Folks, I think I have shown conclusively that Revelation was written before 70 A.D. This means that the TIME STATEMENTS (shortly, near, and quickly) had real ORIGINAL AUDIENCE RELEVANCE.
Original audience relevance is where we start, guys. Everything else has to be adjusted to this factor, else the words of scripture can mean anything anyone wants them to. That's why I have tried to get Ed to deal with the historical markers in the Olivet Discourse that nail the "great tribulation" to the first century - no way to get around it.
The words "shortly" (Rev.1:1; 22:6), "near" (1:3; 22:10), and "quickly" (22:7,12,20) meant just what they say....to the original audience!!! Thus, we cannot stretch them to cover thousands of years! Do so would have made them IRRELEVANT to the original audience.
No historical event "near" to the late date of 96 A.D. could have fulfilled the prophecies of Revelation. Even the destruction Jeruslame suffered in 70 A.D. does not fit the bill, since the Temple's destruction was what marked the tribulation, and that happened in 70 A.D., before that generation had passed, exactly as Jesus predicted. Only the early date for Revelation makes sense of the book.
Warren
Original audience relevance is where we start, guys. Everything else has to be adjusted to this factor, else the words of scripture can mean anything anyone wants them to. That's why I have tried to get Ed to deal with the historical markers in the Olivet Discourse that nail the "great tribulation" to the first century - no way to get around it.
The words "shortly" (Rev.1:1; 22:6), "near" (1:3; 22:10), and "quickly" (22:7,12,20) meant just what they say....to the original audience!!! Thus, we cannot stretch them to cover thousands of years! Do so would have made them IRRELEVANT to the original audience.
No historical event "near" to the late date of 96 A.D. could have fulfilled the prophecies of Revelation. Even the destruction Jeruslame suffered in 70 A.D. does not fit the bill, since the Temple's destruction was what marked the tribulation, and that happened in 70 A.D., before that generation had passed, exactly as Jesus predicted. Only the early date for Revelation makes sense of the book.
Warren