I have been asked a few times a question along the lines of "why should we read or need to understand the Book of The Revelation". My answer usually goes something like, well it is the last book of the Bible so I would say it is possibly important, after all we christians believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and was given to the authors of each Book by the Holy Spirit. So you can say it is there for a reason. Then in chapter 1 verse 3 we are told that you will be blessed for reading, hearing read, and keeping the things which are writtern in the book. So not meaning to sound flippant but you will be blessed just for reading the book, but I think you will find out soon enough that there is some knowledge in this book that might be worth knowing. Another reason to read the book is the last page, guess what we win.

I will also mention, that when you read the book of Revelation, do not use what you have been previously taught as a reason to just skim read the book. A lot of preachers and denominations have their own theories that they teach, various bible schools will push a particular line of belief. I always say, what happens if they are wrong. What happens if their theory and interpretation is miguided at best or completely wrong, are you just going to follow and believe what they say because you cannot be bothered to read the book for yourself. They cannot all be right, just look at the rapture teachings, you will find at least 4 different theories, teachings, and each school of thought can back their own version up with the relevant bible pasages saying they are right and the others are wrong. My point of view is, what if they are all wrong what if there is no rapture as we currently have it taught, what are you going to do then? Pray for the best, but prepare for the worst, pray that it is true we are going to be raptured out of here, but you had better know what is coming and how to protect yourselves especially if we are going virtually all the way through the tribulation.

Most pastors will not preach on this book as the contents can be very scary and most will tell you that we do not need to teach because we will be raptured out of here before any of the bad stuff starts. A lot of churches will not allow pastors to preach the messages within. Governments are trying to stop anyone from prteaching because that usually can be interpreted as insitment to violence. Plus dare I say it, most people do not understand this book and hold totally incorrect beliefs. Most will actually believe that we as christians will be raptured out of here before any of the events mentioned in the book happen, so they have no need to know. Unless they wish to use it to preach a hell fire and damnation message to try and convert those poor lost sinners - yes sorry I am being sarcastic there, but I have seen it used on the street to try to persuade someone to go to church and be saved.

One other event I need to mention is that the Jews need to have a temple built before we are half way through the tribulation, they need to have an alter so that they can be doing sacrifices on it for the anti-christ to come along and offer the abomination of desolation, sit on God's throne and proclaim himself to be God. It is only at this point in time that we can actually say with 100% certainty that the tribulation has begun.

So put aside any belief you have about the book and let me guide you through a few written truths from the book. I will make this short and then use other articles to go into further depth for those who wish to read more.

Message to the seven churches
Seven churches all around the western area of modern day Turkey, some will tell you that these letters are for specific time periods for the church from the asscention of Jesus back into Heaven up to today and beyond, I have even heard some people say that they are for the different denominations and or areas of the world. I have a completely different theory and it is that these letters are for all the churches during the opening of each seal. My theory is that each church letter tells us where the church as a whole has gone wrong at that time period when the seal is opened and what we need to do about it to put us all in right standing. I will write another article on these letters to cover the messages in them in more detail.

The seven Seals.
This is fairly simple but you need to remember that there is very little info unless you go searching. See the list below for their names and order that they are given in Revelation. A few details need to be made clear, there is no time scale or duration for each seal, I have seen some describe them as happening 1 per year, others say they will be all done in 3.5 years, others have there own theory to fit some theology that they wish to promote. They are for the most part symbolic in their description, so for instance the first seal is a rider on a white horse, you will not actually see someone ride out on a literal white horse, it is symbolic of the events that this reveals. So what are these seals, what are you talking about.?

Best description I can offer is, they are like the old style wax that is imprinted with a signat ring that we see in a lot of old time historical movies and documentaries. They are used to seal up one document, and that is the title deed to this earth, give to Satan by Adam and Eve when they sinned in the garden of eden. Only a sinless person who has lived on this earth can open the seals and reclaim the earth back for God. Remember God made the rules at the beginning and He will not break His own rules, even though He could just by lifting His little finger. Why seven seals, my thoughts on this are that they represent each day of creation, God created for 6 days and 1 day of rest making the seven. I cannot prove that but it would make sense to me. However they obviously have a meaning when they are opened.

