This Revelation Timeline Decoded post features a video from Dr. John Barnett of Discover the Book Ministries DTBM, called PROPHECY IS SOOOOO IMPORTANT TO GOD–HE WANTS EVERY CHURCH TO STUDY ALL OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION!
Video description: Why Would God Want Every Church of Every Generation to Study the Revelation of Jesus Christ? Revelation 6:1-17. The Book of the Revelation has always been regarded, by all who have taught it, as unlike any other of the books in the Bible. Revelation is not only the ending to God’s Word, it is also an invitation from God.
Dr. John Barnett of Discover the Book Ministries read the verses in the first chapter of Revelation.
Revelation 1:1 says The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.
Revelation 1:3 says 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.
How does he miss that it says that these things must shortly come to pass? And that the time is at hand?
Read Revelation Timeline
Dr. John Barnett of Discover the Book Ministries teaches that Revelation 6-19 is yet to be fulfilled in the future.
The prophecies in Revelation have been in the process of being fulfilled since it was written. The seals were about the decline of the Roman Empire from civil wars (red horse), economic strife (black horse), famine, pestilence and death (pale horse).
Dr. John Barnett points to the sun, moon and stars literally being darkened in the sixth seal and the stars falling to the earth.
How is it that such an esteemed pastor doesn’t understand the symbolic language that is defined in the Old Testament?
The sun, moon and stars are symbolic of earthly dignitaries, great political authorities and great lights in the political or religious heavens.
We know this because in Genesis 37:8-10, Joseph had a dream, ..”And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me. So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” It was symbolic of the power structure.
Isaiah used this same terminology when he referred to the judgment of God against the leadership of Babylon in Isaiah 13:10 “For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine.“ And indeed, the power of Babylon was destroyed by the Medo-Persian empire.
Read these examples which are clearly not about the literal Sun, moon and stars.
Isaiah 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Isaiah 34:3-5 Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
Ezekiel 32:6-8 I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee. And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
Amos 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
These are not descriptions of final judgment. They are oracles against Babylon (Is. 13) and against Edom (Is. 34) and Egypt (Ezek. 32) and the northern kingdom of Israel (Amos). Point at issue: We are not dealing with literal events here, but apocalyptic imagery
So in the 6th seal of Revelation, it represents the downfall of Roman leadership, as they used to rule a large empire, but now their power was diminishing.
“Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.” Revelation 6:14
The Roman Empire was vast with many leaders overseeing provinces, so the “sky receding as a scroll” represents the Roman Empire losing its power over the nations.
The mountains and islands that were moved out of their places, were all of the nations that were affected by the fall of the Roman Empire.
Read Revelation 6 – 6th Seal Earthquake
Dr. John Barnett of Discover the Book Ministries points to the time of tribulation, god’s wrath on the earth.
There are different references to times of tribulation in Daniel 12, Matthew 24, Revelation 2 and Revelation 13. Dispensationalists like Dr. John Barnett lump them all into one event, but that is a wrong explanation.
Daniel 12 and Matthew 24 point to the time of trouble for the Jewish nation, as punishment for them continuing in rebellion against the Heavenly Father and for rejecting His Son and delivering Him up to be killed. During the Jewish-Roman War of 66-70 AD, 1.1 million Jews died in and around Jerusalem from famine, pestilence, infighting, suicide, evisceration, crucifixion and by the Roman sword.
The time of tribulation in Revelation 2 took place when Satan used the Roman Emperors to persecute the early church during ten persecution periods, especially hard during the last one when Diocletian sought to wipe out Messiah’s Ekklesia of saints from 303-312 AD.
The time of great tribulation in Revelation 13 took place during the 1,260-year reign of power of the antichrist beast Popes, from 538-1798 AD, when they caused tens of millions of saints to be tortured and killed during the Dark Ages and Inquisition.
Read Times Of Great Tribulation In Daniel And Revelation
Dr. John Barnett of Discover the Book Ministries teaches that the first seal in Revelation 6 points to the antichrist.
Messiah proclaimed in the first verse of Revelation that these ‘things must shortly come to pass’ and in the third verse ‘for the time is at hand.’
The ‘bow’ in the first seal is pointing directly at Roman Emperor Trajan, who reigned shortly after John wrote down the apocalyptic vision. He was a descendant of people of the Isle of Crete, who were famous bowmen. There’s no arrow because the Romans used spears in their battles with Trajan, not bows.
