Revelation isn’t so complicated if you know history. Respected theologians have been creating non-sense from what they read in this book for centuries. History has always validated the bible but clearly Revelation isn’t something they teach when pastors get their degrees. Unfortunately, people will run with whatever they hear. I have been studying this book, and the entire end times topic for years. One topic. More years in fact, than it takes for a pastor to get a degree. It is my hope that you will consider this view point when you decide for yourself what you think the truth is.

Before you can understand my comments on this book, you need to start with the posts on Josephus. You can read both his actual writings and my notes about them. The  notes are shorter and in better English. Read those first and then come back.

Book of Revelation Explained – This is the final act from a very long story of the Jews that began with Adam and Eve and then Abraham. A story that repeatedly had God making conditional promises to the Jews, only to see them not be able to live up to their end of the agreement, then suffer because of it. Each time, God withdrew his protection and the Jews were killed and enslaved. Revelation is part of that cycle.  This book is the promised punishment described in the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi written 400 years BC:

Malachi – 3
1. “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.

There’s a few interesting things in there. 1. It was John the Baptist who would prepare the way before Christ came. 2. The Lord, whom they were seeking would go to the temple. Imagine the crowds that were with Jesus when he taught there and the Jews couldn’t begin to notice this scripture was talking about Him. 3. Messenger of the covenant. Covenant means agreement. The Jews already had an agreement, why would they need someone to tell them what they were already hearing from their priests? No, this was talk of a new agreement, now called Christianity.

2. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4. and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years. 5. “So I will come near to you for judgment. ((Read the other articles on this site about what Josephus wrote in Roman history books. He recorded many unexplained events including one where chariots were seen circling Jerusalem in the clouds!)) – (Matt. 24:30) I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.

Other Links: Read the Wikipedia entry pages about B.O.R. | Read the Full American Standard Version text of B.O.R.
Learn possible dates for the Book of Revelation and of the End Times | Learn about Preterism

The Jews of AD 70 were involved in worshiping other gods as the polytheistic Romans had invaded the territory and had been there for decades in control. More than that, those in positions of authority abused it for decades. They enforced the law with iron fists while they themselves did not follow it. Revelation is a story of God’s final wrath against the Jews for their continued disobedience. Added to that, the Jews had rejected the messiah 40 years before, so no doubt that played some part since it is Jesus we see in Revelation dealing out the punishment.

The Jews had been rejecting God all along the way while he was telling them that they were about to receive a savior. God gave them prophecies and told them what to look for, but the Jews could not recognize Jesus for who he was even as he healed the sick, raised the dead and died on the cross as was predicted. Added to that was the persecution that the Jews were inflicting on the early Christians but also for the prophets of old that God had sent to them.

Jews sought after and murdered Christians long before Nero and the Romans did. It was the Pharisees and Sadducees who stoned Steven, who sought to kill Jesus and his brother James and most of the apostles.

If you look at this content as already been fulfilled, it will answer far more questions than it brings up compared to the popular theory of today (our Armageddon seeking, 3rd temple types). This view allows Jesus to be correct when he said these events would happen ‘soon’ over and over again. And further correct in Matthew ch24 when he said it would be ‘this generation’ whom this all would fall on. It keeps one from trying to develop mystical theories about some future event.

One final thought about timing. Not only at the beginning but at the very end you see Jesus saying ‘soon’ over and over again. I believe 2 things about this.

1. he was trying desperately to warn those about to be affected and
2. He knew we’d be having this discussion today.

It turns out, we have a complete story after all. From beginning to end, our bible is the story of the Jews which tells of their birth and their end as a favored nation to God. Along the way it tells us of a savior and teaches us how to live our lives. The bible is lacking in nothing. All prophecies have been fulfilled. We have a beginning middle and end.

What follows is each chapter marked with commentary designed to allow you to completely understand what’s going on.

Keep in mind that John is praying, and he is both seeing events in heaven, and being told a story by Angels and being shown what will happen on earth as a result of events that first happen in the heavens. He’s being shown a play of what humans can see, and what humans cannot see while the events on earth are unfolding.

Also keep in mind that since Malachi, 2500 years have passed. God never allowed this much time to pass before handing out his judgment, therefore it is safe to assume these events have already taken place. Most scholars place the writing of the book of Revelation at 90 AD.  If it was written after the war of AD 70, then yes, its content could apply to any period of time potentially. However, to those that think this, isn’t it odd to you that the most tragic event of Jewish history, the destruction of the temple was not even mentioned in passing in this book? Not only that, but chapter 11 talks about the temple as being still in existence when these events happen. Many people like me believe that the temple destruction hadn’t happened yet and there are many additional clues that lead people to this opinion.

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