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Staggering events will soon shock the whole world! Great prophecies in the book of Revelation
show how and when these catastrophic events will occur.
This broadcast begins vital understanding that will forever change your outlook on the
future. You must have the keys that unlock what lies ahead—as well as the entirety
of the book of Revelation. This stunning book of prophecy is opened,
revealed and explained—at last! Watch until the end—and follow all of the
set-up!
The World to Come. The Restored Church of God presents David C. Pack. Author of 80 books
and booklets. Editor-in-chief of The Real Truth magazine. Read by countless and growing
numbers in every nation and territory of the world. In a violent age full of bad news.
Answering life’s greatest questions straight from the Bible, and announcing the wonderful
good news of the World to Come. And now, David C. Pack.
Unrest grows daily around the world. Terrorism mounts. And bad news increases, while good
news is increasingly scarce. Conditions worsen almost daily!
Man has tapped the power of the atom. But science and technology have seemingly run
amok, producing horrific new inventions. Now, more and more countries possess weapons of
mass destruction. This danger is compounded because mistrust and strife between nations
have never been greater. Also, human decadence and immorality, famine,
disease, racism and competition among ethnic rivals, as well as crime and violence, are
exploding. Where are these downward trends leading? Will human life survive?
What does the future hold? Everyone wants to know. Many have opinions, but few recognize
where to find the answers. Others think they understand the prophecies of the Bible—and
this is probably most true of the book of Revelation. Yet all popular human interpretations
of this book, at best, border on ludicrous. They are a complete jumble of ideas where
a little truth is mixed with much error! Some are almost painful to read—yet major magazines
report that great numbers do believe these dangerous, counterfeit scenarios.
What is the truth about prophecy? What does the Bible really say about events preceding
Jesus Christ’s Return? His disciples wanted to know. And they asked Him, “What shall
be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world [or age]?”
Sobering world conditions make this question loom larger than ever. Nothing that has occurred
over the past 6,000 years even remotely compares to what is yet to come upon this world—and
soon! But first know that the Bible foretells a
time of world peace, happiness, abundance and universal prosperity. Many may think there
is no hope for this world—but there is! Wonderful good news lies beyond today’s
bad news. The great Creator God will soon intervene and save humanity from itself. But
before this occurs, world trouble will greatly increase—intensifying to staggering proportions.
This will be followed by unexpected and cataclysmic events that will shake the entire world! Civilization
as we know it will forever change. But God has not left mankind without a source
of answers that reveals in detail what lies ahead. Tragically, believing things will eventually
“turn out alright,” many hide their eyes, ignore God’s words, and choose to pursue
pleasure and the accumulation of material goods. But for the short term, things will
not turn out alright. World conditions are—and will become—far more serious than any could
realize. God understands human nature and where it
always leads when left to its own devices. This allows Him to know, and to guide, the
awesome future events that will occur from now on!
It has become God’s time to reveal what lies ahead. The stage is set and He has lifted
the curtain on the future. This world must be warned while there is still time! And so
must you be warned. Revelation describes soon-coming terrible plagues and world-shattering—truly
earth-shaking—events! Take heed. If you do, you can escape them.
Signs, seals, symbols, vials, visions, trumpets, thrones, plagues, angels, beasts, heads, horns,
witnesses, woes, wars, numbers, multitudes, messages and mystery! Revelation contains
all of these terms. But what do they mean? Crucial background is necessary to set up
all that there is to be learned about the book of Revelation.
Most believe that Revelation is sealed, closed from understanding. It is called a mystery
book without meaning. Yet it is an entire book of important—vital—meaning. It is
filled with answers. You will be intrigued—even fascinated—by
the clarity of what can be known from the book of Revelation. Events are building to
a final culmination—a tremendous climax! The above terms can be unlocked! They can
be understood! You can know their meaning—if you have the necessary keys!
One-third of the Bible is prophecy—the future written in advance! The Bible is approximately
750,000 words, with about 250,000 devoted to many, many prophecies. Almost half the
books of the Old Testament are included in either the so-called “major” prophets
(Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel) or “minor” prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, and nine others).
