Lecture Four

Disclaimer:

I will type the notes as presented to me.
Again let me stress that what follows are NOT my words.
I will not add my thoughts in the post.
Comments allowed for friendly discussion and edifying.

II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto G-D, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

I Thessalonians 5:11
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

And for the record no one is ruling out dual fulfillment.










1. As we start the actual investigation of the Book of Revelation as an apocalyptic writing it is essential that we understand the key to the world of prophecy is history. In this light I want to lay a brief historical foundation of the first century and the happenings prior to the writing of the Book of Revelation.

2. The new testament period was a time of war for the Jewish people and it had all been predicted and expected. This is seen as far back as the Book of Daniel, some 600 years before the time of Christ, and is confirmed by Jesus in the new testament. In Matthew 24:6-24 - Jesus said: You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed...you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death...many false prophets will appear and deceive many people...but he who stands firm to the end shall be saved...the gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come...you will know these things when you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel, standing in the Holy place (Temple), and whoever reads this let him understand it...at that time let those in Judea flee to the mountains...there will be great tribulation (70).

3. Another question that is often disputed is whether this gospel had to be preached to all the world of the future? or the immediate world of the Jews, which related to the known world of the Roman Empire during the first century? Note the concept of the world was used throughout the new testament, but often referred to the Jewish world or the known world within the Roman Empire during the first century. An example of this is seen in the wording used in Acts 17:6 stating that the twelve disciples and the original church had already turned the world upside down. This could not have been the entire world since the church was only a few years old. Records do show however, that these early disciples had already reached what is presently known as Britain, India, Asia, Turkey, and the known world within the Roman Empire. This is a figure of speech known as synecdoche= where a whole is used for a specific part of something. Another example is found in Acts 11:28 - when Agabus signified by the Spirit that there would be a great dearth throughout all the world, which came about during the reign of Claudius (41-54 AD). We know this happened around 44 AD and only concerned the area around Judea. The disciples understood this wording to mean only Judea as evidenced by those in Antioch who made not preparations for themselves, but sent relief by Paul and Barnabas to the brethren in Judea (Acts 11:29-30). We have more of this Judean famine recorded by Josephus (Ant. 20:ch. 2,5). Other places where the term whole world is used as a synonym for the Roman Empire includes Romans 1:8 - where Paul commends the church at Rome saying your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world, Luke 2:1 - where all the world was taxed, and Romans 10:18 - referring to the gospel going into all the earth, which actually referred to it being taken to all the Jewish world within the existing Roman Empire. This concept is further noted in such texts as Matthew 24:16 - where Jesus stated then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains.

4. There were several books in Jesus' time warning the Jewish people with the same apocalyptic message as the Book of Revelation. This warning was usually directed against the Romans and these books included the apocrypha, the new testament, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the testaments of the twelve patriarchs, the Book of Enoch, the apocalypse of Abraham, the apocalypse of Ezra, and the sibylline oracles.

5. Just as we cannot understand the Dead Sea Scrolls without having a thorough knowledge of the apocalyptic and historical events of the first century Roman control, we must also read the Book of Revelation in light of the history of that day. When we do that we make an amazing discovery that some of the prophecies we previously thought were somewhere in the distant future were actually happening in the very days in which they were written. With this understanding we comprehend the meaning of Jesus' words: This generation shall not pass away until these things be fulfilled (Matthew 24:34).

6. When the Book of Revelation mentions the anti-christ and the Dead Sea Scrolls records the prince of kittim they are actually making reference to historical characters who had already appeared on the stage of history. John reminds us even now many anti-christ have come
( I John 2:18).

7. These ancient prophets and historians are talking about the same thing when they mention, apocalyptically speaking, a persecution (tribulation) so horrible the world has not seen its equal and so terrible that it threatens to extinguish the entire Jewish world (Matthew 24:21). The Jewish aspect is made clear by the persecutors making various assaults against the Jewish Temple ( Matthew 24:16-20).

8. Daniel records a warning about those days: The king will exalt himself above every god and say unheard of things against the G-D of gods...his forces will rise up to desecrate the Temple fortress and will abolish daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their G-D will firmly resist him (Daniel 11:24-34).

9. Just a short historical review of the period preceeding the new testament shows the meaning of Daniel's apocalyptic words. Although most modern prophetic writers try to put Daniel 11 in the future aligned to a future anti-christ, it actually was directed to antiochus IV epiphanes who was regarded in Daniel 7:8 - vision as a little horn. This individual was one who spoke flattering words or literally swayed them with his smooth words. Jerome points out that this referred to a pro-demetrius party, whose opposition antiochus was able to disarm by flattery and guile (Soncino, Dan. p.94). Antiochus profaned the covenant as well as the Temple in Jerusalem as he defiled the Holy of Holies, carried away some of its vessels and killed many Jewish citizens on his way back to Syria. He desecrated the Temple fortress that was present before the time of Jesus, and as a part of his plan to hellenize that region, the Temple sacrifices were abolished. This occured in December of 168 BC and the suppression of the sacrifices lasted about three years. But the people who know their G-D shall show strength and prevail pointed to the Maccabees, who by their faith in G-D and HIS Laws did defeat antiochus and restore the Temple. The phrase 'the king shall exalt himself above every god and say unheard of things against the G-D of gods' was also seen in the life of antiochus as he arrogated to himself divine honors and on his coins inscribed that he was kinf antiochus, god manifest.

10. Because of this prior episode with antiochus IV the first century Jewish population completely understood the Jewish concept of abomination of desolation to mean a pagan or anyone except the high priest entering the Holy of Holies in the Temple. With this concept in mind Jesus' words become clear. When you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, let the reader understand and then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:15-20). The term abomination is also a synonym for the term anti-christ.

11. Paul warns the people of the first century of the same thing: Don't let anyone deceive you...for that day will not come until the man of lawlessness is revealed. Paul describes him as Daniel did reflecting that he would be one who would exalt himself over everything that is called G-D and sets himself up in the Temple of G-D (I Thess. 2:3-4). This happened in Paul's time with several individuals such as caligula who attempted to erect his statue in the Temple and declare himself as god. There were several who defiled the Temple causing the Jews to use the term abomination of desolation including pompey the Roman general in 63 BC who entered the Holy of Holies with some of his men. Josephus tells us pompey committed sin against the Sanctuary. Again at the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD Titus the Roman general made this same desolation.

12. The prophecies of the Book of Revelation along with other apocalyptic writings around the first century were written deliberately as mysteries in a Jewish code that only Believers familiar with their writings would understand. The Psalm Scroll col. II - in the Dead Sea Scrolls speaks of this type of writing before the time of Jesus as it reads: You have made me a banner, and a discerning interpreter of wonderful mysteries concerning those who practice truth.

Go to Lecture III or V