I actually mostly agree w/ you but since God is eternal, that means an eternal past as well as a future. If you are trying to understand Rev. in a mostly symbolic way, then yes it is still a mystery to you, you just don't know it.
The very first verse tells us God the Father gave the book of Revelation to His son Jesus, who gave it to John his servant via dreams/visions and verbal messages from Angels.
The reason most people can’t not understand the Book of Revelation (BoR) is they do not understand it is encoded with Old Testament (O.T.) lingo, in other words if you do not understand the OT you will not be able to grasp the BoR. God says its a blessing to read because God wrote it.
We get an overview in Revelation 1 and are told about three different things going on in the BoR, the
“Things which you have seen” (Jesus in all of his glory), the
“Things which are” (Church Age period) and finally we are told about the
“Things to come” (after the Church Age or DURING the 70th week troubles known as Jacob’s Troubles).
Rev. 1 is an overview & the Eternal Godhead. Rev. 2 and 3 is the Church Age, from Jesus' death to the Pre Trib. Rapture which we can see in Rev. 4:1, thus Rev. 3 ends the Church Age. The number 7 means divine completion, thus the 7 churches represent the whole church age period. In there Jesus admonishes and praises different type churches. Jesus tells the church of Smyrna that they will have tribulation for 10 days, but the number 10 just means completion, thus for the complete church age the church will have tribulation in this world, because Satan is the god of this evil world. He told Jesus in Luke 4 that all of these kingdoms were his to do as he pleased with and that if he would just bow down and worship him he would give them all unto him. In John 16:33 Jesus said that in this world you will always have tribulation.
Rev. 4 on is the end time 70th week that comes after the church age
In Rev. 4:1 we see the Rapture, and in Rev. 4:4 we see the church in heaven. In Rev. 5:9–10 we again see the redeemed church in heaven before the seals are opened.
Rev. 6 is the Seals being opened by Jesus, but they are not actually judgments but instead Jesus foretelling what will come to pass once the Rev. 8 Asteroid ( Apophis? ) hits. Once it finally hits the Anti-Christ will be allowed to go forth conquering thus we know seals 1–5 are all about the coming Anti-Christs reign. Because he 1.) Conquers 2.) Brings War 3.) Which bring Famine 4.) His reign brings Death and Sickness also. 5.) He will Martyr those who come unto Christ after the Rapture. Seal #6 is about God’s Wrath, Jesus foretells of the coming Rev. 8 Wrath which makes the Sun & Moon go Dark.
Rev. 7 is simply the Jews fleeing Judea, thee is no such thing as 144,000 virgin Jewish men, its like the 10 Virgin Brides that stand in fir the Church.
These “144,000″ are a code, as in 12 = Fulness and 10 = Completeness thus 12 x 12 x 10 x 10 x 10 is simply God shouting this is my Complete and Full nation of Israel who have repented. In another place God says He has saved 7000 men, but again, 7 x 10 x 10 x 10 is just more God lingo for completion We see the real number in Zechariah 13:8–9 where it says 1/3 of the Jews will repent, and that = 3.5–5 million Jews, so the 144,000 like the 10 virgins is code lingo. Those seen in heaven in Rev. 7:9–17 are the church which came out of much tribulation via the Rapture. No one goes from the 70th week to heaven, they only get judged after Jesus Second Coming (Rev. 20:4). We can see the angels are told to
HOLD UP the four winds (Judgments) until the 144,000 (Jews) can be sealed up (saved)and protected in the Petra/Bozrah area.
Rev. 8, 9 and 16 are the 42 months of God’s Judgments/Wrath
Actually Rev. 15 and 16 are one chapter. After the Jews flee to the Petra/Bozrah area God’s Wrath falls on mankind via Rev. 8, the first four trumpet judgments are one asteroid. 1.) The fire comes in as it breaks apart whilst coming through out atmosphere thus 1/3 of the earths trees burn (I contend the 1/3 is the location/New World). Then via Trump #2 we see the Asteroid Impact(earthquake). Trumpet #3 brings the poisonous fallout into the fresh waters. The Fourth Trump is the Sun & Moon going dark as Seal #6 prophesied beforehand.
