Introduction to the Book of Revelation.

The book of revelation is just what its name implies; it is a revelation from God the father to God the Son, to John, for the Angels of the church, the laity of the church being the final recipients. It’s just a revelation of the end time attitudes and behavior that will dominate in the church in the last days, and the consequential events as a result thereof. The entire message is to the church and the message is, except the attitude of the church in general, and yours personally, at the end of the church dispensation are aligned with the B attitudes at the beginning of the church dispensation, Matt. Chapter 5-7, many in the church will miss the rapture. Five of the seven churches were rejected because of ungodly attitudes. Everything in revelation from chapters 5 through chapter 18, are the events of the tribulation and the consequences of missing the rapture, and therein is the purpose of the letter to the church.

Although there will be a great loss of life during the great tribulation, it’s not the end of this earth, its inhabitants, nor of time as we know it today. Life will exist on earth through the one-thousand-year millennial reign, and into that little season after Satan’s release from the bottomless pit, see Rev. 20:1-3, a possible 1250 years after the rapture. One half of the earth’s population will be killed, but not at the hand of God, nor the antichrist. The only deaths associated with, or attributed to the antichrist are the martyr’s, Rev.6:9-11, and the multitude in Ch. 7:9,13,14. But the groups in chapter seven verses 9-14, include all saints who died in the tribulation, not just the martyrs, but those from the events of the tribulation, and/or natural sources. God is not seeking vengeance or retribution upon those who missed the rapture. So, the events of the tribulation are not God’s plan, desire, will, or his judgment, but the consequences of man’s own behavior unfolding in the last days, see Galatians 6:7.

Peter said in 11Pet. 3:9 that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all come to repentance. John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief cometh not but for to kill, steal, and destroy, but I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly “. It would be contrary to the nature / character of God, and works of the cross, for God to implement a plan or exercise his will or judgment that would cause a sinner to parish in the age of grace. While there is judgement under grace it’s under the law of sowing and reaping, Gal.6:7-8, which means, it’s correctable and forgivable. God has shortened the days of the great tribulation less no flesh should be saved (Mark 13:20) He did that by confining all the violence of the tribulation into the last three- and one-half years of the seven-year tribulation, the great tribulation.                     

God grace will be multiplied in the tribulation as sin and death will abound. Paul says in Romans 5:20 where sin did abound (increase) grace did much more abound. The raptured church is gone but by no means is it the entirety of the church of Jesus Christ, it’s just the first harvest. But even so the word of God is yet covering those in the earth, Matt.24:35,” Heaven and earth will pass away but my word will not pass away”. So those who miss the rapture are not helpless, hopeless, nor at the mercy of Satan and his antichrist. God’s grace will much more abound where sin increase. It will be no more difficult for one to give their hearts to God in the tribulation than it is during the church dispensation.  Paul said in Eph.2:8, for by grace are you save through faith, and grace covers the tribulation saints as well, if grace is required for salvation for the church saints, so is it for all other groups. All though the raptured church   is lifted from the earth, faith by way of God’s word, Rom.10:17, and grace by way of God’s mercies, are not, and will rise above the level of the temptation. Paul says in 1Corth. 10:13, “there is no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer, (allow), you to be temped above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make away for your escape, that ye may be able to bare it “.

That word, and all the word of God is yet covering those during the tribulation. In our interpretation of the book of revelation, we have magnified Satan’s powers and abilities through the antichrist and diminished the power and the grace of God. The purpose of the book of revelation is not to make the church fearful or uncomfortable but rather to reassure us, as we see the signs of the prophecy unfolding, that nothing is out of control, God is controlling it all. 

All the events of the tribulation are unfolding just as the prophecy of Daniel and Revelation said it would. That should give the child of God joy peace and faith, not fear.

One of the purposes of this book is to dispel all fear of the characters, events, content, and interpretations of the book of Revelation. The book of revelation reveals the end time attitude and activities within the church, and man’s behavior that will be dominant in the last days. It’s an end time message to the end time Church and just as pertinent to the Church as the gospel is to the world.

          One will notice as we carefully read and study the book of Revelation , that no man or even angels had the authority to open the seals of the book or look therein, Rev.6:1,3,5,7,9,12, and 8:1.  Even after the seals are opened by the lamb, all the events therein are under the authority control and restrictions of God and His angels, as in Rev.9:1-5, none at the command of the dragon beast or the false prophet.