Thrust Statement: The prophecies in this book will occur soon.

Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:1-3

INTRODUCTION

            The Book of Revelation is one of the most misunderstood of all the books of the New Testament. The futuristic approach to Revelation is one of the most prevalent views within the Christian community. This slant of understanding reads the prophecies of this book as linear action, that is to say, one continuous story beginning with Chapter one through Chapter 22. Those who interpret this book with this methodology read into this book the current events of the twenty-first century. On the other hand, there are those who explain Revelation as referring to the first century with emphasis upon the complete overthrow of the world of Judaism in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The futurist generally assigns a date for the book around AD 95, but those who believe the book is about the downfall of Judaism assign a date around AD 65.

            Even though the book abounds with symbols, one can still understand this book with careful attention to the internal evidence and the symbols utilized by the prophets in the Old Testament. The internal evidence reveals the date of composition as having occurred during the reign of Nero, the sixth Emperor of the Roman Empire—Nero committed suicide on June 9, AD 68.^[1] The way John helps his audience to grasp his message is through the context of the whole. The task of any interpreter is to discover the meaning the writer seeks to convey to his readers. If one wishes to decipher this book correctly, one must seek to grasp the intent of the author’s purpose. In spite of the traditional way of interpreting this book, one must learn to reevaluate and reinterpret the traditional understanding handed down from the Reformers from the fifteen-century onwards. Many Christians are so used to reading the Book of Revelation through the lenses of the futurist that they have just accepted what they have been taught by generations of interpreters, which makes it difficult to read the book accurately.

            This study approaches the Book of Revelation as an enlargement upon Jesus’ Olivet Discourse as reported by Matthew (Chapter 24), which Chapter describes the “last days” of Judaism. Briefly stated, the Book of Revelation, so it seems to this author, is divided into three major sections: (1) prologue [Chapters 1—3], (2) the victorious Christ over His enemies [Chapters 4-11], and the triumphant Church over its foes (Chapter 12-22). The second and third sections cover the same period of time, but each section focuses upon different aspects of the overthrow of the Jewish world. Chapter 4—11 covers the matching period of time that Chapters 12-22 embraces. This second section focuses on the winning Christ and the third division is on the conquering Church. In this first apocalypse (Chapters 4-11), one witnesses the downfall of both the spiritual and the political world of Judaism with its Temple and all its rituals. One beholds the expansion of God’s new kingdom over the old heavens and earth—the political power of the world of Judaism. Within this section, one views the opening of seven seals and the sounding of seven trumpets. As one reads the opening of the seven seals, one detects divine judgment upon the city of Jerusalem, a judgment expressed through symbols. On the other hand, the seven trumpets signal the time for God to inflict His punishment upon spiritual Sodom and Egypt (Jerusalem), figuratively speaking, where also Christ was crucified (11:8).

            Following the letters to the seven churches located in Asia, one is introduced to the throne in heaven with its twenty-four elders (Chapter 4). As one reflects upon this scene, one witnesses the totality of spiritual Israel—twelve patriarchs and twelve apostles. In Chapter 5, the book with seven seals could not be opened by anyone in heaven or earth except by Christ the Lion of the tribe of Judah. These seven seals reveal the overthrow of the persecuting powers of the Jews as well as the abusive strength of Rome. In the sixth Chapter, one witnesses the opening of six of the seven seals—four of which represents the four horsemen of the apocalypse—(1) the white horse, (2) the red horse, (3) the black horse, and (4) the pale horse. An analysis of the four horsemen reveals that the first seal with its white horse and its rider represent the conquering Christ (6:1-2). The second seal with its red horse signaled the persecutor waging war against Christ (6:4). The black horse with its rider signifies distress, calamity, and famine, which is indicated by the symbols of the balances and scales for measuring food (6:4-6).

One cannot read about the fourth horse (pale horse) with its rider without reflection upon death and Hades (6:7-8). And then, the fifth seal reveals the souls under the altar requesting judgment upon their adversaries (6:9-11). The souls slain wanted to know when God would avenge their blood. In the third section (Chapters 12-22), John records God’s answer and response to their inquiry in Revelation 20:4.  And, finally, the sixth seal sets forth the shaking of the political powers of Judaism along with the utter destruction of Jerusalem (6:12-17), which is also set forth in Matthew 24:29-35. This sixth seal sets forth the very words of John the Baptist to the religious leaders as he questioned them:  “Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” (Matthew 3:7-12). The following parallel illustrates the continuity between the two accounts:

Revelation 6:12-17

Matthew 24:29-35

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’c 30 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that itd is near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generatione will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

