Part 2...

The book of Revelation does not paint a pretty picture during the seven year Great Tribulation in the end times... Chapters 6-19.

And yes... it certainly is apocalyptic in the real sense of the Word.

But remember the main thrust of Revelation is to unveil, disclose, reveal, to make clear... it is a book about hope... where good ultimately triumphs over evil.

It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ... Who is coming as King of kings and Lord of lords, as the Word of God and as Faithful and True.

Revelation tells us about the reign of Christ on this earth, which Satan wants to control. It tells of Christ’s complete and eternal victory over Satan.

It is all about the "New World Order"... God's way!

 If you are a "born again" believer then there is nothing to fear about this book and what it has to say... 

In fact verse three tells us something very special about this book... which I will cover very shortly. 

 The book of Revelation uses a lot of strange symbols, weird descriptions and unusual expressions... e.g. stars, candlesticks, the Beast, woman riding the beast, horses having breastplates of fire, the great Babylon, mystery Babylon, a beast having seven heads and ten horns, a woman clothed with the sun, a time and times and half a time...

 Sad to say... this is one of the main reasons why many ministers steer clear of the book of Revelation. 

"Too difficult to understand," they say.

Another reason why it is dismissed... preachers say the happenings of Revelation are past tense. They say it has already taken place and is therefore no longer relevant today. If you read it carefully you will see this is not so.

Satan hates this book because it tells us exactly what his destiny is... 

At the end he is cast into the lake of fire forever. 

He is very happy when preachers ignore the book of Revelation.

When you do read introductory chapter 1... you begin to realise what a unique, awesome, intriguing and extremely important book Revelation is.

Revelation tells us exactly what will happen in the very end times... and how everything winds up.

We would be very remiss (indeed very silly) to dismiss this awesome book.

Interestingly... much of the symbology used in Revelation is either explained in Revelation itself or additional information can be found in other books of the Bible (particularly Ezekiel and Daniel). 

That is one very good reason why we should read the books of the Bible as a whole. The books are all linked by God's grace, love, mercy, compassion, salvation and redemption for mankind.

All the books of the Bible are indeed "history"... HIS story... Jesus the Son of God's STORY.

The two Testaments are intimately and intricately linked... like hand in glove.

The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed... the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.

The whole of the Bible (all 66 books) is God's revelation to mankind. 

God wants us to be in the know about Him!

As difficult as it might be to read and fully understand this book... Revelation is the only prophetical book in the whole wide world that talks about and brings the History of this world to a close... to its conclusion... and... beyond. 

It is mostly futuristic (prophetic) and it is well worth persevering in reading it, studying it and trying to understand it.

Not reading Revelation would be like reading a book and leaving out (or ignoring) the last chapter. 

Totally silly when you think about it.

Revelation was written by the Apostle John around 96 AD.

John can be relied upon to say it as it is. 

His testimony is true. 

☆ John 21:24...

"This is the disciple (John) which testifies of these things (life of Jesus), and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true."

☆ 1 John 1:1...

"That (Jesus) which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life..."

What John writes about in Revelation... John experienced, John saw and John heard.