MORE THAN CONQUERORS
More Than Conquerors by Hendricksen.
This understanding of Revelation was widely used among the Churches of Christ in the 1950s. Since there are as many books on Revelation as there are people to write them, many conflicting ideas abound. When I came in contact with this book, I thought it the most reasonable view of the Book of Revelation. I adopted a modified form of this for my Bible Study New Testament Commentary. I accept the view that history repeats and continues to repeat. A Frenchman said that "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Technology changes, biology doesn't. The Bible deals with people problems, and is "as up to date as tomorrow's newspaper."
I wrote in the introduction to Revelation in the Bible Study New Testament: It is 96 A.D., the church is in what seems to be a “death-struggle” with the forces of evil, and the Christians seem to be losing! But things are not always what they seem to be outwardly. “Write, then, the things you see, both the things that are now, and the things that will happen afterward” (Rev. 1:19).
To understand this book, we must first begin at the fact that it was intended for the believers in John’s day and age (Rev. 2:1-3). It is God‘s answer to the prayers and tears of severely persecuted Christians who were scattered through the cities of Asia Minor. It must be studied in the light of the conditions that existed in the last ten years of the First Century A.D. It shows Jesus as the EXPEDITER (one who puts into effect an order or decree in the shortest possible time) of God’s Plan (Rev. 5). The Trumpets of chapter 9 answer the question: “How can a loving God allow pain and suffering?” To the Christian who suffers pain, this is a Seal (compare Rev. 7:2-3 note); but to the unbeliever, this pain and suffering is a Trumpet of warning! The theme of this book is stated very well in the words of Rev. 17:14. “They will fight against the Lamb: but the Lamb, and his called, chosen, and faithful followers with him, will defeat them, for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. ”
Chapters 1 to 3 form the basic foundation of this entire book. Revelation is made up of “picture-symbols,” which, like “modern art,” are intended to express an idea. Each of these picture-symbols presents one central idea. It seems normal to us to write an account by “beginning at the beginning, going on to the end, and then stopping.’’ But there are other ways of looking at things. The Jewish mind often arranged things according to their importance, rather than by the order in which they happened. And sometimes they would record one event out of sequence just because it seemed to them worthy of stress. Still another method is to work like a farmer plowing his field: make one pass across the field, go back, move over slightly, and make another pass, and continue until the whole field has been covered. Hendricksen believed Revelation used this last method to present its message.
This view says that all the governments of the world simultaneously serve both God and the devil. For example, Mao Zedong in China was a "monster" in many ways. Yet he forced people to learn to read and write (so they could read his propaganda). But this made the Bible also available. He trained "barefoot doctors" (we call them PAs, Physician Assistants), and sent them out into the countryside to make health care available to everyone. He brought about land reform which empowered the peasants. He also suppressed all religions. But Christianity is more resilient and flourished in spite of his efforts.
This view is "amillenial" as are most of the Churches of Christ. Foy Wallace Jr. in his opposition to "Premillenialism" wrote a Commentary on Revelation [which he borrowed] that takes the Preterist position that led to the "70 AD Movement." Although he himself did not go that far.
"The cow grazes in many pastures, but the milk she gives is her own." Just so the Bible student is influenced by many ideas, but must digest all these and try to come to the most reasonable explanation. Some truth is very plain. Some truth is obscure. Jesus said: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:14-15 Thus the gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, must always be the key to our understanding of truth.