In Chapter 7, one beholds the seventh seal opened with seven angels standing before God with seven trumpets. The angels prepared to sound the seven trumpets, which revealed that the time had come to bring about the utter overthrow of apostate Israel. In Chapter 8 and 9, the seven angels with their seven trumpets sounded the ultimate defeat and overthrow of Jerusalem, which John announced in the preceding six seals. Then in Chapters 10 and 11, one witnesses the culmination of all the events portrayed with the opening of the first seal to the last. With the coming of the new heavens and the new earth (21:1-2), one hears “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he will reign for ever and ever” (11:15). The rider of the white horse had conquered Judaism, the enemy of Christianity.  The Old Covenant Jewish system with its Temple and its rituals were no longer standing—Christ the Galilean had conquered.

PROLOGUE
 

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, ² who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. ³ Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.^[2]

            As one approaches an understanding of this unique book, one must be willing to lay aside one’s rigid beliefs and carefully reexamine the text afresh. One must employ sound hermeneutical principles if one is to maintain a correct and responsible interpretation of this book of symbols, one should consult the Old Testament writings in order to draw correct conclusions as to the meaning of the many phrases or symbols in this book to the seven churches of Asia. John begins this book with the acknowledgement that this “revelation” (ἀποκάλυψις, apokaluyis) is a revelation from God through Jesus Christ.^[3] The word apokaluyis is from two Greek words--ἀπό (apo, “away”) and κάλυψις (kaluyis, “cover”). Thus, John is writing about the disclosure of what is about to be revealed from Jesus Christ. John employs the subjective genitive (᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Ihsou Cristou), that is to say, the One doing the revealing.^[4] John writes under the direction of God. In this revelation from Jesus, God wants to show (δεῖξαι, deivxai) to His servants (τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ, tois doulois autou) the things about to occur. The source of this revelation is God. The time frame of this revelation is set forth with finality: “what must soon take place”  (1:1, NIV). The KJV renders this phrase: “things which must shortly come to pass.” The Greek text reads “with speed” (ἐν τάχει, en tacei).

“With speed” must apply to the entire book. The prologue opens with the word speed (τἀχος, tacos, “speed,” “quickness,”). En tacei means “speedily, quickly, without delay; soon, shortly, before long.” Tacei, when used with the proposition ἐν (en), is used as an adverb—speedily, quickly. The events revealed in this prophecy are about to happen suddenly (see also 1:19). The epilogue (conclusion) of Revelation reinforces the imminence of the events foretold. Jesus concludes with a number of statements about the nearness of the events predicted in this prophecy. Listen to Jesus as he calls attention to events that are at the door: “ The angel said to me, ‘These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place”’ (ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι ἐν τάχει, Ja dei genesqai en tacei) [Revelation 22:6].

Immediately, Jesus repeats the closeness of the preceding events: “Behold, I am coming soon!” (ἔρχομαι ταχύ, ercomai tacu, “I am coming quickly”) [22:7]. Then, once more, in 22:10, John is told not to “seal up the words of the prophecy of this book.” Why? The answer is found in the following words, “because the time is near” (ὁ καιρὸς γὰρ ἐγγύς ἐστιν, Jo kairos gar engus estin, “for the time is near”). Again, in 22:12, Jesus reinforces the nearness of the events, “Behold, I am coming soon!” (ἔρχομαι ταχύ, ercomai tacu, “I am coming quickly”). And, finally, Jesus brings to a close His prophecy with “Yes, I am coming soon” (ναί, ἔρχομαι ταχύ, nai, ercomai tacu) [22:20]. Since Jesus repeated the immediacy of His coming five times in Chapter 22 about God’s judgment upon apostate Israel and His vindication of His Church, one cannot help but wonder why He reinforced the nearness of the “time of the end” five times?

To take the words “shortly” and “soon” to refer to the far-flung future of two thousand years is to read into the text one’s own presuppositions. “Soon” can mean nothing but close by or near. The things set forth in visions and symbols were close at hand. These judgments were to begin with the people to whom this book was written, not thousand of years in the future. John writes: “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” (ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς ἐγγύς, Jo gar kairos engus) (1:3). The ἐγγύς (engus, “near”) of 1:3 echoes and reinforces the τάχει, (tacei, “shortly” or “speedily”) of 1:1.  These events applied to them, not to aeons of time—two thousand years or more. The time was near for those who read and listened and took to heart the things written in this prophecy. In fact, this book was written to seven churches in Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:11). This book describes the overthrow of apostate Jerusalem and the obliteration of the Jewish theocracy along with the demolition of the Temple with all of its ceremonies and rituals.

