Foreword

Although I make no claim to being a writer, the task of writing has occupied much of my time during the last ten years when I was not caring for my wife or visiting her in Bonner Place in Jacksonville. I hope that my feeble efforts may be used to "prime the pump," as it were, as ministers and laypeople read from the pages of my sermons, lessons and exegeses. I lay no claim to originality; in fact, what you see on the pages of my books are gleanings from many authors, fellow preacher brethren, professors, teachers and church members I have known over the years. I am a part of everything I have heard and read and have been taught for many years. I can remember lessons I learned from my Sunday school teachers almost seventy years ago. To all these I am indebted, but most of all I am indebted to my Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, for every blessing it has been my pleasure to enjoy.

May God bless you as you read and study from God's Holy Word, and if I have made it a little easier for anyone to understand God's Word, I shall be eternally grateful to God. May you enjoy many blessings as we study God's Word together!

John W. Gregson, 2001

Bibliography On Revelation

Alland, Kurt and others, The Greek New Testament, Stuttgart, West Germany, Wurttemberg Bible Society, 1966

Barker, Kenneth, ed., Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1 - 7 - An Exegetical Commentary, Chicago: Moody Press, 1992

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

Beale, Gregory K., The Book of Revelation, A Commentary on the Greek Text, Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999

Biederwolf, William E., The Second Coming Bible, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1972

Boettner, Loraine, The Millennium, Philadelphia: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1966

Cohen, Gary G., and Salem Kirban, Revelation Visualized, Chicago: Moody Press, 1971

Criswell, W. A., Expository Sermons on Revelation, Volumes I - V, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962

English, E. Schuyler, Re-Thinking the Rapture, Neptune, N. J.: Loizeaux Brothers, 1954

Erdman, Charles R., The Revelation of John, An Exposition, Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1937

Ford, Herschel, Simple Sermons on the Seven Churches of Revelation, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959

Hailey, Homer, Revelation, An Introduction and Commentary, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1979

Hedge, W. D., Seven Keys to the Interpretation of Revelation, Bryan, Texas: Gene Hix Printers, n.d.

Hendriksen, William, More Than Conquerers, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1965

Hislop, Alexander, The Two Babylons, or The Papal Worship, Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers,

Hobbs, Herschel H., The Cosmic Drama, An Exposition of the Book of Revelation, Waco, Texas: Word Books Publisher, 1971

Hovey, Alvah, ed., and Henry A. Sawtelle, An American Commentary on the New Testament, Commentary on the Epistles of John, Philadelphia: The American Baptist Publication Society, 1888

Ironside, Harry A., Lectures on the Book of Revelation, New York: Loizeaux Brothers, 1956

Lahaye, Tim, Revelation Illustrated and Made Plain, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973

Leupold, H. C., Exposition of Daniel, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969

Lindsey, Hal, There's A New World Coming, A Prophetic Odyssey, Toronto: Bantam Books, 1973

MacPherson, Dave, The Great Rapture Hoax, Fletcher, N. C.: New Puritan Library, 1983

McElmurry, Tom, The Tribulation Triad 777, Texarkana: Bogard Press, 1983

McKeever, Jim, Christians Will Go Through the Tribulation, Medford, Oregon: Omega Publications, 1978

Michaels, J. Ramsey, Revelation, Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1997

Morgan, G. Campbell, The Letters of our Lord, A First Century Message to Twentieth Century Christians, Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, n.d.

Mounce, Robert H., The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977

Morris, Henry M., The Revelation Record, Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1983

Nestle, Eberhard, H Kaine Diatheke, London: The British and Foreign Bible Society, 1949

Orr, James, General Editor and others, The International Biblical Encyclopedia, Volume IV, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ottman, Ford C., The Unfolding of the Ages in the Revelation of John, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1967

Pentecost, J. Dwight, Things To Come, A Study in Biblical Eschatology, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958

Phillips, John, Exploring Revelation, Chicago: Moody Press, 1974

Pieters, Albertus, Studies in the Revelation of St. John, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1954

Scott, Walter, Exposition of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, London: Pickering and Inglish, Ltd. n. d.

