Having briefly mentioned the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse–revealing) in the previous postings, I feel that this is a good time to go into the much-discussed but much missunderstood tome in order to see exactly what God is telling mankind. This book has remained a mystery–until now.

As this study will show, some things God will allow mankind to know involve both time and choice elements. As God told Daniel, man’s understanding of the visions and prophesies he had received would not be understood until the “time of the end.” We also learn from God’s Word that only a few of His saints would understand them. They in turn would share their God-granted knowledge with those having eyes to see and ears to hear. Others will dismiss His Truth because it does not fit into their doctrinal system. I have found that some 90% of God’s Word is rejected by church people for that reason alone. The Apocalypse is no exception.

God tells us that the vast majority of mankind, though finding themselves in the midst of the Great Tribulation, will not believe His Words of warning. Because the time is swiftly approaching, He has loosened the seals of the Book of Revelation in order to reveal what has been happening for the past 2000 years, what is happening at this time, as well as what to expect in the future. Through His messengers He is enlightening His saints while hiding the Truth from the religious masses. Why? For the same reason He used parables when speaking to religious people while He walked among them–so that they could not understand the mysteries of the kingdom. See the Kingdom of God. Why did He not want them to understand what He was saying? Because “… seeing they do not (choose to) see, and hearing they do not (choose to) hear, nor do they understand …. For the heart (mind) of this people has GROWN DULL, their ears are hard of hearing and their eyes THEY HAVE CLOSED.” Jesus went on to say that He spoke in parables so that false believers COULD NOT BELIEVE (Mat. 13:10-13). Nothing has changed; the modern church has shut her eyes and covered her ears so as not to hear His Word/Truth, just as did their religious counterparts when confronted with Stephan’s message from God. Is God overly harsh toward the professing church? Not when you consider that the people have deliberately closed their ears and eyes and have hardened their hearts toward Him; not when you consider that His prophets and apostles were martyred by those same people for telling them God’s Truth; not when you consider the price Jesus Himself paid to bring the Word of salvation to them. Even God reaches a point where He says, “ENOUGH!” Though He spoke to the masses in Truth-hiding parables (symbolic messages), he carefully explained them to those who believed and obeyed them. Today there are those to whom He reveals the meaning of the Apocalypse, warning them about what is just ahead for the world in general and His saints in particular. Those with hearts open to His Words will learn it, believe it and walk the walk of Christ (1 Jn. 2:6). To be continued. L.J.