The preterist view of the Book of Revelation interprets most or all of the prophecies in the book as events that were fulfilled in the first century A.D., particularly in connection with the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the persecution of the early church under the Roman Empire. The term preterist comes from the Latin praeter, meaning “past,” reflecting the belief that Revelation primarily addresses events that were future to its original audience but are now past to us. Preterists argue that Revelation was written to encourage and warn first-century Christians facing intense persecution, and that its symbols and imagery are rooted in the political and religious upheaval of that era. For example, the Beast is often interpreted as representing Nero Caesar or the oppressive Roman system, while Babylon is seen as apostate Jerusalem or Rome. The judgment scenes are viewed as referring to God’s covenantal judgment on Israel for rejecting the Messiah. This view emphasizes that Revelation is deeply tied to the historical context of its original recipients, offering them immediate hope. However, most preterists still affirm a future bodily return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment, distinguishing their position from full preterism, which denies these future fulfillments and is generally considered heretical in Orthodox Christian theology. Representing one of the most common of the different views, Christians who subscribe to the Preterist view of Revelation often cite the below Bible verses.
The Preterist View of Revelation
Preterist View of Revelation: Key Bible Verses
Key Bible verses:
- Revelation 1:1: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.”
Preterists emphasize the phrase “must shortly come to pass” as evidence that the events in Revelation were imminent and would happen soon after the book’s writing.
- Revelation 1:3: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”
Preterists argue that this verse underscores the idea that the prophecies were meant for the immediate audience and not for distant future generations.
- Revelation 11:8: “And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.”
Preterists contend that the reference to “our Lord was crucified” points to Jerusalem as the city where these events would unfold, linking this prophecy to the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
- Revelation 17:10: “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.”
Preterists interpret these seven kings as a reference to the first seven Roman emperors, with the fifth emperor being Nero and the “one is” referring to the reigning emperor at the time, which would have been Domitian.
- Revelation 22:6: “And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.”
This verse reiterates the theme of imminence, emphasizing that the events prophesied in Revelation were to occur in the near future.
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