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    A Curmudgeon’S Commentary on the Book of Revelation
    A Curmudgeon’S Commentary on the Book of Revelation
    A Curmudgeon’S Commentary on the Book of Revelation
    Ebook114 pages49 minutes

    A Curmudgeon’S Commentary on the Book of Revelation

    By REV. DR. RICHARD E. KUYKENDALL

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    A Curmudgeons Commentary on the Book of Revelation is both a scholarly and satirical look at one of the Bibles most enigmatic, mystifying, and sometimes even terrifying books. People of all generations have speculated as to the identity of the Beast of Revelation. It was thought that he might be Nero, the papacy, Hitler, Gorbachev, or Saddam Hussein. And writers on the book span the spectrum from Isaac Newton to Edgar Cayce, to D. H. Lawrence, and even to David Koresh. So heres another stab at itthis time, however, from a curmudgeon. And if you dont know what that is, look it up!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTrafford Publishing
    Release dateJul 30, 2013
    ISBN9781466996663
    A Curmudgeon’S Commentary on the Book of Revelation
    Author

    REV. DR. RICHARD E. KUYKENDALL

    The Rev. Dr. Richard E. Kuykendall holds a bachelor of arts degree, a master of divinity degree, and a doctor of ministry degree. He has been a minister for more than thirty years, serving in a number of locations in California. At the last three churches he served, he began a program called Spiritwind—a study group of spiritual adventurers—where he led those who attended into “the exotic realms of the Spirit.” After his retirement, he continued his Spiritwind program at Unity of Auburn, California. Kuykendall has been doing dream workshops for over twenty years and has studied with Jeremy Taylor, author of The Wisdom of Your Dreams, in his doctoral studies. Kuykendall is also the author of Prophetess of the Earth, Even Witches Have Names, and A Diswhaser’s Diary.

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      Book preview

      A Curmudgeon’S Commentary on the Book of Revelation - REV. DR. RICHARD E. KUYKENDALL

      CONTENTS

      Introduction

      Four kinds of symbols

      An initial answer to the problem

      What kind of person am i anyway?

      A vision of heaven

      The seven seals

      The 144,000 and the great multitude

      The seven trumpets

      The little scroll and the two witnesses

      The woman clothed with the sun

      The beast and his mark

      The 144,000 and the three angel’s messages

      The seven last plagues

      The whore of babylon

      Two suppers and the rider on a white horse

      The millennium

      Heaven on earth

      Postscript

      To my disappointments, who have ever been

      my most faithful teachers.

      INTRODUCTION

      INTRODUCTION

      What we are about to do here is something very unique. And that is interpret the book of Revelation, or as it is sometimes called, The Apocalypse—

      from the perspective of a cranky old curmudgeon who is sick of what everyone else has had to say about it. I am dumping previous interpretations—

      though we will look at some of them from time to time. And I will even argue with the book itself and what it teaches about God and the lamb of God. But before we attempt such an unorthodox approach let me first share with you what led me to take such a course.

      Traditionally, when it comes to interpreting the book of Revelation, one usually subscribes to one of the following schools of interpretation:

      1. Preterist.

      The Preterist school approaches the book of Revelation in terms of what was happening in the first century. In other words, those who approach the book in this way often believe that the book of Revelation was written by one who believed that he was living in the times described in the book. Thus for these, the beast spoken of in chapter 13 was the Roman Emperor or Empire which was warring against the early church—who in turn believed that Christ would come quickly¹—that meant within their lifetime, destroy the beast power in the apocalyptic battle of Armageddon and thus establish a millennial reign of peace.

      Thus the book is not seen as a futuristic prophecy of the end of the world but rather as an apocalyptic description of what was happening to the early Christians and what they believed God was going to do about it.

      2. Futurist.

      The Futurist school approaches the book of Revelation in such a way that, with the exception of the letters to the seven churches,² the book is a description of what will happen at the end of the world. In other words, those who approach the book in this way often believe that the book of Revelation was written by one who was in effect only a mouthpiece through whom God spoke concerning those events which would transpire in the time of the end. Therefore, the book was a sealed book to those of the first century. And though it had some application to the events which were taking place at the time of its writing, the true meaning would not be known or take place until the last days. Thus for these the beast is the antichrist who is yet to come and who will attempt to deceive the world into following his rule rather than that of Christ’s. And the battle of Armageddon is therefore yet to come and is often described as what in effect would be World War III. Thus the book is seen as a futuristic prophecy of the time of the end.

      3. Historicist.

      The Historicist school approaches the book of Revelation in terms of an unfolding of events beginning in the first century and climaxing in the creation of a new heaven and a new earth.³ In other words, those who approach the book in this way often believe that the various series of sevens—such as the seven churches, seals, trumpets, and plagues—describe history in advance—from the author’s present and through to the end of the world as we know it. Therefore in each sequence of seven, one would be a description of what was transpiring in the first century while seven would be a description of what will happen at the consummation of all things. Accordingly, two through six would describe the time between one and seven. Thus for these the beast, as well as the last in each series of seven is often seen in terms much the same as the futurist while the first in each series of seven is seen in terms similar to the preterist’s interpretation. Thus the book is seen as a historical unfolding of time from the early church to the new earth.

      4. Symbolic.

      Most of these approach the book of Revelation in purely symbolic terms—often believing that there is an esoteric or allegorical meaning to the book which is independent of any specific time frame. These often feel that the author of the book was not portraying any particular external event in history but rather describing certain spiritual truths in symbolic language which only those who have ears to hear and eyes to see are able to understand. Thus for these the beast or any other symbol in the book can be interpreted in any number of ways depending on the particular school of interpretation.⁴

      The problem with all of the above mentioned interpretations for the layperson is: How does one know which one is the right one? For often these interpretations not only contradict one another but at times even say completely opposite things. For instance, some historicists interpret the rider on the while horse in the seven seals (6:2) to be the early church in its Christ-like purity—imitating their Lord as described in chapter 19. While some preterists identify the same rider as the antichrist—impersonating the true Christ portrayed in chapter 19. While according to Edgar Cayce, the white horse is symbolic of the human gonads.⁵

      Most often laypeople simply accept the particular interpretation which is held by their denomination (if there is a denominational position) or by their minister. And where a certain interpretation does not seem to fit well—most simply concede that it is

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