Premillennialism? What?There are two generally accepted interpretations of the Book of Revelation, Pre-Millennialism and Preterism. Since there is both a blessing for reading Revelations, but a curse for misinterpreting it (22:19), I have read, but do not comment upon it. Some general back ground cannot hurt, I suppose.
Pre-Millennialism is the currently popular idea that revelations foretells the future prophecy of the end of the world. This is where the idea of the Anti-Christ, 666, the rapture, and the Tribulation originate. The interpretation was first introduced by two Catholics writers, Manuel Lacunza and Ribera, writing under the nom de plume Ben-Ezra. Their writing were banned as heresy by the Church. The interpretation surged in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th century out of turn of the century anxiety and the belief World War I would mean the end of civilization. Pre-Millennialism has solidified itself as the most popular interpretation today.
A key argument in favor of Pre-Millennialism is Revelation 20 in which Satan is said to be bound for a thousand years after the Second Coming. Preterism generally interprets that chapter as allegorical, but the surrounding chapters as symbolic prophecy of events occurring prior to 70 AD. One can see how that might be awkward.
Preterits is the idea the Book of Revelation foretells prophecies having been fulfilled during the first century. This view says Jerusalem or the Roman empire is the persecutor of believers and that Armageddon is God’s use of the Roman army (”the beat”) as judgment on the Jews. This prophecy would have been fulfilled by the destruction of Israel in 70 AD.
The second half of Revelation regards Rome’s persecution of Christians. Nero is a most likely the one referred to as 666, because that is how his named would be represented by the numerical representation of Hebrew letters corresponding to the name Nero in Greek.
The key to preterits is in Jesus’ description of the signs of the end Matthew 16:24-28; Mark 8:34-9:1; Luke 9:23-27:
"And he called to him the multitude with his students, and said to them, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his stake daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake and the message's will find/save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the son of man also be ashamed when he comes with his holy angels in his glory and the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the son of man coming in his kingdom of God with power.”There is no way to reconcile Jesus' statement that some standing there will not taste death before the kingdom is established. The destruction of Israel is the only significant event recorded for that generation. there are not 2,000 year old men running around, either.
Since there are arguments supporting and refuting both interpretations, i tend to shy away from the debate entirely whenever possible. I believe in Pan-Millennialism--it will all pan out whether I understand it or not.
