Many interpret Revelation as the End of Times, which is somewhat true if you discount the Millennial Reign of Christ. I understand it to be the fulfillment of God’s plan as disclosed in the Old Testament as the End of the Age of Gentiles. Much like the tribes of Israel will be two sticks intertwined into one (Ezekiel 37:15-17), God is doing the same between Jews and Gentiles in Revelation.

The purpose of Revelation is to destroy the Gentiles and to fulfill the Jewish promises in the Old Testament prophets. Paul also knew this as disclosed in Romans 11:25-36. Replacement theology, a millennial reign of protestants, and many others are false hopes. However, for me this is real hope, because I’d trust God with my life, but many of my old pastors…not so much.

Keep in mind the promises. Without understanding these promises, interpreting Revelation with the prophets will be a logical circle of failure.

Gentile: Rapture (Revelation 7), Winepress (Revelation 14), Judgment (Revelation 20/21)

Jew: 144,000 Sealed (Revelation 7), 144,000 Saved (Revelation 14), First Resurrection (Revelation 20)

Giving credit where it’s due, daniel11truth.com has this solved well. From John’s disclosure at Patmos in Revelation, it takes prophecy from Christ’s death through the end of Days. The seals have been breaking since Jesus Christ’s death and we are awaiting the sixth seal. These were encoded in Jewish history to help us recognize Revelation is the convergence of Jewish and Gentile promises per the question above. That’s also why the interpretations of Revelation are so disparate. Please note: I agree with daniel11truth.com regarding the interpretation of the Revelation Seals and Daniel 11. His interpretation of Revelation is nihilistic and shows how pride can lead to the issues discussed in the presentations and the FAQs.

This is a meaty question, which I’ve spent time studying in great detail. Generally speaking, most post tribulation believers focus on the verses in Matthew 24 specifying that the angels gathering the elect will come. However, they also seem to discount much of Paul’s writings regarding redemption. By the way, YouTube is full of these people. They are obsessed with Satanic symbols and imagery and hell. Given my lack of desire to be around a god of lies, Lucifer, and a lake of fire, I’ll default to Scripture and a good life (which is up to Christ’s judgment). If the post tribulation situation were true, I’d get my head chopped off to partake in the first resurrection so I’d not fear the second death (Revelation 20). No one else is granted immunity (including raptured believers). Wisdom my friends.

Mid-tribulation believers often run into a circular interpretation of Revelation. They see the believers of Rev 7:14-19 as those in Revelation 14. This circle creates a confused set of principles, but also leads to a belief in a Rapture and return of believers to earth. In the mid-tribution scenario, I’d live off the grid as long as I could, but it wouldn’t speak to Matthew 24:36-39. For if I saw the great rebellion, I would not be surprised like the flood of Noah.

Pre-tribulation believers are most likely correct. Not necessarily because of Matthew 24:36-39, but rather the flow of Revelation. Revelation 7, 14, and 20/21 recognize a pattern of harvest like 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. Also, Revelation reveals the closure of the age of Gentiles and the reign of Israel. As various promises are made in Revelation 7, 14, and 20/21, the fulfillment of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel have to also be fulfilled to the Israelites. God’s word will be 100% accurate. I really don’t belong in Christ’s millennial reign, I am ready to resign in Revelation 7:14-19 to serve God day and night in His temple per 1 Thessalonians 4:17 “so we will be with the Lord forever.” One should note, Paul uses Christ in verse 16 and uses Lord in verse 17.

This ideology caused me the greatest issue of all Rapture doctrines. Besides not understanding the purpose for an earthly reign, I looked at those preaching it and wondered if that would be worse than the converse option. We weren’t meant to reign for two reasons: (1) 1 Corinthians 15 states we are conquered by Christ and reverted to the Father, whereby if Raptured, the process is complete as First Fruits; and (2) if we returned, and only those in the First Resurrection are protected against the second death via Revelation 20, raptured believers could face a second judgment and go to hell. Logically, this premise doesn’t make sense to me.

Most references to the Man of Lawlessness go to Daniel’s prophecies or to those in Paul’s letters (1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and 1 Corinthians). Generally speaking, the iron and clay spoken in Daniel’s prophecies get attributed to several groups. Many look at the extension of the Roman empire to the United States or the Catholic Church, while others look at Islam and seek either an Ottoman or Persian empire (Iran).

Daniel’s prophecies as well as Ezekiel point to the Middle East, while Revelation 2 and 3 point to the modern nation of Turkey. Pergamum, Satan’s seat, is a little bit south of Istanbul. Revelation 18 also points us to the exports of the Middle East, and the export that makes all nations drunk besides “lies” is oil (also Middle Eastern export).

I believe the UN and Islam constitute the two beasts of Revelation 13, which are consistent with the Roman diplomacy system and Islam being the kingdom of iron and clay. However, Islam must be empowered to fulfill all prophecy.

Since a dear brother believes this, I must say the concept is a boat load of BS. Every translation, and I mean every translation, talks of reference in Matthew 24 to the Prophet Daniel. The Abomination of Desolation. It’s a part of Christ’s testimony and not a footnote. Luke called it “Jerusalem surrounded by armies,” and John said nothing (why, because Christians are raptured).

I was raised to believe it would be the Pope calling himself God in the temple of Jerusalem. I could see it now as the Roman Temple statue post Christ’s death, followed by the Dome of the Rock (denies the Father and Son on the Temple Mount (outer court in Revelation 11)). There is some math here described in my first presentation, but I would expect a three relationship here too. I know something will come on the wing of the temple to cause an end to daily sacrifice (potentially the Western Wall prayers die) or prophecy was fulfilled on December 23, 2106 when on 12/23, the UN Resolution 2334 against Israel disclaimed all historical ownership of the land and the final rebellion is setting up. In either case, God has been denied legal claim to Israel last year and we have a Temple on the Mount that calls God the blasphemous Allah, who had no Son (Jesus Christ).

Read Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel. From the Valley of Bones to the fulfillment of Jacob’s Trouble, the Millennium is essentially a Jewish rule. Beheaded Christians’ enjoy the protection from the law and Christ’s mercy during Revelation, but essentially, the millennium fulfills the Jewish inheritance promise laid out in the Old Testament and Romans 11. What more needed is disclosed, unless you believed in a Protestant reign over others? Then you may have been deceived…