The Christadelphian Bible Journal
Sep 2006 Volume 3 Number 27
Revelation: A Biblical Approach by H. A. Whittaker; the Honest Truth, Inc., Greenville SC; 1976, 294 pages.
This particular book is but another version of the Preterist view of the Apocalypse, originally promulgated by the Romanish Harlot. The author is the late H. A. Whittaker of the Central Fellowship. The book being reviewed is the first U.S. edition, published on his behalf, by a splinter group of the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith.
As is common to most Preterist notions, Whittaker's version has much of the Apocalypse relating to the Jewish people and their nation. Particular attention is focused upon the events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Such being the case, an early date for the giving of the Apocalypse is crucial to the interpretation. Indeed, Whittaker so recognizes this very fact. He writes, "The date of the writing of the Revelation is a matter of fundamental importance vitally affecting the interpretation of the book."
Since the date wherein the Revelation was given to John is not revealed in the Biblical text, Whittaker must look to non-Biblical sources to establish his theory. The date he chooses is the Neronian of 66 A.D., a date prior to the destruction of Jerusalem. In support of this date, he presents evidence from the Syriac Version which states that the Revelation was given to John during the reign of Nero. The evidence for this, however, is most lacking, for the Neronian date was added to a later revision of the Syriac in around 500 A.D. Consequently, the Syriac is of no value in proving Whittaker's theory, and the entire basis of his interpretation is greatly weakened.
Virtually all early ecclesiastical historians date the giving of the Apocalypse at around 96 A.D., during the close of the Domitian's reign. Internal evidence within the Apocalypse itself, strongly suggests that such is the case. If, as the Preterist theory asserts, the Revelation has to do with the events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the nation, then one would expect the all-important Judean ecclesias to have been addressed in the seven letters. However, only predominantly Gentile ecclesias are addressed therein, all of which are geographically outside of Judea (2:1-29; 3:1-22). We must concluded, therefore, that by the time the Apocalypse was given, the Judean ecclesias had ceased to exist as a direct result of the 70 A.D. Roman conquest, and thus the Apocalypse was received by John post-70 A.D.
We believe that it matters not whether John received the Apocalypse either before or after the events of 70 A.D. The interpretation of the prophecy is in no way affected. Once the Bible student gains a rudimentary understanding of the whole prophetical counsel of the Deity, it can be seen that the Apocalyptic events to take place soon after John's day are largely concerned with the Greco-Roman habitable -- not the Judean. A saints' understanding of this fact is essential to salvation (cf. Dan. 2, 7, Apoc. 14:9-11; 18:4; 20:4).
Revelation: A Biblical Approach is anything but Biblical.
Bob Widding