Most Bible Scholars claim that the Book of Revelation was written in the 90s, around AD 95-96. What would it mean if the Book of Revelation was written after the Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70?
The short answer is that it would mean that the Book of Revelation is not a prophecy and should be ripped from the Bible and thrown in the trash!
Now, let me explain why I am able to make such a bold statement... In order for the Book of Revelation to be a prophecy it must have been written before the prophetic events described in it have occurred. If it is written after the events have occurred then it is HISTORY, not Prophecy. I don't think you will have a problem agreeing with that statement. If you do then you don't know what the word "prophecy" means.
What I am going to prove to you from scripture is that the Babylon or Mystery Babylon in the Book of Revelation is the Jerusalem that was destroyed in AD 70. Therefore, if Revelation was written in the 90s then it can't be Prophecy since it was written AFTER Jerusalem or Mystery Babylon was destroyed. I believe that the Book of Revelation was written in the 60s and all of the Prophecy has been fulfilled..
The entire Book of Revelation is not prophetic since some of it had already occurred or was occurring before the Revelation was given. Here are a few examples of what had already occurred...
1) The 7 churches to whom the Book was written already existed. - Revelation 1:4
2) Jesus Christ was already ruling over the kings of the earth. - Revelation 1:5
3) Those in the 7 churches had already had their sins washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. - Revelation 1:5
4) The church in Ephesus had already tested those who said they were apostles and were not, and had found them to be liars. - Revelation 2:2
5) The church in Ephesus had already left their first love and needed to repent. - Revelation 2:4-5
6) The church in Smyrna already had blasphemers who claimed to be Jews but were not but were of the synagogue of Satan. - Revelation 2:9
7) The church in Pergamum was already dwelling where Satan's throne was and already had a martyr named Antipas. - Revelation 2:13
8) The church in Pergamum already had those who held the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. - Revelation 2:14
9) The church in Pergamum already had those who held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. - Revelation 2:15
10) The church in Thyatira had already allowed that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My (Jesus Christ) servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
11) The church in Sardis already had those who were dead in their sins because their works were not perfect before GOD and they needed to repent. - Revelation 3:1-3
12) The church in Laodicea was already lukewarm because of their works and were actually wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked and they needed to repent. - Revelation 3:15-19
13) There were already 24 Elders sitting on thrones in Heaven, clothed in white robes and wearing crowns of gold. - Revelation 4:4
John was told to "Write the things which you have seen (PAST), and the things which are (PRESENT), and the things which will take place after this (FUTURE)." - Revelation 1:19
(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":
MELLO = Strongs' 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!
For more information on the timeframe for the Book of Revelation read my article TIME RESTRICTIONS OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION.
All the scriptures below were copied from the New King James Version unless noted otherwise.
It can easily be proven that Mystery Babylon in the Book of Revelation is the city of old covenant Jerusalem. In Revelation 18:24 - THE BLOOD OF PROPHETS AND SAINTS was found in her (Mystery Babylon).
Revelation 18:20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, FOR GOD HAS AVENGED YOU ON HER!" Revelation 18:21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "THUS WITH VIOLENCE THE GREAT CITY BABYLON SHALL BE THROWN DOWN, AND SHALL NOT BE FOUND ANYMORE. Revelation 18:22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. Revelation 18:23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. Revelation 18:24 AND IN HER WAS FOUND THE BLOOD OF PROPHETS AND SAINTS, and of all who were slain on the earth."
If you can determine the city guilty of SHEDDING THE BLOOD OF THE PROPHETS, then you will know the identity of Mystery Babylon!
Jesus Christ himself revealed the answer... Luke 13:33 Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; FOR IT CANNOT BE THAT A PROPHET SHOULD PERISH OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM. Luke 13:34 "O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM, THE ONE WHO KILLS THE PROPHETS AND STONES THOSE WHO ARE SENT TO HER! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!
Jesus warned the scribes and Pharisees that He would send prophets and apostles and they would persecute them and kill some of them. He also told them that their blood would be avenged in that generation... Matthew 23:29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, Matthew 23:30 and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Matthew 23:31 "Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Matthew 23:32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. Matthew 23:33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Matthew 23:34 Therefore, indeed, I SEND YOU PROPHETS, wise men, and scribes: SOME OF THEM YOU WILL KILL AND CRUCIFY, AND SOME OF THEM YOU WILL SCOURGE IN YOUR SYNAGOGUES AND PERSECUTE FROM CITY TO CITY, Matthew 23:35 that ON YOU MAY COME ALL THE RIGHTEOUS BLOOD SHED ON THE EARTH, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Matthew 23:36 Assuredly, I say to you, ALL THESE THINGS WILL COME UPON THIS GENERATION.
Revelation 18:20-21 is the fulfillment of that prophecy and it occurred within a generation just like Jesus said. Jerusalem was completely destroyed in AD 70. Here's what the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote in Book 7, Chapter 1, Paragraph 1 of the WARS OF THE JEWS. Josephus wrote, "Caesar gave orders that they should now DEMOLISH THE ENTIRE CITY AND TEMPLE, but should leave as many of the towers standing as were of the greatest eminency; that is, Phasaelus, and Hippicus, and Mariamne; and so much of the wall as enclosed the city on the west side. This wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison, as were the towers also spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that THERE WAS LEFT NOTHING TO MAKE THOSE THAT CAME THITHER BELIEVE IT HAD EVER BEEN INHABITED. THIS WAS THE END WHICH JERUSALEM CAME TO by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind."
