Book Description

The Revelation of St. John is, according to some writers, the most difficult book to understand in the entire Bible. It uses symbols in most chapters to stand for real things It is difficult to distinguish between what is meant to be symbolic and what is literal. This difficulty is compounded in much of the book because symbolic language is clearly mixed with language that can only be literal. Thus the book appears to be an enigma wrapped in a riddle. The book is the only major example of NT apocalyptic writing. It appears to be so complex most Christians find it impossible to understand. As a result of its complexity, apparently few read it. That obtains despite the blessing pronounced on the reader in 1:3 for those who read it. Some writers have said the book was never intended to be understood because there is no apparent pattern to the prophecy. They maintain that it will never be understood this side of eternity. That idea flies in the face of common sense. If God had not intended men to understand the prophecy in the book, it would surely seem a waste to cause it to be written. There may, however, be certain things in the book that will not be completely understood in this life. That situation, according to other writers, is intended to show the Divine origin of the book. There can be little doubt the book has in it the very mind of the Almighty. Because of that, it appears to demand Divine inspiration in order to understand its total meaning. Thus the correct interpretation of the total prophecy may be revealed to men when the time is right; probably very near the end of human history on earth. The meaning of the prophecy in the book of Daniel was "sealed" or "shut up" (concealed) so that no one could completely understand it. That prophecy, according to Dan. 12:4 & 9, would be concealed until the arrival of the second (and last) "time of the end." That may be the short time period of several decades just before the end of human history when the full meaning of the Revelation also will be revealed to the followers of Christ. That is true even though the Revelation has not been "shut up" or "concealed" for many long centuries. That the book has not been "shut up" or concealed is stated emphatically in the book. Although the meaning of the prophecy of Revelation has not been concealed, many writers say the book is far more complex and much more difficult to understand than the prophecy of Daniel. Many hundreds (if not thousands) of commentaries have been written, over the centuries, in efforts to explain the prophecy. Many outlines also have been constructed in efforts to make the book more understandable. The meaning of the prophecy of the 7 letters apparently is fairly well understood. But the majority of the remainder of the prophecy appears to be less well understood. No commentary written to date fully explains the total prophecy in a biblically correct and intelligent manner. It is as if the complete meaning eludes the human intellect. Thus despite the "unsealed" nature of the prophecy, much of the book still appears to be beyond the comprehension of most laymen as well as bible scholars. The present study is a calculated attempt to give the reader a full understanding of the total prophecy. If one understands the prophecy of Daniel, the book of Revelation is not difficult to understand. The reader should first read the book "The Time of the End in the Book of Daniel" by the present writer. That book "unseals" or reveals the true meaning of Daniel's prophecy for the first time in the history of the study of Daniel.. If Daniel is fully understood, both the Revelation AND the Olivet Discourse are