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How to read the book of Revelation?

ken777

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Who can interpret it Absolutely right and accurate?
Can you recommend me source of interpretation for this book?
I am very interested to know The End Time events.
Many times (most? all?) God's people do not understand prophecy until it comes to pass ... and even then many miss it (Luke 24:25).

You can be sure The Revelation tells about "the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter"
(Revelation 1:19).

It covers the period starting with the churches existing in John's day and goes through to the final judgment and the new heaven & new earth.

If you enjoy reading history, look for events that relate to what you read in The Revelation. You have as much right to find your understanding as anyone else, though reading the writing of spiritual men can be helpful ... scholars, not so much!
 
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ghtan

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Who can interpret it Absolutely right and accurate?
Can you recommend me source of interpretation for this book?
I am very interested to know The End Time events.
I think most of the confusion in understanding Revelation comes from trying to cross-refer to other prophecies esp. in the OT. Try reading and interpreting it as a self-contained final edition of what God wants us to know about the end time. It worked for me!
 
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ken777

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I think most of the confusion in understanding Revelation comes from trying to cross-refer to other prophecies esp. in the OT. Try reading and interpreting it as a self-contained final edition of what God wants us to know about the end time. It worked for me!
Do you not see a similarity in Ezekiel 1:10 and Revelation 4:7?
 
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ghtan

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Do you not see a similarity in Ezekiel 1:10 and Revelation 4:7?
Yes, there are lots of similarities between Revelation and parts of the OT, just as you would expect the latest edition of a book to have many similarities with the earlier editions. But most of the time, you should not need to refer to the earlier editions to understand the latest edition. This is what I mean with Revelation. We can read Rev 4:7 on its own and appreciate it without referring to Ezekiel 1:10.
 
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ken777

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Yes, there are lots of similarities between Revelation and parts of the OT, just as you would expect the latest edition of a book to have many similarities with the earlier editions. But most of the time, you should not need to refer to the earlier editions to understand the latest edition. This is what I mean with Revelation. We can read Rev 4:7 on its own and appreciate it without referring to Ezekiel 1:10.
How do you discover the meaning of the symbolism used in Revelation 4:7?
 
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FrankDux

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Only Jesus Christ himself would understand the objective truth of the scriptures { the hidden things are sealed up }

I think that it deals with astronomy and eclipses, but perhaps in some way that is not yet clear to us until He comes back

It's fun to guess though :)

Thanks
 
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ghtan

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How do you discover the meaning of the symbolism used in Revelation 4:7?
Is the symbolism of 4:7 crucial to understanding the visions in the rest of the book (which is where most people get stuck)? In any case, Ezekiel does not explain the symbolism either.
 
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ken777

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Is the symbolism of 4:7 crucial to understanding the visions in the rest of the book (which is where most people get stuck)? In any case, Ezekiel does not explain the symbolism either.
Unless we understand the symbolism of Revelation 4:7, how can we know if it is crucial or not? The four beasts are mentioned 12 times in The Revelation. I think that means they are important to our understanding. Ezekiel certainly gives a lot more information about them , and I am very curious about such things so I'll keep on digging.
 
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Revealing Times

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That's a bold claim. I'm sure there's plenty you (and I) are missing!

Can you prove that chapter 17 is a retelling of Chapter 16?
I have a thread Explaining what/who The Harlot, Babylon and the Seven Headed Beast is over on the Eschatology-End-times and Prophecy section on this site. Babylon, The Harlot and the Seven Headed Beast Explained

I explain why Revelation chapter 17 and Rev. 18 are not real time events per se, but a retelling of events that happen before Rev. 16 ends.

I could paste it here, but the link is just as easy.
 
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ghtan

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Unless we understand the symbolism of Revelation 4:7, how can we know if it is crucial or not? The four beasts are mentioned 12 times in The Revelation. I think that means they are important to our understanding. Ezekiel certainly gives a lot more information about them , and I am very curious about such things so I'll keep on digging.
OK, but which vision about the end time in Revelation does not make sense unless we know the symbolism of those beasts? I can't think of one.
 
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RevRude

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I have a thread Explaining what/who The Harlot, Babylon and the Seven Headed Beast is over on the Eschatology-End-times and Prophecy section on this site. Babylon, The Harlot and the Seven Headed Beast Explained

I explain why Revelation chapter 17 and Rev. 18 are not real time events per se, but a retelling of events that happen before Rev. 16 ends.

I could paste it here, but the link is just as easy.

Rev. 17:1 reads: "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me..."

Notice the terms in bold - 'then' and 'had'.
Needless to say, this has every appearance of indicating that 17:1 is a continuation of chapter 16; it takes place after the seven bowls have been emptied.
 
