Revelation

An exegetical study through the book of Revelation from a partial preterist perspective.

SM MD LG XL XXL

The first 6 seals are about the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (5:13 - 6:17)

Jesus breaks six of the seals, and unleashes the 4 horsemen representing conquest, bloodshed, famine, and death. The Christian martyrs cry out for justice against their persecutors and murderers, the Jewish zealots of their day. The inhabitants of Jerusalem cry out for the mountains to fall on them to shield them from the wrath of the Lamb. Also, the word translated "earth" refers to the land of Israel.

No items to display

Prayer and Intro

Goal for the session and homework

Jesus is all over this book, and the point of the Old Testament

Some of the view you can take when you read the book have more consequences than others. Texts have a single correct interpretation, and many applications of the text.

Keep in mind how this class interprets the scriptures. It's the historical way the church interpreted the scriptures. On the millennium, it's Amillennial. The interpretive framework used is a mixture of historicist and partial preterist.

Don't forget that this book was written to the 7 literal churches it is addressed to. It's written to reveal Jesus Christ to them in a way that would bring them encouragement, hope, perseverence, faith, and hope.

Jesus takes the same scroll that Daniel 12:4, and begins to break the seals open in chapter 6. This is about the impending destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

The Jews who were recipients of Jesus' wrath and judgement were the Jews of the 1st century, not the people who call themselves Jews of today. Antisemitism of any kind is categorically wrong, but it would be especially absurd to use God's judgment of Israel as pretext for it.

Revelation 5:13-14 -- the sequence of events started by the opening of the scroll is very closely tied to Matt 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

Revelation 6:1-17. The 7 seals are over with--they are already open. We should focus on how to view Jesus as the initiator of these judgements.

This text moving forward to the end isn't a series of chronological events. You can see that by comparing Rev 16:20 with Rev 6:14. These are describing the same event--mountains can't be removed twice.

In order to see that this is a judgement on Israel, we have to explore the texts. Eze. 5:13-15, for example.

The colors of the horse are significant, we see it in both Revelation and Zechariah: white for conquest, red for bloodshed (2 kings 3), black for famine (Jer 14:2), pale green for death (Eze 14, Lev 26).

The riders of the horses could also be an interesting study. We'll go over the early church's perspectives, and possible interpretations.

Revelation 6:1-2 -- This isn't Jesus or some Anti-Christ. The crown being worn is the crown of the victor. It's a picture of one going forth to successfully overcome.

Revelation 6:3-4 -- This is the Roman army. The word used for sword here is more a big knife used by the Romans.

Revelation 6:5-6 -- Black is equated to famine in multiple texts, like Lam. 5:10, in fulfillment of the curse in Leviticus 26.

This horseman brings famine to Jerusalem, and that famine was severe. Lev 26:25 is the curse that is being fulfilled by this famine.

What does "do not damage the oil and the wine" mean?

Revelation 6:7-8 -- this fourth of the "earth" does not mean the whole planet. It refers to the land--specifically, the land of Israel.

Revelation 6:9-11 -- these are martyred Christians in the first century, and their oppressors were the Jewish zealots who persecuted the church. This is demonstrated in Matt 23:34-36.

Revelation 6:12-17 -- while this is figurative, apocalyptic language. But there are accounts of some of these signs being literally seen--Josephus, for example.

Don't minimize what happened on AD70, it was massively significant. It was the end of Judaism as the Old Testament prescribed it because of a breaking of covenant. See Psalm 18:7-14 and Ezekiel 32:7

Commentary from the Midrash on Ezekiel 32:7

Jesus predicted the terrible fate from Isaiah 2 and Hosea 10 for the people of Jerusalem in Luke 23:28.

Our interpretive framework matters. If you're free to misinterpret words in the Bible, then you can twist scripture to say whatever you want. All it does is deny God the glory He deserves for His sovereign plan to make all things come to their appointed end.

The passages Jesus was quoting in His prediction: Hosea 10 and Isaiah 2:19.

Closing Prayer

No items to display

Homework Documents

No items to display