THE SYMBOLISM IN BOOK OF REVELATION


While most everyone recognizes Revelation as symbolic, some folks argue it as being actual and non-symbolic, to the point of one man proposing that an actual red dragon with seven heads lurks in outer space! (It's true!). However, it's an indictment against modern Christianity's lack of biblical study to not immediately recognize the myriad of symbols in the Revelation that were taken from other internal biblical references.

THE BIBLE INTERPRETS ITSELF


The symbols CAN NEVER be haphazardly concocted. The interpretation is NOT UP FOR GRABS! It is filled with references to Hebrew customs, noted in the same Bible, which I will endeavour to show in a limited fashion here.

But one should be suspicious of futuristic slants on the book immediately upon considering what impression the futurist interpretation puts upon its adherents. What, in their mind, is stressed in the Revelation?

The answer to that question is never what the Revelation actually stresses, in my opinion.

As a former futurist, and other honest futurists must admit, I was conscious of the Revelation being about "The end of the world." It was about evil rising up. It was about horror coming. And I later realized it was precisely the opposite arena as to what the book said of it's own self! It reads that it is a Revelation of Jesus Christ. But that is nothing like the impression I was getting from futurist teaching, and the impression I was GIVING people when I taught with a futuristic approach.

Think of it. What is the MESSAGE'S POINT in the futurist sermon from Revelation? What is their main point of emphasis that you arrive at when you hear their message? In my opinion, and I know they will argue against it, the futurist message leaves you focused on anything other the revelation of Jesus Christ!

This book shows how Christ is Lord over everything! When I started preaching from the perspective of the REVELATION OF JESUS aspect, people began coming to me by the numbers saying how they really are suddenly BLESSED by reading the book, just as 1:3 says we should be -- if we read it with the thoughts of verses 1-3 in mind! And they WANTED to read it, rather than cast it aside as futurism has led so many to do, making them think the book is not AS important as the rest. And they were NOT AFRAID to read it any more. THAT was the most common reaction. They were amazed at the referencing through the rest of the Bible that is found in Revelation.

I hope I can share part of my own amazement and wonder in this thread by showing the referencing made.

A GNOSTIC OR SECRET CODE?

The key to interpreting the Revelation is, for the most part, the Old Testament. Period.
And you apply these symbols used in Revelation that were taken from the Old Testament to the life of Jesus and the early church. You find the stories of the Old Testament, from which Revelation takes references, actually PARALLEL Jesus and the early church!
I guarantee, that if you were to start recognizing this, you would wonder in absolute glory at the wisdom of God in ending the Bible with this book! (And I might add you would chuckle at the literal interpretation). You would!
First of all, Revelation begins using TEMPLE SYMBOLS. Candlesticks mentioned as being BEHIND JOHN, who has to TURN and see where the voice comes. When he TURNS, he sees the seven candlesticks (the seven-branched menorah). If he had to TURN, then where in the tabernacle would he have faced if the candlesticks were directly BEHIND HIM? They were SOUTH in the holy place. That means, John faced NORTH.

And what was NORTH? THE TABLE OF SHEWBREAD!
John was truly FEASTING in the Spirit on the bread and wine!
Revelation tells us that the spirit of prophecy is the TESTIMONY OF JESUS. What is the testimony of Jesus? Why, none other than the DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION, and His ascendant glory!
Revelation is speaking about THAT. Its NOT the end of the world that is in mind. Its a REVELATION of Jesus, and HIS COVENANT!
Now, how is a two hundred million membered army from China, according to futurist Hal Lindsay, going to glorify Christ and His covenant?
What about a computer chip?
THE FATE OF ISRAEL is throughout Revelation. If we can see this covenantal aspect in the book, showing how the cross ended Law in a spiritual and internal manner, and how God THEN dealt with externally removing every OLD COVENANT ASPECTS, which we rendered empty and futile at the cross, we would bound forth a million mile in progress in studying this book.
No greater change took place on earth since Adam was cast out of Eden and God gave law to Moses, than the cross that ended law and the immediate generation years that followed which removed all traces of law's ritual, and ONLY CONFIRMED, not actualized, the New Testament precedence!
One more VERY important note we must see. REVELATION PARALLELS EZEKIEL PERFECTLY!
Ezekiel is the Old Testament version of Revelation. You start in Ezekiel with the chariot of Cherubims, and Christ seated atop on a sapphire throne. Christ is seen as golden or amber from his loins upward, and fire from his loins downward (see last few verses of Ezek. 1). And this is Christ all over again in Rev 1, where he is girt about the paps with gold and his legs like brass burning in a furnace!
And the throne of Rev 4 is identical to the throne He sits upon in Ezekiel. A rainbow is around it.

