Lesson 10 - Revelation (Part 2)

Question 1

How does Hendrickson instruct us to interpret symbolism in the book of Revelation?

Answer 1

1. ) The Fabric of the Book consists of moving pictures
2. ) The details that pertain to the entire picture should be interpreted in harmony with its central thought
3. ) We should ask 2 questions: First, what is the entire picture; Second: what is its predominant idea?

2 Kinds of Symbols

1. ) Describe the beginning or the end of the course of the new Dispensation (these refer to specific event)
   - - Example: Woman in Rev. 12 that births Christ
2. ) Those that seem to intervene between Christ’s first and second coming (Ex. lampstands, seals, trumpets, bowls). These don’t refer to specific events or details of history, but to principles that are operating throughout the history of the world, especially through the inner-advent period.

Question 2

How does Revelation comfort the believer who is suffering or under persecution?

Answer 2

Theme of overcoming/conquers throughout. Because Christ has conquered Satan, the Church will conquer its persecution. This eschatological world is held out as hope in suffering and fallen world. This serves as an encouragement/warning to not give up/to persevere.

Suffering

1. ) Rev. 2:3 – endured hardships for my name
2. ) 2:10 – future reward
3. ) 6:9 – martyrs
4. ) 20:4 – martyrs
5. ) Perseverance – overcoming theme
6. Theme is to overcome by remembering the heavenly perspective; Christ will return and be victorious; he has overcome
7. 2:7, 11, 17, 26, ; 3:5, 12, 21

Question 3

Discuss and explain the birth of Christ in 12:1-6.

Answer 3

1. ) Context/Setting
   - - Christ’s battle with Satan
   - - 3-fold opponent (unHoly Trinity): Satan, beast in sea/beast in land
2. ) Radiant Woman
   - - Covenant people of God (12 stars = 12 tribes)
3. ) Dragon = Satan Himself
   - - Gen. 3:15-16
   - - 2 characters are the main characters of the redemptive story (Satan wants to destroy Baby before Baby destroys him)
4. ) Child = Messiah/christ
   - - Picture of that seed (Gen. 3:15)
   - - Satan shows power by knocking out 12 stars
   - - Satan does not destroy the child, so goes for the woman
   - - How long? 1260 days
5. ) 1260 days = time frame for inner-advent period
   - - allusions to Israel wandering in the wilderness, Daniel’s 3.5 years of trial/suffering
   - - Applied in symbolic way to show the trials/suffering of the church in the inner-advent period.

Question 4

How is Christ portrayed as divine in the book of Revelation? Provide evidence from the book as well as other biblical connections that can be made.

Answer 4

1. ) Member of the Trinity
   - - Rev. 1:4-5
2. ) The First and Last - Jesus and God given the same title
   - - Alternate between God and Jesus saying this
   - - God: I am the first and Last” (1:8, 21:6)
   - - Jesus: I am the first and last (1:17, 22:13)
   - - echoes of “I am” statements in John
   - - Occurs 7 times in the book (microcosm of the book) - tells us about the divinity of Jesus; parallelism; 7-fold structure
3. ) The Coming One
   - - Jesus is the coming of God in the author’s mind
   - - 1:4, 8; 4:8, 11:17; 16:5
   - - In 11:17 - the last 1/2 is dropped (“The one who is and was…”) - Shows that Jesus has come in the incarnation
   - - OT: Divine name (Exodus 3)
4. ) Worship of Jesus
   - - Most central theme in Revelation (Who are you worshipping?)
   - - Worship of Jesus (filled with Songs) - Rev. 1:5; 5:8-14; 22:3

Question 5

Explain the use of symbols and numbers in Revelation and how these contribute to the overall theme of the book.

