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INTERPRETATIVE VIEWS OF
THE REVELATION

There is considerable disagreement on how the book of the Revelation should be interpreted. Therefore it isstrongly recommended that you consider performing your own inductive study prior to consulting a commentary. The single best inductive study in my opinion is the Precept Ministries International 4 part study on the Revelation (see below ). I would also recommend the Precept inductive study on Daniel (Click Daniel 1-6 or Daniel 7-12) (Click here for links to commentaries on Daniel) because the truths in the book of the Revelation have their foundation in the prophesy in Daniel. To state it another way, a full understanding of the book of the Revelation is virtually impossible without an accurate understanding of the book of Daniel, especially Daniel 2 and Daniel 7.

Before you consult any commentary, it is important to recognize that there are four schools of interpretationof the Revelation and it is critical to know which view the commentary you are consulting espouses. More importantly you should strive to have a good foundation from your own inductive study before you consult even the most respected commentary or otherwise you will almost certainly be confused by the wide diversity of interpretations of the same passage! The four views of interpretation are summarized in the following chart (see also Bibliography).

Preterist
More detail

Preterist (from Latin praeter meaning "past") holds that through the use of symbols and allegory, the Revelation deals with events that were fulfilled in John's time and that it was written primarily to provide hope and comfort to the first century church persecuted by Rome. For example, this view interprets the beasts of (Rev 13:1, 2, 11-note) as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. The preterist view is held by many modern scholars, especially liberals and others who deny that the Revelation is predictive of specific future events.

Historicist
More detail

The historicist approach views the Revelation as a symbolic or allegorical prophetic survey of church history from the first century up to the Second Coming of Christ. This was the view espoused by most of the "reformers" and thus dominated Protestant eschatological teaching for centuries. This view however has been discounted by many as it does not adequately address the prophecies in the Revelation. The discerning reader needs to be aware that the historicist view is reflected in most of the "older" commentaries (many of which are public domain works easily accessible on the internet) including the works of John Knox, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, C. H. Spurgeon (although Spurgeon did believe in the Millennium), Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke and Albert Barnes. Unless you understand their historicist approach to prophecy, you may become very confused when reading these older "classic" commentaries. Note that with the exception of Spurgeon, these works are not included in the list of resources. It is also important to realize that many of these "classic" commentaries tend to treat many of the OT promises to Israel as primarily applying to the NT Church, a view that is strongly disavowed by this website (see discussion of The Israel of God). An example of a historicist interpretation is the belief that the strong angel of Revelation 10 symbolizes the Reformation and that the harlot in Revelation 17 represents the Roman Catholic church, both interpretations which a plain reading of the text simply does not allow!

Idealist
More detail

This approach argues that the symbols in the Revelation do not relate to historical events but rather to timeless spiritual truths. Idealists feel that Revelation relates primarily to the church between the first and second coming of Christ. They feel Revelation relates to the battle between God and evil and between the church and the world at all times in church history. The seals, trumpets, and bowls are thought to depict God’s judgments on sinners at all times, and the beast refers to all the anti-Christian empires and rulers in history. Thus the Revelation is viewed as describing the victory of Christ and His people down through history. The Millennium in this approach is not a future event but the final cycle of the book describing the church age. The weaknesses of this view include the failure to see the futuristic aspects of many of the prophecies or to connect them in any way with history. (Adapted from Grant Osborne: Revelation. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) (See another discussion of Idealist Interpretation)

This view is variously referred to as the spiritual approach, the idealist approach or thesymbolic approach and makes no attempt to find individual fulfillments of John's visions, instead viewing Revelation as a great drama depicting transcendent spiritual realities, such as the spiritual conflict between Christ and Satan, between the saints and the antichristian world powers. Fulfillment is seen either as entirely spiritual or as recurrent, finding representative expression in historical events throughout the age, rather than in one-time, specific fulfillments. (From Gregg, S. Revelation, Four views: A Parallel Commentary. Nelson Pub)

Futurist
More detail

A literal reading of prophecy will generally lead to a "futurist" interpretation. Thus futurists interpret Revelation 4-22 as predictive of future end time historical events preceding, during and after the return of Jesus Christ, the establishment of His 1000 year (thus futurist are usually "premillennial". Amillennialists spiritualize the 1000 years and postmillennialists spiritualize the resurrection which precedes it), millennial kingdom on earth, followed by the creation of a new heaven and new earth. Variations of this view were held by many of the so-called early church fathers, including men like Justin Martyr (164AD), Irenaeus (195AD), et al. This futuristic approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held by many if not most modern evangelicals. Note that most of the resource links listed below take a futuristic approach to interpret the Revelation.