The apostle Paul explained that the New Testament Church was “...built on the foundation of
the apostles and prophets.” Since the Church stands on the words of the prophets, Christians
are supposed to understand prophecy. If God commands men to “live by every Word of God,”—and
He does—He would not exclude the full third that is prophecy!
The prophet Daniel spoke of a time when “...many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall
be increased.” Then, speaking of the end time, he wrote, “...the wise shall understand.”
Jesus directly referenced and paraphrased Daniel in the New Testament Olivet prophecy.
This is where He answered the disciples’ question about the sequence of events to occur
at “the end of the age.” He reinforced Daniel’s statements about those events by
saying, “Whoso reads, let him understand.” We will see in a moment that this has to be
talking primarily to people alive at the end of the age. This is because the book of Daniel
was sealed until that time. Also, Christ’s description of events prior to His Coming
are warnings to people who live at the time of His Coming.
This much should be obvious. Now understand. God has opened up—revealed!—to
His servants what lies ahead. He wants you to understand. He does not want you confused,
ignorant—or fearful—of the future. So then we ask: What are the wise to understand?
Important keys exist, which open up Bible prophecies. But the world knows nothing of
them! No wonder so many claim that the meaning of Revelation cannot be explained. How could
they understand without the keys? Imagine. Forty-two percent of Americans actually
believe they can consult the dead about matters involving the future. But mankind refuses
to seek and consult God. Only He can reveal the future. Mankind cannot, through intelligence,
human reasoning or scientific discovery, know or discern events to come. And many “religious”
people believe the book of Revelation offers no help anyway—because it cannot be understood.
But God is working out a supreme Master Plan, involving every human being. However, Daniel
adds, “...none of the wicked shall understand,”—no, they can’t get it!—because God will not
reveal His plans to those who do not obey Him!
Psalm 111 verse 10 says, “A good understanding have all they that do His commandments.”
God only gives understanding to those who do what He says!
After Daniel finished recording the prophecy, he asked God to explain what it meant. Though
Daniel was used to record the book, even he did not understand it. Notice: “I heard,
but I understood not.” And God told him, “Go your way...the words are closed up and
sealed [get this now] till the time of the end” (the Moffatt translation is even stronger
by rendering this “till the crisis at the close”—meaning the close of the age before
Jesus Christ returns.) While Daniel was not permitted to understand
his prophecy, those who live in the time of the end can! And the wise do!
Let’s now begin to understand the book of Revelation. This awesome picture of future
events was sealed with seven separate seals. It is crucial to understand another key point:
The seven seals in God’s hand essentially span all but the last two chapters of the
book! They are opened one by one, in sequence. Each reveals future events before they happen.
Only Christ is described as qualified to remove the seven seals and open the book to understanding.
It is the Greek word apocalypse that is translated “revelation.” This English word actually
means to reveal—not conceal, hide, veil or close up. As I have explained in other
broadcasts, the dictionary definition of revelation is easy. Here it is: “The act of revealing
or disclosing; something revealed, especially a dramatic disclosure of something not previously
known or realized.” In the very first verse of the book, the apostle
John recorded Christ’s words, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ...to show unto His servants
things which must shortly come to pass.” Near the book’s end, it states, “Seal
not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.”
Comprehend John’s words. The time for understanding the book of Revelation is now at hand!
God reveals a basic framework for understanding future events. This framework is primarily
laid out in Daniel and Revelation. Daniel—recorded over 600 years earlier—sets the stage for
the larger and more detailed book of Revelation, which describes many events found nowhere
else in the Bible. Revelation outlines a long series of events
that relate to one another in a continuous flow—comprising an entire story. These occur
in order of time sequence. (Here are two overview graphs—an outline and a story flow—to
which you may refer. They will be shown again later.) Also realize that Christ periodically
insets certain events into the course of the Revelation.
You now understand the first key to unlock the book!
Grasp this central, all-important point. While there are multiple keys to understanding Revelation,
the book itself is the single greatest key to understanding almost all other prophecies
in the Bible! One of the basic rules of Bible study is to
always let the Bible interpret itself. This is probably never truer than in Revelation.
Since John sees many symbols, we need to be able to understand the actual events that
they represent. Otherwise, we will not know what is being described.
