This Revelation Timeline Decoded Bible study focuses on the Revelation phrase ‘I come quickly.’
In His Apocalyptic vision, Messiah said “I come quickly” six times. In the first three verses of Revelation, He pointed to “things which must shortly come to pass” and “the time is at hand.”
These phrases have caused some people to believe in the preterist view of prophecy fulfillment, which proclaims that the seals, trumpets and bowls of Revelation were fulfilled in the first century.
Some teachers, like Pastor Chuck Baldwin, believe that Revelation is John’s version of the Olivet Discourse, and that the prophecies point to the desolation of Jerusalem, the temple and the Jewish nation in 70 AD.
This study will go through the verses to show how most of them point to events which have taken place during the last 1,900 years; which disproves the preterist theory.
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.
Preterism points to this verse to counter futurism, which assigns the fulfillment of most of Revelation to the last 7 or 3 1/2 years. Preterists proclaim that it proves that the prophecies in Revelation were fulfilled shortly after it was written.
Both preterism and futurism are false constructs of the enemy, who created them to deflect blame away from the popes of Rome; as the office of the papacy, the Popes of Rome, fulfill Bible prophecy as the ‘little horn’ of Daniel 7, the ‘son of perdition’ of 2 Thessalonians 2, and ‘the beast’ of Revelation 13, who leads the ‘harlot’ church of Rome.
Read How The Deceptions Spread
Revelation 1:3 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.
Preterists point out that the futuristic explanations wrongly assign the fulfillment of most the prophecies in Revelation to the end times, which is contrary to Messiah’s statements in the first three verses of Revelation.
Though that’s a valid point, Preterists typically don’t mention that the historicist narrative shows how the prophecies in Revelation began to be fulfilled shortly after it was given to John.
The white horse of the first seal represents the ‘conquering’ Roman Empire, from 98-117 AD, as under the reign of Emperor Trajan it was a time of its greatest expansion and their military conquests were celebrated by riding ‘white horses’ in their victory parades.
Roman Emperors Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, were descendants of the Isle of Crete, who were famous bowmen, so the ‘bow‘ points directly at them. The ‘crown’ represents the laurel wreathes of victory that were worn by the Caesars after their armies had won a military battle.
Read Revelation 6 – 1st Seal White Horse
The seal judgments were against the pagan Roman Empire as punishment for them persecuting Messiah’s Ekklesia of saints during ten persecution periods. The trumpet judgments were fulfilled when army after army were sent against the Roman Empire, leading to its fall.
The fourth trumpet judgment led to the Western Roman Emperor being removed from power in 476 AD. The sixth trumpet judgment led to the Eastern Roman Emperor being removed from power in1453 AD, when the Turks conquered Constantinople.
The historical fulfillment of most of the prophecies in Revelation during the last 1,900 years, invalidates the preterist position and the premise that Messiah returned soon after Revelation was written.
Read Revelation Fulfillment Timeline
Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Preterists proclaim that Messiah was writing to the seven churches that existed in the first century, but that’s a short-sighted explanation. The letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 are to seven church eras which span from the first century until Messiah returns. Read Revelation 2-3 Seven Church Eras
The first church era of Ephesus faced persecution from the Jews and the Romans, and they began to lose hope. Messiah encouraged them to repent and to press on, but He did not return in the first century.
Revelation 2-3 comprise one of the four chronological layers in Revelation which span from the first century until Messiah returns. When you overlay the four layers on a timeline, you see the whole vision.
Read Revelation Is A Layered War Manual
Revelation 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
The church era of Pergamos took place from when Constantine stopped the persecutions in 313 AD until the antichrist beast Popes of Rome were given civil authority in 538 AD.
The Pergamos church era witnessed to codification of Romanism by Constantine and the Roman bishops, who created a false Christian religion with man-made traditions. This was the time of the ‘falling away’ that the Apostle Paul warned about in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
Messiah was admonishing them to not apostatize from the Scriptural faith, as they witnessed many people compromise with Roman and take positions of power. Messiah was not pointing to His return in the 4th-6th centuries.
Read The Falling Away of 2 Thessalonians 2
Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
The church era of Philadelphia took place from 1798 AD, when the antichrist beast pope was removed from civil power during the fifth vial judgment, until around 1900 AD. It was a time when the Gospel was proclaimed worldwide and the little book of Revelation 10, the printed Bible, was spread around the world through Bible societies.
It was a glorious church era which is why Messiah had nothing bad to say about them. Messiah was not pointing to His return in the 18th-20th centuries.
Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
We can see the historical fulfillment of the seals, trumpets and first five bowl judgments; and that the first part of the sixth bowl judgment has been fulfilled, and then Messiah proclaims that He “comes as a thief.”
This proves that Messiah didn’t return shortly after Revelation was written, but that He still has not returned after 1900 years.
We are waiting for the seventh vial to be poured out and the judgment of the harlot church of Rome; before Messiah returns.
Read Revelation 16 – 6th Bowl Judgment
These three verses point to a time after the antichrist beast pope and false prophet Jesuit Superior General are captured in Revelation 19.
They take place after the judgment of the harlot church of Revelation 17-18. And they occur after the saints rule in the power of Messiah in Revelation 20.
Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
The historical record of prophecy fulfillment shows that Messiah was not saying that He was coming shortly after Revelation was written.
So the word ‘quickly’ must point to a different meaning. The word quickly in the Greek text is ‘tachu’ which can mean “suddenly, by surprise.”
To the church eras, Messiah’s actions were swift. To the end times church age of Laodicea, which Messiah proclaims is ‘miserable, wretched, naked, poor and blind,’ who have been misled by the preterist and futurist prophecy fulfillment explanations, His return will be a surprise.
I pray that this helps you see the proper context of Messiah’s declarations, so that you’re not misled by the false preterist explanations of the fulfillment of Revelation in the first century.
I prove out the historical fulfillment of most of the prophecies in Revelation during the last 1,900 years, which validate historicist explanations and invalidates the preterist explanation.
Messiah’s apocalyptic vision is a war manual, designed to hide the explanation from those who should not understand it. It uses symbolic words that are defined in the Old Testament to point to a literal fulfillment. If you read Revelation only from a literal perspective, the interpretation is hidden.
Understanding the vision is like taking a Biblical final exam. If you’ve read the whole Word, you will have seen the symbolism that Messiah uses and can apply it to the fulfillment.
If you read Revelation as one chronological narrative, the prophecies seem out of sequence. That’s because it has four chronological layers, each of which spans from when it was written until Messiah returns.
This book explains the prophecies of Revelation on a timeline to help you see how the four chronological layers interact with each other, so that you can comprehend the whole vision.
You will learn how to identify who fulfills the role of the son of perdition, the antichrist beast, the false prophet, and the harlot called ‘Mystery, Babylon the Great.’ You will understand the proper context of the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments; the little book of Revelation 10, and the two witnesses of Revelation 11.
Whether you’re a novice at Bible prophecy or someone who has studied it extensively, I provide an explanation that is easy to understand yet has the depth of verse by verse explanations to provide you the evidence you need to prove it out.
Here’s a link to YouTube videos about the fulfillment of 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation.
CLICK HERE TO BUY A PRINTED COPY OF THE REVELATION TIMELINE DECODED BOOK
#preterism #preterist
