REVELATION
(Additional Notes)

I.  Difficulty with dating and authorship
    A.  External evidence
    B.  Internal evidence
        1.  Rev. 17:10  (Beast with seven heads)
            Julius Caesar (d. 44 B.C.)
            Augustus (31 B.C.--A.D. 14)
            Tiberius (14-37)
            Caligula (37-41)
            Claudius (41-54)
            Nero (54-68)

I.  Four approaches to Rev./difficulty of deciding among them
A.  Preterit: book refers mostly to events of 64-70 A.D.
B.  Historical: book forshadows all subsequent history
C.  Futurist: book describes a still-future conflict w/antichrist
D.  Allegorist: book describes spiritual forces, not hist. events

II.  Four approaches to 11:1-3 (gentiles treading down city)
A.  Preterit: refers to 3 1/2 year war between Jews and Rome
    1.  A.D. 64        Rome burns, Nero blamed
    2.  A.D. 65-68        First persecution of Christians/Peter and Paul (and most apostles) killed
    3.  A.D. 66-70        War between Jews and Romans/Civil war in Jerusalem
    4.  A.D. 68-69        "Year of Four Emperors"/Rome sacked
    5.  A.D. 70        Jerusalem (and the temple) destroyed
B. Historical: entire period of gentile domination
C. Futurist: the "Great Tribulation" of the the future antichrist
D. Allegorist: a limited # of Jews/unlimited # of gentiles saved

III.  Different interpretations of the "two witnesses" (ch. 11)

IV.  Different interpretations of woman clothed with sun (ch. 12)

V.  Different interpretations of two beasts of Rev. 13

VI.  Different interpretations of harlot drunk with saints blood

VII.  Beautiful description of triumph of Christ (ch. 19)

VIII.  Beautiful description of millenium (ch. 20) (More difficulties: premill, amill, postmill interps)

VIII.  Beautiful promise of judgment (20:12-13)

IX.  Beautiful description of New Heaven/New Earth/New Jerusalem

X.  Beautiful invitation (22:17)