Stock #: CD-088

Christ College course lectures on the Book of Revelation.
20 CDs containing twenty lectures. Note: You may request a pdf file containing a 163 page syllabus, which will be sent to you by email.

Introduction to Lecture Set
Revelation is cast as forensic drama, largely telling the same story as the Epistle to the Hebrews: the superiority of Christianity over Judaism, the passing away of the old covenant order, and the establishment of the new covenant order. Revelation and Hebrews even end up at the same place: the heavenly Jerusalem.

Those familiar with Dr. Gentry's interpretation of Revelation will recognize the familiar movement in the book: Revelation 1:7 warns that Christ is coming in judgment against the Tribes of the Land who pierced him. In Revelation 4 God appears seated on his judicial throne. In Revelation 5 he issues a seven-sealed divorce decree against Israel that the pierced Lamb executes. Much of Revelation 6-19 focuses on Israel's judicial punishment, ending in her capital punishment as an adulterous harlot who was unfaithful to God her husband. In Revelation 21-22 a new bride comes down from heaven effecting new creation salvation: the Church of Jesus Christ.

This familiar movement is now greatly enhanced with Dr. Gentry's new insights. One area of development in his thought is hiss realization that Revelation is focused even more narrowly on Israel than he had realized in his earlier studies. These new developments arose from his further research and analysis in the text of Revelation, which has been enhanced by broad reading in ancient Jewish literature, such as Philo, the Apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, and other traditional literature. Josephus still remains his primary historical source, but he now draws more deeply on the Greek text of Josephus and a wider array of ancient literature.

For instance, a couple of new developments in his understanding of Revelation include the following. Previously Dr. Gentry had understood the beast from the land (Rev 13:11ff) as the Roman procurator in Israel who enforced Rome's will on the nation. Now he is convinced that the land beast is actually the Jewish high priestly aristocracy who owed their position to Roman appointment. This interpretation is even hinted at in the Gospel of John: We see this in the statement of the high priests and the Sanhedrin that Jesus must be stopped lest the Romans take away their place over Israel (Jn 11:Law & Ethics). We also see it in their declaring "we have no king but Caesar" (Jn 19:12, 15).

Another development in his thought regards the "throne of the beast" in Rev 16:10. This is the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. This change of interpretation resulted from closer contextual scrutiny of the passage, deeper study in the relationship of the Jewish high priesthood with Roman imperial authorities, and the abusive nature of the high priesthood as noted even in ancient Jewish tradition. Rome was exercising her power over Israel by controlling the corrupt high priests, thereby causing the temple to be the source of Roman power in the Land.

Numerous other modifications of his earlier views show the strongly Judaic cast of Revelation. John is functioning as one of the classical prophets, strongly denouncing the corruption of Israel, her temple, and the high priesthood (e.g., Isa 1; 66:1-3; Jer 2-3; Eze 16). In John's view even the synagogue has become "a synagogue of Satan" (Rev 2:9; 3:9).

The "New Divorce of Israel" lecture set includes a 163 page syllabus (in pdf format) designed for taking notes while listening to the lectures. The syllabus contains some material that was only alluded to in the lectures. Copies of the syllabus can be printed for distribution to a class.

CD Lessons
1. Introduction (1): Interpretive Principles, Authorship, and Date
2. Introduction (2): Dating (concluded)
3: Introduction (3): Interpretive Schools and Audience
4. Introduction (4): Relevance and Flow
5. Rev 1:1-6: Opening Vision & Seven Letters
6. Rev 4-5: God's Throne and the Sealed Scroll
7. Rev 6: The First Six Seals
8. Rev 7:1-8:4: The 1Church & Worship,000 & Great Multitude
9. Rev 8:5-9:21: The First Six Trumpets
10. Rev 10: The Strong Angel & Little Book
11. Rev 11:1-14: The Treading of Jerusalem & Two Prophets
12. Rev 11:15-12:17: The Seventh Trumpet & War in Heaven
13. Rev 13:1-13:10: The Seven Headed Sea Beast
14. Rev 13:11-15:8: The Land Beast & the 144,000
15. Rev 16:1-9: The Reapers, Bowl Angels, & Bowls 1-4
16. Rev 16:10-16: Bowls 5-7
17. Rev 16:17-17:6: The Harlot Explained
18. Rev 17:7-18:24: The Beast Explained and the Harlot Destroyed
19. Rev 19:1-20:3: Heavenly Praise, King of Kings, and Millennium
20. Rev 20:4-22:21: The Final Judgment & New Jerusalem