“What must soon take place” (ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι, Jai dei genesqai) is reminiscent of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. In Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, Jesus sets forth the utter destruction of Jerusalem as foretold by the prophets. This discourse mentioned by the synoptic writers is but a miniature of the Book of Revelation. Just as Jesus reveals to John the destruction of Jerusalem so also Jesus makes known to His disciples in His Olivet Discourse the nearness of the catastrophic events about to occur within that generation (forty years)—the end of the Jewish age, or the last days of Judaism:

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. ² “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” ³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” ⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,^a’ and will deceive many. ⁶ You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. (Matthew 24:1-6)

In 24:6, Jesus says, “Such things must happen” (δεῖ γὰρ γενέσθαι, dei gar genesqai). About thirty-five years later (AD 65), Jesus gives a fuller revelation of the events about to transpire that He had spoken of earlier. Remember, in 1:1, Jesus tells John about things that will occur with speed (ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι ἐν τάχει, Jai dei genesqai en taxei, “things that must happen with speed”).  Both Matthew 24 and the Book of Revelation reveal that the times spoken of by Daniel the prophet is about to be fulfilled; Daniel had spoken of these events over six hundred years earlier (see Daniel 2:44; 9:24-27 and Chapter 12. When Daniel prophesied about the future events concerning the coming of Christ and His kingdom, the events predicted by him were not close by. Thus Michael, the great prince, told him: “ But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge” (Daniel 12:4). Daniel was told to “close up and seal” until the “time of the end,” not the end of time.

On the other hand, John was told: “Do not seal up (μὴ σφραγίσῃς, mh sfragishs, “seal not”) the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near” (Revelation 22:10). The “time is near” for the punishment of apostate Jerusalem. This is very similar to 1:19: “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later (ἃ μέλλει γενέσθαι, Jai mellei genesqai, “[the] things which (is) are about to occur”). This unfolding of events in the Book of Revelation is about to reach its climax, which events began as early as Daniel 2. Now, Jesus tells John not “to seal up” the things that Daniel was told to “close up and seal” until the “time of the end.”  Why? Jesus explains: “the time is near.” James, one of Jesus’ brothers, writes: “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near [ἡ παρουσία τοῦ κυρίου ἤγγικεν, Jh Parousia tou kuriou, hngiken, “the presence of the Lord has drawn near”] (James 5:8). Peter also calls attention to those who questioned “the promise of his coming” (2 Peter 3:4). In verse 3, he states: “First of all, you must understand that in the last days (ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν, ep escatwn twn Jhmerwn, “during the last of the days”) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires” (3:3). The author of Hebrews writes: “ but in these last days (ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν, ep escatou twn Jhmerwn) he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:2).

These “last days” of Israel were in their final stages. Forty years earlier, Jesus had warned about the “time of the end” for national Israel as the Covenant people of God:

 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. ²² For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. (Luke 21:21-22)

Matthew also reports the words of Jesus this way:  “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’^b spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— ¹⁶ then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 25:15-16). The “last days” in the Old Testament and the New Testament do not refer to the end of time, but to the end of the Old Testament age—the complete overthrow of Judaism in AD 70. Peter, too, writes about the completion of the ages: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray” (1 Peter 4:7). The judgment of Israel foretold by the prophets was at hand. It is in this regard that Peter writes: “For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God (4:17)? A casual reading of the third chapter of second Peter reveals that Peter is describing the passing of Israel with its Temple and all of its rituals.^[5]

James, the Lord’s brother, writes to Jewish Christians concerning the last days. Listen to him as he unfolds the impending events:

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. ⁹ Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! (James 5:7-9)

James says that the “Lord’s coming is near (ἡ παρουσία κυρίου ἤγγικεν, Jh Parousia kuriou hngiken, “The Lord’s coming has drawn near).” It is in this same vein that Paul writes to the Corinthians about the last days. Pay attention to Paul as he conveys the near approach of the fulfillment of what the prophets had earlier written: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). The Greek text reads: τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων κατήντηκεν (ta telh twn aiwnwn kathnthken), which reads in the English translation as: “the end of the ages has(ve) arrived. Earlier Paul describes the passing away of theocratic Israel: “Those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away” (παράγε γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμος τούτου, “For the fashion of this world is passing away”) [7:31].

In the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24), the apostles asked Jesus about the end of the age: “³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος, sunteleias tou aiwnos)  [Matthew 24:3]. The KJV translates the Greek text as: “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world ?”  The NIV correctly translates the Greek word αἰών (aiwn) as “age,” not world, which is κόσμος (kosmos). The author of Hebrews pens the following words concerning that which is about to expire: “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away” (Hebrews 8:13, KJV). The NIV translates: “By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.”

