I have been quite remiss in sharing some of the many, many correspondence posts that I receive, with questions and comments. Below is one received recently, that is very common.
*************************
/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Cali
bri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
Tim, thanks for posting to me. I will address a few of your thoughts below.
Don K
I have put “Tim’s” comments first and then my response. His post has to do with the date of Revelation and the coming of Christ. Tim takes a late date for Revelation.
Tim: John wrote the book of Revelations sometime between 81 & 96 During Titus Flavius Caesar Domitianus Augustus, reign, John was a prisoner on the Island of Patmos.
My response: I strongly disagree with this claim, although I once believed it myself. There is little, very little, evidence to support a late date for the writing of Revelation. As a growing number of scholars are showing, the evidence for an early date of Revelation, i.e. in the mid sixties, is by far better supported by the evidence– especially the internal evidence. I would recommend two books especially: Before Jerusalem Fell, by Kenneth Gentry, and my own, Who Is This Babylon? Both books set forth an incredible amount of evidence showing the early dating of Revelation. Both books are available from my websites.
Tim – If as you say is true why did Jesus have John His beloved Apostle and the only non-martyr of the original 12 write the Revelation of things to come?
My response: Actually, John was a martyr. I think a major misunderstanding is that one had to die to be a martyr. This simply is not true (Matthew 5:10f). John suffered for the cause of Christ, through banishment / imprisonment.
Tim: It is clearly written after 70 AD, when Jesus allegedly returned, why would Jesus ask John to prophesy about something that had already happened?
My response: Revelation is about the destruction of “that great city” Babylon, which is “where the Lord was slain.” This cannot be any city but Jerusalem.
No matter what date a person assigns to Revelation, the undeniable fact is that Christ’s coming was very, very imminent and coming soon. The language cannot be ignored, or mitigated: “These things must shortly come to pass”; “Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me” etc.
Tim: I can see the others since most of the Gospels were written perhaps before 60 AD. But not John’s revelation. Why the need for the Book of Revelations? And how do you categorically prove that the nearly 1300 prophecies in the Bible have been fulfilled?
My response: In describing the fall of Jerusalem Jesus said “These be the days of vengeance in which all things that are written must be fulfilled” (Luke 21:22). To me, this is definitive. If all things written were fulfilled in AD 70 that leaves no other prophecy to be fulfilled. I might recommend that you read my article about Luke 21:22 here: http://eschatology.org/index.php/articles-mainmenu-61/73-engaging-the-critics/678-kenneth-gentrys-latest-desperation
Thanks again for contacting me. I hope you will avail yourself of some of the information that I have suggested. I truly believe it will be very revealing and helpful.
For His Truth, and In His Grace,
Don K. Preston