Revelation is seen in four different views: idealist, Preterist, historical or futurist. The question deals with is the kingdom of God becoming true in believers, it occurred already, is occurring now, or is going to happen. Given the prevalence of evil, it seems unlikely that any position other than historical or futurist makes sense since the values embraced by Christ (love God and others) seems to be outgrown by the prevalence of self. It seems as if even Christian history was mired in evils, since killing over lands, doctrines, and authority make up our entire history to the present. It’s hard to argue that we are perfected when church division seems more common than unity, when tolerance deems sins as good, and physical reality is leading to a world of materiality.
Then the question of the millennial reign gets brought up. Is it spiritual or actual? Seems like if people are resurrected and judged, it happens on the physical plane of existence. Yet many believe it may be different. Christ reigning for 1,000 years with a rod of iron seems kind of challenging from a distance, and no offense, no church body seems to be doing a good job for it to occur on a Spiritual level. Even the UN cannot keep things normal, neither Israel or Palestinians will be happy with anything less than total control. Seems pretty obvious to me that a two state solution is just as likely to be a long term solution like a drop of poison in water will somehow be safe to drink one day.
What’s somehow lost is people don’t look to the times of Jacobs Trouble and unfulfilled Old Testament prophecy. There is obviously a role for both Jews and Christians in the Revelation of God. Why else would Christ and Paul use the analogy of a tree branch and roots to explain the movement of faith? There’s obviously a role to genetics, family (which is what God desires), and the source (God and Israel). To deny the Jews is to deny the historic covenants that God made with the patriarchs, which extends to Christ. Hence if those things brought about Christ, how can they be any less valid now? To argue that God changes would question the reliability of faith in Christ, since how could you rely on Him and deny the history that spoke of Him? That doesn’t logically make sense.
The Gog /Magog battle seems to have two occurrences, one in Revelation 14 and in 19. Is it challenging to think the same thing happens twice as men challenge God? One war seems to end in humans obliterating other men, the other is God just ceasing the issue.
Obviously, but maybe not so, the purpose of Revelation is to unite the Old Testament and New Testament promises, with a pronouncement of judgments and salvation fulfillment’s. Given that no dualistic human born of Adam (remember Christ was not of Adam’s seed) can save themselves, neither by gnosis or simply adhering to good deeds alone (you cannot outdo someone who is naturally good by every means), there is obviously no means for man to gain entry to heaven by himself. There is no logic to explain grace, humility, love, salvation, faith or other means by which a relationship with God can be attained. If these thoughts are still feasible, the end times are not over regardless of how academically interesting the idea of Tartaria and lost history appear to be.
In conclusion, Revelation shows the fulfillment of promises and judgments of the entire Scripture. Old Testament references were intended for Jews and New Testament for Christians. I’ll tie these out in the next section, with a slightly modified dispensational rapture timeline, since there are no references indicating we reign with Christ but serve/live with God (we drive the Jews to jealousy remember). The reason I am that bold is that I recognize cultural bias lends to worldview and hermeneutics, hence what Jews write about were applicable to Jews. Christ taught to both, and the apostles and Paul to the Christians. The anchoring truth is the Holy Spirit and faith (read Galatians 5 and Hebrews 11), not laws or bloodlines (which protect the Jews), by which we are saved or damned. Deeds will eventually get weighed, but Matthew 25 suggests something much different than what I think people are expecting, one which implies caring for those less fortunate or who were God’s chosen from the onset.