Seiss, Joseph A., The Apocalypse, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1957

Spence, H. D. M., ed., and others, The Puplit Commentary, Volume XXII, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950

Strauss, Lehman, The Book of Revelation Neptune, N. J.: Loizeaux Brothers, 1964

Strong, Augustus Hopkins, Systematic Theology, Three Volumes, Philadelphia: The Judson Press, 1909

Summers, Ray, The Life Beyond, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1959

Summers, Ray, Worthy is the Lamb, Nashville: Broadman Press, 1951

Sweet, J. P. M., Revelation, Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1979

Tenney, Merrill C., Interpreting Revelation, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1957

Thayer, Joseph Henry, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, New York: American Book Company, 1886

Thiessen, Hanry Clarence, Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1956

Tucker, W. Leon, Studies in Revelation, An Expositional Commentary, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1980

Unger, Merrill F., Unger's Bible Dictionary, Chicago: Moody Press, 1957

Wallace, Foy E., The Book of Revelation, Nashville: Foy E. Wallace Jr. Publications, 1966

Walvoord, John F., Daniel, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, Chicago: Moody Press, 1971

Walvoord, John F., The Rapture Question, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1957

Walvoord, John F., The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Chicago: Moody Press, 1966

Yeager, Randolph O. The Renaissance New Testament, Volumes I - XVIII, Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing Company, 1976 - 1985

Young, Edward J., The Prophecy of Daniel, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1949

Young, Robert, Analytical Concordance to the Bible, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1936

__________________, Eight Translation New Testament - King James Version, The Living Bible, Phillips Modern Translation, Revised Standard Version, Today's English Version, New International Version, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 1985

_________________, The Four Translation New Testament, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Williams - New Testament in the Language of the People, Beck - New Testament in the Language of Today, Minneapolis, Minnesota: World Wide Publications, 1966

_________________, The Analytical Greek Lexicon, New York: Harper and Brothers, n. d.

_________________, Revelation, Paraphrased from Living Prophecies, Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House, Publishers, 1965

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION

The Author, Place and Time of Writing

The author of the book calls himself John (1:1, 4, 9; 22:8). Just which John is meant? Some mention John Mark, some an unknown John, others John the Apostle. Apocalyptic writings were usually written pseudonymously. The traditional view holds that the author was John the Apostle, the same John who wrote the fourth Gospel. The testimony of Christian writers nearest in point of time to the date of the Revelation, such as Justin Martyr, A. D. 96 (?) to 166; Melito of Sardis, died 171; Theophilus of Antioch, died 180; Irenaeus 140 - 202; Tertullian, 160 - 220; Clement of Alexandria, 160 - 215; Origen, 185 - 253, have endorsed the idea that John the Apostle is the writer, All these express in their testimony to the fact that John wrote the Apocalypse (Hovey, p. 8). Internal evidence points to John the Apostle as the author. The light in which John exhibits Christ in the Revelation - its Christology - is an important point of internal evidence. Furthermore, much of what he writes about Christ harmonizes with John's Gospel. His use of the word Logos as indicative of a person, and as a distinctive title of our Lord. His reference to Jesus as "the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world" in the Gospel, and his reference to the Lamb twenty-two times in the Revelation is hardly accidental.

The isle of Patmos is referred to as the location of John when he received the visions from heaven and was admonished to record what he saw and heard. Patmos which is now called Patina and Patmoss, is a rocky island in the Aegean Sea, situated not far from the coast, to the south of Ephesus, a short distance from Samos. It is little more that a huge rock projecting out of the sea. At the time of the apostle's exile it was probably without inhabitants, except for the other prisoners and those who had charge of the place as a prison (Hovey, p. 12).

Two prominent dates surface, namely (1) during the reign of Nero (A. D. 54 - 78) or (2) during the reign of Domitian (A. D. 81 - 96). Truly it was a time of persecution; both dates qualify. Nero was the first emperor who persecuted the Christians. His persecution was a retaliation for the burning of Rome which he blamed on the Christians. The evidence, however, favors a date during Domitian's reign. "Eusebius quotes Irenaeus as saying that the Book of Revelation was written during the closing period of Domitian's reign. This is supported by many other early Christian writers (cf. Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Jerome). The words 'shortly come to pass' in 1:1 suggest an event which would bring relief to the suffering saints. This could well refer to Domitian's death in A. D. 96 suggesting a date late in his reign. So A. D. 95 is probably the date of the writing of Revelation" (Hobbs, p. 11).

The Nature of the Book

The book of Revelation is awesome; those who read and study the book are standing on holy ground. It is truly intriguing and awe-inspiring. There can be no doubt but what it was written for some reason in symbolic language adding to the mystery of the book. Although it is mysterious, like any portion of God's inspired word, it is one of the richest books in all of the Bible. The book contains a prologue (chapters 1 - 3), a body of contents (4:1 - 22:5), and a postlude or epilogue (22:6 - 21). As Hobbs puts it, "not everything in it is clear to our understanding, but careful examination unveils truth glorious beyond words to express (p. 19).

The form of writing is definitely apocalyptic with which the Jews were familiar. That form of writing began during the Babylonian captivity (cf. Daniel, Ezekiel). This type of literature abounded in the later centuries of the pre-Christian era. The purpose of this type of literature was to encourage the readers, and to do this the writers used symbolic language which was a sort of code language. This symbolic language was a mystery to their enemies. In the Revelation God made known or signified (semaino) to John the contents of the book. One of the meanings of semaino is "to make known." Beale thinks there is a clear allusion to Daniel 2:28 - 30, 45. In fact he says, "the clauses 'revelation...God showed...what must come to pass...and he made known (semaino)' occur together only in Daniel 2 and Revelation 1:1. In the LXX of Daniel 2 semaino is a translation of the Aramaic yeda ("make known"); Theodotion has gyorizo ('make known') " (p. 50). It is significant that Daniel uses the same word in Daniel 2:3

Interpretation

The interpretations of the Book of Revelation are many and diverse. The reader must consider several elements when looking at the interpretation. Commentators must recognize that John utilized three genres of apocalyptic, prophecy and epistle in composing the book; some add two others - edict and drama. Apocalyptic literature may be seen as a heightening of and a more intense clustering of literary and thematic traits found in prophecy (Beale, p. 37). To fail to recognize these elements is to miss the correct interpretation. Furthermore as Thomas writes, "The epistolary framework of Revelation also sets it apart from the works that are similar in other respects. Other writings lack the repeated admonitions for moral compliance that Revelation has (2:5, 16, 21; 3:3, 19)" (p. 25). Thomas prefers the approach to the Apocalypse according to normal principles of grammar and facts of history, remembering the peculiar nature of predictive prophecy throughout the Bible. This is usually referred to as literal interpretation. One may wonder how a book of symbols and visions can be interpreted literally. Thomas further writes, "this is not difficult to understand if one keeps in mind that the symbols and visions were the means of communicating the message to the prophet, but they have a literal meaning unless otherwise indicated in the text. They do not furnish grounds for interpreting the text in a non-literal fashion. They are to be interpreted as one would interpret the rest of the Bible (p. 35).

