A Conditionalist Interpretation of the Apocalypse

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The historicist scholar George Eldon Ladd says that the three cycles of judgment—seven seals, seven trumpets and seven last plagues—is the greatest mystery in the book of Revelation.

Scripture says, "It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out." Proverbs 25:2.

If you read the book of Revelation straight through, you should notice two seemingly mysterious things:

(1) The world keeps coming to an end.

(2) As time progresses, the severity in each set of seven ‘final’ end-time judgments keeps escalating.

Here is a basic outline of the Apocalypse:

1. A Call To Overcome (Rev 1-3).

2. The Court Assembled (Rev 4-5).

3. The First Scenario (Rev 6).

4. The Second Scenario (Rev 7-11).

5. The Third Scenario (Rev 12-18).

6. The Court’s Final Judgment (Rev 19-20).

7. The Reward Of Those Who Overcome (Rev 21-22).


Here is my question. What do these three scenarios refer to?

Before I answer, let’s hastily display the literary structure of the vision of Amos 7:1-6, notice the "canceled conclusions" and mention, for emphasis, that Amos has three scenarios.

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king’s share had been harvested and just as the second crop was coming up. When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, "Sovereign Lord, Forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!"

So the Lord relented.

"This will not happen," the Lord said.

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me:

The Sovereign Lord was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. Then I cried out, "Sovereign Lord, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!"

So the Lord relented.

"This will not happen either," the Sovereign Lord said.

This is what He showed me: .... [a third scenario.]

The interpretation I am suggesting for the book of Revelation is this. The first scenario expresses the thought that an imminent return was possible for the Apostolic church. That conclusion was canceled and the prophetic drama shifts to a second scenario. The second scenario is the second most important epoch in history where the end of the world almost materializes but that possibility is canceled also. We are now in the third and final scenario.

I propose that we debate the general outline of the book of Revelation and then move on to the multiple scenarios in the book of Daniel. Any questions?
 

Patmosman_sga

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I would suggest we not try to impose a "this worldly" historical perspective upon a book which "unveils" an "other worldly" eternal perspective. Revelation is "history" from God's perspective. Thus, it is very presumptuous of us fallen humans to place eschatological significance upon world events just because they capture the imagination of a few "experts." Jesus consistently compared the kingdom of God to some of the most ordinary, everyday realities--a sower spreading seeds, a landowner paying his workers, little children coming to him to be blessed.

From God's perspective, it is more likely the "little things" (which often escape our notice) which point toward the consummation of his kingdom, like a piece of bread and a cup of wine. After all, the consummatory eschatological event of history is "the marriage supper of the lamb." The whole scenario played out in Revelation can be played out in something as seemingly mundane as a Sunday morning worship service. On the other hand, it could be played out over a period of several thousand years. But that's the nature of apocalyptic. In Christ, God's plan for the ages has been unveiled! To the very end, we will continue to live out its implications in our individual lives, in the communal life of the Church, and in the whole realm of God's creation.
 
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Surely you recognize the New Testament expectation that the end of the world was to be in the lifetime of the Apostles?

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mt 3:2; 4:17 cf. Mk 1:15.

And Jesus was going about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. Mt 4:23.

And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mt 10:7.

And this do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand... And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Ro 13:11,12; 16:20.

Even so you too, when you [the disciples] see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Mt 24:33,34 cf. Mk 13:29,30; Lk 21:31,32.

You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. ... behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. James 5:8,9.

The end of all things is at hand. 1 Pe 4:7.

But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man comes. Mt 10:23.

For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Mt 16:27,28 cf. Mk 8:38, 9:1; Lk 9:26,27.

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know it is the last hour. 1 John 2:18.

But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. ...keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place and to stand before the Son of Man. Lk 21:28,36.

... The appointed time has grown very short. 1 Cor 7:29.

... The ends of the ages have come. 1 Cor 10:11.

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son. Heb 1:1,2.

Now ... at the consummation of the ages. Heb 9:26.

... a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Pe 1:5.

For He ... appeared in these last times for the sake of you. 1 Pe 1:20.

For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. Heb 10:37.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall... 1 Thess 4:15.

... which must shortly take place... for the time is near. Rev 1:1,3.

Hold fast until I come. Rev 2:25.

Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world. Rev 3:10.

I am coming soon. Rev 3:11.