And even the sealed book is noted in EZEKIEL 3! Written within and on the backside. And Ezekiel is told to eat the ROLL, while John eats the unsealed book in Revelation 10!
The book of Ezekiel follows Revelation all the way through... AND DEALS WITH JERUSALEM!! Ezekiel 16 calls Jerusalem the whore, just Like Revelation does in chapter 17 and 18. And Rev 18:24 matches Jesus words about Jerusalem in Matthew 23:35.
I do not have time to note every single parallel. The two books identify with each other all the way through! Even to Ezekiel 5 where the city is divided three ways by representation of Ezekiel's HAIR that is 1/3 burnt, 1/3 cast to the wind and 1/3 part smitten with a knife. Ever read of a CITY divided into THREE PARTS during an earthquake in Revelation? HINT HINT.
Ezekiel ends with a HUGE TEMPLE with a river coming out of it, with trees on either side whose leaves are medicine for the nations and the fruit comes forth in her months. (Read Ezekiel 47). Revelation has ONE TREE, with leaves and fruit in the precise same manner.

And the City in Revelation is ONE HUGE MOST HOLY PLACE. It is a cube, just as the ORACLE, or most holy place was in 1 Kings 6:20. And the river is there with the tree of life and the fruit.
Why many trees in Ezekiel 47, and only one tree in Rev 22:1? Because it is Christ. The tree has many branches. ,Psalm 1:3 speaks about saints as trees planted BY THE WATER (the river of life in Rev 22), whose leaf does not whither, and fruit is always there. Note that leaves and fruit were distinctly noted in Rev 22:1 and Ezek 47:12?
Its Christ and the church. Isaiah calls us trees of righteousness. This is analogous to John 15's Vine and branches.
Someone pointed this out to me:
Awesome!

EZEKIEL AND REVELATION PARALLEL


1. THRONE VISION - (Rev 4./Ezek 1).
2. THE BOOK (Rev 5/Ezek 2-3)
3. THE PLAGUES (Rev 6:1-8/Ezek 5).
4. Slain Beneath the Altar (Rev. 6:9-11/Ezek. 6)
5. WRATH OF GOD (Rev 6:12-17/Ezek 7).
6. SEAL ON SAINTS' FOREHEADS (Rev 7/Ezek 9)
7. COALS FROM ALTAR (Rev. 8/Ezek 10).
8. NO MORE DELAY (Rev. 10:1-7/Ezek 12).
9. EATING THE BOOK (Rev 10:8-11/Ezek. 2)
11. MEASURING THE TEMPLE (Rev. 11:1-2/Ezek. 40-43)
11. JERUSALEM AND SODOM (Rev. 11:8/Ezek 16)
12. CUP OF WRATH (Rev. 14/Ezek. 23).
13. VINE OF THE LAND (Rev. 14:18-20/Ezek 15)
14. GREAT HARLOT (Rev 17-18/Ezek. 16, 23).
15. LAMENT OVER THE CITY (Rev. 18/Ezek 27)
16. SCAVENGER'S FEAST (Rev. 19/Ezek 39)
17. FIRST RESURRECTION (Rev 20:4-6/Ezek 37).
18 BATTLE WITH GOG AND MAGOG (Rev. 20:7-9/Ezek 38-39)
19. NEW JERUSALEM (Rev 21/Ezek 40-48)
20. RIVER OF LIFE (Rev 22/Ezek 47)

A DOOMSDAY EMPHASIS?


I learned that there were pagan apocalyptist “preachers” in the second century who would concoct all sorts of nonsensically vague symbols, that they really did not even intend to be understood. And they always proposed doom and gloom. They proposed evil ruled the day and God would sit back until the end and intervene. These guys would go wild in their speculations! There was nothing they said that would give people an answer of what to do. Just bear the evil until the end. This is identical to the emphasis we find as the resulting feeling saints are given by futurist teachings.

