Sample Header Ad - 728x90

How do futurists understand Revelation 12?

3 votes
3 answers
446 views
In an answer to another question , user SLM references an interpretive framework of Revelation from Hal Linsey that derives an interpretation of the overall structure of the book from 1:19. > > Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; Rev 1:19 > > **What was, what is, what will be.** This is the instruction about which to write. > > **What was** is chapter one wherein John describes what he sees. > > **What is** are the letters to the seven churches; that is, letters to the church age in chapters two and three. > > **What will be** is after the church age, since what is, is the church age. > > After this [literally after these things] I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. Rev 4:1 > > This is the rapture. > > After these things, the church age, the what is, ends at the rapture, the door in heaven open, a voice of the trumpet, calls to come up to heaven, to show what will be hereafter. Revelation now turns to the what will be, which is basically tribulation period. Churches are not mentioned again until the end at Rev. 22:16. This connects to a *futurist* reading of Revelation 4-21, which sees the prophecies as things to be fulfilled in the future. I have also heard the same argument (based on Rev.1:19) made by two different dispensationalist pastors, which they used to argue that the prophecies of Rev. 4-21 refer to future events, or even more strongly to argue that they are arranged in chronological order. I'm wondering how Revelation 12:1-5 fits into this framework, as I've only ever heard it interpreted as referring to the first coming of Christ (which especially makes sense because of the reference to Psalm 2 in Rev.12:5.). Obviously, that's an event which happened prior to the composition of the book, so it doesn't fit with a strictly futuristic reading of Rev.4-21. It also would demonstrate that the visions are *not* all in chronological order. So I am wondering whether: 1. There is an alternative, futurist interpretation of Rev.12:1-5 or 2. Futurists do not actually take *all* of Rev. 4-21 as future and/or do not take all of it as chronological.
Asked by Dark Malthorp (4704 rep)
Dec 6, 2024, 02:32 AM
Last activity: Dec 10, 2024, 06:46 PM