those to whom it was originally written.
God and Time
When God inspired man to write the Bible, He used words in a way that man could understand. This same goes for the time statements found in scripture. God would say that things were far away, and sometimes He would say that things were about to take place. For instance, in the book of Numbers, Moses recorded, “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult” (Numbers 24:17, emp. added). This prophecy about Jesus was said to be far off into the future. In fact, this was recorded around 1500 years before Jesus was born. When God communicated this truth to Balaam, He told him that it was something that wouldn’t take place for a long time. Also, Daniel was told that the visions he saw were far away. In Daniel 8, Daniel was told, “And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true; Therefore, seal up the vision, for it refers to many days in the future” (Daniel 8:26).
On the other hand, God would sometimes tell His people that things were about to happen. Prior to the fall of Jerusalem by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar, Zephaniah wrote, “Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD; For the day of the LORD is at hand, For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests” (Zephaniah 1:7). Zephaniah prophesied in the time of Josiah (reigned 641 - 609BC). The temple in Jerusalem fell less than twenty-five years later. In the New Testament, God also spoke through His followers and said that the kingdom of God was at hand (Matthew 3:2). To emphasize this, Jesus said, “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matthew 16:27-28, emp. added).
Therefore, when God uses statements of imminence, we can trust that He says what He means and means what He says.
Timing in Revelation
We’ve seen that when God says something is far off, it comes to pass at a relatively distant time from the perspective of the original audience. However, when God says that something is about to take place, that should be interpreted with the original audience. What did that particular text mean to them? Once we answer that question, then we can know that we have the correct interpretation. With all of this being said, what does the book of Revelation say about the timing of its own fulfillment? Interestingly enough, the answer is found in the opening verses!
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:1-3, emp. added).
How would John’s original audience interpret these passages? They would have understood that the things that they were about to read were to come to pass in their near future. These aren’t the only places where God said that the things in Revelation were soon to take place. For instance, in Revelation 3, Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Revelation 3:11). Again, how would the seven churches of Asia interpret this text? Would they not have expected Jesus to come quickly?
Even in the latter part of the book, after speaking of judgement, tribulation, and resurrection, God had John record statement after statement that clearly indicated that the time of fulfillment was near.
"Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7).
“And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:10).
"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Revelation 22:12).
“He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)
Did God lie? Were these events not actually near? Did God mean to trick the original audience by saying that Jesus was going to come quickly? These are the questions and doubts that are implied when one wishes to push the interpretation of Revelation out of the time frame that God placed it in. This isn’t said to discount the sincerity of those who view a future fulfillment of Revelation, but it is meant to cause you to think about when God said these things would take place.
Conclusion
To finish off our thoughts, let’s compare one of the closing passages in Revelation to another one in the Old Testament. “And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:10). "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:4). Do you notice the similarities and the differences? In one, Daniel is told to seal up the book because the vision was not for his time. John, on the other hand, is told to not seal up the book because the vision was for the near future. Daniel lived six hundred years before John, and that was considered a long time. Here we are, two thousand years later, and, according to some, God has yet to fulfill His promises in Revelation. It is for these reasons that we hold to an early fulfillment of the book of Revelation. This faith isn’t blind, however, because, as we will in the lessons to come, we will point to history to show the actual fulfillment of these things.
In our lessons, so far, we have put forth that Revelation was written prior to AD70 and that it was to be fulfilled within the near future of the original audience. Our next lesson will be focused more on the subject matter of Revelation as we notice the martyrs, their vindication, and their reward. This will help to further solidify the early date, and it will also help us to identify who the city of Babylon is in the latter parts of the book.