Why is the book of Revelation so hard to read and understand?

[DJT_47]

First of all, it was written to the 7 churches of Asia in their time, not to us in our time. What was it suppose to mean to them??? What does it mean to us??? It's for sure symbolic, so what do the symbols mean? This is where and how it gets highly confusing and speculative. If it's written to the 7 churches of Asia at that point in time, does it mean anything to us? Was it foretelling and relating to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD? When exactly was it written? Was it before or after 70 AD? The fact of the matter is, no one knows for sure. So, how do you read and understand Revelation?? That is a really good question.

 

[Writer]

First if all, it was written to the 7 churches of Asia in their time, not to us in our time. What was it suppose to mean to them??? What does it mean to us??? It's for sure symbolic, so what do the symbols mean? This is where and how it gets highly confusing and speculative. If it's written to the 7 churches of Asia at that point in time, does it mean anything to us? Was it foretelling and relating to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD? When exactly was it written? Was it before or after 70 AD? The fact of the matter is, no one knows for sure. So, how do you read and understand Revelation?? That is a really good question.

When Jesus returns, there will be no excuses left, for anyone. It was written specifically to show the reason and purpose of Jeuses second coming. "If I had not cut the days short, even the elect would have been decieved" Jesus. Also, it was written to show the "END OF THE AGE" and the beginning of the Mellennium. It was written as well, to bring the sum total of all prophesy, during the age of GRACE, to a finish.

Taking it one step further, it was written to provide signs of the occurrances to come that would usher in the last curtain call of this age. Signs so unique that it would not be symbolic or speculative. For example; At one point, the sky will be "shaken" and the stars will fall from the sky. We have all heard and maybe even experienced a powerful earthquake and the sound that accompanies one. But we have never heard the sound of a sky shake or the sound that accompanies that, or experience a power so great that heavenly bodies begin dropping from the sky like figs falling from a tree. This is not symbolic, it is something you can take to the bank.

 

[DJT_47]

When Jesus returns, there will be no excuses left, for anyone. It was written specifically to show the reason and purpose of Jeuses second coming. "If I had not cut the days short, even the elect would have been decieved" Jesus. Also, it was written to show the "END OF THE AGE" and the beginning of the Mellennium. It was written as well, to bring the sum total of all prophesy, during the age of GRACE, to a finish.

Taking it one step further, it was written to provide signs of the occurrances to come that would usher in the last curtain call of this age. Signs so unique that it would not be symbolic or speculative. For example; At one point, the sky will be "shaken" and the stars will fall from the sky. We have all heard and maybe even experienced a powerful earthquake and the sound that accompanies one. But we have never heard the sound of a sky shake or the sound that accompanies that, or experience a power so great that heavenly bodies begin dropping from the sky like figs falling from a tree. This is not symbolic, it is something you can take to the bank.

Your speculation

 

[Hobie]

When Jesus returns, there will be no excuses left, for anyone. It was written specifically to show the reason and purpose of Jeuses second coming. "If I had not cut the days short, even the elect would have been decieved" Jesus. Also, it was written to show the "END OF THE AGE" and the beginning of the Mellennium. It was written as well, to bring the sum total of all prophesy, during the age of GRACE, to a finish.

Taking it one step further, it was written to provide signs of the occurrances to come that would usher in the last curtain call of this age. Signs so unique that it would not be symbolic or speculative. For example; At one point, the sky will be "shaken" and the stars will fall from the sky. We have all heard and maybe even experienced a powerful earthquake and the sound that accompanies one. But we have never heard the sound of a sky shake or the sound that accompanies that, or experience a power so great that heavenly bodies begin dropping from the sky like figs falling from a tree. This is not symbolic, it is something you can take to the bank.

Well, at least we have a few true believers in this forum...

 

[MatthewG]

Many people, do not discern the whole age which Christ had came into. If Christ is coming back today, then all people should be in mandate and prepared in everything the Gospel shares, and including the letters in order to be sure ready. It’s missing a whole cultures, and peoples, who died for their witness. The job of the Apostles of Christ (who were with him in the beginning had been chosen by him, and later Paul,) they all died for their witness and I believe some were taken at his return. They continually, belabored the fact of Jesus coming, even to defending that those who had said he came already do not believe but the time is nearing.

There is a lot of elements people miss concerning the scope in measure.

