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This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John (Revelation 1:1, NLT).
Repeat after me, “The Book of Revelation.”
Not the Book of Revelations. To understand the Book of Revelation, first, we should know the correct name. As it says in the first verse, it’s one “revelation,” not a series of revelations.
During a course on The Book of Revelations (Just testing you!), my favorite seminary professor greeted the class one day with 113 books on a table beside his podium.
He said, “I’ve read all these books on the Book of Revelation (not Revelations), and while there are many opinions on this book, let’s remember the one purpose of this book found in a verse at the end.”
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)
The Book of Revelation teaches us that Jesus is coming back soon.
And the many “opinions” about Revelation swirl around two verses. . .
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-2).
The 1,000-year millennium defines Christian theology about the end times.
Some claim amillennialism (the 1,000 years are figurative), others say post-millennialism (Jesus returns after the 1,000 years), while the preeminent position today is pre-millennialism (the church is raptured before a seven-year tribulation which comes before the millennium).
I believe the pre-millennial viewpoint that the church will be raptured before a great seven-year tribulation, after which Jesus will return for a 1,000-year reign on earth.
The millennium will be a literal 1000 years. Yes, prophecy can be figurative, but it portrays actual events. To believe in “a-millennialism” or “post-millennialism,” prophecy must use figurative language depicting figurative events.
The prophecies of the first coming of Jesus in the Old Testament were figurative language predicting the actual birth, life, and resurrection of Jesus. It’s the same with the second coming of Jesus, with figurative language predicting actual events in history, including the millennium.
In seminary, when I looked at my professor’s 113 books, being competitive, I decided to read more books on the Book of Revelation than he did. However, being humble (a quality that most days eludes me), I confess I’ve only read 27 books.
So, my less than scholarly opinion concludes that the language of Revelation includes seven seals, different colored horses, 144,000 martyrs, an abyss with smoke, a little scroll, two witnesses, a red dragon, the number 666, a beast from the sea, Armageddon, the doom of Babylon, the marriage feast of the Lamb, Judgment Day, a new heaven and a new earth, and the New Jerusalem.
And let’s not forget the 1,000-year reign of Jesus on earth. All of this figurative language pointing to one fact — Jesus will return!
Come quickly, Lord Jesus! But I want to read a few more books about Revelation before You do!
*Old Guy