Augustus H. Strong
(1836-1921)
Systematic Theology (1907)
(Supporting Early Date of Revelation)
“The Apocalypse was by far the earliest writing of the Apostle John, and although it now constitutes the last book of the New Testament, it was by no means the last book that was written. A very considerable time interval came between the writing of the Apocalypse and the writing of the Gospel and the Epistles. The Apocalypse was probably written before the destruction of Jerusalem, perhaps in the year 68; it was written under a persecution which had its greatest violence at Rome, but the farthest circles of whose waves had reached out as far as Asia Minor to Ephesus….” (Popular Lectures on the Books of the New Testament (1914) p.383)
” Elliott’s whole scheme [based on his “interpretation of `time and times and half a time’ of Dan. 7:25, which according to the year-day theory means 1260 years…” p 1009, ed], however, is vitiated by the fact that he wrongly assumes the book of Revelation to have been written under Domitian (94 or 96), instead of under Nero (67 or 68). His terminus a quo is therefore incorrect, and his interpretation of chapters 5-9 is rendered very precarious. The year 1866, moreover, should have been the time of the end, and so the terminus ad quem seems to be clearly misunderstood–unless indeed the seventy-five supplementary years of Daniel are to be added to 1866. We regard the failure of this most ingenious scheme of Apocalyptic interpretation as a practical demonstration that a clear understanding of the meaning of the Prophecy is, before the event, impossible, and we are confirmed in this view by the utterly untenable nature of the theory of the millennium which is commonly held by so-called Second Adventists, a theory which we now proceed to examine. (Systematic Theology, A.H. Strong, ©1907, published 1912, The Griffith & Rowland Press, Boston, p 1010.)
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Date: 25 Mar 2010
Time: 09:29:06
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I can expect some older bible teachers to misinterpret prophesy but not after 1968 when Jerusalem became restored (partially) to the Jews. Why some have gone in this direction I do not know except it is being used by the “apostolics” as a motivation for the unity of their movement. Re-organizing the church for a great end time move harvest of God I can understand but not taking over the world. I do not think the Catholics or Muslims will allow it. There is work for the bride, we need to become unified, understand the NT Apostolic revelation, stop competing with each other and strive together for the faith of the gospel and strive to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. God must show us what is going on and we cannot depend on one class of ministry to have all the revelation or we will become deceived. LA