 

[Writer]

Your speculation

Unfortunatley for you, the bible itself states that all scripture was inspired by the Holy Spirit. That too can be considered speculation. But when I consider that over 35% of all scripture has been fullfilled and Israel and the Jews were created and not morphed, and Jesus abides in me and I in Him and I see the evidence of that in my own life, then what I say to you is, that if you are attempting me to consider what you consider, I'd rather drink poison...may it never be. Hope you're not dissapointed.

 

[MatthewG]

Unfortunatley for you, the bible itself states that all scripture was inspired by the Holy Spirit. That too can be considered speculation. But when I consider that over 35% of all scripture has been fullfilled and Israel and the Jews were created and not morphed, and Jesus abides in me and I in Him and I see the evidence of that in my own life, then what I say to you is, that if you are attempting me to consider what you consider, I'd rather drink poison...may it never be. Hope you're not dissapointed.

You are free in liberty of the Lord, to decide for yourself. No disappointment here.

 

[Writer]

You are free in liberty of the Lord, to decide for yourself. No disappointment here.

I'

You are free in liberty of the Lord, to decide for yourself. No disappointment here.

I am not free in liberty of the Lord, I'm bound to Him.

 

[MatthewG]

I'

I am not free in liberty of the Lord, I'm bound to Him.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

 

[rebuilder 454]

The overview in the Book of Revelation is several parts.
God dealing with the unsaved world. Jesus with his bride gathered. Those not gathered that are Christians martyred. That represents the end of the church age.
Next is the ruling and reigning of Satan through the Antichrist killing anyone refusing the mark.
Next is God dealing with his Covenant Jewish people. After that the wrath of God upon this world. That is the relationship of God in this planet.
But within the Book of Revelation we see heaven, we see Saints there ,we see Jews there ,we see the marriage supper of the Lamb, and we see the Saints dressed in white mounted on white horses ready to come down and destroy the armies of the Antichrist.
Then the scene shifts to Earth. We have a millennial Kingdom set up for a thousand years. After the Thousand Years Satan's is freed from his chains and he attracts all the Rebellion that's left on this Earth.
And he along with that Rebellion is destroyed. Then the Lake of Fire which Satan and everyone that's judged in the great white Throne judgment is thrown into it.
The New Jerusalem comes down to earth and the Throne of David is reestablished on this Earth.

 

[Bob Estey]

The inscriptions in the book of Revelation must be referrenced in accordance with other scriptures throughout the bible in order to provide closure or fullness to all scriptures so that we will understand that when the "end of the age" occures, the second coming, it will complete the work that God started from the beginning in order to establish Gods righteous judgment and usher in the "TRUE" New World Order ruled by Christ Jesus who paid the price for our sake and by His grace to bring us from eternal death and damnation to resurrected life...eternal life and to see the challenges God faced and overcame by wisdom, that we could worship Him night and day eternally.

What I mean by referrencing, is to take what is contained in the seven seals, for example, and take each seal and referrence it against other scriptures that reveal them and then referrence the time of that occurance. You will discover that the signs of the moon and sun changing their countenance actually occur at the six bowl and trumpet. The same point of time as Armageddon. This removes all confussion of when do all these angels with bowls and trumpets occur.

Again, if you read Rev 4, the four horsemen, and read the devistation they unleash, it makes you wonder the referrence of time of occurance, and yet, if you understand, by previous referrencing, those events occured, you will begin to put the pieces together and ultimately see a time line of events occuring much more clearly. The book of Revelation does not always give us a perfect time line of when things happen, and that is what confuses many, many people.

Even when we read what we think is the perfect time line of events, and then discover inconsistancies, like In The Beginning, and then read Job, and God says "where were you when I laid the foundation of the world" but yet, no foundation of the world is established in the first 6 days of creation. It isn't documented, so when did that occure if not in the first 6 days? This kind of thing occures throught the scriptures, but it is really previlant in the Bood of Revelation.

I encourage you to write the things that confuse you in the bible, just referrence it somewhere, and then take a closure look at the reference points, you'll be very surprise what the bible itself will reveal to you. For me, the bible is the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and if you ask Him, He will reveal it to you. Take my word for it. I don't reference in the forum because discovering it for yourself is what revelation is all about. It's how Abraham did it and it worked for him, and God called Abraham His friend. It will work for you.

It would be hard for a third-grader to understand what is written in a book written for twelfth-graders, so it is difficult for beginning Christians to understand the book of Revelation.

 

[Writer]

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

You didn't state "The liberty", and there is nothing here that says OF the Lord as you stated. I am bound to Jesus, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, (in my temple), His Liberty is my Liberty because we are bound. I am not my flesh and therefore my flesh does not represent Christ.

