WAS REVELATIONS WRITTEN BEFORE 70ad
The 96 AD date is the most common view today, though it wasn’t that way a century ago. The late 96 AD date has been shown by several writers to rest on very unstable ground. A lot of influential English and German (and a few American) scholars in the 1800’s and early 1900’s believed quite strongly that the book was written (and mostly or completely fulfilled) before A.D. 70. There are a few contemporary American theologians who believe and teach the early date as well (Max King, Jay Adams, Foy Wallace, Jr.; Franklin Camp; etc.). These are especially good sources. I highly recommend Milton S. Terry’s book Biblical Hermeneutics and J. S. Russell’s The Parousia. The comments in my book, What Happened In AD 70? are pretty persuasive for an early date (at least that’s what a lot of people keep telling us). There is a good list and bibliography of other good sources in that booklet. There is a lot of internal evidence for an early date. Some of the passages in Revelation which point clearly to a date before A.D. 70 are Rev. 11:1, 2; 11:8 and 18:24.
Rev. 11:1, 2 seems to indicate that the Temple in Jerusalem was still standing when the book was written. It wouldn’t make much sense otherwise.
Rev. 11:8 indicates that “The Great City” was Jerusalem (“where also their Lord was crucified”). Jerusalem was also quite often compared “mystically” to Sodom and Egypt, by the Prophets, by Jesus, and by John as well.
And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (Rev. 11:8)
And, the statements in Rev. 18:24 seem to identify the Great City even more clearly:
And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.
The other view is a post 70ad view during the reign of Emperor Domitian which most hold today. His rule ended in 96 AD. His hatred and persecution did extend out into most of the known world, including Asia minor. It is thought that it was during his reign, that Emporer worship became a non-optional practice. It began to be enforced under penalty of death. This would explain the type of persecution talked about in the letters to the seven Churches.
A second internal evidence of the later authorship would be the amount of spiritual decline that is evident in the letters addressed to the 7 churches in chapters 2 & 3. It seems that just after having the Apostle Paul spend years in your area in the early 60’s, it would be unreasonable to think that by the mid 60’s (the date of alleged early authorship) you would be spiritually dead or even lukewarm as these churches are diagnosed. However if the later date of 97 AD is true, this would seem more reasonable. Additionally, it has been claimed that the church in Smyrna was not in existence in Paul’s lifetime. Paul lived up until about AD 67. This would make it difficult to believe that this church was addressed during the time of Nero, the Emporer in power in the 60’s. This claim is based on writings of an early church leader, Polycarp.
It is very possibly Revelations was written before 70ad since it seems Jerusalem is still standing and all the references about the time being near for these events always being mentioned. However, it is not neccessary for it to be written after 70ad to still have future prophecys within it. I think most of these prophecys were in fact part of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the old covenant simply due to the writers of the gospels and the prophecys in Daniel and Isaiah just to name a few. Clearly Revelations 20 speaks of a future judgement and raising of the dead and Revelations 7 speaks of a similar event in the future. Preterests teach the writtings before 70ad to back their doctrine while dispensationalists do the same putting Revelations in the future. Clearly preterists come up short on Revelations 7 and 20 since it emplys extending until a great judgement and ressurection day of all people where as dispensationalists come up short on most of Revelations arguing for a future fulfillment of all these things.
Rev. 11:1, 2 seems to indicate that the Temple in Jerusalem was still standing when the book was written. It wouldn’t make much sense otherwise.
Rev. 11:8 indicates that “The Great City” was Jerusalem (“where also their Lord was crucified”). Jerusalem was also quite often compared “mystically” to Sodom and Egypt, by the Prophets, by Jesus, and by John as well.
And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (Rev. 11:8)
And, the statements in Rev. 18:24 seem to identify the Great City even more clearly:
And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.
The other view is a post 70ad view during the reign of Emperor Domitian which most hold today. His rule ended in 96 AD. His hatred and persecution did extend out into most of the known world, including Asia minor. It is thought that it was during his reign, that Emporer worship became a non-optional practice. It began to be enforced under penalty of death. This would explain the type of persecution talked about in the letters to the seven Churches.
A second internal evidence of the later authorship would be the amount of spiritual decline that is evident in the letters addressed to the 7 churches in chapters 2 & 3. It seems that just after having the Apostle Paul spend years in your area in the early 60’s, it would be unreasonable to think that by the mid 60’s (the date of alleged early authorship) you would be spiritually dead or even lukewarm as these churches are diagnosed. However if the later date of 97 AD is true, this would seem more reasonable. Additionally, it has been claimed that the church in Smyrna was not in existence in Paul’s lifetime. Paul lived up until about AD 67. This would make it difficult to believe that this church was addressed during the time of Nero, the Emporer in power in the 60’s. This claim is based on writings of an early church leader, Polycarp.
It is very possibly Revelations was written before 70ad since it seems Jerusalem is still standing and all the references about the time being near for these events always being mentioned. However, it is not neccessary for it to be written after 70ad to still have future prophecys within it. I think most of these prophecys were in fact part of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the old covenant simply due to the writers of the gospels and the prophecys in Daniel and Isaiah just to name a few. Clearly Revelations 20 speaks of a future judgement and raising of the dead and Revelations 7 speaks of a similar event in the future. Preterests teach the writtings before 70ad to back their doctrine while dispensationalists do the same putting Revelations in the future. Clearly preterists come up short on Revelations 7 and 20 since it emplys extending until a great judgement and ressurection day of all people where as dispensationalists come up short on most of Revelations arguing for a future fulfillment of all these things.
posted by Stacy at 11:13 AM
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