Hopeful Eschatology Pt. 3: Four Views of Revelation

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event

Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind

Let’s dive into understanding the brightness of our future under the reign of King Jesus!

In this episode I will be presenting a brief overview of four main eschatological frameworks:

1. Historicism- This is the idea that the book of Revelation describes events unfolding on a historical timeline between the establishment of the church and the end of the world.  This was the belief held by the majority of the Protestant Reformers: Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Knox just to name a few.  Since current events are always changing, the historicists’ timeline also requires frequent updating.  Historicist Charles Wesley predicted the end of the world in 1794.  Later, his brother John Wesley adopted a new chronology that the millennial reign of Jesus would begin in 1836, after which then the devil would be unleashed for 1,000 years and then Christ’s final return would happen.  Many other (respectable) historicists have offered dates for the end of the world.  To list them might appear as ridicule (since they are in the past), but that is not my intent.  The historicist view is held by the Seventh Day Adventist denomination.

2. Futurism- This is the mainstream view of modern evangelicalism (think Left Behind).  This view interprets the book of Revelation as future events in a literal, global context.  In his 1585 commentary on Revelation, the Jesuit priest Francisco Ribera proposed the futurist view (in no small part to combat assertions by the Protestant Reformers that the Pope was the anti-Christ).  Ribera proposed concept of the Antichrist as a single individual who would appear in the future and (among other things) rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.  John Nelson Darby (founder of the “Exclusive Brethren”) popularized this view (along with dispensationalism) in the 1800s when his teachings were included in the Scofield Reference Bible which became very influential among American ministers.  If you grew up in an evangelical denomination or watched any Christian television this is probably the view you've heard with three main variations: pre-tribulation rapture, mid-tribulation rapture and post-tribulation rapture.

3. Preterism- This eschatological view interprets some or all prophecies of the Bible as events which have already happened.  This view was first systematically put forth by Jesuit Luis de Alcasar in 1614 (also in part as a response to the Protestant Reformers).  There are two camps: partial and full.  Partial preterists believe that the prophecies in Daniel, Matthew 24, and Revelation (with the exception of the last two or three chapters) have already been fulfilled in the first century AD.  Full preterists (of which there aren’t many) believe all Bible prophecy has been fulfilled.  (Full preterism is considered beyond the scope of orthodoxy by partial preterists.)  Some high profile preterists would include R.C. Sproul, N.T. Wright, Hank Hanegraaf and Kenneth Gentry.  The preterist view is held by the Presbyterian denomination. 

4. Idealism- This is a nonliteral or allegorical approach that suggest all the imagery of Revelation is symbolic.  It is supposed Renaissance theologians initially offered this framework as an explanation for the “now and not yet” tension of the present state of the Kingdom of God.  This view has been adopted by some advocates of the “Social Gospel” as they see “the Beast” manifest in earthly injustices that the saints in the Kingdom of God must overcome.  This view does not take the prophecies as being fulfilled in a literal sense either historically or in the future (except among some adherents as to regard to the Second Coming and Final Judgement), but it is an allegory of good vs evil for all Christians in all eras.

All of these views are within the scope of “orthodoxy” and affirm essential, core tenants of Christianity: the physical return of Jesus to the earth, the resurrection of the dead, final judgement and His eternal reign.  However, they disagree over what certain Scriptures mean and the details of these realities. 

My goal in studying eschatology is not to indoctrinate others on a certain system of interpretation or make them agree with me, but to help us appreciate several orthodox views that exist within the Body of Christ and to consider with the guidance of the Holy Spirit you believe.  You are powerful to choose your own view!

At the end of the day, the study of end times can bring us all to one conclusion: Jesus is coming again and when He returns we want to be ready.  

My intention is to lay out some big theological ideas (eschatology, the end of the world, the Kingdom of God) and then discuss some practical applications: i.e., “So what?”  In this episode we do a very "high altitude" overviews of these four views as we prepare to dive into the book of Revelation.