I am on record as saying exactly this.
In the first line it says it is an apocalypse - a revelation - but not a prophecy.
Apocalypse is a known genre of literature common 200BC to 200AD that many Jewish groups wrote in, including Essenes and others. To ignore this, and just let it's rich literary images run away in our imaginations, will not tell us anything true about the book but more about our own subconscious fixations.
The book of Revelation is *both* an Apocalypse and a Prophecy. These terms are not mutually contradictory. Several OT prophetic books were of the "apocalyptic" genre, and yet were still considered to be "prophetic." Revelation is clearly both apocalyptic and prophetic, as I see it and as most Christians see it.
But yes, not all Christians see the book of Revelation as providing a timetable of events, but more as images provoking spiritual fidelity among Christians. To me, this seems to cheapen the images, as well as the literalness of the prophecies. But each of us has to make up our own minds what to believe about this. It doesn't separate Christian from Christian, or it shouldn't.
what good has it been for the church for the last 2000 years?
The Bible often refers to specific historical events which provide a *moral lesson* for all generations. 1 Cor 10.6
The last generation, under Antichrist, speaks to all generations of Christians who have had their own form of Antichrist. 1 John 2.18
Why can't anyone agree on this end-times timetable? ;-) Why is it so vague when Jesus and his death and resurrection and the epistles about him are mostly fairly clear?
The Scripture authors regularly encouraged Christians to become studied and diligent, which assumes that many of them were not. Upon studying Dan 7 and Rev 13, and comparing their common reference to the 3.5 years of Antichristian reign, we can easily see that God is giving us a view to the end of history in the current age. This enables us to set our sights on the prize, enduring what we have to go through to get there. Some Christians will always want to create their own scenario, rather than embrace what God has said in His word.
Compare that to Amillennials that see it as a book that neatly describes the Roman persecution of the church, Roman temptation to Christians of money wealth and empire, and Roman appeal to trusting in State security rather than God's eternal security. In this case, Revelation has been a relevant warning and encouragement to all Christians in all societies for the last 2000 years.
Yes, the ancient Roman Caesars were an early form of Antichrist, and John was warning them that they are part of the stream of opposition to Christ that will continue until the 2nd Coming. This does not mean that John was telling the Christians ancient Rome was the final Antichrist. On the contrary, in ch. 17 he seemed to point out that Rome was the final Beast, but only in the 6th stage of kingdom. There was coming a 7th stage--the literal Antichrist Kingdom.
In fact, Christians I know of who have been persecuted in Muslim countries read it this way and laugh at the idea John is talking about a future suffering. They think it silly that John would write to his suffering generation and basically say "You think you've got it bad - wait till you see what happens in 2000 years!"
I don't believe John was attempting to depict the final Antichrist as the *worst* Antichrist in history! Rather, he was just pointing out the nature of the current age, in which Christians are to expect opposition and should prepare to endure in troubled times.
Where Jesus said the Jewish punishment would be the "worst" in Israel's history is stated in the Olivet Discourse, and has to do with the sheer "length" of this punishment, as compared to earlier Jewish punishments. The last Jewish punishment encompasses the entire NT age, characterized as a Great Dispersion, aka the Jewish Diaspora.
The return of Christ at the end isn't a timetable of events but gospel vision and encouragement - it's a sermon reminding us to keep going no matter what happens. It even describes the return of Jesus in judgement from 3 different points of view - repeating the same one magnificent event from 3 camera-views - none of which work in chronological order.
I agree that though the narrative in Revelation is a single narrative, progressing from beginning to end, and ending at the end of the age with Christ's Coming, these visions are not, for the most part, chronological. They repeat the same theme, that Christ is Coming to judge the world.
Phd in Ancient History, theologian and retired Sydney Anglican Bishop Dr Paul Barnett explains further in "Apocalypse Now and Then".
https://www.amazon.com/Apocalypse-now-then-reading-Revelation/dp/0949108421
I recommend learning Amil theology as it will free modern Christians from the endless fretting over which credit card or computer chip might be the 'mark of the beast' and being diverted by endless speculation over geopolitical matters and how they fit into a 'Revelation timetable'. Amil will help rather focus them on living for Christ each day and being more compassionate in their local affairs and realistic in their politics.
I was raised up in an Amil system, but upon further study recognized that the book of Revelation focuses on the final 3.5 years in history. This is not because it is important for us to prepare for that particular time period, but only to give us a sense of the evil character of the present age, as well as to encourage us to weather such things. We clearly agree on some things and not on others. Oh well--that's okay!
