The Book of Revelation

1. The Book of Revelation Avon Christadelphian Ecclesia Midweek Bible Class Thursday, May 24, 2007

2. How Should We Work to Understand Revelation? • Since…most brethren believe that the “continuous-historic” (CH) view is the correct way to understand Revelation… • And…since the CH view was the view of Brothers John Thomas and Robert Roberts… • And…since the CH view is the view generally held by the brethren typically invited to speak at the MWBS and at events like last weekend’s Indiana Fraternal Gathering… • Perhaps this class should just present the basic arguments in favor of the CH view and then provide a handy CH Bible-marking chart

3. However: • Even if the CH view is the correct way to understand Revelation, it is inherently complicated and “intellectual”. (Note: this is not an argument against CH in any way…it’s just a fact.) • The CH view has made some serious mistakes, as admitted even by its supporters. (Note: this doesn’t just mean that we throw the CH view in the trashcan.) • There are other views currently held by a number of Christadelphians. Even if these other views are wrong (and at least one of them must be!), they nonetheless make some observations that should be heeded.

4. So… • Let’s begin by talking about the history of the CH view as presented by Brother John Thomas. • Today’s class will provide an overview understanding of the history of the CH view among Christadelphians, as well as a brief overview of the history of alternative views. • This discussion over the next few weeks is the best way to understand both Revelation and the various views about Revelation.

5. Bro. John Thomas • 1832 – shipwreck and vow • 1844 – Challenged William Miller’s prophetic arithmetic (see chart next slide)

7. 1847 – JT baptized “as a Christadelphian” • 1848 – JT lectures in Britain • 1849 – JT publishes Elpis Israel • 1862-1868 – JT publishes Eureka • 1868 – JT publishes Exposition of Daniel

8. From Elpis Israel • Publisher’s Preface, 14th edition, Christadelphian Magazine 1983. The book is reprinted as in the 1903 edition. • “The third part of the book deals with prophecy in relation to world affairs. Here understanding was influenced by an expectation of the Lord’s early advent, which proved premature, and much that has now to be treated with reserve derived from this outlook.”

9. Now, there has never yet existed a single dominion, contemporary with the toe-kingdoms, and of course comprehending them in its jurisdiction, which could claim to be represented by Nebuchadnezzar’s image. In order, then, to prepare for the catastrophe, the image which is now in antagonistic parts, must be confederated; in other words, a dominion must arise before the setting up of the kingdom of God, which shall rule over the toe-kingdoms, and the Turkish and Persian territories, till it meets the British Power in the East. …

10. The description of the dream says that the feet were smitten; and “then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together”; thereby intimating that the breaking of the power of the ten kingdoms would precede that of the conjoint destruction of all the other parts. That when they are conquered, the dominion of the conqueror will be overturned by the revelation of power from above. …

11. I shall be able to show, from other parts of the prophetic word, that the power destined to play the conspicuous part indicated above is Russia. That it will dominate all the ten kingdoms, subdue Turkey, and incorporate Persia into its empire; but that when it has reached its zenith, it will in turn be precipitated into the abyss, and its dominion suppressed for a thousand years. (pp. 327-328)

12. [The St. Bartholomew’s Day] massacre [in 1572] was 1,260 years from the separation established between State-church Christians, and the remnant of the Woman’s seed. In 312–313, the man child was born of the Woman as the military chieftain destined to cast the pagan dragon out of the Roman heaven. … Constantine and his successors “ruled the nations with a rod of iron”; and united in adulterous alliance, an apostasy from apostolic Christianity to the kingdom of the world. …

13. Thus, a Satanic system was established, which persecuted all “who kept the commandments of God, and had the testimony of Jesus Christ”. The troubles of the witnesses commenced with the institution of State Christianity, and they will not cease until every State Religion is abolished from the earth. • This Bartholomew massacre of 1572 marks the epoch of the terminating of the testimony of the two witnesses. (p. 346)

14. Thus, Oct. 18th, 1685, became the epoch of the death of the witnesses. The war had been long, but the Beast had subdued them at last. The voice of testimony against Papalism in Church and State was silenced. The stillness of death pervaded not France only, but Europe likewise; and if I were called upon to point out the darkest period of Bible Christianity from the time of Constantine to the present time, I should point to the interval from the revocation of the Edict of Nantes [in 1685] to the breaking out of the French Revolution in 1789. During this time the holy city was laid low, and the symbolic witnesses lay dead, though unburied. (p. 350)

15. The Apocalypse as a whole is a miniature representation of “the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter”; that is, of things in existence while John was in Patmos, and of the things shortly to happen after he wrote, and until the setting up of the kingdom. Everything is exhibited on a smaller scale than the reality; and the time of the symbols is in keeping with them. Thus, multitudes of witnesses are reduced to two; and the years of their prophesying to days. It would have been a violation of the fitness of things to have made them testify for 1,260 years, because this is far beyond the duration of human life, which is the rule of speaking in the case. So in indicating the time of their unburied state, the real time must be expressed in accordance with the physical laws. A dead body might lie in the open air for “three days and a half” without disappearing; but not three years and a half, or three months and a half. Hence, the symbol required the smallest possible period capable of expressing the real time of their political non-existence; and that is “three days and a half”. (p. 357)

16. The time that elapsed between their death in 1685, and their resurrection in 1790, was 105 years. This is a period contained in three lunations and a half, on the day for a year principle. • This consideration led Mr. Bicheno, a Baptist Pastor in Newbury, England, in 1793, to conclude that lunar days were intended. Taking the Jewish month of 30 days, Mr. Bicheno found that three-and-a-half times thirty, or 105 days (years), gave just the interval from the death of the witnesses in 1685 to their political resurrection in 1790, in the time of the Great French Revolution. Mr. Bicheno, though cloudy on some points, was nevertheless, sufficiently sound to be regarded as one of the witnesses. He did well in stirring up his own generation to the study of the Apocalypse; and in discovering for us the true import of the “three days and a half”. We thank our Heavenly Father for raising up such witnesses. (pp. 357-358) • [Publisher’s Footnote:] The preceding two paragraphs have been re-written on the basis of Eureka, a later work by the author of Elpis Israel.

