The Book of Revelation is a record of events that are starting to happen in our world and current events today. It was a record of events to happen in the future, today is that future it was speaking of.  It reveals history written in advance of which its prophetic events detail a specific period of time in our history.  Through symbolism and detail it reveals the last seven years of mankind culminating in the Second Coming of Christ and the establishment of His millennial reign on earth.

            The Apostle John counted out seven years for this period when he spoke of the second half being forty-two months and the first half being 1260 days.  Both equal three and a half years combining in a seven year period (Rev. 11:2,3).

   There is more prophecy concerning this period than any other era the Bible describes.  It is this seven year period of the Tribulation that is signified as a time of unprecedented earth shattering events that mankind will have ever experienced in its history as a civilization.  The book was written by the last surviving apostle, John in A.D. 95-96.  It is the last recorded writing from God to man.

            The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John focuses on the last events and conclusion of world history.  It stands in a class all by itself, for it is primarily devoted to the subject of prophecy while its symbolism marks every passage on every page. 

            Throughout history the Book of Revelation has inspired more wonder, curiosity, bewilderment and sometimes even fear, than any other book of the Bible.  It is unquestionably the most difficult to analyze and interpret.  For some the Book of Revelation just doesn't make any sense because of its use of symbolism to describe these future events.  What they don't realize is that the symbols used are either explained in the context itself or explained elsewhere in the Bible.  All it takes is a lot of study and patience and God's calendar of future events will begin to unfold.

            Exiled on the tiny little island of Patmos for his relentless message of salvation and the teachings of Jesus Christ, John was given a divine revelation and vision far into the future of world events that would occur right before the Second Coming of Christ.

            The visions John describes do not always proceed in chronological order.  Occasionally he was drawn aside to receive additional information about something that he saw but what was later more fully explained in greater detail.  Such is the case with chapters 7,9,11,16, and 17.  Chapters 7 and 11 introduce the coming of the two great witnesses and the sealing of the 144,000 Israelites to evangelize the world.  Both of these chapters fit into chapter 6.  In Revelation 14 the destruction of Babylon, the one world religion is foretold and then reintroduced with further detail in chapter 17.  This happens throughout the Book of Revelation.

            A chronological study of the Book of Revelation has been presented so the chapters have rearranged to present a detailed and concise order of events that will take place.

            Although there are differences of opinion regarding the details of interpretation one central theme is clear: God will be victorious and He will defeat His enemies.  He will crush and destroy all those who have rejected Him and  have blasphemed His name, including Satan.  He will reward His faithful people with the blessings of a new heaven and a new earth when His victory is completed and curse the unfaithful condemning them to eternity in Hell.

                        The Tribulation passages in the Old and New Testaments illustrate that there is a twofold purpose in the time of the Great Tribulation: First, to bring to a conclusion "the times of the Gentiles" and second, to prepare for the restoration and the regathering of Israel during the Millennial Reign of Christ following the second advent.  The purpose of the Tribulation therefore is not to just purge the church, nor is it primarily a discipline of unbelievers.  Rather it deals in broad terms with both Gentile and Israel in anticipation of the collapse of Gentile power and the restoration of Israel as a nation and restored of all its peoples and tribes.  A complete restoration where every promise God made Abraham will come to fulfillment.