The first method of interpretation is the preterist. This is the method used by those who look at Revelation as having been fulfilled centuries ago. The word preterist comes from a Latin word praeter meaning "past." To conveniently look at this group, they are divided into two sub-groups, namely: the Neronian group who believe that all of the prophecies were fulfilled in the days of the Roman Caesar Nero, who reigned from A. D. 54 - 68. It was during this reign of terror that Simon Peter, the Apostle Paul and others whom we do not know were martyred. Nero was the first Roman emperor who carried out a systematic persecution of the Christians. The other group are the Domitianists who believe that Revelation was fulfilled in the reign of the Roman Caesar Domitian, who reigned A. D. 81 to 96. In fact preterists identify the two beasts of Revelation 13 as first, Nero and second, Domitian. Everything in Revelation was fulfilled centuries ago and have no meaning in the twenty-first century. The preterists are largely made up of Roman Catholic interpreters. The fallacy of this view is that it limits the prophecies of the book to salvation and judgment to the first century A. D.

The second method of interpretation is called historically continuous interpreters with numerous versions (few specifics can be agreed upon). They agree that the Revelation is a panorama of the history of the Church and the history of the world from the apostolic days until the consummation of the age. They visualize the history of the world pre-written in all of the symbols, signs and apocalyptic visions. This group is made up largely of the great Reformers. They see Revelation as the rise of the Papacy, its destruction and then the purifying of the Church during the Reformation. None can agree on exactly where the various movements begin and end. Revelation is just a blueprint of history through the coming ages. The fallacy of this group of interpreters is that a projection of future history would have had little relevance to the first-century readers.

The third method of interpretation is called the spiritualizing school of interpreters or idealists. They interpret the Revelation as being not a representation of actual things and events that are past or that are going to come to pass, but as being a symbol and metaphor of the great struggle between good and evil. Revelation is not a prophecy or a record of events, occurrences or happenings but rather a great moral implication that lies back of the events and happenings that go on in this world. The forces of good and evil battle it out, and the ultimate triumph of that which is good. Revelation has no meaning at all in time or in history, but they see in it merely a symbolic panorama of the conflict between good and evil; it is just an allegory. There is a modification of this spiritualizing school which might be called "eclecticism," those who view the final coming of Christ to deliver and judge and to establish the final form of the kingdom in a consummated new creation. There is no rapture of the saints, no tribulation and no one thousand year reign of Jesus on the earth. They view Jesus' First Coming and Second Coming as "the church age" or "the latter days."

The fourth method of interpretation is called the futurist school of interpreters. They believe that beginning with Revelation 2 or posssibly Revelation 4 there is a description of an apocalypse of the consummation of the ages. The Lord Jesus Christ comes back to the earth and presents Himself as the ruler of the world. He comes in power and great glory to establish His Kingdom in the earth. Satan is bound for one thousand years during the millennial reign of Christ on the earth, then is released and later on cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. This means that most of the things written in the book of Revelation have never been fulfilled; furthermore, the Revelation speaks of resurrections that are yet to come to pass. Cemeteries and mausoleums have not given up their dead as yet. By far the most popular form of futurist school is dispensational futurism. This view interprets literally and generally sees the order of the visions as representing the historical order of future events, namely (1) the restoration of ethnic Israel to its land, (2) the church's rapture into heaven, (3) a seven-year tribulation, (4) the antichrist's reign, (5) the assembly of evil nations to fight over Jerusalem, (6) Christ's second coming, when He defeats the evil nations, (7) His millennial reign, (8) Satan's final rebellion at the end of the millennium, and (9) Christ's eternal reign with the saints in a new heaven and new earth. There is a "modified futurism," that does not interpret as literally as the popular view does and may not adhere to the chronological sequence of future history but may view the rapture as mid-tribulation or post-tribulation.

This view states that the Christians on the earth will undergo a period of tribulation, either three and one-half or seven years of tribulation. The fallacy of the "modified futurism" is that they are looking for the Anti-christ while the dispensational futurists are looking for the Christ. In his commentary Beale introduces the view of "eclecticism" or a redemptive-historical form of modified idealism. He views the book with "no specific prophesied historical events discerned in the book, except for the final coming of Christ to deliver and judge and to establish the final form of the kingdom in a consummated new creation" (p. 48). He further states, "the historicists may sometimes be right in their precise historical identifications, but wrong in limiting the identification only to one historical reality" (p. 49). Beale fits within the overall interpretive framework of such past commentators as Caird, Johnson, Sweet, and above all Hendriksen and Wilcox.

