Revelation Means a Revealing

Next Part Chapter 1: Christ the Revelator and the Book’s Theme

After Daniel finished recording the prophecy, he asked God to explain what it meant. Though Daniel was used to record the book, even he did not understand it (Dan 12:8): “I heard, but I understood not.” God answered, “Go your way…the words are CLOSED UP and SEALED till the time of the END” (Dan 12:9 – the Moffatt translation is even stronger by rendering this “till the crisis at the close.”)

While Daniel was not allowed to understand it, those who live in the time of the end can! And we have seen that the wise DO!

We will see that this awesome revelation of future events was sealed with seven separate seals. It is crucial to understand another KEY point: The seven seals in God’s hand essentially span all but the last two chapters of the book! The seven seals are opened one by one, in sequence. Each reveals future events before they happen. Only Christ is qualified to remove the seven seals and open the book to understanding.

The Greek word apocalypse is translated “revelation.” This English word actually means to reveal—not conceal, hide, veil or close up. The dictionary definition of revelation is: “The act of revealing or disclosing; something revealed, especially a dramatic disclosure of something not previously known or realized.”

In the first verse of the book, the apostle John recorded Christ’s words, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ…to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass.” Near the end of the book, Revelation 22:10 states, “Seal NOT the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.”

Comprehend John’s words. The time for understanding the book of Revelation IS now at hand! God reveals a basic framework for understanding future events. This framework is primarily laid out in Daniel and Revelation. Daniel, recorded over 600 years earlier, sets the stage for the larger and more detailed book of Revelation, which describes events found nowhere else in the Bible.

Revelation outlines a long series of events that relate to one another in a continuous flow—comprising an entire story. These occur in order of time sequence. (The centre of this booklet contains two overview graphs—an outline and a story flow—to which the reader may occasionally refer.) Also, Christ periodically insets certain events into the course of the Revelation. You now understand the first KEY to unlock the book!

Grasp this central, all-important point. While there are keys to understanding Revelation, the book itself is the single greatest key to understanding almost all other prophecies in the Bible!

The Signs of Christ’s Coming Parallel the Seven Seals

One of the basic rules of Bible study is to always let the Bible interpret itself. This is probably never truer than in the book of Revelation. This will be done as we progress through the opening of the seven seals.

Since John sees many symbols, we need to be able to understand the actual events that they represent. Otherwise, we will not know what is being described.

How do we do this?

Mark 4:10-12 and Matthew 13:10-15 hold another KEY to understanding how Christ teaches. In both places, He explained that He spoke in parables so that His true servants would understand Him—but others would not! Carefully read these verses: “And when He was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable. And He said unto them, Unto YOU it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them” (Mark 4:10-12).

Note exactly what Christ said! Only His servants could understand His real meaning. Others might think they do—but they cannot!

Christ never leaves His servants in the dark about matters He wants them to understand. But He does record them in ways that keep them hidden from the view of all others. This will help you see why so few understand a book that has been read by so many.

We have already touched upon the principle that the “wicked” (the unrighteous) do not understand events at the close of the age. But those who have God’s Spirit (Acts 5:32; John 16:13) will understand. Only through God’s Spirit leading those who are obeying Him can they understand the truth. Recognizing and accepting these two verses is of vital importance to every reader of this booklet—and of the book of Revelation. All who do not seek to obey God, while they may sincerely seek to understand the many truths of Bible prophecy, are wasting their time.

Jesus explained, in plain, clear language, the key events of the last days preceding and leading to the time of His Second Coming. Remember, Jesus’ disciples asked Him privately, “Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world [age]?” (Matt. 24:3; Luke 21:7).

We must briefly examine the critical Matthew 24:1-51 chapter for vital CLUES, which explain the symbols that we will study in Revelation. Christ gave a list of six different events that are to happen before His Second Coming. They precisely parallel what we will read beginning in Revelation 6:1-17.

First—false prophets and false christs (Mt 24:5). Second—wars (Mt 24:6) throughout the age, culminating in the end time with world war (Mt 24:7). Third—famines (Mt 24:7). Fourth—pestilences (Mt 24:7). It is at this point that Christ inserted a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, in A.D. 70, because this was a forerunner, or type, of the yet future siege of Jerusalem and final “battle of Armageddon” (review Matthew 24:17-28 with Luke 17:30-37). Therefore, Matthew 24:9-28 (also Luke 21:12-24) applies to the period of A.D. 70—but only as a forerunning type of the final time of the end to which His warning refers LITERALLY!

Fifth, in Matthew 24:21-22, Christ explains that the Great Tribulation occurs. Sixth are the Heavenly Signs (Mt 24:29)—when the stars fall and the sun and moon are darkened. The sign of Christ’s coming (Mt 24:30) occurs at this same time. His actual coming is right on the heels of it.

We will now examine Revelation, chapter by chapter.