The Book of Revelation has inspired both hope and controversy throughout church history. While Christians have long differed over the interpretation of certain prophetic details, the historic church has consistently looked forward to the visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom. Preterism challenges this expectation by arguing that most—or even all—of biblical prophecy was fulfilled in the first century, particularly in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
The term preterism comes from the Latin praeter, meaning “past.” Preterists believe that many of the prophecies found in Revelation, Matthew 24, and related passages have already been fulfilled. The view exists in two primary forms: full preterism and partial preterism. While they share certain assumptions, they differ dramatically in their conclusions.
This distinction is important because one form lies outside historic Christian orthodoxy, while the other, though held by some otherwise orthodox Christians, raises significant interpretive and theological concerns.
Full Preterism
Full preterism (sometimes called hyper-preterism or consistent preterism) teaches that all biblical prophecy was fulfilled by AD 70. According to this view, Christ’s Second Coming, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the establishment of God’s kingdom have already occurred spiritually rather than as future historical events.
This view stands in direct conflict with the clear teaching of Scripture.
The Bible teaches that Jesus will return visibly and bodily.
“This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
(Acts 1:11, ESV)
Likewise, Paul teaches a future bodily resurrection of believers.
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven… and the dead in Christ will rise first.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:16, ESV)
Because full preterism denies these future realities, it rejects doctrines confessed throughout historic Christianity in the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. For this reason, it is widely regarded as outside Christian orthodoxy.
Partial Preterism
Partial preterism takes a more moderate approach.
Partial preterists affirm the future bodily return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment. However, they argue that most of Revelation, much of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24), and many New Testament prophecies were fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Although many sincere and orthodox Christians have held this position, this interpretation faces substantial difficulties.
When Was Revelation Written?
Perhaps the most significant historical question concerns the date of Revelation.
For Revelation to predict Jerusalem’s destruction in AD 70, it must have been written before that event—generally no later than AD 67 or 68.
However, the strongest historical evidence points elsewhere.
The earliest and most direct testimony comes from Irenaeus (c. AD 130–202), who was a disciple of Polycarp, himself a disciple of the apostle John. Irenaeus states that John’s apocalyptic vision was seen “toward the end of Domitian’s reign,” placing Revelation around AD 95–96.
This testimony is supported by later church fathers, including Clement of Alexandria, Victorinus, Eusebius, and Jerome, all of whom associate John’s exile on Patmos with Domitian rather than Nero.
The internal evidence also favors a later date. The seven churches of Asia Minor appear well established, several have experienced decades of spiritual development or decline, and emperor worship had become a major feature of Roman society—all conditions that fit Domitian’s reign better than Nero’s.
If Revelation was written around AD 95–96, then Jerusalem had already been destroyed approximately twenty-five years earlier. Revelation therefore cannot primarily be a prophecy of an event that had already occurred.
The Importance of Revelation’s Date
The dating of Revelation matters because it directly affects how the book is interpreted.
If John wrote after AD 70, then the destruction of Jerusalem cannot be the principal fulfillment of the visions he records.
Instead, Revelation looks beyond John’s own day toward events still future.
This understanding fits the book’s repeated emphasis on Christ’s visible return, the resurrection, the final judgment, and the creation of the new heavens and new earth.
The Problem of Inconsistent Interpretation
Another major concern involves hermeneutics—the principles used to interpret Scripture.
Many partial preterists interpret Revelation 6–18 symbolically to fit the events surrounding AD 70.
Yet they generally interpret Christ’s Second Coming literally in Revelation 19, the eternal state literally in Revelation 21–22, while treating the millennium of Revelation 20 symbolically.
This shifting approach lacks consistency.
If the catastrophic judgments of Revelation, the Beast, the False Prophet, and the worldwide plagues are largely symbolic, what objective principle determines which later chapters should suddenly be interpreted literally?
The grammatical-historical method seeks to interpret every passage according to its literary genre, context, and ordinary meaning rather than changing methods whenever a prophecy becomes difficult to fit into a particular system.
The Scope of Revelation Exceeds AD 70
The events described in Revelation extend far beyond the destruction of Jerusalem.
The judgments affect the entire earth.
Kings from every nation assemble for the final conflict.
The Beast exercises authority over “every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7).
Christ returns in visible glory.
Satan is finally judged.
The dead are raised.
All humanity appears before God’s great white throne.
God creates a new heaven and a new earth.
No event in AD 70 remotely satisfies the global scope of these prophecies.
Jerusalem’s destruction was historically significant, but it was neither the universal judgment nor the consummation of redemptive history described in Revelation.
The Blessed Hope of the Church
The New Testament consistently directs believers to look forward to Christ’s future appearing.
Paul describes Christians as
“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
(Titus 2:13, ESV)
Likewise, Revelation closes with Christ’s promise:
“Surely I am coming soon.”
(Revelation 22:20, ESV)
The church continues to await that glorious day.
The hope of Christianity is not merely that God acted powerfully in the past, but that Christ will visibly return to judge evil, raise His people, establish perfect justice, and reign forever.
Why Christians Should Reject Preterism
Christians should reject full preterism because it denies essential doctrines of the Christian faith, including Christ’s future bodily return and the future resurrection of the dead.
Christians should also exercise great caution regarding partial preterism. While many who hold this position sincerely affirm orthodox doctrine, the system, in this author’s judgment, relocates much of biblical prophecy into AD 70 through an inconsistent hermeneutic that fails to account adequately for Revelation’s historical setting, worldwide scope, and future hope.
Scripture presents prophecy as moving toward the consummation of God’s redemptive plan—not merely the fall of Jerusalem.
The church therefore continues to await the literal fulfillment of Christ’s promises.
As the angels declared at Christ’s ascension,
“This Jesus… will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
(Acts 1:11, ESV)
That promise remains the blessed hope of every believer.
Selected Sources
Garland, Anthony C. A Testimony of Jesus Christ: A Commentary on the Book of Revelation. Galaxie Software, 2006.
Got Questions Ministries. Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2014–2021.
Hitchcock, Mark. The End: A Complete Overview of Bible Prophecy and the End of Days. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2012.
Hoehner, Harold W. Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1977.
Ice, Thomas, and Timothy Demy, eds. When the Trumpet Sounds. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1995.
MacArthur, John, and Richard Mayhue, eds. Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017.
Rochford, James. Endless Hope or Hopeless End: The Bible and the End of Human History. New Paradigm Publishing, 2016.
Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1999.
Showers, Renald E. Maranatha: Our Lord, Come!. Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, 1995.
Thomas, Robert L. Revelation 1–7. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992.
Walvoord, John F. The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1966.