Trajan was one of the most victorious Emperors and the Roman Empire conquered nations and reached its height of power. He rode on a white horse during military victory parades and he wore a laurel wreath crown.
While the Roman Empire was conquering nations, Messiah’s Ekklesia of saints was conquering the Roman Empire with the sword of the Scriptures. This sets up the historical narrative of Revelation, Satan using the Roman beast kingdom to fight against Messiah and His saints.
Read Revelation 6 – 1st Seal White Horse
Dr. John Barnett of Discover the Book Ministries points to an Israel peace agreement by the antichrist, which starts the 7-year tribulation, the 70th week of Daniel 9, and a pretribulation rapture of the saints.
Any teacher who is basing their explanation of Revelation on the concept of a future 70th week of Daniel 9, the 7-year tribulation period, is misleading you. The false concept of a 7-year tribulation period is based on the 70-weeks of Daniel 9 prophecy.
The prophecy foretold when Messiah would appear to carry out His ministry, and when (in the middle of the 70th week) He would confirm the (everlasting) covenant (that was mentioned in Daniel 9:4) with His blood as the Passover Lamb, to atone for our sins. It’s not about the end times or the antichrist.
Read The 70th Week Of Daniel 9 Decoded
Dr. John Barnett of Discover the Book Ministries teaches a false, futuristic fulfillment of the 70th week of Daniel 9, the Olivet Discourse and the prophecies in Revelation.
The 70th week of Daniel 9 is about Messiah’s ministry and His blood sacrifice as the Spotless Lamb to atone for our sins. It has nothing to do with the antichrist or the end times.
The Olivet Discourse foretold the events that would lead to the desolation of Jerusalem, the second temple and the Jewish nation; as punishment for the Jewish leaders continuing in rebellion against the Heavenly Father and for delivering His Son up to be killed. It has nothing to do with the antichrist or the end times.
Most of the prophecies in Revelation have been fulfilled in exacting detail during the last 1,900 years. It describes the historical narrative of the Satan-empowered leaders of the Roman beast kingdom (pagan Emperors > antichrist beast Popes > false prophet Jesuit Superior Generals) fighting against Messiah and His saints.
The explanations of Dr. John Barnett of Discover the Book Ministries serve to deflect blame away from the enemy in Rome, and to mislead the end-times saints so that they’re not prepared for how the end-times will play out, and don’t know the context of Messiah’s return.
On the Bible Prophecy Decoded website you will find summary PDF’s, links to request free PDF’s on my books and links to order printed books.
#johnbarnett #dtbm #discoverthebookministries
Excellent rebuttal, David!
At the end of the day, it’s about TRUTH and you (as well as others), through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, nailed this.
We are living in the Age of Deception in line with the perfect fulfillment of Revelation being played out right before our eyes. It’s no wonder futurism and preterism were invented to deflect away from Rome. Now, the focus is another Jesuit invention, Zionism.
This is evident with pastors like Chuck Baldwin who relentlessly talks about it in every sermon and in every writing he publishes these days. He is so proccupied with Zionism that the attention is completely off of Rome. He and his deflection are highly suspect to me.
Revealing and disclosing the origin (names, dates, places) of these devilish doctrines and dogmas are part of the “Come Out of Her, My People” scriptures but Chuck Baldwin REFUSES to warn his listeners. Imagine how many people you could reach for Messiah Jesus with this truth but he refuses to go there. Instead, he reverts to preterism and focuses on the Jews that need Jesus as much as we do NOT Chuck’s judgment!
It’s really pathetic because we ALL know these preachers know history, Scripture and prophecy. If our eyes and ears are open, why aren’t theirs after decades of studying the Bible and making a living off of it? My only conclusion is that it is intentional deception NOT blindness NOT willful ignorance. They are still holding on to what the world has to offer because they are intentionally circumventing and hiding Biblical truth and history. These pastors REFUSE to listen to anyone of their fellow brethren or even discuss. Additionally, their pride is so thick you can cut it with a knife.
This type of omission and deflection looks exactly like what the Popes of Rome did for centuries when they would not allow their Catholic church members read the Bible for themselves [still doing it today]. Instead the Church of Rome persecuted anyone who questioned them or their authroity and then burned the Scriptures when they [members] did find out the truth that they were liars, thieves, and deceivers.
We all must watch and stay awake in our Messiah Lord Jesus Christ.
Great post, David!