The chronology for the book of Revelation is a hotly debated issue. Premillennialists would like to think the prophecies are in our future. Preterists believe the prophecies concluded in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Even advocates for the historical approach are confused by the prophetic order of events.
The Apostle John was instructed to write about past, present and future events (Rev. 1:19). The literal Greek reads, “Write thou therefore the things which thou sawest and the things which are and the things which are about to occur after these things.” This verse reveals chronology in the book of Revelation. The Apostle John will address past events for which he had knowledge or for which he saw. He will also address present concerns before addressing future events. The future events would logically occur after John wrote the book of Revelation in AD 97.
Revelation chapter one begins with the things John saw from Jesus Christ. Jesus gives John a vision in AD 96 where he was presently on the island of Patmos (Rev. 1:9). Jesus “sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John” (Rev. 1:1). The signification here means to reveal or declare. In this sense, Jesus is signifying by explaining, revealing and declaring things that are otherwise unknown.
For example, the same Greek word for signified (semaino) is used in John 12:33 and John 18:32 to signify by what death Jesus would suffer. There was no use of miraculous signs or symbols in this signification. There was merely an implication given in Jesus’ words that provided the signification. That signification revealed the manner of Christ’s death.
There are many symbols in the book of Revelation, but the word “signified” in the opening verse of Revelation does not mean John will receive a symbolized message. It means Christ will reveal, declare or explain events by His angel of things which will soon occur (Rev. 1:1).
Jesus then declares to John in chapters 2 and 3 things that pertain to the seven churches of Asia. Given the nature of the remarks, it seems obvious these instructions are given at the present time in which John writes the book of Revelation. As far as we know, these seven churches existed in AD 97 and the message serves as a warning to all congregations present and future.
The first verse in chapter 4 seems to delineate a transition from the present to the future. However, John has yet to address anything from the past. The phrase “after these things” is also related as “after this” in many English translations. It is a common transitional phrase. It is not an indication of a chronological progression as some commentariats believe. Otherwise, the book of Revelation which begins in the present would never relate past events as it does in chapters 11 and 12. Rather, the phrase “after these things” refers to a simple transition in the writing of the book of Revelation from one event or subject to another.
To understand the time frame for the throne scene in Chapter 4, we must first identify the 144,000. In reference to this group, John writes, “These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb” (Rev. 14:4). Firstfruits refer to the first of some common group. Under the Old Law, the firstfruits of the Israelite’s crops were required to be offered to the Lord (Ex. 23:16-19). Likewise, Jesus Christ was said to be the firstfruits (or firstborn) of the resurrected (1 Cor. 15:20; Rev. 1:5). As well, Epaenetus, was the “firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ” (Rom. 16:5).
The firstfruits of the redeemed were the 144,000. They were the first group to be redeemed. New Testament Christians are redeemed upon baptism (Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). That necessarily infers the 144,000 were redeemed before anyone was redeemed via baptism in Acts chapter 2. With that understanding, the Old Testament faithful were redeemed within the 50 days after Christ’s death on the cross (Heb. 9:11-15).
The throne scene extends into chapter 7 where the 144,000 were first introduced. There, the 144,000 were sealed before any Christians were sealed via baptism (2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30). That means these faithful Old Testament servants were sealed before the 3000 were baptized when the Lord’s Church was established (Acts 2:37-47). The sealing of the 144,000 took place within the 50 days after Christ’s crucifixion.
It becomes a necessary inference that the events before the throne in Revelation chapter 4 through chapter 7 occurred between Christ’s resurrection and the Day of Pentecost in AD 33 (Lev. 23:15; Acts 2:1). It also necessarily infers that the throne scene in these chapters are not descriptions of heaven after the judgment day. Rather it is a description of Paradise before the judgment day. [See The Winepress of God’s Wrath, chapters 4-7.]
Naysayers may argue against the use of necessary inferences to dismiss this line of thought. After all, this information seems new to lifelong Bible scholars. How could so many people miss this for centuries? Could it be that necessary inferences were ignored?
Jesus condemned the Sadducees for ignoring necessary inferences (Matt. 22:31-33; Mk. 12:26-27). Jesus called the Pharisees and Sadducees hypocrites because they could draw necessary inferences from the weather, but they could not determine who He was (Matt. 16:1-4). Necessary inferences are found throughout scriptures but when it comes to information in scripture that requires a necessary inference, hypocrisy frequently surfaces due to ignorance.