"The Holy Spirit is the Spirt of Christ". Apart from Christ, I am not at Liberty to choose my fleshly desires or consent to your fleshly responses. Satan loved throwing scriptures at Jesus, as though he had a Christ like influence, but lacking the character.

 

[MatthewG]

You didn't state "The liberty", and there is nothing here that says OF the Lord as you stated. I am bound to Jesus, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, (in my temple), His Liberty is my Liberty because we are bound. I am not my flesh and therefore my flesh does not represent Christ.

"The Holy Spirit is the Spirt of Christ". Apart from Christ, I am not at Liberty to choose my fleshly desires or consent to your fleshly responses. Satan loved throwing scriptures at Jesus, as though he had a Christ like influence, but lacking the character.

Sorry sometimes I’m not perfect in my words, and thank you for your kind and apt response. I would agree we aren’t at liberty to murderer or steal or cheat or manipulate people. I was just trying to show you where it does speak about people becoming free in the Lord Yeshua. There is not a doubt in my mind that you aren’t someone who believes and has faith in the risen Lord, the spirit of God rose him three days later and out he came the tomb. In my opinion though when it comes to beliefs. There is so many facets, the simple diamond is the good news which is the power of God unto Salvation. Deliverance from old selfish ways, in to Newness of life by the spirit which God resides within those who produce fruits of love! How close is it that God is near, and not far away off elsewhere.

 

[Behold]

You didn't state "The liberty",

He's using "Liberty" like this.

Paul said.

"Use not your LIBERTY for an occasion to the flesh".

That means... "all things are lawful unto me, but not all things are good for me to do".

 

[Writer]

He's using "Liberty" like this.

Paul said.

"Use not your LIBERTY for an occasion to the flesh".

That means... "all things are lawful unto me, but not all things are good for me to do".

My Liberty is not without Jesus, otherwise it would be of the flesh and I would be conforming to the world. Like you.

 

[Behold]

My Liberty is not without Jesus, otherwise it would be of the flesh and I would be conforming to the world. Like you.

Use not the Grace of God to occasionally enjoy some carnality.

"use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh"

"don't sit there in front of Netflix, watching them have sex"

"dont sit there in front of Game Of Thrones, watching the Rape scenes"


See it?

 

[JohnDB]

It seems that EVERY nutjob, buffoon, and self-appointed prophet has an opinion on Revelation and is overly eager to share their opinion on the letter.

And every last one of these idiots tell us that if we don't believe their version of interpretation we are definitely going to burn in hell for out lack of belief in their interpretation. Especially by taking "the mark of the beast" in some unsuspecting fashion.

The book is coded for a reason obviously. It tells the future. And God does not want us to meddle with future events. Likely for OUR benefit....

It's gotten to the point that when someone says "I can understand Revelations" you know instantly that they don't have a clue about anything and their sanity is highly questionable.

Let's look at the obvious.
People have been predicting the end of the world for CENTURIES....every last one of them believing its imminent. Millerites sold everything they had and gave away the money to sit in an open field waiting for it. (Obviously mistaken)

This latest pandemic gave rise to literally tens of thousands of nutjobs to proclaim the vaccines/masks were poison, mark of the beast, martial law/antichrist was coming, and all kinds of craziness. (Same as what happened during WW2)

With all of these false teachers and prophets running about....they are more of a tangible sign that things aren't going to continue than anything else because true biblical scholarship is obviously not in existence anymore....hermeneutics is a lost ability.
(Just read the posts above...the levels of insane interpretations knows no limits there)

So what do we do with a book that is closed to us? Read it anyway. Know the words...just like the rest of scripture.

And maybe....just maybe take up studying how Old Testament prophesy was stated and fulfilled...
Maybe do as John said, "speak to one another in psalms"....meaning know the Psalms. Continue extending loving kindness to those around you....instead of sitting in an open field starving and doing nothing.

 

[Writer]

It seems that EVERY nutjob, buffoon, and self-appointed prophet has an opinion on Revelation and is overly eager to share their opinion on the letter.

And every last one of these idiots tell us that if we don't believe their version of interpretation we are definitely going to burn in hell for out lack of belief in their interpretation. Especially by taking "the mark of the beast" in some unsuspecting fashion.

The book is coded for a reason obviously. It tells the future. And God does not want us to meddle with future events. Likely for OUR benefit....

