When I became a Christian, aged 15, I came under the influence of the Plymouth Brethren (Open section; not too tight, not too progressive). They were a lot into the Bible, and notably end time prophecy, including the Book of Revelation, with a particular angle of relating the prophecies in the Book to current world events.

A peculiar aspect of OB worship was the open meeting. I reckon I must have been around aged 17 but I don’t recall quite what got into me other than maybe the Holy Spirit leading and the penny having dropped concerning an amazing truth I begun to see, but for the first time I shared in one of the Open meetings, reading Revelation 5:

1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

As I contemplated how to write about the very important subject behind the title of this article, I realised that it could turn out to be a huge undertaking that deserves a whole book along similar lines of those that I wrote recently. Moreover, I am acutely aware of the wide range of views among my readership and that few, if any, are likely to fully align with my own, including among those who share many of my own theological understandings and also concerning what is really going on in the world and where it is heading, which I often argue is not what we are being told. I decided not to go down the route of giving a full-blown commentary on Revelation that would need to be scholarly, not unduly sectarian and geared to ordinary folk, because I don’t feel that is what I am called to do, although there is much that has been written and said of varying value. I’d rather encourage folk to study the Book for themselves, even if they end up disagreeing with what I have to say about it.

Tempting as it may be to give a reading/listening list to help in that quest, I will refrain from doing so but will add the warning that when it comes to truth, depth and value there is great variance in what is out there including much free stuff on the Internet. I would recommend though that readers read for themselves the Book of Revelation. I found reading/listening to the just over one hour “Book of Revelation | Read by Alexander Scourby | AUDIO & TEXT” to be of great help and, so folk who are less familiar with the Book don’t lose heart, there is still a lot I don’t fully understand or can fully interpret despite having read Revelation, written and preached on it, many times, even though it never ceases to thrill me.

I am also acutely aware of my own axioms, which while I would like to think are correct or at least provide the best basis for sound doctrine, others will differ and may accuse me of bias and prejudice or just being plainly wrong. A lot of my understanding and expectations relating to the Book of Revelation and End Times events go back to my Open Brethren (OB) roots. Some will question my propensity to entertain conspiracy theories (which I claim often turn out to be facts). Regarding Brethrenism (Open and Exclusive), while differences in interpretation can be found, most saw that from Chapter 4 onwards what is being prophesied by John, as he relays the words of Jesus and what he sees in a vision, mainly applies to yet to happen events, including the Great Tribulation (noting Tribulation, which means trouble and suffering has always been the Believers’ lot) when a not yet revealed Antichrist comes to power, ending with Jesus, King of kings, Lord of lords, returning to planet earth on His White Horse, a literal millennium, the Great White Throne judgement and the New Heaven and the New Earth. One danger in adopting of this futuristic approach is that we might try to relate world events at the time we do the relating and end up getting it very wrong. We find examples of doing so going back 2000 years.

Over 50 years on, I still subscribe to many of the beliefs of my OB mentors, such as those listed above plus taking the view that there are many prophesies found in the Old Testament, such as referring to a future Israel, not yet literally fulfilled, but will be in the End Times, including those referenced in the Book of Revelation. I also reject the belief, held by many throughout the history of the church that Israel has been replaced by the church and believe the Church with a Capital ‘C’ that comprises true believers in Jesus is what truly matters in God’s eyes. Where I differ is I am not persuaded the Church will be raptured (taken up to be with the Lord before Jesus’ Second Coming) before the time of the Great Tribulation nor am I convinced on some of its dispensational beliefs. Reasons for this include my belief most of Jesus’s teachings apply to Gentile believers as much as Jewish, believing the Church will be whisked away before the Great Tribulation provides a poor excuse for not making a difference in a world ruled by bad actors and the Church needs to be one if Jesus’ Great High Priest prayer on John 17 is to be answered before He comes again and joins His radiant Bride. I have come to believe in recent days that there is sometimes a dual fulfillment of Bible prophecy, like the Abomination of Desolation, and this had a bearing on how the “Seven Churches” viewed the Revelation prophecies and how the Church today views them.

Before I come to some final thoughts, exhortations and conclusions, I would like to share stuff that I have written that relate to the Book of Revelation, not to blow my own trumpet but rather to point to the due diligence I have given to studying the Book and relating this to my remit as a watchman on the wall, whose job in olden days was to warn, and supporting the approach I take, even though I would stress again that holier and better learned folk than I may see things a lot differently. But as always, I have in mind ordinary folk who want to know God and His Word better, who will benefit from reading Revelation, just as the author John the Divine, who I am happy to accept as being an apostle of Jesus’s, who told his readers at the beginning of his prophecy: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (1:3).

Prophets of the Bible (Second Edition) (492 pages): published 2022, was my attempt to cover the lives, times and prophecies of most the prophets that crop up in the Bible, including the less well known, and explore its relevance to today’s situation. The Book of Revelation forms only a small part of this book but is nevertheless covered, including the many of the more contentious passages.

