The Apocalypse of Saint John has baffled the minds and imaginations of Christians for nearly two thousand years. In that time, four major interpretative approaches have arisen through which the book is understood - preterism, historicism, futurism, and idealism.

Each of these four views have strengths and weaknesses. However, A Fourth Man in the Furnace seeks to unify these views under one name - eclecticism. By allowing Revelation's original historical references to stand for themselves; by maintaining the future prophetic value of its claims; by respecting the symbolic nature of its language; and by appreciating the extended reality and applicability of its teachings - one can see the book of Revelation as telling a story which "was, and is, and is to come."