The seven sealed scroll from Revelation chapter 5 and 6 were opened before the throne in the same period before Pentecost. Christ appeared before the throne as “a Lamb as though it had been slain” (Rev. 5:6), because He had just ascended into heaven the same day he was resurrected (Jn. 20:11-17 comp. Lk. 24:39; Rev. 11:11-12). [See “The Risen Savior” in The Winepress of God’s Wrath.] Jesus was the one who opens the scroll. He was before the throne which explains where the mysterious disappearing Jesus was located when he wasn’t on earth during those 50 days. It was in scriptures all along.
The chronology between Revelation chapter 4 to chapter 7 should not include the seals from the seven sealed scroll within those 50 days. They are prophetic scenes concerning those things that contributed to the destruction of the Roman Empire. The prophecies revealed by the seven seals occurred throughout the remaining time of the Roman Empire. With the opening of the 7th seal in chapter 8, we chronologically move from the past into the future as John saw time.
Chapter 8 introduces the seven trumpets. The time frame for their occurrence is based upon the dates when the trumpet’s prophetic events occurred. The first four trumpets are sounded concurrently and are akin to earthquakes, volcanic explosions, meteoroids, and an obscured sky for a third of the day. Historically, four such events occurred on October 23, AD 498/9. [See The Winepress of God’s Wrath, chapter 8.]
The fifth trumpet describes swarms of locusts that did not eat vegetation. That alone must have been an event that never occurred in history. However, such a locusts invasion occurred in AD 499. [See The Winepress of God’s Wrath, chapter 9.]
That event is followed by an invading force that was released by the sounding of the sixth trumpet. The Persians under King Kavad crossed the Euphrates River into Roman territory wiping out a large portion of the Roman population in AD 502/3.
Chapters 10 and 11 do not relate historical events. Rather, the eating of the little book and the spiritual discussion of the two witnesses are viewed as interludes. The discussion of the little book is addressed to the Apostle John personally so it could be argued that chapter 10 is back to the present. The two witnesses relate to the Messiah and events that occurred in AD 33.
Chapter 12 would qualify as an interlude as well. This spiritual discussion relates back to the birth of Christ and incapsulates His entire life, as well as His death on the cross. A war broke out in heaven during this time resulting in Satan being cast out of heaven. Chronologically, this occurred prior to John writing the book of Revelation, again disproving the theory that the book is sequential.
The chronology of Chapter 13 is hidden in the symbols of the seven headed beasts it describes. There was only one period in Roman history where seven emperors served the Roman Empire at the same time. That period was called the Era of the Martyrs (AD 303 to AD 313). This chapter describes a sea beast and an earth beast. The sea beast is understood to be the Roman Empire, and it encompasses time from AD 97 to the Roman Empire’s destruction. The earth beast is not clearly defined until chapter 17 through the prophetic riddle of the seven kings (Rev. 17:7-11).
Logically, chapter 13 should chronologically follow a date after AD 502/3 where chapter 9 left off if the book of Revelation was sequential, interludes excepted. However, the book of Revelation exhibits a rather loose chronology of events.
The beginning of chapter 14 returns to the 144,000 who are in Paradise. “These were redeemed from among men” (Rev. 14:4). The past tense suggests they are no longer within the period between Christ’s crucifixion and Pentecost. Babylon is said to have fallen (Rev. 14:8). Babylon being the city of Rome which fell in AD 546. That declaration is immediately followed by Christ with His angels harvesting souls on the judgment day. That would be the end of time.
Chapters 15 through chapter 16 deals with the bowls of wrath. The first bowl was poured out on the Roman Empire, being the bubonic plague in AD 541. The final bowl seems to historically last until AD 554/5.
Chapter 17 through chapter 21 seems to discuss topics as opposed to a series of events. In other words, chapter 16 marks the end of the historical chronology in the book of Revelation. The destruction of Rome being one of the final historical events before the judgment day. Obviously, time does not end between the destruction of Rome and the judgment day but what remains of earth time is not the focus of the book of Revelation.
Chapter 17 discusses the great harlot in hindsight. “One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot…”’ The great harlot being the city of Rome would encompass the entire duration of the Roman Empire. Emphasis upon the earth beast in this chapter would refer to the reign of Constantine the Great (AD 306 – AD 337). Their demise formally concludes on the judgment day.
Chapter 18 through chapter 19 verse 6 returns to a discussion of the fall of Rome. Rome was sacked in AD 546.
Chapter 19 verses 7 through verse 10 discuss the marriage supper for Christ and His bride (the church) following the judgment day.
Chapter 19 verses 11 through verse 21 discusses the judgment day dubbed Armageddon.
Chapter 20 discusses Christ’s one-thousand-year reign that ends on the judgment day.
Chapter 21 verses 1 through 6 describes heaven.
Chapter 21 verses 6 through 21 returns to the present day in which John wrote the book of Revelation with closing remarks.