But Revelation is totally different. It is ROOTED FIRMLY in the Old Testament. People who do not understand it’s symbols simply do not know the Bible quite well. Do we think we know the bible today? What were phylacteries? The early church knew more of the entire bible more than most believers know one book of the bible today. So the symbols in Revelation are not even recognized as biblical symbols!
Instead of there being evil ruling, we read of God’s people overcoming the devil by the blood of the lamb! Where do you hear that stressed in futurism? For the most part, a fear to get out of this world in a pre-trib rapture is what is stressed, before an end-time tribulation comes.
John was not given this information to simply satisfy our curiosity as to what will happen later on. He told us these things to get to work and do the Lord’s will and OVERCOME THE DEVIL! REVEAL JESUS!
Imagine reading the bible to see if you can find the latest reported technology of today hinted at in there, rather than reading it to get stirred as to what you should be doing for the kingdom!
It’s about Jesus. And if you do not get that impression, you are reading it through stained glasses tinted with false doctrine.
Prophecy in the bible is not just predicting the future. It is a message to God’s people that is always written in a covenant form. For example, Isaiah spoke of the people of Israel becoming God’s people using terms borrowed from the accounts of creation.
Isa 51:16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
Even cultural issues in their day were used to figuratively give a message to the people in VERY plain terms. That is why familiar references were made! It was not Gnostic! It was not secret messages! It was plain references that were VERY familiar to the people to whom it was written. Since the early church was comprised of people who very much were familiar with the Old Covenant, for example, there abounds references to the Old Testament writings that were borrowed and used as allegories of the message for the people of the New Testament early church.
Do we believe God makes the Christian today lie down in green pastures in a very literal sense? Of course not! Psalms abound with literary figures of speech. It is the style of writing used in such books. Acts is a history book for the most part. Revelation is not future history. It is written in the STYLE of the Psalms and other such books. David wrote of God being seen riding wings of the wind coming in thick clouds of darkness in wrath Against David’s enemies. Revelation is written in PRECISELY THE SAME MANNER.
It’s POETIC!
All the prophets always spoke in this way! There are images of creation in Genesis that were referenced repeatedly by the prophets. Rev 1:1 said the book was written in SIGNIFYING manner. Symbolic. Just like Psalm 23. But what mockers always and consistently throw their heads beneath the sand to avoid seeing, is that these symbols are TAKEN FROM THE BIBLE ITSELF. That is a far cry from one brother who takes Daniel’s references to a Leopard kingdom from a "confirmation" in a newspaper where Germany was said to have Leopard tanks!
We get the symbols from the Bible itself!
John never made up the images. And we cannot interpret them using our own ingenuity. They are carefully taken from the rest of the Bible. Christ is a Lamb because a LAMB was sacrificed in Exodus’ Passover , and not because Lambs are gentle, loving creatures.

REVELATION IF FILLED WITH OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES


One man studied and found 348 allusions (not illusions, Light) in Revelation from the Old Testament. You see the similarity in wording and the context mirrored in Revelation and the particular Old Testament story, and immediately can recognize the reference source! That’s, IF you know the bible well enough to even notice that.

95 of the 348 plain references used in Revelation as taken from the Old Testament are repeated in Revelation. That makes about 250 Old Testament passages are cited. How many chapters are in Revelation? 22. That makes about TEN OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES FOR EVERY CHAPTER!

One man saw 235 references in Revelation from the writings of the Prophets.

57 from the Pentateuch.

56 from historical and poetic books of the Bible.

So anyone can see that Revelation is founded upon the Old Testament more than any other New Testament book! God is not going to give visions to His people using unknown references and symbols. The whole point is REVELATION! It is REVEALING!

FUTURISM MAKES REVELATION IRRELEVANT FOR THE FIRST 2,000 YEARS OF THE CHURCH AGE


Futurism contends that the church could never know what Revelation’s mark of the beast really was until thousands of years after it was written, when we now have computer technology. Think about it! What relevance did the book have to the early church to whom it was first given? NONE, if futurism is right! Not only that, but NOTHING in Revelation was of any value to the early church, because none of those events listed would ever take place in their lifetimes, nor for the lifetimes of the next 2000 years of believers.

However, John wrote to the very people who were in persecution beneath Jerusalem’s jewish assaults against the church, of which John himself was a victim and exiled on a prison island.

Rev 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

This is a book written about a time of tribulation when the church will never be on this earth, according to pretrib futurists, and is introduced by a man who writes of being COMPANION in tribulation that his readers were also experiencing every day of their lives! That first chapter flies in the face of the entire pretrib rapture theory!

 The gospel was first preached to Jews and gentiles who were proselytes to Judaism. The very seven churches of Asia were actually congregations of the church that formed from the people who formerly belonged to Synagogues!
Acts 2:9 speaks of Jewish people from Asia.
John mostly preached to Jews as well.
Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
So it would be clear that the seven churches of Asia Minor, who were formerly jewish proselyte believers, were given writings predominantly filled with Judaic covenant references!
The churches in that day who did not even have Hebrew members, always used Old Testament scriptures in teaching and in worship.

EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT "THE MARK"


Think of the seals and marks that Revelation mentions as being put on people. Revelation 7 has the 144,000 sealed on their foreheads. Revelation 9:4 mentions the seal and mark of God. Rev 14 mentions the 144,000 with the Father’s name on their foreheads. Rev 22:4 notes God’s name on the foreheads of the people of the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 13 mentions the mark of the beast on forehead and hand.
Forget the tripe of sensational interpretation. Think about what you would have thought, had you known the bible backwards and forwards, and were living in the early church who first received this book.
Forehead….? Hmmm…..
Adam would sweat in his brow due to a curse. The high priest had a plate on his forehead reading HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD. Deut 6:6-8 and Ezekiel 9:4-6 mentions God sealing people in their foreheads and being blessed and protected. PHYLACTERIES (Mat 23:5) were the scriptures actually put in little boxes and strapped to the foreheads of the people in Deut 6:6-8, and the term actually means DEFENSES and PROTECTIONS.

Notice the seal in Rev 7 PROTECTED the 144,000 from the destruction of the “four winds”!!
In every case, the positive SEAL (while here was a bad one, as in Adam’s forehead bearing sweat), on the forehead in the Old Testament scriptures denoted an OWNERSHIP of God and His provided protection because of it. This is identical to the use in Revelation 7!!! And the devil’s OWNERSHIP of a person would obviously be indicated by a similar, and counterfeit, seal. This is not haphazardly concocting interpretations. It is looking at the CONTEXT of the similar references in the Old Testament, and noticing a COMMON THREAD OF THOUGHT! THAT is how you interpret the symbols in Revelation!!
Gnosticism? What a hoot! It's obvious symbolism, or else symbols taken from the Old Testament writings!
Song of Solomon is clearly a story showing the relationship of the church with Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom. Is it gnostic to say that? Does someone needs a secret code to interpret Song of Solomon? Of course not! Yet this is exactly how I propose we interpret Revelation. Everyone who preaches that Song of Solomon is symbolic of the church knows that we are not literally in a sexual relationship with God, about which the book speaks in abundance!!!! (William Branham might think that way, though). But the intimate relationship that is found in Song of Solomon represents the spiritual union of the church and Jesus.

What about Jesus’ words concerning a man with a BEAM – a piece of wood the size of a tree trunk – stuck in his eye? Is that realistic? Of course not. It stresses a message.

Symbols in Revelation are never isolated symbols. They are part of an entire system of symbolism in the entire bible that is there in plain view. There’s nothing Gnostic about this idea, any more than its Gnostic to say that Jesus never intended us to look for actual trees in people’s eyes who are critical of others. In other words, if someone accuses this of Gnostic spiritualization of Revelation, then, by necessity, such critics must say that Jesus was a GNOSTIC, if they do not believe Jesus spoke in metaphors at times.

SIGNIFIED


More on the term SIGNIFIED:

John wrote Revelation, and the term SIGNIFIED in Rev 1:1, meaning to symbolize, is found in John's Gospel as well, giving the same sense.
quote:

Joh 12:30-33 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. (31) Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. (32) And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (33) This he said, signifying what death he should die.

(The next verse refers to the above one.)

Joh 18:32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.

Joh 21:18-19 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. (19) This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.



In each case, Jesus did not speak plainly about death, but SIGNIFIED death using poetic language.

One man wrote that Rev 1:1 makes it clear that God is not showing photographs of Heaven in this book!
If Revelation were written about a day 2000 years later – today – then John would have been no less than a mocker who spoke to Christians suffering in his day in this letter to the seven churches of Asia minor, referring to glimpses of a future generation of the earth.

One man wrote that Rev 1:1 makes it clear that God is not showing photographs of Heaven in this book.


Jesus is seen coming in clouds in Rev 1. This is not the coming for the church in resurrection. Coming in clouds was a judgmental picture, commonly used in the Old Testament.

Gen 15:17; Ex 13:21-22; 14:19-20, 24; 19:9, 16-19; Ps. 18:8-14; 104:3; Isa 19:1; Ezek. 32:7-8; Matt 24:30; Mark 14:62; Acts 2:19.

He comes in this cloud to protect His people and destroy the enemies.

Nah 1:2-8 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. (3) The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. (4) He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. (5) The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. (6) Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. (7) The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. (8) But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

Notice that He comes in clouds bringing wrath and deliverance.

RAINBOW ROUND ABOUT THE THRONE


 The rainbow is wonderful. Its very significant.

