Much has been written concerning the symbols and times set forth in the vision given to St. John on the Isle of Patmos at the end of the first century. Many elaborate charts have been created by ingenious students of prophesy in an attempt to understand the seemingly complicated and bizarre depiction of John's experience. However, the higher truth always lies in simplicity. Jesus taught ultimate truth that even the greatest philosophers and theologians marvel at, and He did it in a way that was accessible to even a little child.

    In the realm of science, every technology evidences this principle. An emerging technology always initially appears as a variation of the contemporary applied scientific state. However, as the new technology advances, it becomes increasingly complex and takes on its own character, e.g. like the motored kite at Kitty Hawk evolved into the Red Baron's bi-plane and onward to the multi-pistoned marvels of World War II. At a certain point, the system takes a quantum leap via a paradigm shift, and we see simplicity at an entirely new level, e.g. the introduction of the jet engine.

    The study of God's prophetic word is not quite like that process, but the simpler and more meaningful interpretation is to be preferred. Only the Holy Spirit can usher in the quantum leap that brings us into a new way of viewing the prophetic Word as the time draws near for its fulfillment.

    The key to understanding the chronology of the Book of Revelation is found in the first chapter, verse nineteen,

" Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter" (KJV)

    Chapter one contains the vision of the resurrected Christ as presented to John in his present reality, "the things which he had witnessed up to that verse". Chapters two and three represent messages which would be delivered to the seven historical churches in the near future. The things which will take place hereafter are prophetic future events and begin in chapter four when John is ecstatically enrapture to heaven by the sound of a trumpet.

"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." (Rev. 4:1KJV italics and emphasis mine)

The scripture in verse 1:19 is restated in 4:1 as to eliminate any confusion as to the timing of this event (1Cor. 14:33).

    In chapters four and five, John is shown the heavenly scene as a prelude to the terrible judgments about to fall upon the earth. Chapters six through nineteen encompass the shabua of God's judgment and the preparation for God's people to receive their Messiah. The purpose of the final week of secular history is primarily to fulfill God's plan for the Jewish people. Daniel's vision 9:24-27 is a timetable for the completion of God's prophetic promises to Daniel's people, the Hebrews.

"Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place." (Dan. 9:24 RSV emphasis mine)

    On a trip to London, I visited the British Museum where the Rosetta Stone is exhibited. One of Napoleon's engineers discovered a curious stele which bore inscriptions in three languages. One of these languages was enigmatic Egyptian hieroglyphic, but among the others was Greek (see Thompson's Chain Link Bible Archaeological Supplement introduction) . Using the known Greek language, the mysterious ancient language of the Pharaohs was deciphered. This serves as an object lesson for prophetic scriptural interpretation.
 
 

    This is the fourth principle of Biblical interpretation, the letter 'D': Deduction. In chapter four, The ABCs of Interpretation, we learned about the principles of Authorship, Backup (cross-reference), and Context. In the following discussion these principles will be applied to better understand the events of the tribulation as presented in the Book of Revelation.

[ Chapter Six | Section Three | Table of Contents ]

* future notes to be placed here