Buckle your seatbelts and move your tray tables into their upright, locked position. We’re preparing for takeoff into the cloudy skies of end-time prophecies, picking up where my first book, The Message for the Last Days, left off. Readers who are not experienced with the adverse conditions of Revelation would do best to start there, because the three hundred pages of background and analysis are crucial for understanding what follows here. While it may be tempting to fly towards the sunset, there are no shortcuts in Bible prophecy.
While you will find references to previous chapters from The Message for the Last Days, it is not imperative that you revisit them. This book will summarize their key points. The references to previous chapters are for those who want to research further if the summaries do not provide enough information. Please do not be concerned that this book starts with Chapter 17. Just be aware that this is not a starter course about Revelation or Bible prophecy.
Revelation Explained works under the premise that the reader already knows the basics about Bible prophecy and is ready to learn more. There are two other established bases that are fundamental to know before advancing into deeper levels of prophecy. These are extremely important:
Key Starting Points
Interpretation – The Bible interprets itself in most cases of prophecy, with repeated passages from the Old Testament to the New. We do not personally interpret the Bible, as there is no subjective meaning within private interpretation (see Appendix 1). Interpretation is “revealed” by the Holy Spirit.
Language – We are far removed from the original language and cultures that wrote inspired words from the Holy Spirit. We often rely on translators to place modern wording into ancient biblical context. This approach does not always succeed, and translators have bias. However, since the Bible interprets itself within its own context and we have commentaries from the apostles, we can understand what prophecy is about. We also have the benefit of the Greek language quoting Hebrew and Aramaic, so we should feel confident about what the future holds.
Complex topics such as end timing found in the books of Daniel and Revelation cannot be understood without a foundation. Please review this summary of my previous book before diving into the deep end of Bible prophecy.
The Message for the Last Days will help you understand the framework needed for such topics as the Day of the Lord, the Mark of the Beast, and the Great Tribulation Period.
Summary of The Message for the Last Days
Interpretation Principles – This is the first step in understanding the Bible. This section explains how we often “translate” the Bible to fit our preconceived notions, or how we let the Bible speak for itself. Do we use subjective or objective interpretation methods? How do we deal with figurative language found within Bible prophecies? See Chapter 1 – Bible Interpretation Principles and Appendix 1.
The Land Promise and Covenants – Why did God create the earth and us? Find out in chapters 2 through 5 of The Message for the Last Days. The covenants God made with His people over time are vital to understand. This background helps us learn about the Kingdom of Heaven and future plans yet to be revealed about heaven and earth.
The Second Coming of Christ – Is there a rapture before the second coming of Christ, or is the rapture and second coming the same event? The reason God is coming to dwell on earth is revealed in light of the land promise to Abraham and repeated references in the New Testament. See Chapter 6.
The Resurrection of the Dead – The apostle Paul stated this is the cornerstone of the Christian faith in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Without the resurrection, there is no Christianity. Was he speaking of a bodily resurrection, in spiritual terms, or both? Chapters 7-9 explain our current position of a new life in Christ while differentiating from life after death.
Judgment Day – Find out about the paradox of God’s judgment in chapters 10-15. Does judgment happen quickly, or does it take “1000” years for Christ to judge the entire Earth? Before comprehending the rationale of His judgment, we need to behold God’s nature compared to human nature, along with knowing God’s will compared to free will.
When we read the Bible as a vehicle for prophecy related to the end times, three key events take on outsized importance. The second coming, the resurrection of the dead and judgment stand out as significant focal points. Events before and after this cluster are of great interest that deal with the tribulation period and the millennial kingdom. However, these three events are so well documented and repeated that we must use them as markers to help us understand less clear passages about tribulation, the antichrist , or God’s wrath.
So how might one refer to the theories found within these pages? For labeling purposes and ease of reference, we can call it a futurist view contrary to post-millennialism, preterism, or views that refer to the Kingdom of Heaven as fully established in the past. The Kingdom of Heaven and salvation are ongoing since Christ walked the earth during His first advent. See salvation in past, present, and future terms while noticing verb tense usage of passages found in Appendix 2. The language of the Bible itself serves to identify a work-in-progress method while comparing Christ’s completed works to future works yet to be completed.
This book will distinguish Christ’s reign at the present time (in the unseen realm) to His future reign in the physical realm. Passages about a future physical reign on earth use root words that are not meant to be spiritualized using figurative language.
A future reign of Christ on earth can be considered to fulfill all remaining prophecies that have not been realized. We’ll examine how the word of God, through hundreds of passages from the Old Testament, create the plausible premise for Christ’s future kingdom within Revelation as the culmination of the promises dating back to the Garden of Eden on down through to the New Testament times.
Knowing this material helps deepen our faith. A better comprehension of prophecy allows constructive and time-sensitive conversations with people in our spheres of influence, especially in relation to current events. You do not need to be a Bible scholar to have these discussions. There is no need to have debates about complex topics such as Ezekiel’s visions, Daniel’s 70 weeks, or how the Mark of the Beast will be rolled out. Once we see the signs unfold, we will be prepared to help those around us as life becomes more difficult in the coming days.
A word of warning – if you are looking to find out what the Mark of the Beast is without understanding what righteousness and wisdom are (and how they are related to each other), you will be disappointed. Only the wise and righteous will understand end times, recognize the signs, and avoid the wrath of judgment as warned by the Creator who expects us to know His plans in advance.
Note from the author – please remember to write a review or leave a rating to help spread the Word. You can visit Goodreads or my website for more information. Thank you and God Bless. KJ