FOUR VIEWS ON THE BOOK OF

REVELATION

• Kenneth L. Gentry Jr.

• Sam Hamstra Jr.

• Robert L. Thomas

• C. Marvin Pate

• Stanley N. Gundry series editor

• C. Marvin Pate general editor

Four Views on the Book of Revelation

Copyright © 1998 by C. Marvin Pate, Kenneth L. Gentry Jr., Sam Hamstra, Robert L. Thomas

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Pate, C. Marvin

Four views on the Book of Revelation / C. Mrvin Pate, general editor

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN: 0-310-21080-1 (softcover)

1. Bible. N.T. Revelation—Criticism, interpretation, etc., I. Pate, C. Marvin, 1952–. II. Series: Counterpoints (Grand Rapids, Mich.,).

BS2825.2.F68 1998

228′.07—dc21 97-33425

CIP

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Contents

Preface

Abbreviations

Introduction to Revelation

1. A PRETERIST VIEW OF REVELATION

Kenneth L. Gentry Jr.

2. AN IDEALIST VIEW OF REVELATION

Sam Hamstra Jr.

3. A PROGRESSIVE DISPENSATIONALIST VIEW OF REVELATION

C. Marvin Pate

4. A CLASSICAL DISPENSATIONALIST VIEW OF REVELATION

Robert L. Thomas

Conclusion

Bibliography

Scripture Index

Subject Index

Preface

One sage defined a classic as “a book everybody talks about, but which almost nobody reads.” Unfortunately, that description could be applied to the last book of the Bible—Revelation. Who has not been captivated by the power of its drama and the poignancy of its message? And yet how many actually read the Apocalypse? Undoubtedly, there is a vast difference in the answers to those questions. The purpose of this volume is to help bridge the gap between the preceding responses; that is, to move people from being merely enamored with Revelation to engaging it through personal interaction. To this end, the present contributions offer four, we think, well-argued alternative viewpoints of the last book of the Bible.

All of the authors in this volume are evangelical scholars in theological studies. For each, the inspiration of the Scriptures is their framework for understanding the Apocalypse. Furthermore, while the contributors present their viewpoints with conviction, they do so in an irenic and Christian spirit. With that in mind, this book is dedicated to all those “who love his [Christ’s] appearing,” regardless of their eschatological persuasion.

I would like to acknowledge those who have assisted in this project. My sincere appreciation goes to the other participants—Ken Gentry, Sam Hamstra, ...