Before Jerusalem Fell

142 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL
and prefemed meaning is: “be on the point of, be about to.”2 2
The
same is true when the word is used with the present infinitive, as in
Rev. 3:10.23 The basic meaning in both Thayer and Abbott-Smith is:
“to be about to. “2 4
Indeed, “M6MsIv with the infinitive expresses
imminence (like the future) .“ 25
All of this is particularly significant when the contexts of these
two occurrences of @M~ in Revelation are considered: the words
appear in near proximity with statements made up of the two other
word groups indicating “nearness.” Revelation 1:19 is preceded by
Revelation 1:1 and 1:3 (which contain representatives of both the
@~oq and /@g word groups). Revelation 3:10 is followed by Revelation
3:11 (which contains a representative of the ~dxoq word group).
Clearly, then, the Revelation 1:19 and 3:10 references hold forth an
excited expectation of soon occurrence.2c
The Significance of
the Temporal Expectation
The question that quite naturally arises from this vivid and
imminent expectation is: What historical era best accounts for events
of the magnitude expected by John in Revelation? A magnitude that
is so covenantally and redemptively si~ificant as to be, in an important
and dramatic sense, a “coming” of Christ (Rev. 1:7; 2:5, 16, 25;
3:3, 11, 20; 16: 15; 22:7, 12, 20)? Is there an era that could represent
such a “coming” and that lies before the late date and afir the early
date? If so, then, in light of the clear imminent expectation of Revelation,
evangelical scholarship – which rightly disdains naturalistic ex
ewn.tzt prophecy — should be compelled to accept an early date on
the basis of Revelation’s integrity and self-witness.
We must understand that Revelation calls for these imminent
events to come upon the Jews (i.e., “those who pierced Him,” Rev.
22. Amdt and Gingrich, Lzxicon, p. 502 (lb).
23. Zbid., p. 502 (lc).
24. Thayer, Laiwn, p. 396; Abbott-Smith, Lzxicon, p. 282.
25. F. Blass and A. Debrunner, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Ottw Ear~
Christian Literature, trans. Robert W. Funk (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1961), p. 181
($ 356).
26. Furthermore, the expectation ofJohn is not unique to Revelation. Indeed, throughout
the New Testament corpus there are frequent anticipatory references to expectations
of some dramatic occurrences of prophetic and redemptive significance. See Mark 9:1;
Matt. 23:32-36; 2421-3+ 26:6% Rem. 13:11, 12; 16:20; 1 Cor. 7:29-31, 26; Col. 3:6; 1
Thess. 2:16; Heb. 1025, 37; James 5:8,9; 1 Pet. 45, 7; 1 John 2:17, 18.