The Book of Revelation
"The book of Revelation was written at a time when severe persecution was upon the infant Church --near the close of the first century, probably A.D. 93-96, in the reign of the Emperor Domitian, though some date it nearly thirty years earlier, in the reign of Nero. No matter--in either case it was written at a time of special peril.
It was written some sixty years after Pentecost, and twenty-six years after Jerusalem's destruction in 70 A.D. John, at the time of the trance vision was a prisoner, exiled to the Isle of Patmos, a penal colony of those days--an island almost uninhabitable, rocky, and barren. The crime for which he suffered this banishment was his faithfulness as a mouthpiece of the Lord. At the time he must have been between sixty and ninety years of age, supposing that none of our Lord's disciples were younger than himself at the beginning of his ministry.
St. John was naturally loving, gentle and meek; and that very disposition would make it difficult for him to sever the many ties of human friendship, which such dispositions always draw about them, yet he was faithful to his Master, regardless of the human ties. Note the simplicity of the Apostle's introduction to this most wonderful book. He did not write the title of the book as it appears in many Bibles--"The Revelation of St. John the Divine"--On the contrary; John claims no credit for the revelation. This simplicity common to all the apostles commends them to us as men of humble minds--the very kind we should expect our Lord to use as special servants and messengers to his people. Instead of adding loud and boastful titles to his name, we find John introducing himself as "Your Brother," as the companion of all saints in tribulation (Rev 1:9).
The book of Revelation is a prophecy, and NOT a LITERAL epistle. It abounds in symbols or signs, and these are the rule, and the literal—when unavoidable--is the exception. The signs and symbols are evidently designed to barricade its mysteries from all except a certain class, the saints, and from them also until the time was due for the secrets to be revealed. Note the words, "Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear (understand) the words of this prophecy." The very reading of it will bring a blessing, and, as its mysteries gradually dissolve, the understanding thereof will bring still additional blessing.
Its name, Revelation, signifies the uncovering, and implies something hidden. God seems to have given the book of Revelation with the intent of covering up great and important truths, not only because these were not due to be understood, but because he designs to keep certain features of his Plan from the world. Nor has this book ever been, until now, all that its name implies--an unfolding, a Revelation. So far as the early Church was concerned, probably none understood any part of the book. Even John, who saw the visions, was most likely ignorant of the significance of what he saw.
During the Christian age, some of the saints sought to understand the Church's future by examining this symbolic book, and doubtless all who read and understood even a part of its teachings were blessed as promised. The book kept opening up to such, and in the days of the Reformation was an important aid to Luther. Thus gradually God opens up his truth and reveals the exceeding riches of his grace; and consequently much more light is due now than at any previous time in the Church's history.
The first three chapters refer to seven different epochs (periods of time) in the church's history, and suggest nothing to the effect that the church is now reining, but, quite to the contrary, that it will be a suffering church down to the very last. All the intervening chapters between the 3rd and the 20th deal with conflicts between good and evil, and evidently cover the entire period of this Gospel age; yet in all of these presentations the evil is shown to be triumphant, and the people of the saints of the Most High God are worn out and cry from under the altar, etc. It is in the conclusion of this book of symbols, from the 18th to the 22nd chapters that the close of this Gospel age and the inauguration of the Millennial age is pictured, and the triumph of the Lord and of his saints is shown. Thus a comparison is made between the beginning of the Bible where the “curse” is placed upon mankind do to the fall, as stated in the Genesis account, and the ending of the Bible, Revelation, where the “curse” is said to be removed (Rev 22:3)
One would think that, even with no knowledge of the symbols of Revelation, no thinking Christian should have any difficulty in realizing that the book portrays trouble for the church throughout this Gospel age and a triumphant Millennial reign at its close.
The book of Revelation is a book of pen-pictures of events and of periods of earth's history—from Christ's first advent onward--usually in groups of seven succeeding stages (i.e. seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls and etc.); several of these groups running more or less synchronous, or parallel in time, with each other. Seven throughout the scriptures denotes “completion” or “perfection” thus the fulfillment of each of these “pen-pictures” is shown in the seventh stage of each of these events.
As was stated elsewhere among the 13 chapters which from the first section of Revelation, Chapter 12, is one of the most complete units. Being able to interpret it correctly is the key to interpreting the remainder of Revelation. It might even be wise for a student to begin with Chapter 12 and then work both directions to understand the remainder of Revelation.
As Chapters 12, 13 and 17 contain repeated descriptions of the false kingdom--Anti-Christ--so Chapters 20 to 22 contain eight portraits of the true Kingdom."
Since our study was never intended to be an in-depth study of every single chapter and verse of the book of Revelation, but rather a general overview of some of the more pertinent issues concerning us here at the end of the age it will be necessary for us at times to jump from one point in the book to another hopefully covering most of the important issues.
Thus having completed out study of Chapter 12 with our next post we will take a look at Chapter 1 and the first 8 verses which open the book of Revelation.
