The book of Revelation is first about the glory of Jesus (Rev. 1:1). Secondly, it is about future events that He will use in His transition plan to shift history to the age to come. Jesus will only unfold this future plan in partnership with His people. This is our story. It is worth making the effort to understand it. Revelation was written to be understood by everyone.
The story line in Revelation is not about the end of the world, but rather the end of this age. This age refers to the demonic influence that blinds the nations with darkness (Eph. 6:12. 2 Cor. 4:4). Revelation is not a doomsday prophecy about the end of the world. It is a glorious love story of Jesus ushering in a new beginning for the world. The birth of a baby is the end of a pregnancy, but it is mostly about the beginning of a new life. Revelation describes the end of the dark night of Satan’s oppression of human history and the dawning of Jesus’ new day of glory and love.
Three reasons people do not read the book of Revelation are that they have a wrong view of its main story line; they do not understand the structure of the book nor its symbols.
The main theme of Revelation is Jesus’ return to earth to rule all the nations (Rev. 1:5-7).
5 “Jesus Christ…the ruler over the kings of the earth…7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him…and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.”
Revelation is to be interpreted in its plain meaning. The events and numbers are to be understood literally unless the Scripture indicates that they are symbolic (Rev. 1:20; 5:6; 11:8; 12:1, 3, 9; 17:7, 9, 15-18, etc.). For example, the seven lamp stands are symbolic of churches (Rev. 1:20).
The seven main symbols of Revelation:
1) Dragon: Symbolic of Satan (Rev. 12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4; 16:13; 20:2)
2) First Beast: Symbolic of the Antichrist (Rev. 13; 14:9-11; 17:3-17; 19:19-21; 20:4, 10)
3) Another Beast: Symbolic of the false prophet; called another beast just once (Rev. 13:11)
4) Harlot Babylon: A global, demonically-inspired religious and economic system (Rev. 17-18)
5) Seven heads: Represent 7 empires that persecuted Israel (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia,
Greece, Rome, a still future revived Roman Empire (Dan. 7:7; Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 17:3-16)
6) Ten Horns: Represent a ten-nation confederation that serves the Antichrist (Rev. 17:12-13)
7) Woman with a Male-child (Jesus): Is the faithful remnant of Israel through history (Rev. 12)
Structure of the Book of Revelation: There are four parts in the structure of Revelation. The fourth part has 5 chronological sections.
Rev. 1 Pt. 1: John’s CALLING to prophesy about the end times. John gives 18 truths about Jesus’ majesty that form the way he prophesied about the end times. These are meant to equip us. It matters because the way that John prophesied is the way the end-time Church will prophesy.
Rev. 2-3 Pt. 2: Jesus gave 7 LETTERS to 7 churches. The instructions Jesus gave to 7 churches in that day about overcoming sin give us practical insight into what we must overcome today. Jesus selected churches to identify the main issues that would challenge the end-time Church.
Rev. 4-5 Pt. 3: Jesus takes the SCROLL containing the earth’s title deed and Jesus’ plan to cleanse it. The scroll in the Father’s hand is His plan to cleanse the earth of evil to prepare the nations for God’s throne to come to earth (Rev. 21:3). One man is worthy (deserving and capable) to take the scroll and execute the plan. By taking the scroll, Jesus accepts the responsibility for this.
Rev. 6-22 Pt. 4: Jesus’ BATTLE PLAN reveals His main storyline of love in the book of Revelation. The battle plan or the main storyline to cleanse the earth and transition it to the age to come is written in the scroll. Jesus breaks the seals of the scroll to open it. As the scroll is unrolled, the judgments written in it are released on earth against Babylon and the Antichrist’s followers.
A more closer look at part 4 from Rev. 6-22, Jesus’ BATTLE PLAN:
Rev. 6 Chronological Section #1: The SEAL JUDGMENTS against the kingdom of darkness.
Rev. 7 Angelic Explanation #1: We receive PROTECTION from judgments and falling away.
Rev. 8-9 Chronological Section #2: The TRUMPET JUDGMENTS against the Antichrist’s empire. Rev. 10-11 Angelic Explanation #2: We receive DIRECTION by a great increase of prophetic ministry.
Rev. 11:15-19 Chronological Section #3: SECOND COMING ROYAL PROCESSION and RAPTURE at the seventh and last trumpet, a terrifying heavenly announcement is made that Jesus will replace all evil leaders on earth in government, economics, etc. It will be a hostile takeover that includes a great war and the execution of the wicked leaders (Rev. 19:19). 5 He (Jesus) shall execute kings…6 He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. (Ps. 110:5-6) At the sounding of the seventh trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52), the Church will be taken up (rapture). It is the last trumpet in the series of the seven numbered trumpets in Revelation (Rev. 8-9; 10:7; 11:15). At this time, Jesus will begin His royal procession as He raptures the Church and travels across the sky on a cloud to be seen by every eye (Rev. 1:7), then He travels on the land through Edom/ Jordan; (Isa. 63:1-6) destroying His enemies, then into Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives (Zech 14:2-5).
Rev. 12-14 Angelic Explanation #3: The Antichrist’s violent CONFRONTATION against the saints and everything that God calls good, requires that all his governments be replaced. The heavenly announcement to replace all the world’s leaders is so intense that some may ask if there is a less severe way to reform the nations. The angel explains that the Antichrist’s followers have violently confronted God’s people. They refuse to repent. Therefore, they must be replaced.
Rev. 15-16 Chronological Section #4: The BOWL JUDGMENTS destroy evil infrastructures in society.
Rev. 17-18 Angelic Explanation #4: The SEDUCTION by Babylon’s evil religion will permeate and infiltrate all the structures of society, requiring that Babylon be totally destroyed. 8 I (Father) will give You (Jesus) the nations for Your inheritance…9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. (Ps. 2:8–9) David said that the Messiah would dash the nations like a rod of iron dashing clay pottery. Whatever infrastructures in society are built on darkness will be dashed by the bowl judgments. The hundred pound hail stones (Rev. 16:21) will destroy social infrastructures that provide food, water and electricity and the institutions. Jesus will be on the earth marching to Jerusalem as He releases the bowl judgments as Moses did to Pharaoh.
Rev. 19-20 Chronological Section #5: Jesus’ TRIUMPHAL ENTRY to Jerusalem (Rev. 19:11-21:8)
Rev. 21–22 Angelic Explanation #5: The RESTORATION of all things (Acts 3:21; Rev. 21:9-22:5). At Jesus’ coming, He will restore all that God originally intended in the Garden of Eden.
I know this is a lot to take in but if you read the book of Revelation once a week and ask God for understanding I know you will be blessed. As it is written Revelation 1:3 (NKJV) Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
-This article has been put together by Donnelly Cameron from different teaching on the book of Revelation from Mike Bickle https://mikebickle.org/