It's gotten to the point that when someone says "I can understand Revelations" you know instantly that they don't have a clue about anything and their sanity is highly questionable.

Let's look at the obvious.
People have been predicting the end of the world for CENTURIES....every last one of them believing its imminent. Millerites sold everything they had and gave away the money to sit in an open field waiting for it. (Obviously mistaken)

This latest pandemic gave rise to literally tens of thousands of nutjobs to proclaim the vaccines/masks were poison, mark of the beast, martial law/antichrist was coming, and all kinds of craziness. (Same as what happened during WW2)

With all of these false teachers and prophets running about....they are more of a tangible sign that things aren't going to continue than anything else because true biblical scholarship is obviously not in existence anymore....hermeneutics is a lost ability.
(Just read the posts above...the levels of insane interpretations knows no limits there)

So what do we do with a book that is closed to us? Read it anyway. Know the words...just like the rest of scripture.

And maybe....just maybe take up studying how Old Testament prophesy was stated and fulfilled...
Maybe do as John said, "speak to one another in psalms"....meaning know the Psalms. Continue extending loving kindness to those around you....instead of sitting in an open field starving and doing nothing.

Your rant is just that. You call others "self-appointments" of sorts leaving yourself open as the true nutjob not being appointed to anything. You call others "Ediots" leaving yourself open as the true ediot because you don't say anything intelligent after that. Your claim that the "book is coded" is baseless. What's more, it's "obvious" only to you. You don't name the "codes", you don't devulge the "obvious".

You point to the book of Revelation, singular, as "Revelations" , plural. Only and idiot would prove his ignorance like that and then set out to set everyone straight. You sir, are the true nutjob. Then you say biblical scholarshi is obviously not in existence anymore, well, who needs biblical scholorship, Abraham didn't have it, and he communicated with God just fine. The bible says that the Holy Spirit will lead us to "ALL" truth.

You state that the book of Revelation is closed to US. SPEAK FOR YOURSELF FOOL! You don't speak for me. At the end of your rant you keep repeating the word maybe, maybe as though you have no hope and no answers except faith in your own flesh.

You must think that the works of your flesh and keeping yourself busy in "WORKS" that make your flesh feel good is what you need to be doing right now. Then do that, and leave what you don't know alone, and remember its called the book of Revelation, singular, because this book describes itself right from the begining as the REVELATION OF JESUS. No plurals.

 

[JohnDB]

Your rant is just that. You call others "self-appointments" of sorts leaving yourself open as the true nutjob not being appointed to anything. You call others "Ediots" leaving yourself open as the true ediot because you don't say anything intelligent after that. Your claim that the "book is coded" is baseless. What's more, it's "obvious" only to you. You don't name the "codes", you don't devulge the "obvious".

You point to the book of Revelation, singular, as "Revelations" , plural. Only and idiot would prove his ignorance like that and then set out to set everyone straight. You sir, are the true nutjob. Then you say biblical scholarshi is obviously not in existence anymore, well, who needs biblical scholorship, Abraham didn't have it, and he communicated with God just fine. The bible says that the Holy Spirit will lead us to "ALL" truth.

You state that the book of Revelation is closed to US. SPEAK FOR YOURSELF FOOL! You don't speak for me. At the end of your rant you keep repeating the word maybe, maybe as though you have no hope and no answers except faith in your own flesh.

You must think that the works of your flesh and keeping yourself busy in "WORKS" that make your flesh feel good is what you need to be doing right now. Then do that, and leave what you don't know alone, and remember its called the book of Revelation, singular, because this book describes itself right from the begining as the REVELATION OF JESUS. No plurals.

Obviously I struck a nerve....

I have no faith in my flesh...but like the book of James said faith without works is dead. And if Jesus returns while I'm still working for him....wouldn't that be better than be caught sucking my thumb claiming to be the keeper of all knowledge as "Jesus likes me better than you".

 

[Writer]

Obviously I struck a nerve....

I have no faith in my flesh...but like the book of James said faith without works is dead. And if Jesus returns while I'm still working for him....wouldn't that be better than be caught sucking my thumb claiming to be the keeper of all knowledge as "Jesus likes me better than you".

The work of faith: :
Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
https://www.bible.com/bible/100/MAT.25.37-40.NASB1995
These are the righteous, they don't even know they're working for Him or when. They are humble and give - that is the work - giving, multiplying the gift without the expectation of payment...OF ANY KIND. You on the other hand want E.V.E.R.Y.B.O.D.Y in this forum to see your work...your rants.