The Book of Revelation was Fulfilled in the First Century

Many Christians believe the book of Revelation is a prophesy about the end of the world in our future. They say the events told of in the prophesy are too fantastic to refer to anything which has already happened in human history. The problem with this thinking is that these Christians are applying Revelation’s imagery to the physical realm when they should apply it to the spiritual realm.

The most scandalous thing ever to happen in human history was when humanity murdered the son of God on the cross. This is the most important event to ever happen, and it will always be so. Yet, while this event was happening, most of the world was completely unaware of it. No one in China, for example, had any idea that their own creator had become a man and was dying on a cross. Even those who were directly involved with the crucifixion were unaware of what they were truly doing. “Father, forgiven them; for they do not know what they’re doing.” In the spiritual realm, however, when our Lord was crucified, the whole world was being destroyed.

The book of Revelation revealed what happened in the spiritual realm in the first century. The symbols will only seem to be too fantastic if one applies them to the physical realm. The entire old world was crashing down and a new world was being created by the death and resurrection of Christ. The first century is the most important century of human history, and always will be.

We also know the book of Revelation was fulfilled in the first century because that’s what the book itself tells us…

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Revelation 1:1-3, NKJV (emphasis mine)

Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.”
Revelation 22:6-10, NKJV (emphasis mine)

The symbology of Revelation best fits the events of the first century when the old world was replaced by the new — the most important century of all time.

The Olivet Discourse – Passage Comparison – Eschatology Notes 2023

Here is a chart comparing the passages of the Olivet Discourse from Matthew, Mark, and Luke…..

The Origins of the Rapture (Video)

Inconsistencies in the World of Eschatology

Within the world of eschatology there are some dark alleys. By dark, I do not mean evil, but rather places in which things are not clearly seen and which can lead to confusion and misunderstanding. Unfortunately, some of these eschatological alleys have caused some to become disillusioned enough to leave their faith, or prevented them from having faith to begin with.

One such alley is found when comparing Matthew 24 with 1 Thessalonians 4-5 and 1 Corinthians 15. If you consider Matthew 24 to be about a still future end of the world, you won’t find yourself in this alley, but I would question your scholarship. Matthew 24, along with Luke 21 and Mark 13, are most certainly passages concerning AD70. Many who study eschatology consider 1 Thessalonians 4-5 and 1 Corinthians 15 to be about a still future resurrection and end of history. But, what happens when we compare these passages? Consider the chart below…

There are some obvious parallels between all three passages, and one has to ask: If A=B, and B=C, does not A=C? Are these passages future or past? I have my own opinions, but this requires further study.

Many Christians today believe we are in the last days. They have their reasons for believing so, and those reasons always turn out to be wrong. In fact, there have been dozens upon dozens of end time predictions over the last several centuries that have all failed to come true.

We are now 2000 years removed from when Jesus rose from the dead. That means Jesus was closer in time to Abraham than He was to us. All that history, from Abraham to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph, to the Egyptian slavery, to the exodus, to the founding of Israel, to the line of Israelite kings, to the prophets, to the exile, to the return from exile, to the rebuilding of the temple, to the Greek period, and finally to the Roman period and Jesus — all that history passed in a time shorter than the time from Jesus to us today. And in all that time we have been waiting for Jesus to return, and have put forth one failed prediction after another. Something is wrong here.

Why did all the New Testament authors speak as though they were living in the last days? And why do so many Christians today think they are living in the last days? The answer is that we today don’t know what we are talking about. Every 20 years another stupid end times book comes out which is proven wrong 10 years after it’s published. End times teachers disagree with each other and contradict each other. How many more centuries will it take the Church to shed light on those dark alleys?

Gary Demar, a well known voice in the world of Eschatology, has come under fire recently because he has dared to call out the inconsistencies of well known end time teachers. I’ll share his reaction to this in a video and article he wrote below. Demar is not someone who can be ignored and I hope that his position today will push things in the right direction in the years to come.