THE PROPHECY IN PERSPECTIVE

The book of Revelation is yet another update on Daniel. We find that the central format of the prophecy is the unfolding of three scenarios: Chapters 6, 7-11, and 12-18. The first scenario is based on the Olivette discourse and applies to what was still a possible first century return of Christ.

THE FIRST SCENARIO

Recall that Jesus presented a complete outline of major events that culminate in His immediate return shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem. That Mt 24, Mk 13, Lk 21, depicts a full and complete description was affirmed by Jesus in Mk 13:23. “Behold, I have told you everything in advance.” No mention is made of the mark of the beast, the seven last plagues, or Armageddon. Revelation 6 is a slightly modified repetition of this scenario. The great tribulation appears in greater intensity and no mention is made of the destruction of Jerusalem as a signal of the end, for that event occurred more than twenty years earlier. We later confirm the heavy dependence on the Olivette discourse in the first scenario.

THE SECOND SCENARIO

If we tried to figure out how conditional prophecies should be updated, we might reasonably expect the following argument regarding the terminus of the 2300 day-years of Daniel 8:14 to be valid:

Since the beginning of the 70 weeks and the longer 2300 days coincided originally, and since the start of the 70 weeks was shifted 80 years into the future, then the same should be true for the 2300 days.

Hence we would have concluded that the time of purification and vindication of the saints at the end of the age is 1844, just as the Millerite movement in the Great Advent Awakening predicted. It will be seen that this guess was not only foretold but that the expectation could have been fulfilled and, more surprisingly, that the possible fulfillment was nearly realized.

The significance of Daniel 7 was rightly understood by the Millerites. They were correct in teaching that the world comes to an end with the end of a Roman antichrist (1798 /The papacy). No deadly wound is healed in that scenario. The early Adventists interpreted the signs of the time correctly; They were correct in thinking that Daniel 8:14 is eschatological and points to 1844. Christ’s return and end of the world could then have occurred. The great world-wide advent movement God raised in the 1840’s could have finished the work! Yet included in the second scenario is the revelation that it might not happen, thus the disappointment referred to in Revelation 10. 1844, it appears, was just as significant an event as the possible return of Christ in the first century.

PARALLELS WITH HISTORY IN THE SECOND SCENARIO

Curiously, an abundance of significant parallels exist between the historical details in the second scenario and many actual historical events, especially those that cluster in the period 1793-1844. See The Great Controversy by E. G. White. This work must be read. It is the only sourcebook that recounts the near fulfillment of the second scenario. The same book also gives an excellent illustration of the final scenario. True, it alludes to and anticipates the final events of earth’s history as ending in the late 1890’s (GC, p. 611) but this does not invalidate the importance of this classic text. No other work gives a better illustration of the last and final scenario of Scripture.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SECOND SCENARIO

Revelation 10:1-11:13 is an interlude that deals specifically with the associated historical happenings of the second scenario, thus telling us what events were to lead up to and surround the day of Judgment. We conclude the following summary from that assumption and routine exegesis.

The Holy city (a symbol of the saints) was to be trampled during a figurative period of 1260 days. The two witnesses represent Bible truth which is clothed in sackcloth during this time. At the conclusion of this non-literal 3&1/2 years, even the two witnesses are put to death. They are soon resurrected which means that Bible truth quickly comes back to life. This begins a brief period for the fulfillment of the gospel commission. The witnesses seen going up into heaven is a great awakening of Bible understanding, revival, and preaching of the gospel with such power that “great fear falls upon those who behold them.” This is the loud cry of the strong angel (Rev 10:1-3) whose stance covers the whole world, land and sea. The entire world hears the gospel message. With it, the inhabitants of the world are warned of coming judgment. Then the book of destiny is opened and a pre-advent judgment takes place. Probation then closes for all mankind with the casting down of a golden censer. This is followed immediately by seven trumpet judgments on the wicked.

In conclusion:

“The nations were enraged, and God’s wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to His bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear His name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth” (Rev 11:18).

Revelation 7:1-8 is the transition point that introduces this scenario. Since the historical section is well understood, (and what might have been is easily imagined) we will be moving rather quickly to the conclusion of this scenario — a verse by verse study of the final judgments that might have ended the world in 1844.

 THE PICTURE THOUGHTS OF PROPHECY

Are some prophecies we think of as being conditional merely parabolic? Well, as far as exact details go, Daniel presented a history that never was. Yet with errors in his preview of future history and chronology, Daniel well illustrated, in essence, many future events. Most astounding is his perfect accuracy in the spiritual meaning of those events — all from the vantage point of the distant past. Perhaps the message being conveyed there is in the story line of that scenario and exact details were used only to embellish an outline sketch of the future? Who knows? But our treatment of prophecy as a collection of the picture thoughts of parables is a recognition of a Biblical pattern in Hebrew expression. We will continue to emphasize the method-ology of grammatical-historical exegesis but only to enhance the larger view. The total picture of the Revelation, which has not heretofore been rightly understood, is our primary concern.

PROPHETIC PROGRESSION

Just as Daniel presents two different scenarios for the end of the world, Revelation concerns three (Rev 6, 7-11, 12-18). Each scenario progressively extends the time of the end as it updates all former prophetic views. A. M. Farrer sees the relevance of this, calling each preceding unit of prophecy, a “cancelled conclusion.” We see the deep significance. The solemn messages that have been given in their order in the Revelation unfold in three scenarios the effort of the people of God in hastening our Lord’s return at three critically climactic points of history. As the series moves toward the final revision, the history of the struggle of the people of God to the very close of time is foretold and the final eschaton records their eventual victory. This is the Spiritual-historical view.

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