Revelation View
The Book of Revelation is uniquely structured just as the visions of the prophets of Israel. There are fast forwards, rewinds, repetition, parentheticals, compressions, and layering that the reader must grasp for correct understanding. The overall direction is chronological, but the detail is not. The Lord’s Holy Spirit will lead anyone in this adventure that is a believer in Jesus Christ and is willing to spend the time in study.
John was visited by the Lord in the first century and he was told to write down the things that were then, and still are, and to convey the Lord’s evaluation of the Church by 7 examples. The Church is the mystery (invisible) form of His Kingdom which is composed of all of His true followers, both of Israel and the nations (Gentile) from the beginning when humans were created.
John’s spirit was then taken into the future and to heaven for the purpose of being shown what would take place at the end of this present age. His view is from heaven as the earth is about to experience the Lord’s judgment process of primarily an unbelieving world of humans during the 70th week which will lead to His visible return and the establishment of His literal Kingdom. He will rule the world from Jerusalem for 1,000 years.
At first John views the heavenly dimension where he sees the Lord, His government, His angelic followers, and a large multitude of humans from all nations with 24 prominent leaders who are worshiping the Lord. These are described as those who have been saved and made an eternal Kingdom of kings and priests, and who will not be subjected to His pending judgment of an unbelieving world.
John also views the earth and is shown another multitude of 144,000 Israelites who are mortals and are sealed by the Lord for their protection just before judgment begins. These are those who will spread the truth to an unbelieving world during the 70th week and will follow the Lord where ever He goes. This saving power of the Lord will begin in Israel and then taken to the nations of an earth under judgment. Numbers of humans will respond and most will be martyred for their faith. Some will escape and remain to be gathered by the Lord just after the tribulation of those days.
The Lord opens 6 seals which describe the conditions that will prevail during His judgment process. There will be the spreading of the Gospel, intense warfare, widespread economic collapse and results, human death, martyrdom, and the negative reaction by most humans in response to His justifiable wrath. All of these conditions will exist in parallel during the 70th week.
The 7th seal represents a short pause in heaven and then His judgment will begin which will catch an unbelieving world totally off guard without warning. This is the “hour of trial” that will come upon the whole world and there will be no turning back. The first 6 trumpets will sound at the beginning of the 70th week and the actual judgment events will begin. The first 1,260 days will include Satan's presence, power, crafted delusions, and actions to control the earth. These will lead to his uncontested rule for the second 1,260 days.
He will destroy MBG’s “great city”, conquer most of the Middle East including Israel, and will defeat all other opposition of those who attempt to stop him. World domination will be his objective, but he will be forced to contend with the Lord at Armageddon where he will be defeated. Satan’s motivations and actions will include the first beast of Revelation (Abaddon), the little horn (king of the north), 10 other human kings (horns), and the false prophet (2 horns) who will lead the cult (religion) of the first beast.
The 7th trumpet will sound at the end of the second 1,260 days and then the 7 vials of the Lord’s wrath will destroy Satan’s kingdom and followers within 30 days. The little horn (human king of the north) will perish during the battle of Armageddon, Abaddon and the false prophet will be thrown into the lake of fire, and Satan will be sent to the abyss for 1,000 years so that he cannot deceive the nations that will exist during the Lord’s rule on the earth.
Are we nearing the beginning of these things that John saw in advance? We may be. Are you ready? The Lord will intervene without warning and at a time that no one can know.