I used to work at a 7-Eleven. While ringing up a customer, I read out his total: six dollars and sixty-six cents. The customer quickly commented, “Uh oh” and grabbed something else to add to the total. Why should the total at checkout cause someone so much distress? Should a number hold that much power over us?
The lack of understanding and misinterpretation applied to the book of Revelation has caused a great amount of anxiety, fear, and superstition. However, a true understanding of Revelation should stir up faith, hope and confidence.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is a message of Christ’s victory over Satan and His enduring promise to the saints. It is impossible to fully understand all the signs in this prophecy. But we will see in the first few verses of chapter one two simple concepts that prove that Revelation is nothing to fear.
First, the book was written to show first-century Christians things that must shortly take place (Rev. 1:1a, NKJV). Many of the popular movies, books and religious theories surrounding Revelation try to apply these prophecies to some time in our near future. But, if that were the case, then why would John write to the churches of first-century Asia, that these things “…must shortly take place”? Does it not make more sense that the warnings in John’s prophecy must have happened within a time relevant to its original audience? We must be careful to always keep prophecies, whether in the Old or New Testament, in their original context. This means that when it comes to the specific tribulations mentioned, we have nothing to worry about because they must have already happened.
Second, the book was written to be a blessing to the readers. Verse 3 says, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Revelation isn’t a message of doom. It is an instruction manual on how to get to heaven. In chapters 2 and 3, Jesus promises that if the Christians overcome the trials and tribulations ahead by remaining obedient, He will reward them with eternal life (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21).
Christians have no need to fear the number of the beast or any of the tribulations named in Revelation. Those warnings were written about a conflict long since past, and Jesus was the winner! Though trials are certain to come to all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:12), we have a blessed assurance that Jesus will carry us into heaven if we remain faithful.