17. The restoration of the Jews is a work of time, and will require between fifty and sixty years to accomplish. … • The truth is, there are two stages in the restoration of the Jews, the first is before the battle of Armageddon; and the second, after it; but both pre-millennial. (pp. 440, 441)

18. There is, then, a partial and primary restoration of Jews before the manifestation, which is to serve as the nucleus, or basis, of future operations in the restoration of the rest of the tribes after he has appeared in the kingdom. The pre-adventual colonization of Palestine will be on purely political principles; and the Jewish colonists will return in unbelief of the Messiahship of Jesus, and of the truth as it is in him. (p. 441)

19. I know not whether the men, who at present contrive the foreign policy of Britain, entertain the idea of assuming the sovereignty of the Holy Land, and of promoting its colonization by the Jews; their present intentions, however, are of no importance one way or the other, because they will be compelled, by events soon to happen, to do what, under existing circumstances, heaven and earth combined could not move them to attempt. The present decisions of “statesmen” are destitute of stability. A shooting star in the political firmament is sufficient to disturb all the forces of their system; and to stultify all the theories of their political astronomy. The finger of God has indicated a course to be pursued by Britain which cannot be evaded, and which her counsellors will not only be willing, but eager, to adopt when the crisis comes upon them. …

20. The decree has long since gone forth which calls upon the Lion of Tarshish to protect the Jews. Upwards of a thousand years before the British were a nation, the prophet addresses them as the power which at “evening-tide” should interest themselves in behalf of Israel. (p. 442)

21. From Exposition of Daniel • “I heard”, said [Daniel], “but I understand not: then said I, O my Lord, when the end of these?” that is, of the time, times, and a half? He was told the reason why he could not obtain the information sought; that it was “because the words were closed up and sealed till the time of the end”; which was tantamount to saying that when the time of the end should arrive, the time-words would be no longer closed up and sealed. … On a previous page I have shown that a time has been present with us for several years” (p. 107)

22. “Judah’s seven times will terminate in the AD 1892; and Babylon’s AD 1908. …forty years to be deducted from the seven times of Babylon for the period during which … This brings us back from AD 1908 to AD 1868. … The Lord, then, will have come as the Ancient of Days at some time soon after 1868.” (pp. 112-114)

23. “Taking the resurrection then, soon after AD 1868” (p. 115) • “These thirty years war are the last years of Micah’s forty … and beginning therefore about AD 1878.” (p. 119) • “How highly important is this exhortation now, seeing that in a very short time the resurrection will have transpired.” (p. 121)

24. From “Publisher’s Note” • “It will be apparent to the careful reader of this work that the expectations of its author concerning the precise date of the coming of the Lord … were premature. Some have regarded this as a reason for rejecting the whole exposition. This is a mistaken view.”

25. Other Christadelphian Interpretations • Since the days of Brother Thomas, there have been repeated “updates” to the CH view by leading brethren. • Brother Harry Whittaker (ca. 1976) Revelation: A Biblical Approach • Brother Alfred Norris (ca. 1982) Apocalypse for Everyman

26. Lord willing… • Next week: a summary look at the continuous-historic system of understanding as presented in Apocalypse Epitomised by Brother H.P. Mansfield. (To be done without “cheerleading” either for or against) • In two weeks: a similar look at the system of understanding proposed by Brother Harry Whittaker in his book, Revelation – A Biblical Approach. • In three weeks: a similar look at the system of understanding proposed by Brother A.D. Norris in his book, Apocalypse for Everyman. • Beyond: directed discussion about how to work through an understanding of the Book of Revelation, given the thoughts presented in the above systems of understanding.

27. Why consider various schemes? • Even if the “continuous-historic” scheme is correct, and we ought to reject the schemes proposed by Brothers Whittaker and Norris, nonetheless they make a number of points that merit serious consideration. (compare JT on “Mr. Bicheno re. 3½ lunations”) • Christadelphians do have differing opinions about these matters. • You can’t reject as false something that you don’t understand, nor can you convince somebody to leave that approach if you don’t understand it. • Reputable brothers in favor of CH have clearly made mistakes (JT, RR, CCW, etc.), and CH keeps getting “updated”.

28. Two Related Questions: • What does Brother Dean believe? (i.e. – which “scheme” does Brother Dean endorse?) • Where is Brother Dean taking the class?

29. What does Dean believe? • You have a right to know. • I have major problems with Brother Harry’s framework. • I like the CH approach but have a number of problems with it. I also like ADN’s approach but have a number of problems with it. • Please note: the CH approach and the ADN approach end up in much the same position (although with MAJOR differences regarding the details of what will happen around the time of Christ’s return).

30. Where is this class going? • Increase general level of understanding of the book of Revelation, and, to a lesser extent, end-time prophecy. • Increase knowledge of and respect for the different views about Revelation among Christadelphians. • Encourage humility when speaking about end-time events.

31. Last thoughts: • Class outcome: • (a) Christ will return in the year ____ Or • (b) Christ will return shortly after CNN reports that __________ is invading ________ • Next week: “Apocalypse Epitomised Epitomised”. Please read the handouts. (Distribute notebooks with handouts)