Passover The Key that Unlocks the Book of Revelation

Daniel C. Juster

• Publisher: Messianic Jewish Communications
• Year: 2011
• ISBN:
  9781936716388
• Topic: Théologie et religion
• Subtopic: Théologie juive

Dan Juster offers some fascinating insights into the Passover/Exodus story that make the symbolism in the Book of Revelation more understandable.

Contents

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

Chapter One

God’s Overall Plan For Redemption—A Heavenly View

The Battle Surrounding A Baby

God’s Protective Hand

Spiritual Warfare: First In Heaven, Then On Earth

Chapter Two

Preparation Of God’s People

John’s Description Of The Setting Of His Revelation

The Seven Churches Of Asia Minor

The Letters To The Seven Churches

John Is Called To Heaven

Chapter Three

The Plagues Of God On Worldwide Egypt

The Sealing Of The 144,000 (Rev. 7:1–8)

The Great Multitude Of Saints (Rev. 7:9–17)

Final Judgment—Exodus’ Plagues On A Worldwide Scale (Rev. 5–6)

Chapter Four

The Persecution

The Inflictors Of The Persecution During The Plagues (Rev. 13; 17–18)

The Mighty Angel And The Little Book (Rev. 10:1–11)

The Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:1–10)

Chapter Five

The Exodus Rapture

The Events Leading Up To The Rapture

The Exodus Rapture: Into The Glory Cloud (Rev. 14:14–16)

Chapter Six

The Wrath Of The Lamb And His Armies

The Harvest Of The Wicked (Rev. 14:17–20)

The Seven Bowls Of God’s Wrath (Revelation 15–16)

The Announcement Of The Marriage Supper Of The Lamb (Rev. 19:1–10)

The Return Of Yeshua With His Saints (Rev. 19:11–16)

The Defeat Of The Anti-Messiah And His Forces (Rev. 19:17–21)

Satan Is Bound For A Thousand Years (Rev. 20:1–3)

Chapter Seven

Entry Into The Promised Land!

The Millennial Age And The Last Rebellion (Rev. 20:4–10)

The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11–15)

The New Heaven And Earth (Rev. 21:1–8)

The New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:9–21)

The River Of Life: Paradise Restored (Rev. 22:1–5)

Closing Exhortations And Warnings (Rev. 22:6–21)

References

Appendix I

Numbers In Revelation

Appendix Ii

The Time Frame

About Dan Juster And Tikkun Ministries

Foreword

Dan Juster’s insights into the Book of Revelation offer several advantages to the reader. First, Dan is a widely read scholar, who is well versed in many streams of Church thought and theology. When he explains a text from Revelation, he is taking into consideration the various ways the text has been interpreted throughout history. This gives the reader the benefit of a broad-based analysis without having to do all of the background research.

Second, Dan uses the story of the Passover as a key to understanding the highly symbolic and complicated language of the Book of Revelation. The comparisons of Pharaoh with the Anti-Messiah, the plagues of Exodus with the plagues of Revelation, and the Red Sea victory with Armageddon—among others—help to simplify and make sense of the overall meaning of the End Times prophecies. The application of Old Testament symbolism to Revelation is the correct approach to understanding the book’s symbolism.

Finally, Dan’s experience as a pastor leads him to draw practical applications from the Book of Revelation that will help believers live by faith in these End Times. Ultimately, the Passover led to great victory for God’s people, and in the same way the events of the Book of Revelation will culminate in the manifestation of God’s Kingdom on earth. Just as the Israelites in Goshen were protected from the plagues, so the faithful saints of the End Times will be sealed and protected by God’s power.

Dan’s unique combination of scholarship, messianic theology, and practical pastoring provides a perspective on the Book of Revelation that is truly eye opening. It will help to prepare you for Yeshua’s imminent return. Read and enjoy.

Asher Intrater

Director of Revive Israel

Jerusalem, Israel

Preface

Since the publication of the first edition of this book, my convictions have been strengthened. I believe that the basic thrust of the book is correct. This edition will support the interpretation with numerous references. Those who are of a more scholarly bent will benefit from the footnotes, quotations, and summaries of text references.

I have been especially encouraged by the writings of Richard Bauckham on the Book of Revelation. He gives strong support for most of my symbolic references connected to Passover and Exodus. There are some basic variations in our interpretations; Bauckham leans more toward the preterist and symbolic interpretations, meaning this book mostly has reference to the first century but holds the symbolic content is valuable in spiritual warfare at all times. My view that Revelation will be the most relevant to the generation alive when Yeshua returns, of course, is not in accord with his view. My view is more futurist perspective, which will become clear in the text. However, he does hold that in Revelation the ultimate victory after persecution refers to the very end of this age, so we are not so far apart on that account.

