One of the first objections that will come up, is about when was Revelation written. Many Christians are used to hearing that it was written in about AD 95. But the evidence for the late date is very, very sketchy. We should note that Revelation is filled with imminence statements that restrict its fulfillment to a time soon after it was written. These statements include: “must shortly take place,” “soon,” “about to happen,” etc. There are some thirty of these time-statements in Revelation. Many of these relate directly to a prophecy about the soon destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70. Note that the book begins and ends with these time-statements. See Revelation 1:1-3 and 22:6-20.
While many Christians think that the book was written after AD 70 the internal and external evidence is overwhelming that it was written prior to AD 70. Since the book of Revelation was written to a first-century audience, probably around AD 64, we should expect the first-century readers to have been able to calculate the number of the beast. For the beast to be someone thousands of years in the future would have made no sense to the readers in the first century, and would have made the calculation of the number impossible for them. Remember, the Bible was written for us, but not to us. Audience relevance is critical to understanding the sacred text.
For more, see my articles on eschatology:
https://prophecyquestions.com/2014/02/01/articles-by-charles-meek
If you are preterist, does that make your view post millennial return of Christ? When does the millennia start?
It’s Carrot Top.
CC
Thanks for the post!
I agree that Revelation was written before 70 AD, otherwise there would have been mention of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.
Article says Emperor Nero of Rome = the Antichrist in the book of Revelation; there I also agree.
Lutheran and Orthodox Presbyterian & other main denominations (not sure about Baptists) always taught that time would run from Creation to Judgement Day.
No rapture, 7 year tribulation, Antichrist, mark of the beast, etc.
Ummm. The problem about this whole thing is that this guy takes all that information out of context. Without the rest of the content of revelation explained to fit this guy’s totally ridiculous claim (The mark for example, all the water turning to blood, the moon turning blood red, the sun being black as sack cloth, the stars falling from the heavens, 1/3rd of all the water on Earth turned bitter, 1/3rd of all the greenery on Earth destroyed, talk of asteroid or meteors hitting Earth a few times, all the sea life killed, etc.) this is meaningless and the beast cannot be Nero because none of those things written in parentheses have never happened, and certainly did not happen during or near Nero’s reign nor the reign of the Roman empire, or any time in recorded human history.
So I deem this “theory” HOAX.
“fine scholars who adopted the preterist view”
An oxymoron if there ever was one.
All this violence the world over (2 Timothy 3:13), Israel a nation again after almost 2,000 years, technology that allows us to finally fulfill Revelation 11:9, not to mention implant a device that actually uses a “666” identifier to Buy & Sell and you morons still are determined to say Christ’s Kingdom is “now”.
Being a Preterist has about as much “fact” to it as the Islamic Moon God worship of Allah.
Beasts in scripture are governing bodies/entities that have power over the lives of people. There are many governments and rulers who have been, or are even now against the teachings of the Messiah (i.e, they are anti-Christ).
There have been many false prophets, Mohammed probably being the greatest of all, and the cult he founded, Islamism, is likely the ultimate “beast”. Then there is communism, and other forms of government, run amok, that meet the criteria.
Government by man will be chained and thrown into the “bottomless” pit, “dashed to pieces”, replaced by a world order not of man, but of the Almighty.
The kingdom of God was rejected by the Jews at the Messiah’s first advent, so we’ve had a delay of a couple thousand years, all prophesied, to make amends and to allow things to reach such a state that those living will heartily proclaim: “Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Almighty!”
Then He will come and set up the “kingdom of God”, ruling the entire planet, from his city of Jerusalem, and not before, just as He told all those who crucified him, 2,000 years ago.
Don’t be a false prophet...
I strongly disagree.
Look toward Islam...with a strong dose of taqiyya firmly entrenched in the person.
Baloney.
Before 70 AD? I am willing to listen to your arguments, but you aren’t doing a good job of presenting them.
The evidence for an “early” date is far more sketchy, than it is for a late date.
Among other things you must look at authorial intent.
The Bible clearly states that the true meaning of antichrist is that which rejects Christ.
2 John 1:7 - For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1 John 2:22 - Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 John 4:3 - And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
As far as the “Anti-Christ” goes, as an end times figure - it’s all speculation. It’s best to follow the Gospel of salvation and not to let eschatology become too big apart of ones faith. Far too many have argued for far too long over prophecy.
The antichrist -- the man of sin, son of perdition -- has not yet been revealed. He hasn't yet made himself to be god, standing in the [restored] temple of God. These events happen shortly before Christ's return. Christ has not returned. When he does, all the world will know it.
For a great explanation for the timing of these events which compares all scripture with scripture accurately to give a reasonable time line, see this video:
I still say it is Barry Obama
I don`t know if i am preterist or not, i never can remember what it means but the view makes a lot of sense to me.
Why would John be writing to seven churches that have not existed for hundreds of years?
It also looks to me like we are living in the days of Rev ch 17 and 18, describing the religious system of our day which John calls the whore and her daughters.
But Revelation 17:10 makes it clear that revelation was written during the reign of the sixth beast so there was
one yet to come plus number eight.
It is possible that Nero was the beast for that time period and what we have today is the image of the beast.
I also believe Revelation was written earlier than most of the experts agree to agree on, i wonder what they really believe?