The Millennium

Chapter 20 is one of the great chapters of Revelation. Especially the interpretation of that chapter has much to do with what a person believes the book teaches about the one thousand years reign of Christ upon the earth. The Latin mille means a thousand and ennus (as in biennium) means year; thus a thousand years; the Greek word is chilias which occurs in II Peter 3:8, 8; Revelation 11:3; 12:6; 14:20 and six times in Revelation 20:2 - 7. When the thousand years are referred to in Revelation it means the years in which holiness is to prevail and Christ will reign on the earth. This will be a period of great happiness or human perfection. Thiessen quotes Silver who writes "that Papias (who died in A. D. 165) believed in a millennium after the resurrection of the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth." "Polycarp also spoke of the prospect of reigning with Christ and of the fact that the saints will judge the world" (p. 470). Each of the millennial views has been held by men of unquestioned sincerity and ability. There are in the main three teachings about the millennium, namely, (I) pre-millennialists believe the Second Coming of Christ will precede the thousand year reign upon the earth; (II) post-millennialists believe that it is possible for the millennium to be ushered in by man, and Christ will come to reign after the thousand years has been completed; (III) the a-millenialists or non-millenialists essentially deny a literal reign of Christ; it spiritualizes the thousand year period.

There may be various interpretations within each of these three groups. In the first group above (1) there are those within the pre-millennial ranks who believe that the church will go through the entire Great Tribulation consisting of seven years, and a resurrection will follow the tribulation; these are pre-millennialists but post-tribulationalists. Those who subscribe to this view believe that when the Lord comes, His saints will arise to meet him in the air, and they will all come back to the earth. (2) Another group believes the church will go through only three and one half years of the Great Tribulation; this is known as the split rapture idea in which some of the saved will be raptured and some will endure the three and one half years of tribulation; these are pre-millennialists but mid-tribulationalists. (3) Another group believes that the church will escape all of the Great Tribulation by what is called the rapture or catching up of the church and the resurrection of the righteous dead prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation; these are pre-millennialists and pre-tribulationalists. They believe that the Lord will descend in the air (I Thessalonians 4:16, 17; II Thessalonians 2:1; John 14:3), rapture His saints, and they will all go back to heaven. While the Great Tribulation is taking place on earth, in heaven the saints will experience the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the Judgment Seat of Christ where all the raptured saints will receive their rewards. Then, after a period of seven years of tribulation, the Lord with all His saints will descend to the earth (Zechariah 14:4, 5). In the writings of Irenaeus (ca. 140 - 202) he wrote, "And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this earth, it is said, 'There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning neither shall be.' For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome, they are crowned with incorruption" (Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book V, XXIX, p. 558).

The post-millennialists believe that "...through the preaching of the gospel in all the world, the kingdom of Christ is steadily to enlarge its boundaries, until Jews and Gentiles alike become possessed of its blessings, and a millennial period is introduced in which Christianity generally prevails throughout the earth (Daniel 2:44, 45; Matthew 13:31, 32; 24:14; Colossians 1:23)" (Strong, Volume III, p. 1008). Adherents view that the final triumph of the gospel in the present age will lead to the millennium. Some of the post-millennialists were Augustine, bishop of Hippo; David Brown; W. G. T. Shedd; Henry B. Smith; Augustus H. Strong; and Benjamin B. Warfield.