... what must soon take place... I am coming soon... Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. ... Behold, I am coming soon ... Surely I am coming soon. Rev 22:6,7,10,12,20.

But they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 1 Pe 4:5.

Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,... Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless. 2 Pe 3:11-14.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil 3:20.

And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 1 John 2:28.

... so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus. 1 Thess 3:13.

... awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13.

... as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ; who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 1:7,8.

You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thess 1:9,10.

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and ... keep the commandment without stain or reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time. 1 Tim 6:12-15.
 
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I do like the general approach that you (EugeneS) are taking. In response to your comment

"I propose that we debate the general outline of the book of Revelation and then move on to the multiple scenarios in the book of Daniel. Any questions?"

I recommend that certain ground rules must be agreed upon before one can study the book of Revelation. This Book primarily deals with the return of our Lord and as such it is quite important to understand it in light of His utterances and the manner of His "coming" the first time He blessed this earth with His presence.

1. The word "heaven" has been used 42 times in this Book. Heaven and the events that occur in it play a pivotal role in this Book. But, where is Heaven? Is it this sky above us? If so, then how are we to understand this verse:

John 3:13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven–the Son of Man.[ 3:13 Some manuscripts Man, who is in heaven]

2. "Death" and "dying" also play a big role in this Book. But what is really meant by "death" in the Book of revelation? How do we determine where to take death to mean the death of unbelief and where to take it to mean the physical death?

3. What is meant by "coming in the clouds" (1:7)? Should we take this literally? Didn't our Lord come down from Heaven the first time also?:

John 3:13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven–the Son of Man.[ 3:13 Some manuscripts Man, who is in heaven]

John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

4. What is meant by "see" in verse 1:7? How do we understand this in light of the prophecy fulfilled by John The Baptist in Luke 3:4-6

4 As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
"A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all mankind will see God's salvation.'

Did all mankind "see" God's salvation or only those who had "eyes to see" and "ears to hear" the Word of God? There are those who contend that this prophecy was not fully fulfilled during the lifetime of our Lord 2,000 years ago. But if not, why did Luke bother to mention it?

4. What is meant by "darkening of the sun" "and moon turning blood red" in Revel. 6:12? How are we to understand this in light of the prophecy of Joel (2:28-32) fulfilled in Acts 2:14-21:

14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17" 'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'


Did the moon turn to blood and was the sun blackened on the day of Pentecost? If not, then what did Peter mean by "darkening of the sun" and "the moon turning blood red"?
How would this help us understand better the Book of Revelation?

I do hope that what I have written would provide some food for thought. There are several other areas that need to be explored....
 
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Originally posted by Mike Etemadi
This Book primarily deals with the return of our Lord.
I disagree. I believe most of the Apocalypse deals with sequences of events from the first century to a real consummation of earthly history, including the end of sinners, and a true and ultimate Restoration not yet manifested.

I wish to assume that everyone is aware of the Preterist interpretation. The issue I’m raising concerns the general outline of the Apocalypse. For example:

Why do the mountains and islands disappear twice?

I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Rev 6:12-14.
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. Rev 16:17-21.
This could not happen twice.

If the seals, trumpets and bowls are parallel and refer to identical events from different points of view, then all the parallels should be mapped out and compared. If these judgments are significantly dissimilar, then I believe that it’s reasonable to investigate the possibility of multiple scenarios.
 
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Patmosman_sga

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The basic assumption here appears to be that John's vision was sequential in nature as well as communication. I would disagree with that premise. John's vision was synchronous in nature and sequential in communication. As M. Robert Mulholland (Revelation: Holy Living in an Unholy World, Zondervan 1990) points out, "One of the major problems in communicating a visionary experience is that language is sequential whereas visions tend to be synchronous. In other words, one must relate a visionary experience a piece at a time, even though the experience may have been a single, unified, holistic encounter with reality."

If one stipulates this, then it can be understood that "events" described more than once are actually the same "event" viewed in greater detail and from varying perspectives as the seer's description of the vision unfolds.

This is similar, for instance, to the creation account in Genesis 1-2. Obviously, God did not create the world twice. The narrative provides two accounts of the same event, but from different perspectives. Likewise, the existence of four Gospels does not mean Jesus lived, died and rose again four times. They are the same story, told from four different perspectives.
 
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