"The book of Revelation was written at a time when severe persecution was upon the infant Church --near the close of the first century, probably A.D. 93-96, in the reign of the Emperor Domitian, though some date it nearly thirty years earlier, in the reign of Nero. No matter--in either case it was written at a time of special peril.
It was written some sixty years after Pentecost, and twenty-six years after Jerusalem's destruction in 70 A.D. John, at the time of the trance vision was a prisoner, exiled to the Isle of Patmos, a penal colony of those days--an island almost uninhabitable, rocky, and barren. The crime for which he suffered this banishment was his faithfulness as a mouthpiece of the Lord. At the time he must have been between sixty and ninety years of age, supposing that none of our Lord's disciples were younger than himself at the beginning of his ministry.
St. John was naturally loving, gentle and meek; and that very disposition would make it difficult for him to sever the many ties of human friendship, which such dispositions always draw about them, yet he was faithful to his Master, regardless of the human ties. Note the simplicity of the Apostle's introduction to this most wonderful book. He did not write the title of the book as it appears in many Bibles--"The Revelation of St. John the Divine"--On the contrary; John claims no credit for the revelation. This simplicity common to all the apostles commends them to us as men of humble minds--the very kind we should expect our Lord to use as special servants and messengers to his people. Instead of adding loud and boastful titles to his name, we find John introducing himself as "Your Brother," as the companion of all saints in tribulation (Rev 1:9).
The book of Revelation is a prophecy, and NOT a LITERAL epistle. It abounds in symbols or signs, and these are the rule, and the literal—when unavoidable--is the exception. The signs and symbols are evidently designed to barricade its mysteries from all except a certain class, the saints, and from them also until the time was due for the secrets to be revealed. Note the words, "Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear (understand) the words of this prophecy." The very reading of it will bring a blessing, and, as its mysteries gradually dissolve, the understanding thereof will bring still additional blessing.
Its name, Revelation, signifies the uncovering, and implies something hidden. God seems to have given the book of Revelation with the intent of covering up great and important truths, not only because these were not due to be understood, but because he designs to keep certain features of his Plan from the world. Nor has this book ever been, until now, all that its name implies--an unfolding, a Revelation. So far as the early Church was concerned, probably none understood any part of the book. Even John, who saw the visions, was most likely ignorant of the significance of what he saw.
During the Christian age, some of the saints sought to understand the Church's future by examining this symbolic book, and doubtless all who read and understood even a part of its teachings were blessed as promised. The book kept opening up to such, and in the days of the Reformation was an important aid to Luther. Thus gradually God opens up his truth and reveals the exceeding riches of his grace; and consequently much more light is due now than at any previous time in the Church's history.
The first three chapters refer to seven different epochs (periods of time) in the church's history, and suggest nothing to the effect that the church is now reining, but, quite to the contrary, that it will be a suffering church down to the very last. All the intervening chapters between the 3rd and the 20th deal with conflicts between good and evil, and evidently cover the entire period of this Gospel age; yet in all of these presentations the evil is shown to be triumphant, and the people of the saints of the Most High God are worn out and cry from under the altar, etc. It is in the conclusion of this book of symbols, from the 18th to the 22nd chapters that the close of this Gospel age and the inauguration of the Millennial age is pictured, and the triumph of the Lord and of his saints is shown. Thus a comparison is made between the beginning of the Bible where the “curse” is placed upon mankind do to the fall, as stated in the Genesis account, and the ending of the Bible, Revelation, where the “curse” is said to be removed (Rev 22:3)
One would think that, even with no knowledge of the symbols of Revelation, no thinking Christian should have any difficulty in realizing that the book portrays trouble for the church throughout this Gospel age and a triumphant Millennial reign at its close.
The book of Revelation is a book of pen-pictures of events and of periods of earth's history—from Christ's first advent onward--usually in groups of seven succeeding stages (i.e. seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls and etc.); several of these groups running more or less synchronous, or parallel in time, with each other. Seven throughout the scriptures denotes “completion” or “perfection” thus the fulfillment of each of these “pen-pictures” is shown in the seventh stage of each of these events.
As was stated elsewhere among the 13 chapters which from the first section of Revelation, Chapter 12, is one of the most complete units. Being able to interpret it correctly is the key to interpreting the remainder of Revelation. It might even be wise for a student to begin with Chapter 12 and then work both directions to understand the remainder of Revelation.
As Chapters 12, 13 and 17 contain repeated descriptions of the false kingdom--Anti-Christ--so Chapters 20 to 22 contain eight portraits of the true Kingdom."
Since our study was never intended to be an in-depth study of every single chapter and verse of the book of Revelation, but rather a general overview of some of the more pertinent issues concerning us here at the end of the age it will be necessary for us at times to jump from one point in the book to another hopefully covering most of the important issues.
Thus having completed out study of Chapter 12 with our next post we will take a look at Chapter 1 and the first 8 verses which open the book of Revelation.
