I disagree, only parts of Revelation refers to the future, but much of it has already happened and is happening until the arrival of Christ's return. The passages that refer to the future are mainly the second coming, the resurrection, the judgment seat, and the new heaven and new earth. The rest, I have learned from more studied teachers on the subject, that much of the illustrations and depictions are spoken in symbols and types to convey what is happening between the Church and the World until the arrival of Christ (among other things). The message of Revelation is to encourage, not only the Seven Churches of Asia who were the original audience, but to all of us who struggle with the powers of darkness in this fallen world until the restoring of all things at the second coming of our Savior when he will be victorious over the enemy and bring his kingdom to consummation.
Explain how the seven churches would have possibly grasped your interpretation when they read this in their churches? It makes no sense.
I will like to point you to a very important part of the Revelation that will clear this all up.
Revelation 1:1, "This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to
show His servants what must soon come to pass." Notice that the revelation is for God's servants. Therefore, it can be understood by only those that follow Jesus.
In regard to your question, they would have already been aware of the "root of all evil" and were completely free from it. If we read what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:24,
"No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. "
We see here that Jesus commands his followers not to work for money. Therefore, all the churches that would have received this letter would have been aware of the fact that the love of money is the root of ALL evil. This would have reinforced the thought that staying away from working for money is what we need to do in order to reject the Mark of the Beast.
Your point that the seven churches couldn't
grasp my interpretation is only valid if we assume that the early Christians were
meant to grasp it. Many time prophecy are given but are not understood until it is fulfilled, or the warning signs that preclude the fulfillment of the prophecy is happening. To say that our interpretation of what Revelation says has to be done in the context of the first century christians contradicts your point about some of revelation is for the future generation. We can't pick and choose, rather we should interpret as the scriptures reveal; at the same time lining up our interpretation with Jesus and his testimony (which is the spirit of prophecy Revelation 19:10).
I'll leave it here for now.
Look forward to your response.
Peace be to everyone who reads this