Here is what I do not know for sure about the Book of Revelation. It is not everything, but it covers the primary things I am interested in hearing from others.
Sometimes it is helpful to actually hear some possible explanation out there which we have never heard before from a human being... then we can better believe God on the interpretation.
I should note, I have studied. I have prayed. I have yet to receive an answer on many of these items. I am sure that I will. Even soon. But, I will be open about the many things I do not know at this time.
I do not know how long it is until Revelation begins. I do consider the start of the opening of the Seven Seals to be the first part of Revelation here. I also consider the whole of Revelation to be what is called the "Day of the Lord".
I do not know if the opening of the Seven Seals has even begun yet.
I do not know the timeline of the Seven Seals. I do not know how long this period of time would be: would it be three years or so, would it be a hundred years. I do not know.
I do not know what the "great tribulation" is. I do not know if this is future or past or present from where it is presented in Revelation.
This same chapter, chapter seven, speaks of the 144,000 being sealed. It does seem to state that only 144,000 are sealed at that time. The next part of that chapter then speaks of the "great tribulation". So, it would seem that the great tribulation happens before this sealing -- and only this 144,000 are left.
But, I do not know this for sure.
I do not know where the Lord would get people from all of the twelve tribes of Israel. Only Judah is left. We can surmise that survivors of the other tribes may be here or there. But, they are not calling themselves Jews. And, they have intermarried for milleniums of generations.
I do know that we are all brought into Israel through Jesus Christ. So, likely that figures there.
I do think it is highly likely that some of these disasters spoken of in Revelation may be literal. We know today that when a volcano erupts or a meteor hits or even with a severe earthquake which can happen with a fault line breaking and volcanos erupting -- we know that these events, if severe enough, can put dust over the entire world, making the moon red and darkening the day and night.
I do know that Israel will stand against the Anti-Christ's kingdom.
I do know that spiritual Israel and physical Israel will be reunited.
I do know that there will be and may already be a great "falling away".
This brings me back to Chapter Seven of Revelation. With the juxtaposition of the sealing of the 144,000 and the showing of the survivors of the "Great Tribulation" it would seem to mean that a great falling away and the "great tribulation" had happened before that time -- but, I am not sure.
What is especially odd about this chapter, however, is that the anti-christ's kingdom is really not even set up, yet.
We know there are many anti-christs in the world. We have seen their surfacing. Many nations in the world are ruled by tyrants who have their people under totalitarian control. We know that that is anti-Christ behavior. We also know that Christians are getting slaughtered and have been slaughtered in great masses in these types of countries.
Yet, if the whole world of Christians is going to get slaughtered en masse like this, as it states that they will be: why is this not explicitly spoken of in Revelation beforehand? Why is it not until the three woes that we really see evidence of a global scale attack by these powers?
It may be possible that only the 144,000 are sealed, but the rest are set to death: glorification through death.
But, I am not sure, yet.
After all, Revelation does say to come out of Babylon. Revelation does speak of resistance against the Beast's kingdom. Revelation does also speak of a mass beheading of Christians by the Beast.
Yet, is this mass beheading and calls to stand fast only for the 144,000? Because if it is, it would seem there would be very few people left in Israel at all to stand against the forces of the Beast, when they attack at Armageddon.
Those are my main unknowns left about Revelation. I do believe Revelation happens in a linear progression. I know there are prologues and a few timelines which are stated, which I hold to. I wish I could say I entirely rule out everything else, but I do not.
As for Babylon, the Two Witnesses, the war in Heaven and such, on such matters I have no questions. Feel free to ask me, if you wish.
I do not mind pre-tribulational rapturists attempting to answer these questions, however please answer them. I would love for that doctrine to be true because it would mean we could have so much less sheer carnage, it appears. But, I simply have never seen anyone who espouses that viewpoint explain the very verses on the "great tribulation" itself. So, I have not accepted that doctrine.
Sometimes it is helpful to actually hear some possible explanation out there which we have never heard before from a human being... then we can better believe God on the interpretation.
I should note, I have studied. I have prayed. I have yet to receive an answer on many of these items. I am sure that I will. Even soon. But, I will be open about the many things I do not know at this time.
I do not know how long it is until Revelation begins. I do consider the start of the opening of the Seven Seals to be the first part of Revelation here. I also consider the whole of Revelation to be what is called the "Day of the Lord".
I do not know if the opening of the Seven Seals has even begun yet.
I do not know the timeline of the Seven Seals. I do not know how long this period of time would be: would it be three years or so, would it be a hundred years. I do not know.
I do not know what the "great tribulation" is. I do not know if this is future or past or present from where it is presented in Revelation.
This same chapter, chapter seven, speaks of the 144,000 being sealed. It does seem to state that only 144,000 are sealed at that time. The next part of that chapter then speaks of the "great tribulation". So, it would seem that the great tribulation happens before this sealing -- and only this 144,000 are left.
But, I do not know this for sure.
I do not know where the Lord would get people from all of the twelve tribes of Israel. Only Judah is left. We can surmise that survivors of the other tribes may be here or there. But, they are not calling themselves Jews. And, they have intermarried for milleniums of generations.
I do know that we are all brought into Israel through Jesus Christ. So, likely that figures there.
I do think it is highly likely that some of these disasters spoken of in Revelation may be literal. We know today that when a volcano erupts or a meteor hits or even with a severe earthquake which can happen with a fault line breaking and volcanos erupting -- we know that these events, if severe enough, can put dust over the entire world, making the moon red and darkening the day and night.
I do know that Israel will stand against the Anti-Christ's kingdom.
I do know that spiritual Israel and physical Israel will be reunited.
I do know that there will be and may already be a great "falling away".
This brings me back to Chapter Seven of Revelation. With the juxtaposition of the sealing of the 144,000 and the showing of the survivors of the "Great Tribulation" it would seem to mean that a great falling away and the "great tribulation" had happened before that time -- but, I am not sure.
What is especially odd about this chapter, however, is that the anti-christ's kingdom is really not even set up, yet.
We know there are many anti-christs in the world. We have seen their surfacing. Many nations in the world are ruled by tyrants who have their people under totalitarian control. We know that that is anti-Christ behavior. We also know that Christians are getting slaughtered and have been slaughtered in great masses in these types of countries.
Yet, if the whole world of Christians is going to get slaughtered en masse like this, as it states that they will be: why is this not explicitly spoken of in Revelation beforehand? Why is it not until the three woes that we really see evidence of a global scale attack by these powers?
It may be possible that only the 144,000 are sealed, but the rest are set to death: glorification through death.
But, I am not sure, yet.
After all, Revelation does say to come out of Babylon. Revelation does speak of resistance against the Beast's kingdom. Revelation does also speak of a mass beheading of Christians by the Beast.
Yet, is this mass beheading and calls to stand fast only for the 144,000? Because if it is, it would seem there would be very few people left in Israel at all to stand against the forces of the Beast, when they attack at Armageddon.
Those are my main unknowns left about Revelation. I do believe Revelation happens in a linear progression. I know there are prologues and a few timelines which are stated, which I hold to. I wish I could say I entirely rule out everything else, but I do not.
As for Babylon, the Two Witnesses, the war in Heaven and such, on such matters I have no questions. Feel free to ask me, if you wish.
I do not mind pre-tribulational rapturists attempting to answer these questions, however please answer them. I would love for that doctrine to be true because it would mean we could have so much less sheer carnage, it appears. But, I simply have never seen anyone who espouses that viewpoint explain the very verses on the "great tribulation" itself. So, I have not accepted that doctrine.
