Revelation 22:10, The Time is Near

Part of the problem is that the books of Revelation and John’s Gospel were popular among competitive versions of Christianity, such as the Montanists. Montanus claimed to be the embodiment of John’s Paraclete (Holy Spirit), and loved to refer to the book of Revelation. A majority of bishops in Asia Minor voted to censor both books, protesting that they contained only blasphemous lies. A Roman priest named Gaius argued that both had been written not by an apostle but by a heretic named Cerinthius.

Later in the second century, however, Revelation’s promise of tribulation began to hit home with Christians. Justin and Irenaeus, two early apologists, strongly championed Revelation, recognizing its themes as occurring in their own lifetime. Justin referred to the killing of a Christian philosopher named Ptolemy, and claimed he knew of similar executions. It was clear to Justin that demonic powers were inciting Rome’s rulers to hunt and kill Christians, just as John of Patmos described.

Shortly after Justin’s death, Irenaeus threw in his lot with Revelation. He witnessed a dozen Christians killed in Smyrna, including Irenaeus’s beloved mentor, Bishop Polycarp. In 177, riots broke out in Gaul as Christians were arrested, imprisoned, and tortured. More than forty died in the arenas as a public spectacle, killed by wild animals.

If the era John of Patmos originally wrote about—the late first century—provided the best fit to Revelation’s prophecies, the late second century provided a close second. Throughout the centuries for 2,000 years, Christians would continue to point to the signs of the times, yet Jesus continued to delay his return. Today we still read Revelation as a prophecy of our own times, wondering why Jesus still waits.