(2.1) INTRODUCTION/DEFINITIONS

INTRODUCTION

When studying Christian eschatology, one might notice that there’s many different proposed interpretations. After studying eschatology for several years, I’ve concluded that the most biblically consistent interpretation is pre-wrath.

Pre-wrath is a futurist position which belongs to the pre-millennial system of eschatology.

Christian eschatology can be thought of in terms of categories and sub-categories. In the following presentation, I will explore the trajectory that leads to pre-wrath. Along the way, I will explain why I disagree with other systems and positions.

DEFINITIONS

I will now explain some terminology and symbology. I will explain the difference between partial, complete, and multiple prophetic fulfillment. I will also (briefly) explain prophetic transition.

SEALS, TRUMPETS, BOWLS OF REVELATION

In the book of Revelation, there are 7 seals (located on a scroll), 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls. Throughout the book of Revelation, these items represent various eschatological events. People interpret these items and the order in which they occur differently.

Progressive: In this interpretation, the 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls unfold progressively, and the 7’s unfold into 7’s... The 7th seal commences the 7 trumpets, the 7th trumpet commences the 7 bowls.

Concurrent Recapitulation: In this interpretation, it is believed that the seals, trumpets, and bowls, all correspond to one another, and that they describe the same events from different angles. For example, it is believed that the 1st seal, the 1st trumpet, and the 1st bowl, all describe the same episode from a different point of view.

PARTIAL PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT

A partial prophetic fulfillment is when something that foreshadows or resembles a complete fulfillment takes place beforehand. In other words, there are elements of the partial fulfillment that typify or imitate elements that will be present in the complete fulfillment.

COMPLETE PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT

A complete prophetic fulfillment is when every aspect of a prophecy has been fulfilled completely and precisely.

MULTIPLE PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT

Some prophecies have multiple fulfillments. An example of this would be the dual fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14, ESV)

Isaiah 7:14 is fulfilled in a contemporary application (see Isaiah 7:16) and a future application (see Matthew 1:21-23). The Immanuel of Isaiah’s day and Jesus of Nazareth are two completely different people, however, they both completely fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14.

PROPHETIC TRANSITION

When the context of a prophecy transitions or oscillates within its own prophetic framework.

* Isaiah 7:14 speaks of a boy who is born of a virgin. This boy is named Immanuel (God is with us) and he is to serve as a sign of reassurance. This prophecy had a near-future context (addressed to King Ahaz) and a distant-future context (addressed to the house of David). The near-future context was the boy named Immanuel. The distant-future context was the Messiah of Israel. The near-future context was a foreshadow or “type” of the distant-future context. In Isaiah 9, there is a prophetic transition from the foreshadowing and typology used in previous chapters (e.g., Isaiah 7:14) to distinct, particular identification of the distant-future context (e.g., Isaiah 9:6).

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14, ESV)

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, ESV)

* Another example of prophetic transition occurs within the book of Joel. Joel 1 is presented in a contemporary or near-future context. Joel 1 foreshadows and typifies aspects of the eschatological context in Joel 2:1-11. The transition from the contemporary or near-future context of Joel 1 seems to occur at Joel 2:1. From Joel 2:1 to Joel 2:11, the context is distant-future or eschatological.

* In Numbers 23:22, the context is national. Numbers 23:22 is a type or foreshadow of Numbers 24:8. In Balaam’s third oracle, there is a prophetic shift. Just as God brings the nation of Jacob/Israel out of Egypt, He will also bring the Messiah out of Egypt.

“God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.” (Numbers 23:22, ESV)

“God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows.” (Numbers 24:8, ESV)

Notice what is said later...

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 11:1, ESV)

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’” (Matthew 2:13-15, ESV)

ANTICHRIST

Antichrist can have two meanings. The first is “in place of Christ,” as in the context of an imposter. The second is “in opposition to Christ.” There are cases in which both meanings can be applied to an individual subject/entity simultaneously.

According to Scripture, there are many antichrists and antichrist “types.” However, there is one, primary, eschatological Antichrist who arrives near the end of the current age (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

Most pre-millennial Christians believe that the primary, eschatological Antichrist is referred to or mentioned in the following verses or passages:

Many people believe that the rider on the white horse in Revelation 6:2 is the Antichrist.

As listed above, it is believed that the man described throughout Daniel 11:36-45 is the primary, eschatological Antichrist. If Daniel 11:39-44 is providing details about the Antichrist’s military career, then it is providing clues about his identity. In Daniel 11:41, the Antichrist fails to conquer Edom, Moab, and the main part of the Ammonites. For the most part, the traditional territories of the Edomite, Moabite, and Ammonite nations are currently located within the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

“He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites.” (Daniel 11:41, ESV)

In Daniel 11:41, I’m not sure if the reference to Edom, Moab, and Ammon is ethnic, geographical, or both.

FALSE PROPHET AND THE MARK OF THE BEAST

The False Prophet plays a primary role in the religious enterprise of the Antichrist. He is the conduit by which many potent forms of deception are issued forth. Revelation 13:11-18 details much of the False Prophet’s activities.

The mark of the Beast is detailed/discussed in Revelation 13:16-18. According to Revelation 14:9-11, those who take the mark of the Beast are consigned to a very severe outcome. Those who are loyal to Jesus Christ and do not take the mark of the Beast are secure (see Revelation 15:2 and Revelation 20:4).

Revelation 13:16-18 provides several details about the mark of the Beast.

“Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.” (Revelation 13:16-18, ESV)

Throughout the book of Revelation, there are hundreds of allusions to the Old Testament—the book of Revelation makes more references to the Old Testament than any other book of the New Testament. With that said, the number 666 does occur in the Old Testament, however, I don’t know if there’s any real relationship between those occurrences and the book of Revelation.

The number 666 occurs in 1 Kings 10:14, 2 Chronicles 9:13, and Ezra 2:13.

In Ezra 2:13, 666 of Adonikam’s descendants are listed among those who return to Jerusalem and Judah from the Babylonian captivity.

In 1 Kings 10:14 and 2 Chronicles 9:13, King Solomon receives 666 talents of gold.

In addition to 666, there’s another circumstance, in Revelation 13, which might be compared to an event from King Solomon’s time. Notice what’s happening in 2 Chronicles 7:1, then compare it to Revelation 13:11-13.

“As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.” (2 Chronicles 7:1, ESV)

“Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,” (Revelation 13:11-13, ESV)

Based on what’s said in Revelation 13:13, it seems that the False Prophet will perform a sign that could be used to counterfeit Old Testament miracles—whether it will be intended to counterfeit the miracle in 2 Chronicles 7:1, I don’t know.

It should be noted that some people believe the False Prophet will be a counterfeit Elijah. Compare Revelation 13:11-13 (quoted above) to the following passage…

“And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.’ Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” (1 Kings 18:36-38, ESV)

Similar to what I said before, I don’t know if Kings 10:14, 2 Chronicles 9:13, and/or Ezra 2:13 have any real connection to the book of Revelation. I don’t know if the occurrences of 666 in the Old Testament have any connection to the “number of the beast.” However, I do believe that mentioning these potentialities is warranted.