Episode 46: Reading Revelation for the First Time

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 46

Gary discusses how to read and understand the book of Revelation.

Many reasons could be put forth to explain why our Christian counterparts of long ago were wrong about what they believed to be prophetic certainties. The signs seemed to fit the times. How can we avoid their mistakes? The following prophetic keys will help any interpreter unlock the door to the prophetic past and the prophetic future:

• The first prophetic key is to recognize that prophetic themes are most often set within established time frames. Failure to pay attention to a time frame can lead a person to assume that his generation is the generation experiencing the fulfillment when, in fact, the fulfillment is in the past.

• The second prophetic key is to recognize that as far as history records, little is unique about our era when it comes to calamities like plagues, earthquakes, and wars. This means that their contemporary manifestation does not necessarily carry any prophetic importance. In terms of a given time frame, the fulfillment of such prophecies is more than likely past.

• The third prophetic key is to determine historical context. Before an interpreter assumes a future fulfillment—if the time text is clear—he should search events within the given time frame for possible fulfillment.

• The fourth prophetic key is to distinguish fulfillment from application. There is much in Scripture that is fulfilled, but principles remain that can be applied to any era.

Of course, there are other rules of interpretation that apply to texts where prophecies are found as they would apply to Scripture in general. The four just listed, however, are the most misunderstood and misapplied when prophecy is the subject.

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Gary discusses how to read the book of Revelation. Christians too often fail to take the context of the first century into consideration when reading Revelation and instead interpret it based on events in their own time. But how would the original audience and readers have understood and interpreted the letter based on what they had available to them soon after Jesus’ ascension in the days of the early church?

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American Vision’s mission is to Restore America to its Biblical Foundation—from Genesis to Revelation. American Vision (AV) has been at the heart of worldview study since 1978, providing resources to exhort Christian families and individuals to live by a Biblically based worldview. Visit www.AmericanVision.org for more information, content and resources