This system of interpretation is
also called the Continuous Historical, Continuist or Chronological system. It maintains
that Revelation is a two-part chronology of the major historical events that
will affect the church beginning from John's day and lasting until the Second
Coming. One key point is that the system concentrates on historical events
which affect the church and God executing judgment on behalf of the church
against external (secular) and internal (apostate) opposition. Another way of
putting this is that these systems emphasize the development of church history
within world history. Many criticize this since it primarily focuses on the
events in Europe, Asia Minor and the Middle East as they affect the church and
says very little about the church in other places on the earth. However,
history to this point has shown that the serious persecutions of the church arose
in those areas (principally in the power of civil Rome and the rise of
spiritual Rome) and that the major worldwide effects on the church had their
origins in these areas of the world. Events outside of this region, while part
of human history, have been of limited importance relative to serious
persecutions or other adverse events affecting the church globally. This is in
keeping with other prophecies in the Old Testament which have a world view
relative to Israel and the nations that directly affect Israel. We see that
God's concern is bringing about righteousness in Israel and judging internal
and external opposition to His Word.
In many historicist interpretations,
the letters to the seven churches were written as direct praises and admonitions
to the specific congregations. However, they are also seen as typical of
problems affecting churches of all ages. Revelation 4 and 5 constitute a
beautiful portrayal that tells of the triumph of Christ after His death and
resurrection and that is set in the context of God's throne in Heaven. The
first series of visions in Revelation (chapters 6-11) refer to the history of secular
or imperial Rome. These visions relate to the overthrow of Western Rome, the
destruction of Eastern Rome and the temporal renaissance of true Christianity which
come about as God executes His judgments against the secular persecution of
Rome. Revelation 12-20 refers to the rise of an internal apostasy and religious
persecution of the true church, concluding with God's judgment on the apostate
church and the revival of the availability of the Bible after the diminishing
and destruction of the universal power of the apostate church. The millennium
represents a long, indefinite period of time during which there is minimal
persecution (and particularly no worldwide or universal persecution) such that
the gospel may be preached relatively freely. After this comes the end (in both
chapters 11 and 20) with chapters 20-22 more fully describing the end.
Historical
Background of Historicism
Perhaps the earliest general
commentary on Revelation was written around 300 AD by Victorinus of Pettau who is also considered to be one of
the earliest historicist commentators. Andreas of Caesarea
(563-637 AD) and Primasius (died ca. 560 AD) were both early
writers who followed historicist views in their comments about Revelation.
Another early writer who wrote a generally historicist commentary on Revelation
was Bede
(either 672 or 673-735 AD) who is also notable for popularizing the current Anno Domini (or AD) dating system currently
in use. Other early historicists may include Anspert (archbishop of Milan from
861 to 881 AD), Arethas of Caesarea (born 860 AD), Haimo of Auxerre (died ca.
878 AD) and Berengaudus (842-892 AD).
During the Middle Ages, Joachim
of Fiore (1135-1202 AD)
was a key figure in applying the philosophy of history to Biblical hermeneutics
and exegesis. Nicolas of Lyra (ca.1270-1349 AD and also known as Nicolaus
Lyranus) was a Franciscan teacher and was one of the most influential
practitioners of Biblical exegesis in the Middle Ages. He is known for his
Postilla super totam Bibliam (Postillae perpetuae in universam
S. Scripturam) which was the first printed commentary on the Bible. That work
was one of the most-consulted manuals of exegesis until the 16th century.
Martin Luther used it and referenced it heavily in his own Lectures on Genesis.
Another influential work was by historicist
proponent Edward Bishop Elliott (1793-1875) who wrote his Horae Apocalypticae (Hours with the Apocalypse). This volume is a very comprehensive
eschatological study in Revelation running to over 2,500 pages. Following in
this tradition, there have been a number of notable individuals and Bible scholars
who held a historicist view. A partial list includes Albert Barnes, John Calvin,
Jonathan Edwards, Edward Bishop Elliott, John Gill, Matthew Henry, John Knox, Martin
Luther, Joseph Mede, Isaac Newton, Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon, William
Tyndale, Campegius Vitringa, John Wesley, William Whiston, George Whitefield, John
Wycliffe, and Ulrich Zwingli.
