Daniel and Revelation

The Book of Revelation is addressed to seven first-century congregations in the Roman province of Asia. It deals with their real-life struggles. Moreover, it presents messages relevant to the Church throughout the present age, the “ Last Days .” This period began with the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. The daily challenges of the Asian congregations provide us with a microcosm of the great cosmic battle that is being waged between Jesus and the Devil.

The Book of Revelation begins with the phrase, “ Revelation of Jesus Christ .” It is a message for his “ servants ,” the “ Seven Assemblies of Asia ,” and it concerns “ what things must come to pass soon ,” necessary information since the “ season is at hand .” Therefore, the Book pronounces the man who “ reads it, and they who heed the words of the prophecy, blessed ” – (Revelation 1:1-3).

Jesus the Nazarene is the one who unveils the mysteries of God. Only he is qualified to reveal the essence of the “ unseen God .” All the promises of God find their fulfillment in him, their “ yea and Amen .” He is the interpretive key that unlocks the Hebrew Scriptures and provides the correct understanding of Bible prophecy and the “ times and seasons .”

The  Book of Revelation ’s first paragraph declares its purpose is to show God’s servants “ what things must come to pass ,” and it specifies the timing of those “ things ,” namely, “ soon ” and the “ season is near .” The “ things ” referred to are detailed in John’s visions, including information about Satan’s war against Jesus and his “ saints ” that is waged through his earthly agents, the “ Beast ,” the “ False Prophet ,” and “ Babylon, the Great Whore .”

An angel commanded Daniel “ to close the words and seal the Scroll until the season of the end .” In contrast, the Scroll is open in the Book of Revelation , and its contents are unveiled by the Lamb. Daniel was told to “ seal the Scroll ,” but the angel commanded John NOT to do so. The verbal parallels are deliberate. Thus, the Book of Revelation demonstrates that the time of fulfillment has arrived.

The Last Days, the time of fulfillment, began with the Death, Resurrection, and Enthronement of Jesus Christ . When we hear the term “ the Last Days , ” we assume it refers to the final few years of history just before Christ’s return. Nevertheless, the New Testament presents this period as the era of fulfillment that began following the Death and Resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost. In Christ, the “ ends of the ages ” have come upon the Church, the people of God – (1 Corinthians 10:11).