REVELATION WAS WRITTEN BY JOHN BEFORE A.D. 70

Evidence for a late dating (A.D. 94-96) of Revelation is greatly lacking, with only one source (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3) making vague claims to its late date.

We assume that a late date for Revelation would demand that John would make some reference to the crucial and extremely important events that took place in A.D. 70.

The Peshito Syriac New Testament manuscripts contain the note “The Revelation, which was made by God to John the Evangelist, in the island of Patmos, to which he was banished by Nero the Emperor.”

TIME-FRAME REFERENCES INDICATING THE NEARNESS OF REVELATION’S EVENTS:

Its events are to happen "quickly," they are "at hand," "about to" occur: Rev. 1:1, 1:3, 2:16, 3:10-11, 22:6-7, 22:10, 22:12, 22:20.

Especially noteworthy is Rev. 22:10 - "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near." This is the exact opposite of what Daniel was told in Dan. 12:4. He was told to seal up his prophecy "until the time of the end."

THE TEMPLE IS STILL STANDING (Rev. 11:2)

This is an indication of a pre-A.D. 70 date of the book as well, see a. above.

IT IS HEROD’S TEMPLE

The Olivet Discourse had been given in response to the disciples’ question about the destruction of Herod’s temple (Luke 21:5-7). In Luke 21:24 Jesus said: "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."

Revelation, has this as his backdrop - the Gentile trampling underfoot of Jerusalem will last 42 months (Rev. 11:2)

THIS TRAMPLING UNDERFOOT OF JERUSALEM OCCURRED DURING THE JEWISH WAR that ended with the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. The war lasted exactly 42 months: from spring, A.D. 67 through August, A.D. 70.

WHO IS "BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES"? SHE IS…JERUSALEM

SHE FILLS HERSELF WITH THE BLOOD OF THE PROPHETS AND SAINTS: Rev. 16:6, 17:6, 18:20, 24, Matt. 23:37 and Acts 7:52.

SHE IS THE "GREAT CITY ... WHERE ALSO THE ... LORD WAS CRUCIFIED" (Rev. 11:8) Although Rev 11 clearly is speaking of Jerusalem, is this the "Babylon the Great" of later chapters? Yes, the designation, "great city" is used both in Ch. 11 and Chapters 17-18 (17:18, 18:10, 16, 19, and 21).

THE IMAGE OF THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE, THE HARLOT, WAS OFTEN USED OF ISRAEL IN THE O.T. Israel is repeatedly called the wife of God (Jer. 2:2, 3:14, Is. 54:5). But she was an unfaithful wife (Jer. 3:20, Hos. 1:2, Ez. 6:9, Ez. 16, Is. 50:1) behaving as a prostitute (Deut. 31:16, Jer. 3:1-2). In the context of Jerusalem’s designation as a prostitute, Is. 1:21 is especially noteworthy: "See how the faithful city has become a harlot."

HER ARRAY

Dressed in purple, scarlet, gold, precious stones and pearls (Rev. 17:3-5) - an almost exact description of the high priest’s ephod (Ex. 28:5-6, 36)

This combination of fabrics and gems also describes the temple tapestry, which, according to Josephus, was "Babylonian tapestry in which blue, purple, scarlet and linen were mingled." (Wars 5.5.4)

The gold cup she holds (Rev. 17:4) is symbolic of the temple’s implements: "The greatest part of the vessels ... were of silver and gold" (Wars 5.4.4.)

Josephus’ description of the temple reflects the same opulence: "The outward face of the temple in its front ... was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun's own rays. But this temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow; for, as to those parts of it that were not gilt, they were exceeding white." (Wars 5.5.6) The inscription on the prostitute’s forehead is a perverse image of that on the high priest’s: "Holy to the Lord."

HER DESTRUCTION:

EVEN JERUSALEM’S END RESEMBLES THAT OF AN ADULTEROUS WIFE - DEATH BY STONING: Josephus writes: "The stones that were cast were of the weight of a talent, and were carried two furlongs and further. The blow they gave was no way to be sustained, not only by those that stood first in the way, but by those that were beyond them for a great space. As for the Jews, they at first watched the coming of the stone, for it was a white color" (Wars 5.6.3) This account is reminiscent of hailstones, weighing a talent each, that rain down on the "great city" in Rev. 16:19-21.

In the end, a New Jerusalem comes down from heaven, replacing the old, adulterous bride.

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