Revelation Was Written Before A.D 70.

Introduction Scripture misapplied opens a person up to numerous errors of interpretation. The major eschatological view taught by Christianity today is Premillennial Dispensationalism. Any futurist view forces a late date for Revelation. John Nelson Darby [1] promoted Dispensationalism. It was made popular in the United States by Cyrus Scofield (Scofield’s Reference Bible). The movement was fueled further by prophecy pundits in the 1970’s to the present, such as Hal Lindsey, Grant Jefferies, Jack Van Impe, John Hagee, Tim LaHayat, etc. They promote the idea that Jesus’ Second coming is in our lifetime. My purpose is to show that Revelation was written before A.D. 70. I will try to establish any position (Believer or unbeliever) that pushes a late date for Revelation is incorrect. The NT does not support a late date. Argument # 1 – Audience relevance The Bible is audience relevant. Correctly interpreting Scripture requires the reader to understand who God is addressing in context as well as seeing the overall theme of Scripture. The Bible is divided into two covenants, the Old and New. The Old Covenant was the ‘heaven and earth’ the 1st century Jew lived under. It was the age they knew. OT Israel were the covenant people God established in which He would make Himself known to the world by, to whom Jesus came to. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. -John 1:11 (NASB) He was the long awaited Messiah to Israel. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ - Matthew 10:5-7 (NASB) He came to set up His kingdom which was always near from the time His ministry began. Argument # 2 – The Time of God’s Vengeance on apostate Israel Jesus said to this OT people that 'this generation' would not pass away until all He foretold came to pass. He pronounced judgment on this very generation - apostate Israel. On them all the righteous blood of all the murdered saints would be required, a theme in every NT book. 29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!.. you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33 ... 34 “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, 35 so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah,....36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! ...38 Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! - Matthew 23:29-38 (NASB) The desolation occurred in A.D. 70. Their entire house, the temple and the ‘city of God’ was left desolate. The NT is audience relevant. The tribulation these OT people witnessed was unlike any experienced before or since. 34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. -Matthew 24:34 (NASB) How does God define a generation to which we speak? 9 Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, And saw My works for forty years. 10 “Therefore I was angry with this generation, ...11 As I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” - Hebrews 3:9-11 (NASB) The Book of Hebrews in a contrast in covenants. The author is addressing a Hebraic Christian audience in danger of turning back to Judaism. The author is warning them not to by showing them the superiority of Christ and the New Covenant. He says: 13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. - Hebrews 8:13 (NASB) Argument 3 – The Destruction of the Temple The whole life in OT Israel revolved around the Temple of God in the city of God – Jerusalem. If the Temple was destroyed the people could not make themselves right with God. The Old covenant required sacrifice for sin by a High Priest that represented the people before God. We find Jesus telling His disciples that during this generation not one stone here would be left on another. QUESTION: Why is there no mention of the Temple having being destroyed in any book of the NT if some/all these books were written after A.D. 70? Jesus also said: 17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. - Matthew 5:17-18 (NASB) The Old Covenant, the OT temple, the OT priesthood, the OT animal sacrifices, the genealogical priestly records kept in the temple all gone in 40 years of His ministry. This OT people were scattered across the known world, the Roman Empire (Daniel's fourth beast), thus the old heaven and earth passed away in A.D. 70, accomplishing the Law and the Prophets. The Jews were concerned with two ages, the age that was and the age to come. Thus Jesus could say: 30 but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. - Mark 10:30 (NASB) Paul, before his death in A.D. 67, said: 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. - Ephesians 1:21 (NASB) Argument 4 - Some clues in Revelation as to its date of writing 1) The numerous references to things which must shortly come to pass. 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, - Revelation 1:1 (NASB) The revelation is communicated to John to show what must shortly take place. John is writing in the first century. See Revelation 1:3; 1:19; 2:10; 2:25; 3:10-11; 6:10; 12:12; 17:11; 22:6-7, 12, 20. [2] 2) John is told to measure the temple which still stands. 11 ...., “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar,...2 Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. - Revelation 11:1-2 (NASB) 20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near… and they will fall by the edge of the sword,...led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. - Luke 21:20, 24 (NASB) Revelation and Luke mention the time of the Gentiles, as well as the treading/trampling underfoot the holy city for 42 months. Jerusalem was surrounded by the Roman armies in A.D. 67-70, its desolation. 3) The seven churches in Asia stand. Paul establish some of them. He writes to them before his death. My opponent will have to establish this as not being the case in order for a late date to hold. 4) There are seven kings listed in Revelation 17. 10 and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. - Revelation 17:10 (NASB) The one that is would be Nero. This would put the date of writing before A.D. 70. Nero died in A.D. 68. Julius Caesar, 49-44 BC Augustus, 31 BC-14 AD Tiberius, 14-37 Caligula, 37-41 Claudius, 41-54 Nero, 54-68 [1] http://en.wikipedia.org... [2] Kenneth Gentry, BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL, p 134. http://www.rpts.edu...