Tenets
of Historicism
Most historicists see Revelation as
consisting of several discrete sections (normally three or four). The first
section is the prologue, the letters to the seven churches and the image of the
throne room in chapters 153. The letters to the churches represent the
different concerns affecting the local congregations of Christians in each locale.
Many adherents of this position also consider these letters to be symbolic either
of seven periods in church history or of the types of issues that may face
churches in all ages. In the throne room scene we see the lamb presented as
victorious and ready to receive the sealed scroll that will reveal what will
happen now that the Messiah has conquered. Some would view the throne room
visions and the victory of the Lamb as being in a separate section, while other
would see these images as part of the judgment on Rome.
The second section encompasses
chapters 6-11. In that section the symbols such as the breaking of the seals in
chapter 6 and the trumpet judgments in chapters 8-9 symbolize how God will deal
with the persecuting opposition of the Roman Empire. In this paradigm, God
effects judgment on both the Roman Empire (Eastern and Western) using agencies
such as famine, civil war and invasions by foreign enemies. Chapter 10-11 sees
the reestablishment of true church which was forced into the wilderness due to
persecution. This culminates in the end of the first series of visions with the
unveiling of God's sanctuary in heaven and the ark of His covenant.
The third division includes chapters
12-19 and covers the persecuting power of the apostate church (i.e., Roman
Catholicism) and how God will judge that opponent. The beasts of chapter 13
represent the secular or physical Roman Empire (sea beast) and its revival in
ecclesiastical Rome (land beast) and the concept that the number of the beast
(666) is closely identified with the predicted "man of lawlessness".
The bowl judgments of Revelation 15-16 represent God’s judgments on the apostasy
to end its universal persecuting power. The imagery of the Great Harlot and
Babylon (chapters 17-19) are symbolic representations of God calling His people
to not partake in and to flee from the apostate church.
Some would include chapters 20-22 as
being part of the second series of visions while others view this as a separate
section. These visions pertain to the culmination of human history, the
Resurrection and Final Judgment and the new earth. Properly they are a separate
(fourth) section.
Strengths
of Historicism
1. The very opening passage of
Revelation (Revelation
1:1) states that the book's purpose is to show things which "must soon
take place." Most scholars interpret the meaning of this phrase as a
future progressive (conditional) phrasing in Greek that should more properly
read as "things that would shortly begin to come to pass (or
happen)." This implies that the fulfillment of the symbols should both begin
near to John's time and should also take a period of time to fulfill. While
preterists and futurists both argue for a short time frame for this accomplishment
(differing on when the time period starts), historicists argue for a longer
viewpoint (basically spanning history from John's day to the return of the
Messiah). This also fits the context of the parallel idea in II
Peter 3:1-10 which suggests a lengthy time will pass until the Second
Coming. Peter uses a thousand years to suggest that Jesus will not be returning
in the immediate future. Instead, this suggests that a considerable time period
will pass before the Messianic Return. Note that this passage also follows the
prediction of extensive apostasy in II
Peter 2. Note verse 9 in particular which taken together with Paul's
prophecy of the "man of lawlessness" suggests that there will be a
lengthy period of persecution of the faithful church by a coming apostasy.
2. There are too many symbols and too
much evidence for a succession of events to not require a long interval for
their fulfillment. While Revelation may be unique in format and the use of
imagery among New Testament books, it is similar to other apocalyptic books in
the Old Testament. Both the Old and New Testaments look forward to the
redemption of God's people with the coming Messiah (Old) and His Return (New).
The time span of Daniel covers about 500 years from the time he wrote down the visions
(about 538 BC) and the birth of the Messiah. Since the apocalyptic images in
Daniel required several hundred years for their realization and since the
visions of Revelation are similar in detail and scope, it stands to reason that
they cover a long period of history. Again, this is particularly true if
Revelation deals with both secular Rome and its renaissance in ecclesiastical
Rome.
3. The visions and images recorded in
Daniel are a roadmap for how God will work in human history until the
appearance of the Messiah. This is especially important since God did not send
any prophets for most of that period. However, the images of Daniel are
intended to convey the assurance that God is in control of human events, that He
is working to accomplish His will, that the events affecting Israel are not
random but are part of His plan and that He will bring about the redemption of
Israel. It stands to reason that God would give similar assurances to the
commonwealth of Israel in the New Testament. Historicism is the only
interpretive school that tries to elucidate how the visions of Revelation
correspond to the time period from John's day to the present.