Click here for an excellent in depth discussion of the interpretative approaches to the Revelation

The interpretative approach taken by this website regarding Revelation 4-22 is that these passages describeliteral people, places and events that will be fulfilled in the future. As someone has well said "If the plain sense makes good sense seek no other sense lest it result in nonsense." Most of the resources on this page are espouse the futuristic view, but this fact does not necessarily mean that we agree with every comment in all of the resources.

The wide divergence of interpretative views makes it imperative that the reader of the Revelation be a "true blue" Berean (Acts 17:11) and perform his or her own inductive study prior to consulting any commentary, tape set, web site or sermon, lest he or she become mired down in confusing rhetoric and specious speculation. The Revelation of Jesus Christ was written to edify, equip, encourage and bless God's children, not to hopelessly confuse or divide them. Maranatha!

Revelation Bibliography

FUTURIST

Archer, Gleason

Barnhouse, Donald Grey. Revelation: An Expository Commentary Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1971

Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. Revelation. Life application Bible commentary Tyndale House 2000

Chafer, Lewis Sperry.

DeHaan, M. R. (Our Daily Bread. Radio Bible Class).

Ironside, H. A. Lectures on the Revelation: Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux Brothers, 1920

Johnson, Alan. Revelation in the Expositor's Bible Commentary.

Kaiser, Walter

MacArthur, J. Revelation 1-11 and 12-22. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999
J. Vernon McGee. Thru the Bible With J. Vernon McGee. Thomas Nelson December, 1988.

Morris, Henry M. The Revelation Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Book of Revelation: Tyndale House, 1983

Newell, William R. The Book of the Revelation: Chicago: Moody Press,1935 (devotional flavor)

Pentecost, J. Dwight.

Phillips, John. Exploring Revelation. Chicago: Moody Press. 1874

Ribeira (1537-91) Jesuit scholar held almost all events are future and apply to the end times

Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. Revelation: Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press, 1968

Tenney, Merrill C. Interpreting Revelation . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957. (also dispensationalist)

Thomas, Robert L. Revelation 1–7: An Exegetical Commentary. Chicago: Moody, 1992.

Thomas, Robert L. Revelation 8–22: An Exegetical Commentary. Chicago: Moody, 1995.

Walvoord, John F. The Revelation of Jesus Christ . Chicago: Moody, 1966. (also dispensationalist) Recommended

HISTORICIST

Barnes, Albert. Revelation in Notes on the New Testament; Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1884–85

Calvin, John

Clarke, Adam. Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Holy Bible: Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1967

Edwards, Jonathan

Henry, Matthew. Acts to Revelation, vol. 6 in Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell

Knox, John.

Luther, Martin

Newton, Sir Isaac: The Prophecies of Daniel & the Apocalypse. 1733.

Torrey, R. A. The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: Old Tappan, NJ.: Fleming H. Revell (Historical premillennialist)

Spurgeon, C H is classified as a Historicist: Keep this in mind when reading his sermons on the Revelation

IDEALIST (SPIRITUAL)

Alford, Henry. The Revelation in The Greek Testament, revised by Everett R Harrison (Chicago: Moody Press) 1958.

Calkins, Raymond. The Social Message of the Book of Revelation. New York: Woman's, 1920.

Carrington, Philip. The Meaning of the Revelation . New York: Macmillan, 1931.

Cleveland: Corpus Books, 1968. Rissi, Mathias. Time and History. Richmond: John Knox, 1966.

Hendriksen, W. More Than Conquerors . Grand Rapids: Baker, 1940.

A. Hoekema

Phillip Hughes

Kiddle, Martin. The Revelation of St. John . MNT. New York: Harper, 1940.

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. New Testament commentary: Exposition of the Book of Revelation. Baker House. 1953-2001.

Lenski, R. C. H. The Interpretation of St. John’s Revelation: Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1943

Milligan, William. The Book of Revelation . ExB. Hodder & Stoughton, 1909.

Minear, Paul S. I Saw a New Earth: An Introduction to the Visions of the Apocalypse. Cleveland: Corpus Books, 1968

Morey, Earl. Notes on Revelation in The Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Jack W. Hayford, Gen. ed: Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991

Rissi, Mathias. Time and History . Richmond: John Knox, 1966.

Vincent, Marvin. Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament. Hendrickson Publishers, 1985

Wilcock, Michael. I Saw Heaven Opened: The Message of Revelation: Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1975

Wilson, Geoffrey B. Revelation: Durham, England: Evangelical Press, 1985

PRETERIST

Adams, Jay. The Time is at Hand: Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, 1966.

Ashcraft, Morris. Hebrews—Revelation The Broadman Bible Commentary v12: Clifton J. Alien, Gen. ed, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1972

Barclay, William. The Revelation of John. Philadelphia: Westminister Press, 1976.

Beasley-Murray, G.R. "The Revelation." NBC rev. Edited by D. Guthrie, et al. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970.

Berkouwer, G. C. The Return of Christ. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972.