The a-millennialists spiritualize the one thousand years; it is essentially a denial that there will be a millennial reign of Christ after His second advent. "Amillennialism teaches that there will be a parallel and contemporaneous development of good and evil - God's kingdom and Satan's kingdom - in this world, which will continue until the second coming of Christ. At the second coming of Christ the resurrection and judgment will take place, followed by the eternal order of things - the absolute, perfect Kingdom of God, in which there will be no sin, suffering nor death...Amillennialists see no Scriptural evidence for a Millennium on either post- or premillennial principles." (Boettner, p. 109). Some who have believed this theory were Berkhof, Vos, Pieters, Murray, Hendriksen, Kuyper and others.

The Use of Numbers (Numeric Symbolism)

One cannot make an intensive study of Revelation without seeing the significance in the numbers to which the writer refers. In all probability more numbers are referred to in the book than any other book in the canon. In 1:4 John refers to the seven churches of Asia. Certainly there were several churches in Asia Minor to which the writer does not refer. In 1:4 the writer writes of seven spirits which are before the throne. Why seven? One distinctive characteristic of Jehovah God is that He works through the laws of numbers and mathematics. He invented these laws, can He not use them? In Revelation God first uses number seven. Of what significance is the number seven which some refer to as the sacred number? Seven is the number of fulness, accomplishment, rest, completion or consummation; it is considered the divine number. In Revelation there are seven churches, seven lampstands, seven stars, seven angels, seven spirits, the seven sealed book, sealed securely and completely. The lamb has seven eyes and seven horns. The seven angels blow seven trumpets; there are seven vials (bowls). There are multiples and divisions of seven. That seven is a sacred number, a number of completion cannot be denied. Seven is woven into the warp and woof of Revelation. A study of the multiples and divisions of seven is interesting. A study of the numbers fourteen, forty-nine and seventy would be an interesting study.

The number one is the symbol of unity and independent existence. The number two means addition or an increase and stands for testimony and for confirmation. The number three is the number of divinity. Three is the Trinity of God. Patrick stooped down and picked up a shamrock, a three-leafed clover and exclaimed, "Behold three in one." In Isaiah 6:3 there is the three-fold song sung by the seraphim, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts." The number four is the number of the world of God's creation; it is the number of earthly completeness and universality. The number six falls short of seven the sacred number and is the appointed time of labor. Just as the darkest hour immediately precedes the dawn, so the darkest years are just before the millennial Sabbath; the number six immediately precedes the perfect, holy number of seven. The number eight is the number of the new order, the number of the new departure. The eighth day is the first day of the new week. The number ten is the integral in thinking of human life. The tithe is a tenth. Multiples of ten intensify the meaning of the basic number. The number twelve is the number of the world (four) and the number of the divine manifestation of God (three) in the world of His creation multiplied. Twelve represents the elective purpose of God in the story of human life.

The Use of Old Testament Passages in Revelation

Since John the Revelator was a Hebrew and schooled in the Old Testament Scriptures, it is logical to believe that he would use Old Testament passages to reinforce his revelation. It has been stated that the Revelation contains more references to the Old Testament than any other book in the New Testament. The usage ranges all the way from the Pentateuch, Judges, I and II Samuel, I and II Kings, Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Job, and the major and minor prophets. Roughly more than half of the references are from the Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, and in proportion to its length Daniel yields the most (Beale, p. 77). Beale uses three criteria for identifying Old Testament allusions in Revelation: (1) clear allusions meaning the wording is almost identical to the O. T. source, shares some common core meaning, and could not likely have come from anywhere else; (2) probable allusions meaning though the wording is not as close, it still contains an idea or wording that is uniquely traceable to the O. T. text or exhibits a structure of ideas uniquely traceable to the O. T. passage; (3) possible allusions meaning the language is only generally similar to the purported source, echoing either its wording or concepts (p. 78). When one considers all the verses in the Revelation (407), there are 278 allusions to the O. T. Scriptures, however, there is a marked absence of formal quotations from the Old Testament. No other New Testament writer uses more allusions that this.