Priests of the Bible: published 2024 (640 pages), is a sequel to Prophets of the Bible and complements it in that it covers priests (and also kings) and covers subjects like the Priesthood of All Believers. As with Prophets, a lot of attention is given to Bible prophecy, given 30% of the Bible is prophecy. It has been argued there are 2500 Bible prophecies of which 2000 have been fulfilled, meaning there are 500 prophecies that are yet to be fully fulfilled, many can be found in Revelation.

Coleman Street Chapel and the Last Things (1966 – 1977): is almost the entire paper I presented at a conference held in 2023 examining how the Plymouth Brethren looked on last things. In it I consider what people in my church believed and what was taught on the subject fifty years ago when I was in my teens/twenties, where the Book of Revelation was an important but far from exclusive part.

The millennium and understanding it correctly: published 2020, was my attempt to consider the differing views concerning the millennium (principally pre- (the view I hold) – happens when Jesus returns, post- we are in it or at least will soon be and all before Jesus physical return, and a- that the millennium cannot be taken as a literal happening). I mention this partly because what one believes about Last Things and the Millennium will affect our view on where the world is currently heading, e.g. optimistic versus pessimistic.

Which “Great Reset” is it going to be then? published 2021, is one of many blogs where I reflect on what is happening on the world stage and how we could / should respond. Unlike under the previous four titles, I expect many who read not to be Christian, yet still refer to what the prophets have to say, including modern day ones. A recurring theme is we are seeing a move toward a Great Reset (pushed by the overtly bad guys), a Great Awakening (pushed by a mixture and as a response to the Great Reset), and a Great Deception, including among Christians, taken in by lies, occurring at the same time. Other than my belief that God wins and to hang in there, I don’t claim to know precisely what will happen next.

Getting back on track, all the books of the New Testament, after the Acts, are letters written to churches, groups of churches or individuals, and Revelation is no exception. In this case it was written to seven churches located in what was then Asia Minor. Like all the New Testament letters, we do best when we recognise that whilst these were aimed at specific groups of people and address what was going on at the time in their particular situations, we can ourselves draw lessons that apply to us today. One can argue that while we now seem a lot different, there is a certain commonality between the issues faced then and now. In the case of the seven churches, while there were words of rebuke and praise, there were words of warning and prophecy concerning what was to come, particularly in the light of coming persecution, and encouragement to hang in there, endure and overcome, and receive a wonderful reward in the light of the fact that not only has God won but will be shown to have won, and what can be looked forward to will be far more wonderful than anything that we might ever imagine.

The contentious part, particularly for those who do not take a futurist view of what is prophesied, is how this all ties in with happenings in the world today, and even for those who take the futurist view there will be differences and the sober reminder that our forefathers who really knew their Bibles often got it wrong. When it comes to subjects like the part played by Israel, the Mark of the Beast, the Mystery of Babylon, a wide array of disasters including what we read in Jesus Olivet discourses in Matthew 24, the presence of true evil in the world and evil doers in high places and the coming wars (although some may rightly argue that we have seen aspects of all the above in the past 2000 years), I can’t but help want to square what I am now seeing with what I find reading the Book of Revelation. My plea though is not that readers agree with my understanding but that along with the rest of the Bible they read and reflect on and apply lessons from the Book themselves.

I’ll end here by giving John the last words (from Revelation 22):

1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Update 30/08/24

One of my observations concerning when I was a young person giving his take on his elderly OB mentors was that these were old people who had their day and now were over obsessed concerning end time events and what was wrong in the world and the direction in which it was heading. What I didn’t see then was that one day I would join them and, moreover, do what the elderly often do – repeat themselves without realising it. I had quite forgotten that three months ago I blogged on similar lines in my “The Book of Revelation and Current World Events” posting. As I recall, it came following an unsatisfactory exchange I had with a well known and respected by certain friends Christian author who had recently written on the Book of Revelation but with a different take on how to approach studying it. While making similar points to that shared earlier, I did elaborate on specific stuff covered in this blog and some of the things that lead to people coming to different views. One of those who did comment made what I can see as a valid point: “It should be reemphasized that the Book of Revelation is the most Jewish of books written in the whole of the new testament and that it cannot will not be fully appreciated or understood by Christians unless you purposely wear Hebraic spectacles“. I agreed and mentioned how my recent Old Testament studies culminating in my Prophets and Priests books (referred to earlier) helped in my understanding of the Book of Revelation. Given that the world’s eyes are focused now on events in Israel, an important factor when coming to terms with end times prophecy, and my Christian friends are often quite divided as to who to support etc., methinks my repeating myself is part of divine providence, and this is the time that we, the people of God, indeed need to step up to the plate: