Q: Why is it that though Revelation is clearly written to 1st century Christians, for example 13:17-18, people try to put a 21st century meaning to it? —Craig
A: Revelation was written around 95 AD, during the time when Roman emperor Domitian had commenced persecuting the Church. Exiled on the island of Patmos for his faith (Revelation 1:9), the apostle John was commissioned to write what he saw in a vision and to send the book to the seven churches of the Roman province of Asia (Revelation 1:1-2, 11). Letters dealing with specific challenges were sent to the seven churches (Revelation 2–3).
Revelation 1–11 presents God’s people being persecuted by the world. Revelation 12–22 depicts Satan’s attack on Christ and believers. Throughout the book, John writes of the intense persecution that God’s people had to endure. So, the purpose of Revelation is to encourage and comfort believers of all ages in their struggle against Satan and his cohorts—proclaiming that Christ is the Victor and Satan the vanquished.
Revelation is a book of prophecy (Revelation 1:3, 22:7, 10, 18-19) pointing to the end of human history, the end-times. Revelation 4–22 deals with events that are in the future, events which will take place immediately before, during, and following the Second Coming of Christ. Specifically, Revelation 4–18 describes the last seven years preceding the Second Coming of Christ, particularly the Great Tribulation, occurring in the last three and one-half years before His coming.
The Second Coming itself is given the most graphic portrayal anywhere in the Bible in Revelation 19, followed by the 1000-year reign of Christ on earth (Revelation 20). The eternal state is revealed in Revelation 21–22. Much of the book of Revelation (Revelation 4-22) is about the future—how the world will end. These things will one day be brought to fulfillment by God. And, as stated previously, the message is relevant for us today.
In His concluding words to His people, Jesus assures us, “I am coming soon!” And this must remain our clarion call, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20-21). May the book of Revelation inspire us to live for Jesus today even as we await His return! —K.T. Sim
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daisymarygoldr on April 13, 2014 at 2:15 pm
Read every verse, chapter and book in light of the rest of the Bible. No scripture was written to be heard and read by only one group of people living in one specific point of time. Don’t remain fixated on the historical context and miss the timeless truths of God’s redemptive purposes.
When the Bible is not read in its entirety, you will miss the big picture. This is what happened when Christ first entered Jerusalem. In the past, the people of Israel missed the time of their visitation because they failed to connect the purpose of Christ’s coming and the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. And today in the present people are still making the same mistake. Many are observing Palm Sunday—all caught up in celebrating Jesus riding on a donkey; when the redeemed of the Lord are passionately preparing for His return riding a white horse.
Back to the question: The book of Revelation describes events that have occurred and some that have not. So, there is no denying of Revelation’s meaning for the1st century Christians. However, events like the second coming of Christ and His return to Jerusalem to rule the whole earth as the King of Kings (Zechariah 14; Revelation 19:11-16), is yet to be fulfilled.