It may look like we are in the END TIMES and it may be for America but...
The Book of Revelation tells of the PAST not of the FUTURE!
The Book of Revelation is very hard to understand but what is NOT hard to understand about it are the time statements and to whom it was written!
It was NOT written TO YOU!
Revelation was written to the 7 Churches of Asia Minor so it had to apply to them and it was important for them to understand.
Based on what the Bible states I believe that the entire Book of Revelation was fulfilled in the past.
If scripture states that an event is to occur within a specified time frame then any interpretation or speculation about the event must be said to have occurred within that time frame or the time frame has been disregarded.
To say that an event occurred or will occur outside that time frame is not scriptural!
When scripture gives a definite time frame for an event and that time has passed then you must...
1) Conclude that the prophesied event came to pass or...
2) Change your concept of what you believe about the event if it did not occur as you thought it should.
If you conclude that the prophecy failed or the time prophesied for the event was wrong then either you are wrong or that particular scripture was not inspired of GOD.
What are the time frames or restrictions in the Book of Revelation?
All the scriptures below were copied from the New King James Version unless noted otherwise.
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, WHICH GOD GAVE HIM TO SHOW HIS SERVANTS - THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY TAKE PLACE. And HE SENT AND SIGNIFIED IT BY HIS ANGEL TO HIS SERVANT JOHN,
Revelation 1:2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.
So GOD the Father, who knew the DAY and the HOUR, Revealed to Jesus Christ - THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY TAKE PLACE and he sent it to the Apostle John via an Angel.
SHORTLY does not mean 1,900+ years later and neither does THE TIME IS NEAR.
Revelation 1:3 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.
Revelation 1:19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
(YLT) Revelation 1:19 'Write the things that thou hast seen, and the things that are, and THE THINGS THAT ARE ABOUT TO COME after these things; (Young's Literal Translation).
The Greek word MELLO is used in the original text and it means "TO BE ABOUT TO": Strong's G3195
Notice in verse 1:19 above that John was NOT TOLD to write about things that were hundreds or thousands of years in the future!
Revelation 7 & 14 mention the 144,000 from the 12 Tribes of Israel.
In the last verse of Chapter 6 after the 6th Seal had been opened the scripture states:
Revelation 6:17 For the GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH HAS COME, and who is able to stand?"
Revelation 7:1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
Revelation 7:2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
Revelation 7:3 saying, "DO NOT HARM THE EARTH, THE SEA, OR THE TREES TILL WE HAVE SEALED THE SERVANTS OF OUR GOD ON THEIR FOREHEADS."
Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND OF ALL THE TRIBES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE SEALED:
Revelation 14:4 Reveals that the 144,000 are FIRSTFRUITS which are the first Christians from the 12 Tribes of Israel.
Revelation 14:4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. THESE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED FROM MANKIND AS FIRSTFRUITS FOR GOD AND THE LAMB,
So how could this be referring to the WRATH of GOD in our FUTURE since the 144,000 FIRSTFRUITS were STILL ON EARTH and were SEALED (PROTECTED FROM GOD'S WRATH) after the 6th Seal had been opened?
Revelation 22:6 Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants THE THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY TAKE PLACE.
THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY TAKE PLACE does not mean 1,900+ years later and neither does QUICKLY...
Revelation 22:7 "Behold, I AM COMING QUICKLY! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
Revelation 22:10 And he said to me, "DO NOT SEAL THE WORDS OF THE PROPHECY OF THIS BOOK, FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND.
Compare verse 22:10 with what the prophet Daniel was told...
Daniel 12:4 "But you, Daniel, SHUT UP THE WORDS, AND SEAL THE BOOK until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."
Daniel 12:9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, FOR THE WORDS ARE CLOSED UP AND SEALED TILL THE TIME OF THE END.
If Daniel’s message was to be SEALED because it belonged to a time over 500 years away, how can John’s message, which he was told NOT TO SEAL, belong to a time 1900+ years away?
Revelation 22:12 "And behold, I AM COMING QUICKLY, AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, to give to every one according to his work.
Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "SURELY I AM COMING QUICKLY." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
So beginning with the first verse of Revelation and ending with the next to last verse and several places in between we see time restrictions.
These restrictions do NOT allow for the events of Revelation to be projected 1900+ years and counting into the future!
So you have a choice...
Believe what the Bible says or believe the doctrines of men!
Full Preterism is the belief that all prophecy has been fulfilled.
I first heard of it 20 years ago but refused to look at it because it was so different than any thing I had heard before.
I invite you to take a serious look at it and you will understand the Bible better than you ever have!
Some scriptures are hard to understand and people have different opinions about their meanings. This is true for Dispensationalists, Amillenialists, Post Millenialists as well as for Full Preterists. Keep that in mind when you do your research. Here's a good place to start your research:
FULL PRETERISM RESOURCES