Green means life, in the Word. And a rainbow was first given to show that God would not more destroy by a flood. And floods always spoke of death, so we can say NO MORE DEATH. LIFE is the opposite of DEATH!

When the lamb went to the throne in Revelation 5, that throne had the emerald rainbow round about it. The place of the rainbow was across the sea of glass as well, that formed a watery barrier, much like Noah's flood.

Noah's ark had to come and land on Ararat. Imagine Ararat when the waters first started receding. It would have looked like an island. And it was there on that "island" that Noah arrived and God gave a covenant, and showed the rainbow.

Well, John saw the throne as a sort of island across the sea of glass. And He saw the Lord walk on water over there, as a lamb, like the ark, and took the sealed covenant book. And there was where the rainbow stood as well!

Jesus is our ark!

We have to get to the rainbow! We do it IN CHRIST.

And because Jesus was seen as a lamb as though it had been slain, and was standing, we see RESURRECTION. He crossed the flood of DEATH and made it to the other side where the rainbow covenant was. And that covenant represented NO MORE FLOODS. NO MORE DEATH.

We are baptized into Christ's death, and therefore are resurrected with Him, and IN HIM, as He went to the throne and the rainbow covenant.

And THAT is the reason that although the LAMB PREVAILED to be able to open the covenant, we read that the believers were made kings and priests.

Part of God's covenant to Noah was to have dominion over the earth, much like He told Adam to multiply, subdue and replenish the earth.

Jesus told the Laodicaeans that if they would overcome AS HE DID, then they would sit on His throne with Him as HE OVERCAME and sat down.

We read how He overcame in Rev 5! But why do we read that HE overcame and the believers are kings (obviously sitting on a throne)? Because HIS OVERCOMING is reckoned to us by FAITH that we died with Him.

He overcame by His death and resurrection. Since He died AS US, then we overcame the way he did, more perfectly than mere imitation of His victory!

Its all the RAINBOW COVENANT!

Christ went to the throne AS US. Just as He died and arose again AS US.

if we can get this revelation, WE WILL REIGN AS KINGS IN THE EARTH AS WELL! What can overcome us if we are seated with Him in heavenly places?!

IS REVELATION TOTALLY SPIRITUAL
WITH NOTHING TO DO WITH NATURAL ISSUES?


I do not at all look at Revelation as simply natural consequences that result from spiritual violations. I think that is PART of it, though. But its more a mopping up and removal of leftover insistences on sticking to the ritual from the old covenant after Christ finished it on the cross.

But it is also a picture of how Satan, in futility, had attempted to beat down and out the church using God's former bride turned whore with the devil. And the Revelation shows such irony as Jerusalem being tagged with epithets that were originally given to ancient Babylon, Jerusalem's greatest foe and captor in centuries gone by, as Jerusalem, herself, became a Babylon.
The Pharisees and religious leaders became the worst enemies of the New spiritual Generation of the church.

And it is the church's conquest and successful overcoming to haul down every opponent, using the faith that overcomes the world that is centred upon the blood of the lamb and their union testimony derived from that lamb's death. And that will ever be the church's manner to overcome anything in our day and the days to come.
Since the church's first greatest battle was with Jerusalem turned into Babylon, that battle is dealt with in Revelation, since that was the battle of the day in which the book was first given to the church. And it forms a spiritual pattern by which the church will always overcome its enemies.
Its the establishment of the spiritual temple and Jerusalem. And it ends by showing the church going forth and conquering with the Gospel.
It is a HUGE issue to see changeover from Law to Grace. It occurred on the cross, (BILL!), but confirmed in Jerusalem's destruction and removal. The issue of that change and that difference is just as much stressed in the entire book of Hebrews, and Romans, and Galatians. So it is in Revelation.
Change from Law to Grace is a MAJOR issue in the entire New testament teaching. Jerusalem's demise may not figure as a great issue in our minds, but it certainly did in God's mind. Jerusalem was His bride! It was no little thing for her to turn as she did against Him, and to persecute His new Bride, the church. Her destruction was long-awaited, even as Christ said she was found guilty of all righteous blood shed on earth! NEVER WAS ANYBODY accused of such guilt!


Some more Old Testament references of Revelation: (garnered from research).

John was in the spirit on the Lord's Day.

THe original Hebrew language for "cool of the day," in Genesis 3, when God's voice was heard, actually is "spirit of the day". And this was a day of judgment for Adam!

The reason Adam HID in the Garden when he heard that VOICE, is because it was not just a sound of talking. It was THUNDEROUS! The Hebrew is rendered NOISE.

