Dear Fran, the book of Revelation is a message given by Jesus to His servants so they would know the things that must soon take place. From the beginning, it was not meant to be hidden. When the angel spoke to John, he said, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:10). This means that the book is open for all who believe to read and understand its message. But to see the whole picture, we must understand how God reveals truth. In the Old Testament, the prophet Daniel was told the opposite. God said to him, “Shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:4). Daniel’s visions were closed until the last days because the time of their fulfillment was far away.
Revelation, however, is different. It was given after Jesus came, died, and rose again, and after He revealed the mystery of God’s plan. Yet, even though it is open, its full meaning will only be understood when the time of the end comes, because the symbols and events it describes become clear only as they begin to happen.
The Lord said that those who stay close to Him and walk in wisdom will understand, but the wicked will not. “None of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:10). That wisdom comes from obeying God and listening to His Spirit, not from human guessing. Jesus also told His followers to pay attention to the signs of the times. He said, “When these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28). This means that as the world begins to move toward the things written in Revelation, those who love and follow Christ will recognize what is taking place.
so the book of Revelation is both open and unfolding. It has been given for all to read, but it will be completely clear only as the final events begin. Those who seek God’s truth, keep His commandments, and hold fast to the testimony of Jesus will understand, for to them it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
yes it contains a lot of symbolism, Revelation uses many symbols, but most of them are not new. They come from earlier prophecies in the Old Testament, especially from Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Zechariah, and the Psalms.
Blessings.
Rick