REVELATION 20: PRELUDE TO THE OMEGA POINT - THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to show that Revelation (Rv) 20 does not contain chiliastic/millenialistic thoughts. It was written as a word of comfort and encouragement to the Christians in Asia Minor (circa A.D 95-96). Their time, represented as a symbolical period of a thousand years, was characterized by inner and outer temptations and conflict. The end of time, the omega point, was apparently expected to take place in their time and then Satan and the power of the evil would finally be destroyed. The new heaven and earth was to be their inheritance. The thousand years is an immanent and a transcendent formula. As an immanent formula it defines their earthly struggle against the brutality of Satan, which resulted in the death of some of them. As a transcendent formula it gave them a look at the spiritual world where those who persevered in the faith were rewarded. They experience the greatest amount of joy with Christ in heaven. They experience the greatest amount of joy with Christ in haven. Rv is therefore not a foretelling of history.Downloads
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