Dr Paul Allen

People tend to talk more about the book of Revelation than about the message of the book. Many people hear Revelation and, like a word association test, their minds immediately go to their position on the millennial reign of Christ. Most recently when a congregant heard that I was there to speak on Revelation, he felt compelled to identify himself as a premillennialist, as though that settled the matter and satisfied the book’s purpose.  On another occasion, a member of the congregation lingered to inform me that he was a staunch partial preterist. He went so far as to say that Revelation cannot be understood apart from an early date for its writing. While hermeneutical approaches and questions of date are worthwhile considerations, are they necessary to glean benefits from the book of Revelation?  I believe that our Lord’s message to us in the book is apparent apart from these considerations, and a preoccupation with them can lead us to miss the substance our Lord has for us. A PASTOR

Is the book of Revelation a linear chronology of distant future events? Or does the book describe the Roman persecution of Christians and Rome’s destruction of the temple—events that occurred in John’s lifetime? The first view opts for a mid-AD 90s authorship (long after the temple was destroyed), the second supports a pre-AD 70s authorship (when the temple was still standing). Each of these readings is complicated by Revelation 11:1–2: Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.” Taken literally, these verses indicate the Jerusalem temple still stands—apparent proof that Revelation was written before ad 70. If so, the idea that John is describing the Roman persecution and invasion—empowered by Satan and his hatred for the Ch

One of the many statements that the Bible makes concerning itself is that it is a living Word. In Philippians 2:16 Paul calls it the “word of life.” Hebrews 4:12 says, “The word of God is living and powerful.”  Here in 1 Peter 1:23, it is “the word of God which lives and abides forever.” There are no more significant statements that refer to the Bible than these. It is through this living Word that we are born again and made alive spiritually. And it is through the living Word that we grow up into Christ. The Word of God Is Alive and Produces Life The Word of God is the only thing we know of, apart from the Trinity itself, that is alive in an eternal sense. In the world around us the things we call “living” are really dying. What we call “the land of the living” is probably better called “the land of the dying” because wherever you look, death is doing its work of decay and destruction. In the final analysis, death is the monarch of this world. Against this background of deca

Jesus , Paul, and other New Testament writers unanimously assume, and assert, that believers experience distress, suffering, persecution, and martyrdom. The vision of Revelation 7 promises the spiritual protection of the faith of Jesus’ followers, but not physical protection from suffering.  The “ great tribulation ” that Jesus prophesies in Matthew 24:21 describes the horrific events of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem , a prophecy that was fulfilled in the events of A.D. 66–70. The “great tribulation” of Revelation 7:14 is not a particular period of history in which suffering becomes unbearable, but a description of the end times as a time of trouble during which many of Jesus’ followers are tested and purified as martyrs.  This does not mean that all believers will suffer extreme distress or that all believers will be persecuted, or that all believers will die as martyrs. It means, however, that suffering and persecution should not come as a surprise, and that i

The rules of war for God ’s people are laid down in Deuteronomy 20, and they represent a control of justice, fairness, and kindness in the use of the sword. Special hardship conditions were defined as a ground for excusing individual soldiers from military duty until those conditions were cleared ( Deut. 20:5–7). Even those who had no such excuse but were simply afraid and reluctant to fight were likewise allowed to go home (v. 8). Unlike the contemporary armies of other nations, who might attack a city without giving it an opportunity to surrender on terms (1 Sam. 11:2–3), the armies of Israel were required to grant a city an opportunity to surrender without bloodshed before moving on to mount a full-scale siege and destruction of the city. In this context, the women and children were to be spared from death and cared for by their captors (Deut. 20:14). Only in the case of the particularly depraved inhabitants of Canaan itself was there to be total destruction (v. 16). The reason g

Pietro Lorenzetti fresco detail, Assisi Basilica, 1310-1329. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The apostles were convinced that they were living in the last days. In the Old Testament , the expression “the last days” refers to the future time of God’s final intervention in Israel ’s history and in the history of the world.1 The earliest Christians dated the beginning of the end times to the coming of Jesus , particularly his death and resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit, a complex of events that constitutes the fulfillment of God’s promises of Israel’s restoration and humanity’s salvation. The End Times Have Begun with Jesus’ Coming: Acts 2:16–21 One important passage in the New Testament teaching that the end times began with Jesus’ coming is found in Peter’s speech given on the day of Pentecost. After clarifying for the Jews who had gathered from around the world that the speaking in unlearned languages by Jesus’ followers is not the result of drunkenness (Acts 2:15),

The Nietzsche Archives in Weimar, Germany. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "What goes around, comes around." This American idiom suggests a view of history that has more in common with ancient Greek philosophy than with the Judeo-Christian understanding of history. The grand difference between the ancient view of history and that found in Scripture is the difference between what is called "cyclical" and "linear-progressive." A cyclical view indicates that there was no beginning to the universe and no goal for it; rather, history creates itself and eventually repeats itself—forever. It was this ancient perspective that generated the skepticism that inspired Friedrich Nietzsche 's view of "the myth of eternal recurrence." Over against this view stands the biblical view of linear-progressive history. This understanding does not say that history moves in a steady incline, moving toward some evolutionary climax; rather, it indicates a moveme

English: An image of Psalm 23 (King James' Version), frontispiece to the 1880 omnibus printing of The Sunday at Home. Scanned at 800 dpi. Français : Illustration du Psaume 23 (version autorisée par le roi Jacques), en frontispice de l'édition omnibus du Sunday at home. Version numérisée à 800 dpi. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah , and Azrikam , three.” ( 1 Chronicles 3:23 ) Elioenai’s name is in a long list of names in the book of Chronicles . In fact, it is significant that the Bible contains the proper names of more individuals than can be found in all the other books of antiquity put together—strong evidence of its historical authenticity. These were real names of real people, and each would, no doubt, have a fascinating story to tell if he could. The ancient Israelites were very conscious of their divine calling as God ’s chosen people; family relationships and genealogical records were highly valued. Godly parents were ve

John the Apostle on Patmos by Jacopo Vignali. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) In the book of Revelation , the Apostle John records the vision he received on the island of Patmos . In that vision, Christ showed John many things, including the new heaven and the new earth: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem , coming down out of heaven from God , prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Rev. 21:1–4) We read that in heaven there will be no sea, which, if taken literally, mig

Etty William Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The evangelists give circumstantial accounts of the facts connected with that event, and the apostles, also, in their public teaching largely insist upon it.  Ten different appearances of our risen Lord are recorded in the New Testament . They may be arranged as follows: (1.) To Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre alone. This is recorded at length only by John (20:11–18), and alluded to by Mark (16:9–11). (2.) To certain women, “the other Mary,” Salome, Joanna, and others, as they returned from the sepulchre. Matthew (28:1–10) alone gives an account of this. (Comp. Mark 16:1–8, and Luke 24:1–11.) (3.) To Simon Peter alone on the day of the resurrection. (See Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5.) (4.) To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection, recorded fully only by Luke (24:13–35. Comp. Mark 16:12, 13). (5.) To the ten disciples (Thomas being absent) and othe