Ezekiel 1 tells us what the noise of the Lord sounded like. Rushing waters, thunder, an host. No wonder Adam hid! And the picture we see that the Garden entrance of cherubims and a flaming sword is again what Ezekiel saw -- God's glory cloud with cheurbims and his throne above. Fire enfolded in the midst.

Anyway, Adam was judged on this day of the Lord -- that spirit of the day.

And John hears His voice like a trumpet blasting, just as Adam would have heard it that day. There are scores of references in Revelation from Genesis first three chapters.

The sword from Jesus mouth is a common reference from Isaiah. Isa 11:4; 2:16.

Christ appears with white hair, gold chest wrapping, brazen legs burning in a furnace, eyes of fire. Its like Christ is a flaming glorious presence. The high priest wore reds, and blues and whites and golds, which would be the very appearance of fiery flames.

John falls down as if he is dead. And the Lord touches him with his right hand, telling him not to fear. Daniel experienced the same thing in 10:9-11.

When God appeared in a glory cloud in the Exodus, the Egyptians were getting the brunt of judgment, while Israel was safe. Jesus tells John, in effect, that He is come in judgment, but John ought not fear. He is on John's side.

John is resurrected, as it were, when the Lord touches Him, because John fell like a dead man!

And Jesus holds seven stars in his right hand -- the same hand that touched John and "resurrected" him, although John did not actually die. The idea of resurrection life is there.

The stars always symbolized governing powers. That is why flags, to this day, use stars and suns and moons on them. Genesis' 4th day had the sun and moon called RULERS. The stars are the angels of the churches because they RULE and GOVERN the churches.

These stars are responsible for the church's actions.

It is interesting that John writes to seven churches.

Paul wrote to exactly seven churches in the New Testament, named after regions.

ROMANS, CORINTHIANS, GALATIANS, EPHESIANS, PHILIPPIANS, COLOSSIANS, THESSALONIANS.

PATTERN OF OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY IN LETTERS TO SEVEN CHURCHES


And the seven churches and their letters show a parallel to the entire Old Testament period. So we see how the Old was a shadow of the New.

EPHESUS

This is the GARDEN PICTURE.

Jesus is in the midst of the candlesticks as in the Garden trees. And The angel is commended for guarding the church against error, as Adam was to guard or keep the Garden. But the angel left his first love, as Adam had fallen. And the candlestick would be removed, as Adam was removed from the Garden, if they did not repent. And the Garden remains open to  theovercomer, as Jesus tells the overcomers that they may eat of the fruit of life.

SMYRNA

This is the period following the Garden when the Patriarchs lived. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph up to Moses.

Isaac and Joseph both experienced a sort of death come to life again. Isaac was resurrected in a sense from the altar, since Abraham fully intended to slay him and have God resurrect him to fulfill the promise of having seed from Isaac.  Josephwas left as dead, in Jacob's mind, when the boys sold him, and he "arose" to rule in Egypt. Smyrna's church was poor yet rich, like the "fathers' who lived as strangers in the land. They would be imprisoned as Joseph was. And in Moses' day Aaron wore a crown of life as high priest. And the tribulation paralleled the plagues in Egypt they endured.

PERGAMOS

Wilderness journey from Egypt.

The wilderness is likened to an abode of devils, just as Pergamos' believers were where satan's seat was. During the Exodus, Balaam and Balak were resisting, just as is mentioned to this church. The angel of the Lord stood ready to smite Balaam with a sword.  Balaam was slain with the sword by Phinehas the priest in Numbers 31.  The enemies of this church would be smitten with the sword of God's mouth. And the overcomers are the ones who go into the most holy place to eat the hidden manna from the ark inside there!!

THYATIRA

This corresponds to the age after the exodus when Israel had a monarchy and brings in David's kingdom.

Jesus calls himself Son of God, as is parallel in David (Read Psalm 2:7, and many more Psalms, where David speaks of himself in foreshadow of Son of God). The church tolerated Jezebel, a wicked queen in the time of the monarchs of Israel. 3.5 years of tribulation occurred in her day due to backsliding, and this is parallel, of course, with the 3.5 years mentioned throughout Revelation. Then it ends with ruling with a rod of iron, which is a Psalm of David (2:9).

SARDIS

End of the monarchy in Israel.

The people of God were defeated and taken captive into Babylon. Church thinks its alive but really dead. A few people are faithful. Like a remnant that would come out of Babylon.

PHILADELPHIA

Return from Exile in Babylon with Ezra and Nehemiah.