4. Paul and Peter both predict a period
of apostasy when the church would fall away from the simplicity of the Gospel. In
II
Thessalonians 2:1-12 Paul wrote warning of an internal apostasy, a passage
that is often misused both by preachers and teachers to state that there will
be a single personal "antichrist". This passage should be used in
conjunction with the similar though in II Peter 2:1-22 (see link above) where Peter
warns against false teachers to come who will lead away the elect. Both passages
correspond with the concept of the rise of a universal internal apostasy which
is regarded by continuous historians as being what the Spirit, writing through
John, describes in Revelation 12-20. This did not happen until after the
political destruction of Western Rome and the "resurrection" of Rome
in the apostate Catholic papacy.
5. It seems absolutely incredible that,
after warnings to the seven churches about internal heresies, that God would
reveal nothing about the great heresies of Catholicism and its subtle but
deadly effects (see Revelation
13:11-12). The second beast seems like a lamb but speaks like a dragon. It also
exercises the authority of the first beast (which represents Rome) and makes
the whole earth worship the image of the first beast. Compare the parallel of
the land beast with structure and deceitful nature of papacy as
"resuscitated" Rome, particularly the fact that the structure of the
papal government exactly mirrors the structure of Rome.
6. Old Testament prophets made constant
references both to the apostasies of God's people and to their external
enemies. The continuous historical approach also discusses the external secular
enemies (political foes) of the New Testament church and the internal
ecclesiastical enemies (apostasies) of the New Testament church, thus following
the same pattern as the Old Testament. A system that does not mention the
apostasy foretold by Both Peter and Paul, and which the context of Paul's
letters makes clear was something he explained in considerable detail, simply
does not fit the pattern established in the Old Testament nor does it fully
conform to the rest of the New Testament.
Weaknesses
of Historicism
1. The events depicted in Revelation
may have already occurred or may be yet to come. As each major event in history
occurs, the system must be robust enough to take it into account. However, it
is also true that the long indefinite period of the millennium can encompass a
great deal of history in which world events not related to the church may
occur. Remember that Revelation, like all prophecy, focuses on the events which
have major ramifications and consequences for the development of the church.
2. The continuous historical view
attaches primary importance to secular Rome, Roman Catholicism, the Reformation
and limits its focus only to history of Western or Near Eastern culture. It
generally ignores events in the rest of the world. However, in thinking of the
history of the church from John's day to the present, virtually everything that
has significantly affected the church has been from Western or Near Eastern
culture (i.e., Western and Eastern Rome), the rise of Catholicism, the end of
Roman persecution, the Reformation and the revival of Biblical teaching in the
Reformation. Note also that preterism also focuses even more exclusively on
Western culture, and limits its predictions to events dealing with Western Rome
(what about Byzantium or Eastern Rome and God's judgments on it and the rise of
the "false prophet" in the person of Mohammed who "gave" us
Islam which is the only false religious system that maintains to be a
revelation from the same God in Whom we believe, events covered by continuous
historicism).
3. Some accuse historicist interpreters
of falsifying time calculations or attempting to pinpoint the date of the
Lord's return. Interpreters of any school or persuasion who do this are being
unscrupulous or dishonest with God's Word. An honest proponent of historicism
should not seek to make God's Word correspond to his or her theory but should
seek to understand and have enough humility to recognize that he or she might
be wrong.
Additional
Thoughts about Historicism
Many conservative scholars support a
historicist interpretation. Historicism is harmonious with Scripture and how Biblical
prophecies should be handled. Either the conservative preterist or the historical
view can be supported by Biblical study. The student must choose whichever
paradigm that seems best, but it must be scripturally based and must be
consistent with the principles outlined in this post
and here
also.
A
Prophetic Example - We need to examine the remez of Genesis
2:15-17. We can see that the fulfillment has two levels. One is immediate
spiritual death (i.e., separation from God and from the Tree of Life - Genesis
3:22-24). The other is delayed physical death (Genesis
3:19, 5:5).
Thus the phrase "when you eat from it you will certainly die" implies
an immediate fulfillment, but Scripture shows that the actual fulfillment began
at the time of their eating and culminated about 900 or more years later with
physical death. If such a simple prophetic example has multiple levels, it
stands to reason that God would have several levels relative to the images in
Revelation and other apocalyptic prophecies.
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