Bruce, F. F. "The Revelation to John." In A New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1969.

Byrum, C. S., Parvin S. Unlocking the Mysteries 150 FAQs About Revelation and the End of the World. Nashville: Abingdon, 1999.

Caird, G.B. The Revelation of St. John the Divine. Harper's New Testament Commentaries . New York: Harper, 1966.

Charles, R.H. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Revelation of St. John . 2 vols. Edinburgh: 1920.

Chilton, David. The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation: Ft. Worth, Tex.: Dominion Press, 1987

Gentry, Kenneth. The Beast of Revelation (2002), Before Jerusalem Fell (1998).

Glasson, T. F. The Revelation of John. The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible . 1965.

Morris, Leon. The Revelation of St. John . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969 (Also categorized as "Spiritual")

Mounce, Robert H. The Book of Revelation: New International Commentary on the NT: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977

Metzger, Bruce. Breaking the Code Understanding the Book of Revelation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993.

Pieters, Albertus. Studies in the Revelation of St. John . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1954.

Sproul, R. C.: Sproul, R. The last days according to Jesus. Grand Rapids: Baker Books. 1998

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Preterist More detail	Preterist (from Latin praeter meaning "past") holds that through the use of symbols and allegory, the Revelation deals with events that were fulfilled in John's time and that it was written primarily to provide hope and comfort to the first century church persecuted by Rome. For example, this view interprets the beasts of (Rev 13:1, 2, 11-note) as imperial Rome and the imperial priesthood. The preterist view is held by many modern scholars, especially liberals and others who deny that the Revelation is predictive of specific future events.
Historicist More detail	The historicist approach views the Revelation as a symbolic or allegorical prophetic survey of church history from the first century up to the Second Coming of Christ. This was the view espoused by most of the "reformers" and thus dominated Protestant eschatological teaching for centuries. This view however has been discounted by many as it does not adequately address the prophecies in the Revelation. The discerning reader needs to be aware that the historicist view is reflected in most of the "older" commentaries (many of which are public domain works easily accessible on the internet) including the works of John Knox, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, C. H. Spurgeon (although Spurgeon did believe in the Millennium), Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke and Albert Barnes. Unless you understand their historicist approach to prophecy, you may become very confused when reading these older "classic" commentaries. Note that with the exception of Spurgeon, these works are not included in the list of resources. It is also important to realize that many of these "classic" commentaries tend to treat many of the OT promises to Israel as primarily applying to the NT Church, a view that is strongly disavowed by this website (see discussion of The Israel of God). An example of a historicist interpretation is the belief that the strong angel of Revelation 10 symbolizes the Reformation and that the harlot in Revelation 17 represents the Roman Catholic church, both interpretations which a plain reading of the text simply does not allow!
Idealist More detail	This approach argues that the symbols in the Revelation do not relate to historical events but rather to timeless spiritual truths. Idealists feel that Revelation relates primarily to the church between the first and second coming of Christ. They feel Revelation relates to the battle between God and evil and between the church and the world at all times in church history. The seals, trumpets, and bowls are thought to depict God’s judgments on sinners at all times, and the beast refers to all the anti-Christian empires and rulers in history. Thus the Revelation is viewed as describing the victory of Christ and His people down through history. The Millennium in this approach is not a future event but the final cycle of the book describing the church age. The weaknesses of this view include the failure to see the futuristic aspects of many of the prophecies or to connect them in any way with history. (Adapted from Grant Osborne: Revelation. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) (See another discussion of Idealist Interpretation) This view is variously referred to as the spiritual approach, the idealist approach or thesymbolic approach and makes no attempt to find individual fulfillments of John's visions, instead viewing Revelation as a great drama depicting transcendent spiritual realities, such as the spiritual conflict between Christ and Satan, between the saints and the antichristian world powers. Fulfillment is seen either as entirely spiritual or as recurrent, finding representative expression in historical events throughout the age, rather than in one-time, specific fulfillments. (From Gregg, S. Revelation, Four views: A Parallel Commentary. Nelson Pub)
Futurist More detail	A literal reading of prophecy will generally lead to a "futurist" interpretation. Thus futurists interpret Revelation 4-22 as predictive of future end time historical events preceding, during and after the return of Jesus Christ, the establishment of His 1000 year (thus futurist are usually "premillennial". Amillennialists spiritualize the 1000 years and postmillennialists spiritualize the resurrection which precedes it), millennial kingdom on earth, followed by the creation of a new heaven and new earth. Variations of this view were held by many of the so-called early church fathers, including men like Justin Martyr (164AD), Irenaeus (195AD), et al. This futuristic approach has enjoyed a revival since the 19th century and is widely held by many if not most modern evangelicals. Note that most of the resource links listed below take a futuristic approach to interpret the Revelation.