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Revealing Times

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Rev. 17:1 reads: "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me..."

Notice the terms in bold - 'then' and 'had'.
Needless to say, this has every appearance of indicating that 17:1 is a continuation of chapter 16; it takes place after the seven bowls have been emptied.
It is a vision of an event that has already happened, that is my point. Rev. 16 says when the Seventh Vial is poured out IT IS DONE meaning the Anti-Christ and his minions have been defeated. Rev. 19 is the whole Seven Year Period told in one chapter, from the Rapture it shows MANY PEOPLES IN HEAVEN, then we Marry the Lamb/Jesus and return on White Horses to help Jesus defeat the wicked or Babylon/Worldly people. This is the very same fight going on in chapter 16 when the Seventh Vial is poured out, most all of these chapters overlap each other, except the chapters with the Seals/Trumpets and Vials, and even some of those overlap, it is just the Seals/Trumpets and Vials which NEVER Overlap each other.

False Religion (Harlot) is destroyed in chapters 6 and/or 7 you see the Martyred Saints under the alter ? Well the Anti-Christ is destroying Christians, coming after Israel, and destroying Islam and all Religions at that very time. So Rev. 17 happens during Rev. 6 and Rev. 7.

Rev. 18 is Babylon, which is only this world and the Nations that come against Israel. We see the Seals happened in chapters 6 and 7, we see the Trumpets happened in chapters 8 and 9. Then the Vials come to pass in chapter 16.

MY POINT IS.....These are different Visions that OVERLAP, I did a blog on this a while back, I will post it below to give you a understanding of my thought process on this.

Revelation is not in chronological order

Revelation chapter six is the Seals being opened, so it is not ending right before the return of Christ with us Saints in Revelation 19. The end of each of these chapters I point out below ends close to Jesus' return, like chapter 12, we know it starts at around the birth of Israel/birth of Christ but it ends with Satan chasing Israel into the wilderness in the 42 month period and her being protected 42 months, which puts the end of the chapter right at Jesus' return.

1. Revelation chapter 7 ends with the Saints that died in the Tribulation standing before the throne of God.
2. Rev. 9 has the Armies of Armageddon/200 thousand, thousand.
3. Rev. 10 is John eating the the book which had the uttering's of the seven thunders, in 7:7 it says when he begins to sound, the mystery of God will be finished.
4. In Revelation 11 the two witnesses prophesy 1260 days. The end of the 1260 will be at the end minus the Seven Last Vials.
5. In Revelation chapter 12 I have already explained, it ends with Israel in the Wilderness for 1260 days.
6. Rev. 13 speaks of the Beast and his 42 months. This will be the end of the age no doubt.
7. Rev. 14 has Jesus and the 144,000 and ends with the angel thrusting the sickle into the earth to harvest the harvest.
8. Rev. 15 is the description of the coming Seven Last Plagues.
9. Rev. 16 is the Seven Vials of Gods wrath.
9. Rev. 17 is the Great Harlot being Judged of God. (Happened earlier in Rev. 6 and 7, but no doubt continues till the end.)
10. Rev. 18 is the World (Babylon) being judged by God by the Seals the Trumpets and the Vials.

Then in Revelation 19 we see the Saints who were raptured coming back with Jesus on white horses. They/we (Church) are in Heaven Marrying the Lamb and we are there for a Seven Year Period. So much of the book of Revelation is happening at the same time or overlapping. The only things that NEVER OVERLAP is the Seven Seals/Seven Trumpets and Seven Vials, except for the Seventh Seal bringing forth the Seven Trumpets and likewise the Seventh Trumpet bringing forth the Seven Vials.

Most all of those chapters are happening concurrently/overlapping.

The story of Rev. 17 is the Anti-Christ destroying the Harlot or False Religion, well since he DEMANDS WORSHIP by all in Rev. 6 when he conquers Israel and in Rev. 7 and even 13 is a retelling of Rev. 6 and 7, the Anti-Christ has power over the Saints for 42 months, the Anti-Christ starts conquering in Rev 6 which means this is when he conquers Israel.

These are IN TRUTH different visions, but just a different vision, or an enhanced vision, about the same events in many cases. AGAIN, only the Seals/Trumpets and Vials never overlap, everything else does.

God Bless
 
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ken777

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OK, but which vision about the end time in Revelation does not make sense unless we know the symbolism of those beasts? I can't think of one.
The first 4 seals are opened by the four beasts in turn (Revelation 6:1-8) ... so I would say the symbolism of the lion must relate to our understanding of the first seal, the calf to the 2nd seal, the man to the 3rd seal, and the flying eagle to the 4th seal (Revelation 4:7).

I find it interesting that some have seen the symbolism of these 4 creatures reflected in the 4 Gospels, in the same sequence.
 
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