The Inauguration of Christ's Kingdom - Revelation 5

Sermon by Matt Trewhella on 8/9/2009

The futurists have a problem. The angel told Daniel to seal up the prophecy he saw because it was a long way off - and the angel told John NOT to seal up his prophecy because it would take place soon, shortly, and the time was at hand. This begs the question - if there was 500 years from the time Daniel wrote until the time John wrote - how could 2000 years since John wrote what he wrote be soon, shortly, and the time be at hand? The futurists do all kinds of hermeneutical gymnastics to try and and make this glaring contextual problem fit into their schemes, but utterly fail.

The truth is - Revelation is about the inauguration of Christ's kingdom in the earth. It is not about a conclusion (the end of time), but about a commencement. It is not about an ending, but a beginning. What John wrote about in Revelation has already taken place. It did take place - as the angel said - soon, shortly, and yes, the time was at hand. The bulk of what John wrote about took place by 70 AD with the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.

Revelation 5