Rev. 9 follows with Woes 1 & 2, we see Apollyon and his locked up demons released. They then hurt men for 5 months but are not allowed to kill men, I think those without the seal of God are hounded until they give in to taking the Mark of the Beast. Then I see the 2nd Woe as 200 million Angels killing 1/3 of those who have taken the Mark of the Beast. These two woes come forth from Trumpets 5 & 6. Trumpet #7 happens and brings the 3rd Woe which is all 7 Vials as seen in Rev. 16, thus in Rev. 15 the 7 Vials are readied for pouring out. Rev. 16 ends the BoR’s judgments, Jesus is Vial #7, he will kill the Anti-Christ and False Prophet and cast them into hell.
Parenthetical Citation Chapters
Rev. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18 and 19 are chapters that happen whilst Rev. 8, 9 and 16 are taking place, except these are other events happening at the exact same time (thus Parenthetical Chapters).
In Rev. 10 we see that when the 7 Thunders sound time will be no more [as we know it now]. The reason the little book John ate was both bitter and sweet is its the Judgments of God. These must happen before we can move to an eternal state under God's rule, that is indeed sweet, but billions of people have to be judged and killed, that is indeed very bitter. God was very sad when He had to flood the whole world.
Rev. 11 is the Two-witnesses chapter, it starts out 1335 days before Jesus’ Second Coming, but they die 75 days before Jesus’ Second Coming, thus their ministry on this earth is 1260 days. Their job is to get Israel to repent before God’s Wrath starts at the 1260, which comes 75 days after the 1335. Thus as Mal. 4:5–6 says, Elijah is sent back before the DOTL arrives. The Two-witnesses other job is to pray down all of God’s plagues, just like Moses was the go between on the 10 plagues of Egypt.
Rev. 12 is Satan being cast out of heaven, thus he chases The Woman (Israel as shown in Gen. 37:9 via a code) for 1260 days, this starts via the Rev. 8 Asteroid/1st Trump.
Rev. 13 also starts via the Rev. 8 Asteroid/1st Trump, it is the Anti-Christ going forth to Conquer. He will rule for a short time however, only 1260 days.
Rev. 14 is “The Harvest Chapter” thus it covers the full 7 years. We see Israel (144,000) are harvested as Jesus returns. We see the wicked grapes(Tares) crushed in the wine-press of God’s Wrath in verses 17–20. But, alas in a FLASHBACK in verse 14 we see the Pre Trib Rapture where Jesus himself harvests the world for his bride/church. We the church are the Barley, and Barley needs not be crushed in order to be sifted. Israel are "The Wheat" and wheat needs to be crushed before it can be sifted. The wicked are the grapes.
Rev. 17 is The Harlot (ALL False Religion of all time) rides the Scarlet Colored Beast (Apollyon a Demon). But this last Beast Kingdom of earth is a man, not a kingdom per se. He kills of the Harlot (all other false religions) because he demands to be worshipped as the only god. This starts at the Rev. 8 Asteroid also.
Rev. 18 is the WHOLE WORLD (Babylon) being Judged. This also starts via the Rev. 8 asteroid Impact and lasts for 42 months. In verse 2 we see Babylon is called the habitation of devils, well yea, Satan has been cast down to earth and Apollyon set free from the bottomless pit.
Rev. 19, like Rev. 14 covers the full 7 years, we see the Bride/Church in Heaven before she gets her white robes. Then we the Church come back with Jesus at the 2nd Coming 7 years later.
Rev. 20 is the Judgment chapter of those who lived and died during the 70th week. Rev. 21 and 22 is the Ever after and New Jerusalem chapters.
If people do not grasp its encoded nature, they will never grasp its meanings. 