WARS OF THE JEWS by Flavius Josephus
Here are 2 other things from the Book of Revelation that seem to have been written about by Flavius Josephus...
1) Revelation 16:19 Now THE GREAT CITY WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
Josephus wrote, "WHEN therefore Titus had marched over that desert which lies between Egypt and Syria, in the manner forementioned, he came to Cesarea, having resolved to set his forces in order at that place, before he began the war. Nay, indeed, while he was assisting his father at Alexandria, in settling that government which had been newly conferred upon them by God, it so happened that THE SEDITION AT JERUSALEM WAS REVIVED, AND PARTED INTO THREE FACTIONS, and that one faction fought against the other; which partition in such evil cases may be said to be a good thing, and the effect of Divine justice." - Flavius Josephus, WARS OF THE JEWS, Book 5, Chapter 1, Paragraph 1.
2) Revelation 16:21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, EACH HAILSTONE ABOUT THE WEIGHT OF A TALENT. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
According to Josephus's account of the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70, the Romans used siege engines that hurled massive stones at the city and its defenders. He describes these projectiles as weighing approximately 100 pounds (about a talent). Josephus wrote, "The engines, that all the legions had ready prepared for them, were admirably contrived; but still more extraordinary ones belonged to the tenth legion: those that threw darts and those that threw stones were more forcible and larger than the rest, by which they not only repelled the excursions of the Jews, but drove those away that were upon the walls also. NOW THE STONES THAT WERE CAST WERE OF THE WEIGHT OF A TALENT, and were carried two furlongs and further." - Flavius Josephus, WARS OF THE JEWS, Book 5, Chapter 6, Paragraph 3.
The following verse in the Book of Revelation REVEALS the answer to the identity of the GREAT CITY, Mystery Babylon... Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the GREAT CITY which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, WHERE ALSO OUR LORD WAS CRUCIFIED.
In what GREAT CITY was Jesus crucified? It was old covenant Jerusalem. This is a definite reference to Jerusalem being "THE GREAT CITY." There's only 1 GREAT CITY where our LORD was Crucified and that's Old Covenant Jerusalem which was DESTROYED in AD 70!
For more evidence that proves that old covenant Jerusalem was Mystery Babylon read my article WHO IS MYSTERY BABYLON IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION?.
About 60 years after the destruction of Jerusalem there was a Roman colony founded on the ruins of Jerusalem by the Emperor Hadrian named Aelia Capitolina. It was renamed Jerusalem in the 4th century.
One does not need to understand all the symbolism in Revelation or know how or when every event was fulfilled in history in order to know that the Book of Revelation has been fulfilled. Just stick to what can be understood or known such as the timeframe given for the prophetic events to be fulfilled.
If scripture states that an event is to occur within a specified timeframe then any interpretation or speculation about the event must be said to have occurred within that timeframe or the timeframe has been disregarded. To say that an event occurred or will occur outside that timeframe is not scriptural! When scripture gives a definite timeframe 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 timeframes or time restrictions for the Book of Revelation?
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 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."
Believing that Jesus has NOT come yet is NOT what I would call keeping the words of the prophecy of Revelation!
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.
Scripture REVEALS when people would be REWARDED according to their works. It was at the Great White Throne Judgment... Revelation 20:11 Then I saw a GREAT WHITE THRONE and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And THE DEAD WERE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS, by the things which were written in the books. Revelation 20:13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And THEY WERE JUDGED, EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS. Revelation 20:14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Revelation 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Jesus gave the TIMEFRAME for WHEN people would be REWARDED ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS... Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and THEN HE WILL REWARD EACH ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS. Matthew 16:28 Assuredly, I say to you, THERE ARE SOME STANDING HERE WHO SHALL NOT TASTE DEATH TILL THEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN HIS KINGDOM."
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!
If the Book of Revelation has been fulfilled you don't need to be concerned about "The Great Tribulation" or "The Mark of the Beast" or "Jesus Coming Soon".
However, that doesn't mean that there's nothing to be concerned about... You should be concerned about the False Prophecy Teachers who teach that those things are in the Future and have DUPED most Christians into believing their LIES! These False Futurist Teachers are NOT Prophets and are mainly concerned with Making a PROFIT! You should be concerned that most Christians are being manipulated because of their False Futurist Beliefs. They are being manipulated to support the EVILS of Zionism because they believe that the Anti-Christ State of Israel founded in 1948 is a Fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy! Christians who know the Truth about the Fulfillment of all Prophecy in the 1st century should stand for Truth and stand against Evil. You should be concerned about these False Futurist Beliefs leading to WW3 and Nuclear War which could obliterate most of the people of the world! Remember that we are supposed to LOVE THY NEIGHBOR!!!
Remember that in the Parable of the Good Samaritan it was NOT the Priest or the Levite (Jews) who were neighborly but it was the Samaritan (Palestinian).
Also remember that the Only people arrested with EXPLOSIVES in New York City on 9/11 were ISRAELIS!
WATCH my video, Israelis Got Caught Attempting To BLOW UP the George Washington Bridge On 9/11.
Thank you for taking time to read my article!
If you would like a PDF copy of this article you can download it here: WHAT IT MEANS IF REVELATION WAS WRITTEN AFTER AD 70