With a knowledge of Daniel's prophecy the expositor and exegete can more clearly interpret Revelation. Daniel 9:24 - 27 speak of the seventy weeks, "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know, therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself; and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end of it shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abomination; he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." "The prophecy (in verse 24) involves 490 years of Jewish history. During the course of this period the following events, as they relate to Israel are to occur. (1) The captivity in Babylon would end (verse 24). (2) A national revival would call Israel back to the Law and the Prophets (verse 24). (3) The cross of Christ will effect reconciliation for iniquity (verse 24). (4) Messiah would be anointed and His kingdom would be established (verse 24). In view of the fact that more than 2400 years have elapsed since Daniel received his message, it is obvious that God's prophetic clock has not been running during all of that time" (Yeager, p. 495). Whenever the Prince (Messiah) was crucified 483 years had elapsed from the time of the rebuilding of Jerusalem under Nehemiah and Zerubabbel leaving 7 years unaccounted for. These seven years have not been run off on God's time clock and will not be so until the diplomat confirms the Abrahamic Covenant with Israel. In the middle of the final week (seven year period) this diplomat becomes the Abomination of Desolation (Daniel 9:27). This Abomination of Desolation fulfills Matthew 24:15 and is the one whom Paul calls the man of sin, the son of perdition in II Thessalonians 2:3, 4. He is also John's Antichrist (I John 2:18). Some question the "gap" in Daniel 9, but there is a "programmed hold" in Isaiah 9:6, 7 in which the prophet predicts the birth of the Messiah and His sitting on David's throne. There is another one in Luke 4:16 in which our Savior read from Isaiah 61:1, 2; however, in Luke 4:17 - 19 Jesus did not read the entire text because the latter part had not been fulfilled as yet. In fact our Lord ended his reading abruptly in the middle of verse 2 in Isaiah. He read about His First Coming but did not finish the verse nor did He read verse 3 for they will be fulfilled at His Second Coming.

The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ

Probably there is no more absorbing and comprehensive theme in Revelation than that of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The book opens (1:7) with the announcement, "Behold, he (Christ) cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him..." Then in 22:7, 22 John writes, "Behold, I come quickly...Surely, I come quickly..." The word erchomai (come; coming) is used in these three passages with reference to the Second Coming. "All this indicates a continual looking forward; the attitude is one of expectation; only as this consummation is reached is the key to the mysteries of divine providence at last found. And that consummation reaches its climax in the personal coming of the Lord" (Smith, p. 19). Other passages such as Matthew 24:3, 27, 37, 39; I Corinthians 15:23; I Thessalonians 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; II Thessalonians 2:1, 8; James 5:7, 8; II Peter 1:16: 4,12, 28 speak of the coming or presence of Jesus at His Second Coming. The word used in these passages is parousia which is a combination of para and ousia hence "to be beside" or "to be present." Of course, the other word referring the coming of our Lord is apokalupsis from apo and kalupto meaning "to remove the cover;" "to reveal;" "to take out of hiding" and is translated "revelation" (Revelation 1:1); the other uses of this word with reference to the Second Coming are referred to in I Corinthians 1:7; Galatians 1:12; I Thessalonians 1:7, and I Peter 1:7, 13; 4:13.

Parenthetic Passages

When one studies the book of Revelation chapter by chapter and verse by verse he will find that there are at least six parenthetic passages. There are several such passages namely Chapters 4 and 5; 7:1 - 17; 10:1 - 11:14; 12:1 - 15:8; 17:1 - 19:1 - 10; these contain descriptive information. Yeager likens these parenthetic passages to time-outs in a football game; no time is taken off the time clock. Of course there is a preface - 1:1 - 3; an introduction 1:4 - 20 and an epilogue 22:6 - 21 (Volume XVII, pp. 494, 495). Can these passages appear to be like a dramatic production in which the audience sees only what takes place when the curtain is opened? Preparations such as the setting of furniture, etc. take place back stage while the audience waits.