In addition, I think it is important to note that although Bauckham and others give strong support for the symbolic interpretations of Passover and Exodus being replicated on a worldwide scale, none has seen Revelation’s whole progression as matching the progression of events in Passover and Exodus. This insight might be the Lord’s prophetic application or the author’s intended pattern of Revelation. When all of the symbolic identifications by individual scholars are put together, it is a bit surprising that no one has indicated the parallel between Exodus and Revelation in the overall pattern of events. I hope that this new edition is a great encouragement.

Introduction

This book is intended to be a general introduction to the Book of Revelation. It does not pretend to be an exhaustive interpretive commentary. It is not my purpose to interpret each verse or to identify every symbol, event, and numerical prediction. It is rather my intent to provide a key that will open up a broad, inspiring, and practical understanding of the book.

The Uniqueness of Revelation

The Book of Revelation is usually understood as an example of the genre of apocalyptic literature. Unfortunately, a survey of scholars who use the term apocalyptic shows that its definition varies greatly among scholars. The word itself comes from the Greek meaning “to reveal” or “to unveil.” However, the broader view—of showing the unseen world and its effect on the seen world—is not sufficiently precise. The Bible is full of the breaking in of the unseen. Should the Sinai event be categorized as apocalyptic? In this most broad context, it would be, but again that definition is too broad. I use the term in agreement with those scholars who look for the following features: a revelation of the unseen world impinging on this world, highly symbolic language and pictures, and an emphasis on events of the end of days or the end of this age. Texts in the Hebrew Scriptures such as Exodus 19 and 20, Daniel, Ezekiel 38 and 39, or Joel 3 would be early examples of this literature. There are other examples from the Second Temple period.

However, Revelation is a unique work, and no other piece of literature puts together the theme, the progression of events, and the victory of Yeshua in comparable ways. The logical progression of the events described in Revelation can be diagrammed according to seals, trumpets, and bowls of wrath that show the basic progression of the book. Included in the chart below are parenthetical notes that either give a more detailed symbolic picture of the meaning of events or may give a picture that covers the history of God’s people.

Note that the timeline of the events doesn’t match the way Revelation is organized as a book. In the same way, my approach to discussing Revelation will follow the timeline of events and not the order in which the book is written.

A Matter of Interpretation

The Book of Revelation’s particulars can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Some of these variations are compatible interpretations and applications; others are ultimately incompatible. Some are convincing; others are farfetched. I believe that the Passover–Exodus key to the Book of Revelation provides us with the best overall understanding for evaluating various approaches.

The Book of Revelation also is notoriously difficult to interpret. A few years ago, the late dean of the graduate school at Wheaton College, Dr. Merrill Tenney, published a book entitled Interpreting Revelation. This is a very fine work for a student who wishes to gain a better grasp of Revelation. I believe most interpretations of Revelation use one or a combination of the following approaches outlined in Dr. Tenney’s book:

The Symbolic Approach

This approach looks primarily to gain insight into the nature of spiritual opposition and struggle at all times and for all believers. Through this method, all believers undergoing persecution or duress can be encouraged by the ultimate victory of Yeshua and his Kingdom. Those of this school shun historical or prophetic past or future identifications for the book’s symbols and content.

Augustine was the most famous interpreter of the symbolic school. The famous fourth-century mystic and theologian saw Revelation as repeating seven cycles with varying terms. Each cycle shows the nature of spiritual warfare during the current age and ends with Yeshua’s reign. Hence, the seals, trumpets, and bowls of wrath cover the same time period. The millennium of Revelation 20 also covers that same period.

The symbolic approach recognizes that Revelation is to have immediate relevance to the spiritual struggle of the persecuted Church in any age. All interpreters recognize that the book is full of symbol and metaphor. However, this school shuns ties to specific past, present, and future events so that believers of any time might see themselves in the spiritual warfare presented. Every generation is to see themselves as perhaps the last generation before Yeshua returns. Some who represent the symbolic approach believe that the book will seem most awesomely true for the last generation of this transitional age. I believe that this interpretation is very important and provides true application for believers, especially those under great trials. This is the approach taken by Richard Bauckham and several of the books I use as references.

The Preterist Approach

This views the book as presenting the spiritual struggle of the first-century believers with the Roman Empire and non-Messianic Jewish opposition. It is believed that the prophetic content of the book is fully in the past, except for the literal return of Yeshua the Messiah. The preterist approach is important because it calls us to fully see the background of the book. Certainly the worship-demanding Roman emperor was an anti-Messiah. The book’s seven hills unmistakably point to the Seven Hills of Rome. I believe John’s prophecy made more sense to last first- and early second-century believers than to any other generation in history.¹

The Historical Approach

This perspective looks at the book as representing the historical progress from the time of Yeshua the Messiah’s Ascension until his Second Coming and the establishment of the New Jerusalem. Days and calculations in the book are seen as symbolic of years. The historical approach shows that throughout history there have been many situations that parallel Revelation’s content. It also gives a vivid sense that we are closer to the Lord’s arrival than any previous generation, mostly because the book progresses to the climax of the Second Coming and because the crisis events of history seem more and more potentially devastating on a world level.

For example, the R...