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The Key to Revelation!
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What is the key to understanding
the prophetic book of Revelation?
Some
believe the Bible's last prophetic book is closed, meaning no one as yet can
understand it.
We find, however, a key verse which refutes this claim which
states, "The revelation of Jesus
Christ, which God gave to Him, to show to His servants the things that are
ordained to come to pass shortly" (Revelation
1:1, HBFV).
The
Father gave to Jesus something to REVEAL, a key not to hide.
In
the book's last chapter God reiterates that his words were given to reveal and
not to be sealed! (Revelation 22:10)
The
key to understanding is the mysterious book of Revelation is comprehending its
story flow.
The
theme of the book is the events leading up to the Jesus' second coming.
The
book's second and third chapters contain vital warnings to the seven churches
that existed in Asia Minor in the first century A.D.
Many
believe these churches represent Christians from the time of Christ to the end
time, or symbolize groups of believers that will all exist before He returns.
In
Revelation 6 Jesus begins to open the first of six seals.
As
the seals are opened the apostle John records what he hears and sees. He sees,
however, things that are symbolic of real things and events that will happen on
the earth.
The
KEY to understanding what these symbols mean is to use Jesus' Mount of Olives message
to interpret them.
Just
a short period before his death on the cross, Jesus' disciples came to him on
the Mount of Olives and asked him a key question after he stated Jerusalem's
temple would be destroyed.
They asked, "Tell
us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and
of the completion of the age?" (Matthew
24:3).
Jesus'
answer is key to interpreting the many symbols found in Revelation.
He
stated that before his return several things will happen.
The
first thing is that many people, pretending to be Him, or pretending to speak
for God, would appear.
Nations
would also begin to fight each other in a global conflict. Starvation, suffering
and devastating earthquakes will become common in the end time.
Christ also warned that true believers
will be taken and martyred for believing in and obeying God.
Additionally,
the sun will become dark, the moon will no longer shine and stars shall seem to
be falling from the sky.
A
sign will be given that the time of Jesus coming has now arrived followed by
his actual second coming back to the earth.
Now let us get back to the seals and
how they are key to comprehending prophecy.
When
seal number one is opened (Revelation 6:1) a man on a white horse is shown who also has a bow in his
hand and a crown on his head.
This
symbolizes those who PRETEND to be Jesus. They are false Christs, meaning those
who pretend to speak for God but do not!
Seal number two is then opened in
Revelation. What appears is a horse that is red, and someone who is sitting on
it who has been given the power to take peace AWAY from the world.
This
seal begins a time of war, a time when Jesus stated nations will rise up
against other nations in a global war.
Seal three is opened and a black horse
appears. The one sitting on the horse has a scale that weighs food and charges
a hefty price. This seal represents starvation and hunger.
A
fourth seal produces a pale horse that has Death riding it. It represents those
who die due to disease and pestilence (Revelation
6:7-8).
Jesus opens a key fifth seal and what
appears is an altar with the spirits of those slain for the word of God under
it (Revelation 6:9).
This
is the large killing of saints that will occur during what many call the Great
Tribulation.
Signs
in the heavens, with the sun appearing as if it were black and the moon
becoming as blood appear when the sixth seal is loosed. This represents
the time leading up to the return of Christ.
A seventh seal is opened, and under it
John sees angels, and the angels are given trumpets. This seal represents that
last seven stages of God's plan.
Trumpet plagues one, two, three and
four are are described as winds that blow on the earth, trees, rivers, sea.
Trumpets
five and six portray war. The last three of the seven trumpets are referred to
as WOES (Revelation 8:13).
Woe, Woe, Woe
The key to understanding woe number one
is given in Revelation 9:1 to 11.
The
power that brings destruction to man is told to us in Revelation 17:14. It
seems likely this power will be a type of resurgence of the old Roman Empire.
The
second woe, with its horses and horsemen, is found in Revelation 9. When the
second woe finally ends the ministry of the two witnesses does also.
When the key seventh and last Trumpet
sounds (third woe) Jesus Christ begins his return to rule the earth!
This
is the time when he shall conquer all his enemies and the world's nations will
be ruled directly by him.
Time Sequence Key
to Book of Revelation
to Book of Revelation
SEALS
False
Prophets
War
Famine
Pestilence
Tribulation
Heavenly Signs
War
Famine
Pestilence
Tribulation
Heavenly Signs
THE
SEVENTH SEAL
BEGINS THE TRUMPET PLAGUES
BEGINS THE TRUMPET PLAGUES
Trumpets
1, 2 and 3
Injure the earth, sea, trees and rivers
Injure the earth, sea, trees and rivers
4th
Trumpet
The Sun, Moon and Stars are darkened
The Sun, Moon and Stars are darkened
5th
Trumpet or First Woe
Man is tormented
Man is tormented
6th
Trumpet or Second Woe
A great army is allowed to
kill one third of the world
A great army is allowed to
kill one third of the world
7th
Trumpet or Third Woe
The ministry of the Two Witnesses
and the Seven Last Plagues
The ministry of the Two Witnesses
and the Seven Last Plagues
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