They rebuilt the temple, which is noted in this letter to this church. But there is a synagogue of satan. False Jews fought Ezra and Nehemiah in Ezra 4 and Neh. 4, 6 and 13. An hour of testing would come paralleled by Antiochus Epiphanes who came after the old testament period as prophesied in Dan 8 and 11, witnessed by the historical, but uninspired, book called Maccabees. New Jerusalem was the reward of the overcomers... a new temple!

LAODICAEA

Last Days from time of Jesus when Pharisees and scribes ruled. They bragged of self-sufficiency. They were naked and poor! Jesus said they  bwoulde spewed out, just as God would devastate Jerusalem 40 years after killing Jesus. They must repent and sup with Jesus, as in the communion supper of bread and wine. They would rule with Jesus on his throne, as indicated by the entire church age.

 In the letter to the church at Ephesus, which did exist in the days John wrote the book of Revelation, Jesus tells this specific church:
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Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Now, we know that this would not be THE second coming. But its like many other references to His coming. He said He'd come AGAINST THEM. He'd remove the candlestick from its place.
Similarly the coming of the Lord in Matthew 24 is not the great second coming. It is a coming against Jerusalem alone, as in the Ephesus example. This is a common biblical thought, never to be confused with the second coming.

 In Rev 4, we read a series of sights which parallel perfectly the sights Moses saw, and made pattern after for the tabernacle.

Moses was told the following:
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Exo 24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

John was told something very similar:
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Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Not only that, but look at the events of the day Moses would see these things:
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Exo 19:11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

Exo 19:16-19 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. (17) And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. (18) And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. (19) And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
It was the THIRD DAY!!! John saw this:
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Rev 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

Then John saw a series of sights that Moses spoke about in type:

(1)

The first thing Moses was told to make was an ARK OF THE COVENANT. This is God's throne.
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Exo 25:10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

What did John see first?
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Rev 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
(2)

Then Moses was told make the table of shewbread:
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Exo 25:23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
John then saw...
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Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Moses saw the table and John saw the chairs!

(3)

Then Moses was told...
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Exo 25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
John saw...
quote:
Rev 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
(4)

Then Moses heard:
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Exo 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

Exo 26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
John saw a barrier of sorts as similar to the curtains and veil.
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Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
It's interesting that the veil had cherubims sewn into it. John saw the four beasts/cherubims associated with the sea barrier.
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Rev 4:7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.


Then Revelation 5 comes into play. The sealed book is written on the front and backside. JUST LIKE MOSES' TABLES.
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Exo 32:15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
I noted earlier that Moses saw all of this ON A THIRD DAY, and John saw the same sensational sights. Well, it must have spiritually been the third day of Christ's resurrection, because we read:
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Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Jesus is standing after having been slain! Resurrection occurred on the third day!

God showed John what transpired in heaven the day Christ resurrected!

The NEW COVENANT was presented before John's eyes in the form of the sealed book, the mystery hidden from ages, just as Moses was given the tables written on both sides, the Old Testament.

12 POINTS THAT REFUTE FUTURISM


The following points seal the issue, in my opinion.