How do we do this? Mark 4:10-12 and Matthew 13:10-15 hold another
key to understanding how Christ teaches. In both places, He explained that He spoke in
parables so that His true servants would understand Him—but others would not! Carefully read
these verses: “And when He was alone [with only the disciples], they that were about
Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable. And He said unto them [not to others, or to
the world as a whole], Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God:
but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: that seeing they
may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand.”
Note exactly what Jesus said! Only His servants could understand His real meaning. Others
might think they do—but they cannot! Christ never leaves His servants in the dark
about matters He wants them to understand. But He does record them in ways that keep
them hidden from the view of all others. This will help you see why so few understand a
book that has been read by so many and why the book was written as it was.
We have already touched upon the principle that the “wicked” (the unrighteous) do
not understand events at the close of the age. But those who have God’s Spirit will
understand (Read Acts 5:32 and John 16:13 together). Only through God’s Spirit leading
those who are obeying Him can they understand the truth. If you remember nothing else, remember
this. Recognizing and accepting these two verses is of vital importance to every viewer—and
reader of Revelation. All who do not seek to obey God, while they may sincerely seek
to understand the many truths of Bible prophecy, are wasting their time.
The World to Come will continue after this brief message. Discover more from David C.
Pack! Visit our website worldtocome.org. See The World to Come broadcasts, read and order
books, booklets and articles, all free of charge. To continue learning about the topics
covered in this broadcast, visit worldtocome.org today! Now back to David C. Pack.
Jesus explained—in plain, clear language—the key events of the last days preceding and
leading to the time of His Second Coming. Remember, Jesus’ disciples asked Him privately,
“Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and
of the end of the world [or age]?” We must briefly examine the critical Matthew
24 chapter for vital clues, which explain the symbols found in Revelation. Jesus gave
a list of 6 different events that are to happen before His Second Coming. They precisely parallel
the seals— including the four horsemen—of Revelation 6.
First, He said would be false prophets and false christs (Matthew 24:5). Second—come
wars (vs. 6) throughout the age, culminating in the end time with world war (vs. 7). Third—are
famines and Fourth—pestilences (both also in vs. 7).
It is at this point that Jesus inserted a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem,
in A.D. 70, because this would be a forerunner, or type, of the yet future siege of Jerusalem
and “battle of Armageddon” (take time to review Matthew 24:17 to 28 with Luke 17:30
to 37). Therefore, Matthew 24:9 to 28 (and also Luke 21:12 to 24) applies to the period
of A.D. 70—but—and get this!—only as a forerunning type of the final time of the
end to which His warning refers literally! Fifth, in Matthew 24:21 and 22, Christ explains
that the horrific Great Tribulation occurs. Sixth are the Heavenly Signs (vs. 29)—when
the stars fall and the sun and moon are darkened. The sign of Christ’s Coming (vs. 30) occurs
at this same time. His actual Coming is right on the heels of it.
Understanding who is the actual author of the Revelation—and understanding the critically
important theme, the centerpiece of the book, is vital. Without these keys, many have bogged
down into either arguments about whether “the Lord’s Day” (chapter 1, verse 10) is a
reference to Sunday—or whether John, instead of Christ, authored the book.
Why does almost everyone refer to this book as “The Revelation of St. John the Divine”?
You’ve heard it. Nowhere does it refer to John as either divine or the Revelator. So
the primary purpose of chapter 1 is to establish Jesus Christ as the book’s author.
Notice: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto 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 word of God, and of the testimony of
Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.” Did you notice that the book of Revelation
contains Jesus Christ’s words, as the Revelator, not John’s words? John was merely a scribe—a
kind of secretary taking dictation. Anyone who carefully examines this verse will
plainly see that the Revelation originated with God (the Father), who gave it to Christ.
Christ sent and signified the Revelation by His angel, who then gave it to John, “Who
bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things
that he saw.” John merely recorded these events, preserving them for the servants of
Jesus Christ—His end-time Church. So, it came from the Father to Christ to an angel
to John, and finally to Jesus’ servants—and no one else.