Answer 5

1. ) Symbols
   - - Not like illustration, but parable (2 fold purpose: hide it from blind; reveal it to those who can see)
   - - Overall theme: warn/encourage to wake up/persevere in suffering and persecution
   - - Obscurity is intentional to warn the church that is compromising
2. ) Numbers
   - - Not literal (code to crack), but symbolic import (points God wants us to realize)
   - - Example = 144,000 in heaven (completion/totality of God’s people)
   - - Intentional for symbolic/not literal reasons
   - - Example = 7 (number of completion/perfection)
   - - 4 = completeness in universal way (4 corners of earth)
   - - 12 (completeness in unity among diversity) = 24 elders

Question 6

How does the Old Testament aid in our interpretation of Revelation?

Answer 6

1. ) Quantity
   - - low end = 400 references; high end = 1000 references
   - - can’t understand Revelation without OT background
   - - allusions, not direct references
   - - Examples: 4 living creatures (Ezekiel 1); Son of Man (Daniel 7); Dragon (Gen. 3); Tree of Life (Gen. 1-2); Beast from the sea (Daniel 7); Lamb of God (passover language)
2. ) Source
   - - Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah (New Heavens); Psalms (Worship)
   - - helps with apocalyptic language (not just prophecy, but end times with images, symbols, etc.)
3. ) Nature
   - - Conflation = John uses OT references very naturally, not formally
   - - Context
   a. sometimes John just takes the image from OT without its meaning behind it, sometimes he does impart the meaning (Rev. 13 Beast from Daniel)

4.) Implication
– Our exegesis is driven by the connections to the OT
– Example: opening image of the book of Jesus
Jesus is described in language from Daniel 7 “Son of God”, from high priestly language, and from the Sovereign One

He is being described in His three offices from the OT language/imagery:

1. Great Prophet - sword coming from his mouth
2. Great Priest - sash around his waist
3. Great King - on his throne/hair is white as wool

Question 7

Explain in brief the various interpretations of the Millennium.

Answer 7

1. ) Historical Premillenialism
   - - When? Christ returns before 1000 years
   - - Where? Millenium happens on earth
   - - 2nd coming and final consummation are divided
   - - Some are literal 1,000 years/some are not
2. ) Dispensational Premillenialism
   - - When? Christ returns before 1000 years
   - - Where? Millennium happens on earth
   - - Rapture of Church –> 7 years tribulation –> Jesus 2nd coming –> 1,000 year reign with Israel (literal years) –> Final Consummation
   - - Israel and Church are two separate people/tracks
3. ) Postmillennium
   - - When? Jesus returns after millenium
   - - Where? Christ will reign in heaven, but earth is where the millenium takes place (not literal years)
   - - Non-literal 1000 year of Christian globalization
   - - Satan is bound sometime after the resurrection
   - - 2nd coming and consummation are together
4. ) Amill
   - - Satan is bound at the cross (Christ’s kingdom/reign came with his first coming)
   - - 1000 years is inneradvent period (non-literal); Christ’s reign during this
   - - 2nd coming and consummation together

Question 8

What are the elements of the Amillennialism eschatological view? How does it compare with the other views that are discussed?

Answer 8

1. ) Non-literal view of millennium
2. ) Time of millennium = inneradvent period; Christ’s Kingdom and satan is bound at the cross
3. ) Satan was bound = at the first coming of Christ
4. ) We are living in the last days right now
5. ) Doesn’t disconnect the 2nd coming and consummation

Question 9

Explain the various views surrounding the “binding of Satan”, and how does this phrase fit into the larger purpose of Revelation?

Answer 9

1. ) Historical Premil
   - - Satan is bound at Jesus second coming (starts the 1000 year reign)
2. ) Dispensational Premil
   - - Satan is bound at the 2nd coming; after the rapture and 7 years tribulation
3. ) Postmil
   - - Satan is bound sometime after his resurrection/exaltation
4. ) Amil
   - Satan is bound at the cross

Key = Binding chain is symbolic picture of God’s authority over the demonic world (not literal chain; he can still do stuff); just severely restricted in the area of the nations/great commission

– Rev. 20:3 - starts a new section of inneradvent period (not the future, but at the cross)