Brother Manifestation1*AD70 gave an outstanding summery of the reasons for a pre-AD70 dating of Revelation on another forum over at Yahoo. I dont think he will mind me quoting him. Preterists, this one is a keeper!
Manifestation wrote:
"The dating of the book of Revelation is a kind of issue that needs to be studied (as a whole). The futurist approach that we have all been taught in the past has simply not communicated well. It is like a picture puzzle. If one studies the pieces separately, he will not see the whole picture.
Those who oppose the early dating of the Book of Revelation are looking at a part of the puzzle without dealing with the whole. The "inner evidence" problem. John was witting within the historical setting "of his own time." The problem that many have in not understanding Revelation is because they try to interpret it through a futurists view.
One important "literal part" of the puzzle that is over looked is that the temple and the city were apparently still standing in Revelation 11, because John is sent to measure them. This would not be possible after 70 AD. And if John is referring to some rebuilt temple in the far distant future, and he is writing in 96 AD, then his complete silence about the destruction of the temple in 70 AD is deafening!
2- And John called himself their brother and companion in tribulation (Revelation 1:9). The problem with this [Domitian date] theory is that there is no evidence that during the last decade of the first century there occurred any open and systematic persecution of the
church.
3- According to the epistles to the churches, there were still Judaizers (Revelation 2:9; 3:9) presenting problems in the churches. This, would be ridiculous after 70 AD.
4- There were "other apostles who were not of Christ" still around according to Revelation 2:2. Tradition has it that all the died before 70 AD and John was the only original surviving past that time.
5 - The time statements refer to soon events of cataclysmic Jewish importance. If it was written in 96 AD, there are no events soon from that time that could even remotely fit. If, however, it was before 70 AD, then the destruction of Jerusalem rises to the occasion as both Jewish and cataclysmic.
6 - The second century Syrian version of the book has the title of "John the Evangelist in the Isle of Patmos, where he was thrown by Nero Caesar." Nero, of course, was dead by 68 AD.
7 - Some versions have a few manuscripts that have the number of the beast as 616 instead of the Hebrew 666. (You can find this stated in almost any Study Bible). What is shocking is that using gematria Caesar Nero's name would add up to 616 in those versions, but in Hebrew, 666. This is very strong evidence that Caesar Nero really was the one being referred to as the beast and that the change from 666 to 616 in some manuscripts was intentional for that very reason. It is nearly impossible to find another person's name in that time frame that would do this!
8 - The 6th king in Revelation 17 is the one that persecutes the saints. Roman emperors are (1) Julius, (2) Augustus, (3) Tiberius,(4) Caligula, (5) Claudius, then (6) Nero. Nero was the first and only Roman Caesar of the Julian line to persecute Christians. Nero's death ended the Julian dynasty. The one ruling after him reigned only
a little while . . Galba, 6 months. If the 6th king is indeed Nero, he would be the one that "now is" according to the prophecy, and this would date the writing before 68 AD when Nero supposedly committed suicide. Nero also persecuted Christians for 42 months as is stated in the prophecy.
9 - Caesar Nero's name in Hebrew gematria adds up to 666. Since this was written about soon events, no other person can be found within this time scope whose name fits this requirement and description. Especially none can be found in the soon future of 96 AD.
10 - What purpose would it serve for John to tell the first readers of his prophecy to "calculate" the number of the name of the beast if he was not to be born until 2000 years later? This would be completely ridiculous. This implies that the beast was living at the time of this writing, thus proving not necessarily the pre-70 AD writing, but definitely the "at hand" time statements of the book.
11 - The 7th king of Revelation 17 is not yet here. If Nero is the 6th, then the book was written before Galba, i.e. before 70 AD.
12 - In Revelation there seems to be only 7 churches in Asia. Historically, there seems to be many more than that after 70 AD as Christianity began to grow very rapidly.
13 - The incredible parallels of Matthew 24 and Revelation, which Jesus said would happen in "this generation" and "when . . . Jerusalem (is) surrounded with armies". Most of that generation were dead in the time of 96 AD and Jerusalem was surrounded with armies in 70 AD.
12- There is no concrete and inescapable reference, in any of the New Testament books, to the destruction of Jerusalem, and that in itself is not, a pretty surprising fact? We do not expect to see John writing of these particular Jewish centered world ending events because they did not happen yet pre-70 AD.
There is other evidence. There are spiritual considerations involved in the book as well. These points need to be taken into consideration to see the whole picture. Once a person catches a glimpse a light will turn on.
1- Jesus speaking to the religious leader of that day who insisted they were the seed of Abraham "the true Jews" John 8:33. You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44).
John witting of these Jews had this to say. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. insidious (Revelation 3:9).
2-In the Old Testament, Israel is viewed as the wife of the Lord; (see Jer.3) The once faithful city became an harlot sleeping with anyone who came by (Isa. 1:21; Jer 2:20, 3:13). Israel enlisted the help of Nero to stop the Church and John describes her as a harlot riding the beast (Revelation 17).
3- This harlot woman, or Babylon (city, claimed to be the true wife of the Lord (18:9), and the true holy city (11:2, 8). Such a claim could not be made after 70 A.D.
4- John identifies the enemies of God as Gog and Magog whose number is as the sand of the sea. (Revelation 20:8). A clue is given to us by God in their numbers it was as the "sand of the sea." This too can only apply to a pre-70 AD date. The only people who ever received that promise was Abrahams descendants. No other people received that
pomise.
5-The blood flowing as high as the horses' bridles would portray the gravity of judgment (Revelation 14:20). The distance of 1600 stadia (about 180 miles) just happens to be the approximate length of the land of Palestine. The "inner evidence" for a early date into the book of Revelation goes on and on. I hope that has helped."