Revelation Perspectives


I’ll repeat my previous encouragements to explore every doctrine and postulation of different Bible teachers as a possibility until proven or rejected by the Bible itself. Maintain a healthy skepticism as well as an openness to some new insights. There are some contradictory beliefs by learned theologians about the Book of Revelations. 

Some people believe that true believers will be caught up in sky with Jesus upon His return at the end of the seven year Tribulation period; this commonly referred to as “post-trib”, short for Post-Tribulation Rapture. A very common belief is in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture (Pre-Trib), who point out Bible verses which indicate that the Rapture and Christ’s Return are two separate events and that God has promised to protect His people from the Day of His Wrath. Some references include:


Between Pre-Trib and Post-Trib, I believe the Pre-Trib stance has stronger Biblical support,  but there’s a 3rd option: Mid-Trib. As stated in End of Age Handbook, I’d love for the Pre-Tribulation Rapture to be our future reality, but as further explained in Revelation upon Revelation, I believe the Mid-Trib stance addresses the arguments against both the Pre-Trib and Post-Trib. I also believe that Jesus made it clear that His people would not go through the entire seven year Tribulation when he said: “If God does not reduce the number of those days, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.” (Matthew 24:22). 

We will only know for sure as events unfold, but I have yet to see an argument against either Pre-Trib or Post-Trib that isn’t addressed by a Mid-Trib perspective. I believe that God’s Wrath is the second half of the Tribulation, also known as the Great Tribulation. My belief is that God’s people will be oppressed by wicked men during the first half of the Tribulation, which will be all the harder to endure as we see the rest of the world appear to prosper under the kingdom of the Antichrist. We will be asked to reject a biblical worldview and embrace a world structure that promises of pleasures, security, and prosperity... but all at an eternal cost. Christ will save His faithful people and the Wrath of the Lamb will fall upon those who have rejected God and His ways. Following the wrath of those days, Christ shall return and establish His Millennial Kingdom. (See Revelation 19 – 20) 

What about Preterists, Historicists, and Idealist Perspectives?

Now, I respect the Pre-Trib and Post-Trib perspectives as consistent with the rest of Scripture. As already explained, a big reason why the Bible can be believed is it’s prophetic nature. Many pulpits ignore this important distinction when comparing the Bible against other religious writings. Because of the number of fulfilled and as yet unfulfilled prophecies within Scripture, I join with other Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, and Post-Trib believers as someone who understands Revelation from a (mostly) Futurist perspective. But there are Christians that take other perspectives. 

Thomas Ice of Liberty University summarizes the different perspectives very well (emphasis added):

As if understanding the different millennial positions are not complicated enough, diversification is compounded when we consider the four possible views which relate to the timing of when an interpreter sees prophecy being fulfilled in history. The four views are simple in the sense that they reflect the only four possibilities in relation to time–past, present, future, and timeless. The Preterist (past) believes that most, if not all, prophecy has already been fulfilled, usually in relation to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The Historicist (present) sees much of the current Church Age as equal to the Tribulation Period. Thus, prophecy has been and will be fulfilled during the current Church Age. Futurists (future) believe that virtually all prophetic events will not occur in the current Church Age, but will happen in the future Tribulation, Second Coming, or Millennium. The Idealist (timeless) does not believe either that the Bible indicates the timing of events or that we can know before they happen. Therefore, idealists think that prophetic passages mainly teach great ideas or truths about God to be applied regardless of timing.

Pretribulationism can only be built upon the futurist understanding of prophetic events. Such a conclusion is the result of the application of a consistent literal interpretation of prophecy as future historical events that are yet to occur.

(“Why I Believe the Bible Teaches Rapture Before Tribulation”, Thomas D. Ice, Liberty University) 

I’ve never met Thomas Ice, and I’d love to hear him telling me: “I told you so!” if the Pre-Trib guys are correct. But while we may have different conclusions about the timing of Rapture, we share a Futurist perspective as well as a literal interpretation of Scripture. How could we not, when there are so many fantastic yet well documented fulfillment of Biblical prophecies? The Preterists, Historicists, and Idealists may be well intentioned, but their perspectives open the door to alternative gospels and apostasies. The Bible is so much more than a mere collection of inspirational writings, and it’s remaining fantastic proclamations can only be believed in light of past fulfilled prophecy. I can look at the Bible with assurance that it is God’s inerrant Word, a compilation of truth that cannot be matched by any other collection of religious writings. It's for this reason that I can use the Bible itself as an authority to proclaim its own authenticity:

Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God’s approval. 

~ 1 Timothy 3:16 GW

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copyright ©2023 Mitchell Malloy (http://mitchellmalloyblogspot.com/) 


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