These are not my words, but the Bible’s. Some background: As soon as the book was copied
and canonized (about A.D. 100), the founders of the developing universal church at Rome
denied its origin. The highly authoritative, and famous 11th edition of The Encyclopaedia
Britannica states, “Instead of this [Revelation 1:1] the Church substituted the name of the
disciple through whom the message was delivered for that of his Master, and designated our
Apocalypse ‘The Apocalypse of John.’ This title was familiar before the end of the 2nd
century.” A towering question overshadows the discussion
here. If the world’s best minds cannot even discern the book’s correct title—and Author—how
could they discern its message? Jesus used John to “bare record of”—write
down—what He was revealing. In short, John wrote three things: (1) the word of God, (2)
the direct testimony of Christ, and (3) what he saw in vision.
With this background, you now understand the introduction to the book.
Now notice verse 10. It actually reveals the central focus or theme of the whole book.
Understand that John lived over 1,900 years ago—long before the events of this book
were to be fulfilled. He recorded, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard
behind Me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” Centuries of controversy have sprung from
this reference, because people argue about which day of the week John is referring to.
The presumption is that he is talking about Sunday, though the prophecy says nothing of
the kind. This verse has nothing to do with Sunday—and is not a reference to any day
of the week! The day of the week on which John may have received this prophecy is irrelevant.
The “Lord’s Day” is speaking of the time of God’s Wrath. Over thirty different
Old Testament prophecies refer to “the great and terrible day of the Lord.”
The prophet Joel speaks of it. And here is a small portion of how he describes the day,
plainly referenced in other verses as lasting one whole year: “Blow you the trumpet in
Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:
for the day of the Lord comes, for it is near at hand; a day of darkness and of gloominess,
a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great
people and a strong; there has not been ever the like [this is the worst time in history,
get what’s being said], neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many
generations. A fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns: the land is as
the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yes, and nothing
shall escape them.” The prophet Zephaniah is even more graphic:
“Hold your peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand:
for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has bid His guests. [This is graphic language.]
And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the
princes and the kings’ children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.
In the same day [this one year period] also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold,
which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit. And it shall come to pass in that
day...” A few verses later, Zephaniah gives more insight
into just how terrible this time will be. Consider this sobering picture: “The great
day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hastes greatly, even the voice of the day of the
Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble
and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of
clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm...And I will bring distress among
men, that they shall walk like blind men [Why? Why does this happen?], because they have
sinned against the Lord [get this point!]: and their blood shall be poured out as dust,
and their flesh as the dung.” This presents a truly horrible picture. Verse
18 refers to this time as “the day of the Lord’s wrath.” Verse 17 identifies the
cause of God’s Wrath: “because they [all mankind] have sinned against the Lord.”
Events depicted here—God’s time of punishment—are almost more awful and terrifying than words
can describe. This day literally belongs to God—it is the “Lord’s Day” as we saw
in Revelation 1. Man’s conduct has made God angry. And He will soon intervene in the
affairs of this world and send horrific plagues on a sinning mankind.
The Day of the Lord is the really terrible time of God’s punishments, plagues and judgments
at the culmination of 6,000 years of mankind’s practice of sin. Jesus Christ, through John,
is revealing to His servants what occurs prior to—and through—His Return!
Ezekiel 8:3 gives some insight into how John could be transported 1,900 years into the
future. Notice: “The spirit lifted me [Ezekiel] up between the earth and the heaven, and brought
me in the visions of God to Jerusalem.” Like Ezekiel, John was in vision—”in the
spirit”—from the Isle of Patmos, where he recorded the Revelation. In the past, God
has projected His servants at different times (through visions) into important future events
so that they could record them. We are in the time of the end, when God wants
His servants to understand the last events preceding the Return of Christ.
The book of Revelation does not speak to unknown events in the distant past. It warns of colossal
events that spring from world troubles affecting the masses of humanity alive now.
Grasp that the Day of the Lord is the towering centerpiece of the entire book of Revelation.
Other broadcasts go deep into, and all the way through, the book of Revelation. But you
will want to read this eye-opening booklet, Revelation Explained at Last! Inside is the
same graph referenced earlier. It will help you grasp the big picture within the book
of Revelation. Study it carefully for God’s message to you.
These are all things that only the true Church of God understands—and you can contact us
to know more about that Church. In the meantime, read the booklet.
Until next time, this is David C. Pack saying, “Goodbye, friends.”
This program was made available by Restored Church of God members and donors from around
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