The Book of Revelation was written by John who lived in exile on the Isle of Patmos. It was presumably written about 95 a.d.. The political situation in that time gives evidence for that. [*For a more detailed chapter about the history of that time please click here.]
I do not know why this is, but many Christians, even pastors, are step dancing around the Book of Revelation, thinking they would not understand it anyway, or it would be too difficult to be presented to the people. I have read through it, and I cannot really understand why that is. It is a thrilling and beautiful book at the same time, and it offers much: truth, hope and comfort for those who love God, Judgment and hell fire for those who do not. It is simple, is it not? Those who belong to God will live, and the others will die for a second time and forever while still existing. They probably do not like to hear that, but it is true.
Not everything we read in Revelation has come true yet. So all we can do is wait until things happen, and we will understand. We do not have to and should not fill all the gaps by our assumptions. Just think of the old prophets who said there would be a Messiah, but they did not recognize Him. Why was that? They already had their own ideas about how the Messiah had to be. Just an example, see how people react when they are biased: "Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see." (John 1:45-46 KJV) They had not expected the Messiah coming from Galilee Nazareth. They had not expected a poor carpenter but a king, someone who could stand against the much hated Roman government. They thought he would set them free, but they did not know that he was to come to set them free from sin and death, and that He would open the gates of Heaven. But it was all so easy, was it not? Yet many did not want to see or hear. And it has been like that until today. So better open your eyes, and reckon with the incredible! God can do miracles - just believe in them.
People have the tendency to prefer to believe the most complicated matter to the obvious, logical and just. Many also believe they have to study Theology before they can ever belong to God or read a Bible book like Revelation, or that they would have to be good before they could ask God to come into their lives. But who could ever be good enough if that was true? God gave us our understanding, and there is no need for anything else to understand God's Word but what God has given us to see the need for a Redeemer for our short-coming, because there would never be a chance to be good enough in a million years or more. So the only chance of Heaven is by God's grace, and all we can do is trust in Him and have faith.
In the Book of Revelation God shows His people much about His plans with us, the humans, whom He created after His image, yet far from being Godlike. We do not know why He created us. He did not say. We may have the notion why, because we know something: God is Love, and that is our origin. God, Divine Love, Agape, came down to earth to live a human life and die for our sins in our place.
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:14-19 KJV)
Keep this in mind when reading Revelation or any other Bible book. It is helps you reading the Bible if you never forget whom it is all about: Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The Lord. One of the three persons of God. Divine Love Personified. The Prototype of the perfect human. The Redeemer. The Way, the Truth and the Life. Our best Friend.
Before you deal with God's Word, please do not forget to pray and ask God to tell you what He really means, and that He speaks right into your hearts. Be open for what He wants to reveal to you, and please reject it if it is not in accordance with His Word, because in that case it cannot be from God. God does not send His Spirit to reveal anything that does not go along with the Bible to a few persons or even a single person only. Never! There is no need to add something to the Bible, or to leave things out. Just read it as it is! And believe that it is God who wants to tell you something, that He loves you and wants community with you so much! If someone comes and tells you something that does not go along with the Scriptures, check it and reject it, no matter how good it may sound, or how sophisticated. God does not need that. God speaks plain text to those who love Him. He does not speak in Riddles or in Quiz form. He uses metaphors and symbols to illustrate things for a better understanding. You might object that He did talk in parables in the New Testament. But checking that out, you will have to find that He does so to the multidudes, but explained clearly what He meant to the Disciples:
~~~~~~~~~Matthew 13:1-23 KJV~~~~~~~~~
"The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
~~~~~~end quote Matthew 13:1-23 KJV~~~~~~
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
God Bless You All,
Vera
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