Revelation, AD 70 and The End of The World

Even in light of an early date for Revelation, apocalyptic language, audience relevance, cloud comings of the Lord and the imminency passages, the reader may be asking, “What about the end of the world, and the new heavens and new earth? Isn’t Revelation describing global judgments and catastrophes?” This, we agree, is a common perception of Biblical end-times. But is it scripturally accurate? We have seen thus far that the focus of eschatology is upon God’s redemptive plan, and the transition from the Old to the New Covenant. Does the Bible also speak of global judgment and the end of the world?

We have previously established that the “last days” referred to in the Bible were the last days of the Old Covenant. But doesn’t the Bible also speak of the end of the world? Well, yes and no. The phrase “end of the world” can be found in the Bible, primarily in the King James Version, but it is an unfortunate translation. Almost invariably, in passages that speak of the end of the world, or of the world to come, the Greek word that is translated “world” is “aion” (or “aioon”), from which we get our word “eon.” While “world” may have had that connotation in 1611 when the KJV was published, a more accurate translation of this word for contemporary English is “age,” as the translators of the New King James Version have shown. (p. 268)

Even if we accept the early date for the writing of Revelation, and acknowledge that it is not referring to the end of the world or global judgments, we may still ask if this extravagant prophecy is to be understood as the destruction of just one city, namely, Jerusalem. Though there may be many reasons that these doubts are harbored, we list three that we feel are key to the issue:

• The nature of the apocalyptic language of the Jews, as we have seen, is highly symbolic and hyperbolic when describing God’s judgment upon His enemies, and the deliverance of His people. Unfortunately, we have been taught to literalize it in Revelation.
• It is not just the destruction of Jerusalem that is in view, but the end of the Mosaic economy, the end of an era and a nation.
• There are few in the church today who realize the severity of the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem. (pp. 294-295)

This chapter delves into the events of AD 70, as described by Josephus, and compares them to the prophecies of the end-times. Explore also the New Heavens and New Earth that Peter mentions, and the present heavens and earth being destroyed by fire.