Chapter six of John’s letter to the seven churches marks
the beginning of the great day of God’s wrath. The opening
of the seals reveals the judgments to fall upon this earth
after the Church has been caught up to glory.
One of the problems encountered in the revealing of the “the
things which shall be hereafter” is the symbolic language
used by John in the recording of what he sees and hears. A
correct interpretation of Bible prophecy requires comparing
Scripture with Scripture, in other words, letting the Bible
interpret itself, searching the Bible for the meaning of a
subject in another part of the Bible that describes the same
subject or event. No matter how many Bible prophecies there
may be concerning the future, they cannot contradict each
other and still be correct.
A comparison of Jesus’ prediction of the end time, the time
prior to our Lord Jesus Christ’s return to earth, recorded
in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 and chapter six of the
book John is told to write and send to the seven churches
reveals a similarity . If we examine the two prophecies side
by side, we should find no contradictions. One prediction
explains and fills in details that the other lacks; and
together they provide us with a detailed account of the
world’s future, the time prior to our Lord Jesus’ return to
earth.
In His instructions to John, Jesus told him to write, “the
things which you have seen, the things which are, the things
which will take place after these things” (Revelation 1:19).
In Revelation 4:1, John writes, “After these things I looked
and behold a door standing open in heaven.” “After these
things,” refers to what John saw (Revelation 1) and the
things which are (Revelation 2-3). Beginning with chapter
four of Revelation, John records the things which will take
place after these things.
