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.