What is the book of Revelation about to you?
Is it mainly about the end of our world or is there a more meaningful deeper message?
Is it a literal interpretation or a more greater deeper spiritual symbolic meaning?
Why was it given back in the first century if it was about events in the far future?
Why was it given to the seven first century church’s if it was about the far future?
What are your thoughts and the I will give to my thoughts?
Thanks
The book of Revelation is a sister book to the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. Both of these books were written to the people who live in the final generation, of the "latter days". Daniel was told to, "shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end:" [Daniel 12:4]. He was told by God; "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand: but the wise shall understand." [Daniel 12:10]
The wise are those who study God's word, line upon line, chapter upon chapter, for all these words are wisdom from God. This is why the wise should understand.
Revelation 1:4
"John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be to you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne"
This "grace", or "unmerited favor", is extended to all the churches, and comes from Jesus Christ. "He is" today, and He lives as our Savior, "He was" when he walked the earth in the flesh, and died on the cross of Calvary; "He is yet to come"; when He shall return at the sound of the seventh trumpet, which is the Second Advent.
The "seven Spirits" also refer to Jesus Christ because "seven" signifies completeness, Jesus Christ is all the spirits of the throne joined into one.
The "seven churches" of Asia are formed into a circle geographically. These churches symbolize of all the churches around the globe today. They are symbolic of all the forms of church doctrine represented in the Christian world today. God is not the God of the Middle East, but of the universe; of all the world.
Revelation 1:10
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,"
This verse is the key to understanding the book of Revelation. Without a clear and full understanding of it, the entire book will just not make sense. The sequence of the order will seem strange.
"I"; this is John speaking and telling us where he was. "I was in the Spirit", not in his flesh body; "on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet". John is taken forward in time, "in the Spirit", to the day of the Lord. The "Day of the Lord" is not referring to Sunday or Saturday. This is the same "Day of the Lord" Paul speaks about in I Thessalonians 5:2, as "coming as a thief in the night". Later in II Thessalonians 2:2-3 Paul makes it clear that at the "Day of the Lord" Christ's return will not happen until "after there will be a great falling away first; and "that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition". Satan must be revealed in his role as the Antichrist first, before that seventh trumpet can sound, the last trumpet.
The time, or day, John was taken to was beyond our time frame, however we are living in the generation that will see it come to pass, and live through what John saw and lived, while in the Spirit. There is only one day that is called "The Day of the Lord" in all the Scriptures.
Isaiah 2:12 "For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low."
This is the day that our Lord returns. This is the day "God's cup of wrath" is poured out upon His enemies. So John was taken in the Spirit to the last day of this flesh period, before the start of the Millennium. If you are still in your flesh body, that day hasn't happened yet, and it is still future to us.
Every verse that you read in
Revelation from this verse to the end of chapter twenty two, will be viewed from the Lord's day, either looking backwards or forwards a short period of time. If you don't come to that point of time in your understanding with John, the rest of what he is saying just will not make sense.