Unraveling Revelation
by
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Introduction
The restructuring process is a simple one and can be followed by any Christian. The exact Bible text (King James) is separated into seven parts, and the meaning of each segment recombined in the order 4, 3-5, 2-6 and 1-7 to make a story. The first group to be restructured consists of the first three verses of Revelation.
In Biblical order, Revelation 1:1-3
- The Revelation of Jesus Christ
- which God gave to him,
- to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass;
- and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant, John;
- Who bare record of the work of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all the things that he saw.
- Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein,
- For the time is at hand.
The same text in the revised order:
4. Jesus sent an angel to his servant, John,
3-5. to show to his servants things which will shortly come to pass, and to bear record of God’s word, the testimony of Jesus Christ, and all the things that he saw.
2-6. God gave him these things to him, so blessed is he that reads or hears the words of this prophecy, and follows what is written.
1-7. For this is the revelation of Jesus Christ intended for the present time. (time is at hand).
Revelation 1:4-8, the next group, can be identified by its beginning and ending with God. It appears to be a salutation. The seven spirits before the throne are probably the seven angels recognized as Jesus teachings. The phrase "kings and priests" is recognition of the status received by being children of God.
Christ "coming with clouds" begins one of the great running metaphors in Revelation. It may be linked to the birth of Alexander the Great in 356 B.C., who by tradition was ushered into the world with rain, hail, thunder, lightening and earthquakes, implying "coming change." This metaphor is repeated a number of times. When seven thunders are told not to sound, there is no change. When islands are removed and hundred-weight hailstones fall, there is great change. Change is traumatic for those who are unprepared, thus the wailing.
The second group of seven segments immediately follows the first.
Bible text: Revelation 4-8
- Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come.
- And from the seven spirits which are before the throne. .
- And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
- Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.
- And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father: to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen--
- Behold He cometh with clouds (great changes); and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindred of the earth shall wail (due to change) because of Him. Even so. Amen.
- I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Interpretation in the revised order:
4. May your church today have grace and peace from Him that loved us and washed away our sins with His own blood.
3-5. Jesus is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, the prince of the kings of the earth, and has made us kings and priests unto God, His Father. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
2-6. Also grace and peace from the seven spirits (Jesus’ teachings) which are before His throne. Behold: He brings great changes; everyone shall know Him; and all the people of the earth shall change because of Him.
1-7. Grace and peace from Him which is, and was, and is to come. (I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord: which is, and was, and is to come, the Almighty).
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About the Book
In this small volume the Book of Revelation is made understandable – not an obscure, esoteric, bewildering book written only for first century Christians – but understandable to any modern reader who pursues its pages. It is simplified and rearranged from the literary form found in New Testament translations – groups of seven segments are given a revised order clarifying the meaning. It also proposes that this structure was a memory system designed for first century Christians, who were largely illiterate. These people must have understood the symbols, metaphors, numbers – and the structure – or this book never would have been included in the Bible. It is a challenging, easy-to-grasp message for today’s Christians and today’s Christian churches.
About the Author
Although Bob Robert’s college degree from Oklahoma State University was in Business Administration, he did have a journalism background. His father, Clarence Roberts, was Editor of the Oklahoma Farmer Stockman, part of the Oklahoma Publishing Company. The day after he graduated with honors in 1942, he was inducted into the army – serving in the South Pacific as an officer with the 77th Division in the Guam, Leyte, Kerama Rhetto, ie Shima, and Okinawa campaigns. He was awarded the Bronze Star and was among the first troops to occupy Japan. After the war he joined Procter and Gamble Co. in Dallas, where he served in various managerial positions for the next 35 years. He has been married to his wife, Jean, for 50 years. He is an Elder and lifelong member of a major Protestant church, and has been active in many Dallas civic organizations. After he retired, he concentrated on his continuing interest in the Book of Revelation, which began in his teens when he discovered the Book seemed to have no sequential order. He determined to decode it – and did!