(1) The disciples equate the SIGN OF HIS COMING in Matthew 24 with the SIGN WHEN THESE THINGS (temple destruction) come to pass in Mark and Luke.
(2) Jesus speaks to "this generation", meaning the period of time in which the people of His day would live, in both Matthew 23:36, and Matthew 24:33-34.
(3) Jesus said Jerusalem was guilty of all blood shed on earth in Mat 23:35, and the whore had all the blood shed on earth in her in Rev 18:24. more than one party cannot be guilty of all blood.
(4) Jesus said Jerusalem's women and their children would cry for the rocks and mountains to cover them in Luke 23:28-30, and that is the sixth seal in Rev. 6:16.
(4) The same generation that would see the temple destroyed, which occurred in 70 AD, would see all the other signs listed in Matthew 24. (Matt 24:33-34). You cannot split up the chapter into 70 AD fulfillment, plus our future fulfillment. Jesus said ALL the events would occur in one generation.
(5) Rev 11:2 says Jerusalem would be trodden by the gentiles (ROMANS - 4th GENTILE KINGDOM IN NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S VISION) for 3.5 years - which is exactly how long it took Rome to smash the city. Jesus spoke of the same events in Luke 21:24.
(6) Jesus said the events of tribulation and wrath against Jerusalem, in Luke 21, were the days of vengeance. Revelation's fifth seal shows the souls of those slain demanding vengeance for their blood. And Jesus said Jerusalem would come good for all blood shed on earth since Abel. Those souls are pre-cross souls, because they did not get their white robes until after their deaths. We already have white robes of righteousness as soon as we are saved.
(7) Jesus said people standing before Him would NOT TASTE OF DEATH before they see Him coming in Matthew 16:28. This cannot refer to the next chapter and the transfiguration, because that was only a week later! The only way that would make sense for Him to speak about the following week, is if the people were so old it would be some who would barely survive the week, or so sick they would barely make the week. The stress was upon some still being alive when that occurred - shall not taste death. This cannot refer to saints being dead and yet in a state of life thousands of years later, as if the coming was thousands of years later, because Jesus said the High Priest would also see that coming - Mat 26:63-64. He would not be in a state of spiritual life thousands of years later!
(8) Jesus said the very followers He spoke to would not be able to cover Israel before the Son of man be come in Mat 10:23. This is not referring to the church in general, but to the very men He spoke to, because verse 5 distinguishes the words to the 12 He sent forth. Jesus said, "YOU." (The same "YOU" as is throughout Matthew 24:6-28).
(9) Since Matthew 24:2's sign of His coming is the sign when the temple would be destroyed in Mark and Luke, the context restricts the sun and moon changing appearance to that time period. And research into Old Testament references of the same picture show this to have been fulfilled many times, showing us it is figurative of a kingdom collapsing. It was said to have happened when Babylon, Edom and Egypt were destroyed.
(10) The Greek term translated as WORLD in "end of the world" of Matthew 24:3, is AION, from whence we derive the term EON, meaning an AGE -- not the planet.
(11) The greek term for WORLD in Matthew 24:14, "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come," is oikoumene, meaning LAND, or the Roman Empire. We know that it is restricted ot the then-known world, because Paul said this was fulfilled in his day.
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Col 1:5-6 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; (6) Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:


(12) Some say Luke 21 speaks of both 70 AD and our future. Luke's own words deny that.
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Luk 21:31-32 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. (32) Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
You have to go clear back to Luke 21:6 to know what "THESE THINGS" involves. And they would all occur in one generation. It is not a spiritual generation, as though the entire church age is one generation. Jesus distinguished the generation of Jerusalem in His day from the people's past generations who slew the prophets, by saying THIS generation would be guilty of ALL BLOOD SHED, unlike the past peoples.
Matthew rendered the same words as, "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Same conversation -- same intention -- same references.
Just my opinion. Can people who disagree at least see WHY I interpret the scriptures in this fashion?
This manner interprets Revelation BY JESUS' OWN WORDS.
What could be worse than Jesus' own Bride, Jerusalem (Ezekiel 16), crucifying Him and calling for Caesar to be her King? In order for the greatest tribulation of all earth's experience to occur in our future, there is going to have to be a worse crime than the cross to yet occur. That is IMPOSSIBLE. Even if an antichrist sits on the throne in a temple in our future, and calls himself GOD, that still would not be worse than what the Jews did in rejecting and crucifying my Lord. The greatest blessing came from the worst crime and sin imaginable. Is God going to judge such an antichrist WORSE than His judgment upon Jerusalem for what THEY did? The punishment of the worst tribulation must fit the crime.
The work of the cross is the CENTRAL POINT of it all! Even all prophecy!

THE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN


Revelation 5 shows Jesus as High Priest and sacrifice, BOTH, as a lamb carrying His own blood to the throne. The ark's mercyseat depicted this throne. And the four beasts were about the throne as they were on the mercyseat, covering it. They're the seraphim of Isa. 6.
And Heaven, that John saw, was the true Most Holy Place! No man could go in to take the book, just as only the high priest could go into the most holy place. And This goes all the way back to the Garden, where Man was cast out due to sin. the most Holy Place represented the Garden!

The veil covering the most holy place had cherubims embroidered into it, just as the entrance the Garden was blocked by cherubims and a flaming sword. We know the flaming sword was by the veil in the tabernacle and temple, because Lev. 10 shows Nadab and Abihu trying to enter and fire slaying them.
And the lamb appears BETWEEN THE THRONE AND THE FOUR BEASTS.
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Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
If the four beasts, cherubims, were positioned as guardians here, in the same manner that they were in  theGarden, then standing BETWEEN the throne and the cherubims would be like STANDING INSIDE THE GARDEN, that nobody could enter!
The Lord sat on the Throne with a the book in his right hand. Just like the tree of life with the fruit of life in its branches.
And John is told to eat the book in Revelation 10, as though we now have access back into the Garden again! The LAMB OPENED THE WAY! WE CAN EAT THE FRUIT OF LIFE, which is THE GOSPEL WORD OF SALVATION! Acts 2:38!