Revelation Timeline Chart

[Bible2]

ebedmelech said in post 19:

When you get that John is communicating in signs or symbols...Revelation will open your understanding because you will see more.

Note that Revelation 1:1 doesn't mean that Jesus in Revelation chapters 6 to 22 is expressing the events of the future tribulation, and the subsequent 2nd coming, millennium and other events through only symbolic images, instead of indicating these events almost entirely literally. For just as the original Greek word (deiknuo, G1166) translated as "show" in Revelation 1:1 doesn't have to refer to something being shown through symbolic images, but can refer to something being shown literally (Matthew 8:4), so also the original Greek word (semaino, G4591) translated as "signified" in Revelation 1:1 doesn't have to refer to something being indicated through symbolic images, but can refer to something being indicated literally (Acts 25:27).

ebedmelech said in post 19:

Start with Revelation 1:7:
7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

This "Behold He is coming on the clouds" is from Isaiah 19:1, where God comes in judgment of Egypt:
The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them

Isaiah 19 hasn't been fulfilled yet, for Isaiah 19:5,17-25 has never happened, but will happen during the future millennium, when the returned Jesus will bring judgments on Egypt for its refusal, at first, to come up to worship him in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:16-21). Jesus travelling on a cloud in the sky in Isaiah 19:1 can be literal and physical, just as Jesus ascending into a cloud in the sky in Acts 1:9 was literal and physical.

Revelation 1:7 won't happen until after the future tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 19:11-21). Revelation 1:7 means that Jesus' 2nd coming won't be invisible, secret, or local, but will be obvious to everyone at the same time (Matthew 24:26-31, Revelation 19:11-21).

Everyone will literally see with their eyes Jesus' 2nd coming in literal clouds (Revelation 1:7, Matthew 24:30), just as the apostles literally saw Jesus' ascension into a literal cloud (Acts 1:9-11).

 

[Interplanner]

B2, re the above. I wouldn't need a lexicon to show me that 'semaino' might be normal communication, when it comes to the Rev. It is obvious reading it! It is obvious that it is in Judaistic symbolism, and not meant to be read in a literal sense. It is much like other apocalyptic material from the day.

btw, your slip is showing. I notice you are now using the expression "almost" literal. Which is like being almost pregnant.

Someone in 1:16 holds 7 stars in his hand. In relation to the size of stars, then, that means certain things about his hand, which in turn means certain things about his body size. With your handy calculator, you can see that this means our person stands about 47T light years tall. Where would we be without such information! The size of God finally calculated.

Ahhh, but maybe 7 stars in one's hand means something else!

 

[parousia70]

Everyone will literally see with their eyes Jesus' 2nd coming in literal clouds (Revelation 1:7, Matthew 24:30), just as the apostles literally saw Jesus' ascension into a literal cloud (Acts 1:9-11).

What you are describing is not exactly "Just as the apostles saw Jesus' ascension"....

A return that will be visible by every human on the planet is TOTALLY DIFFERENT than the ascension, which could only be seen by the few folks Jesus was with at the time.

Clearly the phrase "in like manner" does NOT mean "exact in every detail".