Revelation remains a mystery to many people. They say that the images and symbols in this book are too hard to understand. But are they really that hard to understand? Below are some more connections I have found.
The Open and Shut Doors
Revelation 3:7 “Here is the message of Ha’Kodesh, the True One, the one who has the key of David, who, if he opens something, no one else can shut it, and if he closes something, no one else can open it.”
The Parallel
Isaiah 22:22 “I will place the key to the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens the door, no one can close it; when he closes the door, no one can open it.”
The Book Sealed
Revelation 10:4 “When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”
Revelation 22:10 “Then he said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy in this book.”
The Parallel
Daniel 12:4-9 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. He said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end’.”
The Sweet Scroll Becomes the Bitter Book
Revelation 10:8-10 “And the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.”
The Parallel
Ezekiel 2:8-3: 3 “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you; Be not rebellious like that rebellious house: open your mouth, and eat that I give you.And when I looked, behold, a hand was sent to me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. He said to me, O mortal, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.He said to me, Mortal, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it. Then I ate it; and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey.”
Gathering Together to Read the Scroll
In Revelation 5:5-7 the king enters the platform at the Temple and reads from the Seven Sealed Scroll, a parallel image to the letters received from the King by the Cohen Ha’Gâdôl (High Priest) in the Nehemiah and Ezra passages.
The Parallel
According to Nehemiah and Ezra, all of the people would gather at the Temple Mount for a great assembly, at which time they would celebrate the appointed feasts, read the Torah Scroll and also any letters received from the King in Babylon which were given to the Governor by the Cohen Ha’Gâdôl (High Priest).
The Trees of Healing
Revelation 22:1-2 “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of Yahweh and of the Lamb. In the middle of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
The Parallel
Ezekiel 47:12 “On both sides of the river’s banks, every kind of tree will grow for food. Their leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail, but they will bear fruit every month, because their water source flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”
A New Song is Sung
Revelation 14:3 “They sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who have been redeemed from the earth.
Revelation 15:3 “They sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God.”
The Parallel
Deuteronomy 31, 32 Moses is given the words to a new song. “Moses and Joshua, I am going to give you the words to a new song. Moses wrote down the words to the song right away, and he taught it to the Israelites.”
The New Heavens and Earth
Revelation 21:1 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had passed away, and the sea was no longer there.”
The Parallels
Isaiah 65:17 “Look, I am ready to create new heavens and a new earth! The former ones will not be remembered; no one will think about them anymore.”
Isaiah 66:22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the LORD, “so your descendants and your name will remain.”
Heaven Comes To Earth
Revelation 21:3 “I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “See! Yahweh’s Shekhinah is with mankind, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and he himself, Yahweh-with-them, will be their God.”
The Parallels
Leviticus 26:11-12 “I will put my tabernacle in your midst and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you, and I will be your God and you will be my people.”
Jeremiah 31:3 “I will be their God and they will be my people.”
Ezekiel 37:27 “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
The Bride Adorned
Revelation 21:2 “I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Yahweh, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
The Parallels
2 Samuel 17:3 “I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband.”
Isaiah 61:10 “As a bridegroom is dressed for his wedding and decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
Conclusions
The images and symbols used in Revelation are easy to understand in light of the parallels in the Older Covenant scriptures. Failing to make those connections is the reason many find Revelation hard to understand. Once the connections are made, however, the confusion disappears.
Final Thought
The great day of Yahweh is getting really near, even at the door. It hastens forth and will not delay. We do NOT set dates, but clearly Yahweh is getting ready to change the course of human history once again. The signs are clear for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.
Related Blogs
Feb 01, 2018 Revelation Connections Part-1
April 12, 2018 Revelation Connections Part-2
June 07, 2018 Revelation Connections Part-4
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