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What future events does Revelation foretell?
 Today's Question: What future events
does the book of Revelation foretell?
Bible Answer: Jesus told John:
"Write...what you have seen, what is now and what will take place
later" (ch. 2, v. 19). The book of Revelation is a series of seven visions
telling what has already happened-- primarily Christ's victory over death and
hell--and what will happen in the future. It is important to differentiate
between the visions that have already come to pass and the visions that are yet
to be fulfilled.
Let me show you one vision that
has partially come to pass.
In Revelation, chapter 17, we are told of a beast with
seven heads and ten horns. The angel interpreted the meaning of the seven
heads: "The seven heads are...seven kings. Five have fallen, one is,
the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a
little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king.
He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction" (vs. 9-11).
Here we are told of five kings who are no longer ruling.
These kings are kingdoms that once ruled much of the world, including
Israel. Which five kingdoms were dominant over the world and Israel? The
first was Egypt, the second Assyria, the third Babylon, the fourth Medo-Persia,
and the fifth Greece. The kingdom that was in existence at the time of the
writing of Revelation was Rome. That was the sixth king. The seventh king
is the one who "has not yet come"--at least "had not yet
come" at the time this book was written.
Since the fall of Rome, has there ever been a kingdom,
nation, or empire that aspired to rule the world and persecute the Jewish
people like the other six kingdoms? Yes, there has.
Germany tried to rule the world, and successfully ruled
several nations. But worse than that, they slaughtered millions of Jews
and Christians. I believe that Germany was the seventh king who
"remained for a little while." After this persecution, the times
for the gentiles to possess the Holy Land were fulfilled, and Israel got
their nation back.
This leaves only the eighth king--who is not a head, but
the beast himself. This one is the anti-Christ whom the Bible
predicts is coming. He will rule the world and persecute Jews and
Christians alike.
This is one event that the book of Revelation has
predicted that is yet to come to pass.
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