Day 39 - Revelation 1:1-12:6

The book of Revelation is, perhaps, the most misunderstood and controversial of all the New Testament writings. There are many who are simply fearful of opening the book and opening their minds as to its content and interpretation and others who simply attempt to interpret the book in order to justify their own brand of eschatology (eschatology is the doctrine of last things). The various views of Revelation all tend to center around one's interpretation of the book in regard to eschatology – or perhaps more precisely – the book is interpreted based upon one's eschatological perspective. These issues tend to include various aspects such as the author, date, and interpretation of the prophecies given as either figurative, allegorical-historical or literal future.

This book is the revelation of Jesus Christ that was given to John the apostle while in exile on Patmos. The figures and symbols in the book are generally interpreted within their own context and the entire book should be interpreted with the same principles as are applied elsewhere in Scripture. Within the pages of Revelation, God has chosen to reveal the end times; the final victory of Jesus Christ over Satan and his angels; a wonderful promise and an explanation that there is an ultimate end to sin and suffering in the world; that it is and always was in God's master plan for creation.

The date of the writing of the book of Revelation is a highly debated topic. There are those who would date the book as early as AD 64 while others place the writing near AD 95.

Those who seek an early date for Revelation tend to "spiritualize" the return of Christ. They would claim that the AD 70 destruction of the Temple and the fall of Jerusalem are the marks of the tribulation and that everything else in the book is symbolic, spiritual or allegorical rather than literal. Further, it is claimed that if Revelation was written after the fall of Jerusalem that it would have been used as validation of Jesus Christ and his message.

Even so, a late date is supported by both internal and external testimony. The author, identified four times in the book as John (Revelation 1:1, Revelation 1:4, Revelation 1:9 and Revelation 22:8), writes that he received the revelation while exiled to the Isle of Patmos (Revelation 1:9). We know that Emperor Domatian (reigning from AD 81 to ad 96) had banished John to Patmos because of his Christianity. Thus, based on the evidence from Revelation 1:9, the date could not have been prior to AD 81.

Philip Schaff wrote that "the traditional date of composition at the end of Domitian's reign (AD 95 – 96) rests on the clear and weighty testimony of Irenanus, is confirmed by Eusebius and Jerome, and still has its learned defenders."

With all the evidence taken together, the Revelation should be dated to AD 85 – 95.

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