• Here are the seven seals with desciption as they are opened, along with the seven churches
• The First Seal (Revelation 6:2) - White Horse
  "And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer."
  The first church letter is to Ephesus
• The Second Seal (Revelation 6:4) - Red Horse
  "And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword."
  The second church letter is to Smyrna
• The Third Seal (Revelation 6:5) - Black Horse
  "When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand."
  The third church letter is to Pergamum
• The Fourth Seal (Revelation 6:7-8) - Pale Horse
  "When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth."
  The forth church letter is to Thyatira
• The Fifth Seal (Revelation 6:9) - Martyred Souls
  "When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne."
  The fifth church letter is to Sardis
• The Sixth Seal (Revelation 6:12-14) - Earthquake, Black Sun, Blood Moon, Fallen Stars
  "When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place."
  The sixth church letter is to Philadelphia
• Before the seventh seal is opened we have chapter seven in the book which has the seal/mark being placed onto the forehead of each of God's people, these are the 144,000. We also read of the great multitude who are in Heaven praising God and dressed in white robes.
• The Seventh Seal (Revelation 8:1) - Silence in heaven
  "When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour."
  The seventh church letter is to Laodicea

The seven Trumpets

The seven Trumpets appear to start after the half hour of silence in Heaven, which is the seventh seal being opened above, but there are some who will say that they are part of the opening of the seals. For example, the sixth seal above is very similar to the forth trumpet below. so they may well happen togther. As you will see this is the start of another set of judgements by God on this earth. These are your final chance to get right with God, to repent of anything that maybe even the smallest of sin. The main reason for all these tribulations is to bring sinners into the family of God, to give those who have not repented the chance of salvation. God does not want anyone to perish, but it is the individual persons choice.
Again these are full of symbolism, but once you see that they are fairly easy to interpret what each one means.

• The first trumpet
  (Revelation 8:7)
  “The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up” .
• The second trumpet
  (Revelation 8:8-9)
  “The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed” .
• The third trumpet
  (Revelation 8:10-11)
  “The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water — the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter” .
• The fourth trumpet
  (Revelation 8:12)
  “The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night” .
• Between the forth and the fifth trumpets we have this. Revelation 8:13 – “As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: ‘Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!’”
• The fifth trumpet
  (Revelation. 9:1-12)
  "1. And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
  2. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
  3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
  4. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
  5. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
  6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
  7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
  8. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
  9. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
  10. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
  11. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
  12. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
• The sixth trumpet
  (Revelation. 9:13-21)
  13. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
  14. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
  15. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
  16. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
  17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
  18. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
  19. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
  20. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
  21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
  
• Before we get to the seventh and final trumpet notice this verse at the end of the sixth trumpet
  "The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts" (Rev. 9:20-21).
  Notice also that we are in chapter 9 with the sixth trumpet, we do not get to the seventh until the end of chapter 11. You might want to read Revelation 10 and Rev. 11 to get the complete picture.
• The Last Trumpet
  (Revelation 11:15)
  "The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever" .

As you can imagine there will not be many people left on this earth when we get to this point in the book, but God has not finished yet we have the bowls of God's wrath still to be poured out. As I have already mentioned there is no timescale to any of these, so opening seal 1 may take a year to be completed, it may be 6 months, there is no mention except for once they start they will come quickly. I imaging the time scale between each will get shorter as we progress through the above seals and trumpets.

Come back soon as more articles are to be written.

What I usually suggest to people who ask my questions about this subject is to pray and hope for the best but make preparations for the worst scenario.

Intro article on The book of Revelation
Article about the seven seals
Article about the seven Trumpets
Article on the Rapture.