Bible Questions and Answer

Christians generally read Revelation in four ways. Preterists believe most of the book was fulfilled in the first century, especially in the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the persecution under Rome. Historicists see Revelation as a map of church history from the apostles to the end, and many Protestant Reformers took this view, often identifying the beast with the papacy. Futurists believe that most of the book, from chapter 4 onward, describes events still to come right before Jesus returns, such as a tribulation, the Antichrist and the millennium. This view is very popular among evangelicals and in books like the Left Behind series. Idealists read Revelation as a timeless picture of the battle between good and evil, which applies to every generation rather than specific events. Many Christians today blend these views. For example, they may think the book spoke directly to its first readers, applies to every age, and also points to a final fulfillment when Christ returns.