Toward the end of the Book of Hebrews, the author once more warns of the day of God’s wrath against apostate Israel: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (10:25). The “Day approaching” is not a Sunday morning worship service, but the “coming wrath” addressed by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:7). The world of Judaism is about to pass away in its totality. Again, listen to the author as he focuses on end of Old Covenant world of Judaism:

 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”^{c 27} The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our “God is a consuming fire.”^d (Hebrews 12:25-29)

            The “earth” and “heavens” represent the world of Judaism with its Temple and its rituals. Isaiah also addresses Judah and Jerusalem with the terms “heavens” and “earth” to the nation of Israel. Isaiah writes against this rebellious nation with metaphors:

² Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. ³ The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” (Isaiah 1:2-3)

Chapter one of Isaiah is very negative in that it addresses the rejection of Israel and their ultimate end. But God does not leave them without a consciousness of events that will occur in the “last days” of Judah. He paints a graphic picture of the Messianic age during the final days of the world of Judaism:

This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: ² In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. ³ Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (2:1-3)

The author of Hebrews “last days” is the same as Isaiah’s “last days” in 2:2. The “last days” is not the Messianic age, but rather the “last days” of the political power of Judaism. As mentioned above, this shaking “once more” would occur during the last days of Israel, which ended in AD 70. The Book of Hebrews depicts the downfall of Israel, which is described in symbolic language in the Book of Revelation and Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. The author of Hebrews begins his book with a reference to the “last days” of Judaism: “ In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days (ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν, ep escatou twn Jhmerwn) he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe” (2:1-2). Daniel, too, spoke of the events that would occur in the “last days” of Israel as he interpreted a dream of Nebuchadnezzar: “But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you lay on your bed are these” (2:28).

One can hardly reflect upon Daniel’s phrase, “What things must take place in the latter days” (ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν, Ja dei genesqai ep escatwn twn Jhmerwn LXX) without a reminiscence of Revelation 1:1:  “what things must take place quickly” (ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι ἔν τάχει, Ja dei genesqai en tacei). This parallelism between Daniel and John provides insight into the Book of Revelation as well as the Book of Daniel. In this second chapter, Daniel predicts the coming of God’s kingdom, a kingdom that will never be destroyed: “In the time of those kings (the Caesars, RDB),^[6] the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. In Revelation 1:9, John states that he is in the kingdom, which kingdom Jesus proclaimed. Mark reports this unique proclamation of the Messiah:  “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). The KJV renders this verse: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” 

“The time has been fulfilled” (πεπλήρωται ὁ καιρός, peplhrwtai Jo kairos) is the fulfillment of what the prophets prophesied about the coming of God’s kingdom during the final days of Israel’s demise, or destruction. Again, He says that the “kingdom of God has drawn near” (ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, Jhngiken Jh basileia tou qeou). Revelation 1:1 is an echo of Daniel 2:28. Daniel, as he closes his revelation, writes about the “time of the end” (12:4), which concerns the end of national Israel. In this same chapter he pens:

The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time.^b When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.” (12:7)

Jesus, in His Olivet Discourse, addresses the remarks of some of His disciples about the Temple and the beautiful stones that adorned this House of God: “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down” (Luke 21:6). Following his interchange with them concerning their inquiry, He calls attention to prophesy concerning these events:

When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. ²² For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. ²³ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:20-24)

            “The “time, times and half a time” spoken of by Daniel is the time that Jerusalem would “be trampled on by the Gentiles.”  John also speaks of this time when he writes:

I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. ² But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. ³ And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.  (Revelation 11:1-3)

            To turn again to the Olivet Discourse as reported by Luke, Jesus, once more, narrows the events about to transpire concerning the kingdom of heaven:

²⁹ He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. ³⁰ When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. ³¹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. ³² “I tell you the truth, this generation^a will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
 

CONCLUSION
 

            Revelation 1:1-3 announces the imminent fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus and His kingdom announced by Daniel the prophet of God as well as other prophets. John’s ᾿Εν τάχει (en taxei, “with speed” or “quickly”) is a substitute for Daniel’s ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν (ep escatwn twn Jhmerwn, “in the latter days”) [Daniel 2:28]. Within this frame of reference (Revelation 1:1-3), John conveys the very purpose of this book. The “latter days” spoken of by Daniel were now being fulfilled in John’s day. For “the time is near” in verse three is an expression of imminence—“the things about to occur” (ἃ μέλλει γενέσθαι, “the things which (is) are about to occur” [1:19].