What is left in the Book of Revelation that has not happened?

Answer 1

The "Revelation of Jesus Christ" is related in John's vision as a "parable," which Jesus intends for the general public to "not understand."

"This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand..." (Matt.13:13).

Jesus clearly intends His Revelation to be understood only by "His servants":

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God [the Father] gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place..." (Rev.1:1 NIV).

Therefore, this parable of Christ isn't meant for most people to understand [nor do they]:

"...The disciples came to Him and asked, 'Why do you speak to the people in parables?' He replied, 'The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven has been given to you, but not to them..." (Matt.13:10-11 NIV).

"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the Truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." (verses 16-17)

Yet, even Jesus' disciples had to come to Him, privately [out of ear-shot of the multitudes], to have Him explain the parables to them -- because THEY didn't understand them, either!

"Then He left the crowd and went into the [His] house. His disciples came to Him and said, 'Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.'" (verse 36)

Then -- in private... in plain language -- Jesus "revealed" to "His servants" the meanings of the symbols of the parables.

"...The field is the world... the good seed stands for the sons of the Kingdom. the weeds are the sons of the evil one... the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age... the harvesters are angels..." (verses 38-39)

Thus, does the book of Revelation remain a mystery to the world, through its unbelief in Jesus Christ and its rejection of what He says.

Therefore... since the book of Revelation is a parable... we have to go to a place in The Bible where Jesus' disciples came to Him, "privately," to inquire of Him regarding these same "end time signs or events" that are shrouded in Revelation's meaning-hiding symbols. Because, there is only "one" end time.

And that place is found in Matthew 24: "...As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him PRIVATELY. 'Tell us,' they said, 'when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'" (Matt.24:3 NIV)

It's in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21; where Jesus' servants will find His plain, straight forward explanation of the scroll [book] and "seven seals" of Revelation.

Like Revelation, Matthew, too, lists the signs "chronologically."

In Revelation, chapter 6, Jesus strips away "six" of the "seven" seals that prevent men from seeing what the future holds for the world.

The "sixth" seal is the last "chronological" symbol listed in Revelation's chapter 6 parable. This particuar seal isn't a whole lot different from Jesus' clear explanation of it, found in Matthew 24:29:

"...Immediately after the Tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken..." (Matt.24:29).

So, from Jesus' description in Matthew 24:4 through to verse 29 -- His clear explanation of "six of the seven chronological seals" of Revelation 6 are explained to His servants.

Chronologically, therefore, in Matthew's 30th verse, we read:

"And THEN shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and THEN shall ALL THE TRIBES OF THE EARTH MOURN, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven..." (Matt.24:30).

All the tribes of the earth have yet to see "the sun and the moon and the earth darkened... the powers of the heavens shaken... nor have they yet seen the Son of Man coming in the clouds."

So, we know that these global events have NOT happened yet, in the prophetic chronology between Matthew 24 and Revelation 6.

That means that Revelation's "seal 7" [which isn't covered or stripped away in chapter 6] represents the next chronological event in Matthew 24 -- verse 30-31 -- the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.

Therefore, we have to back up in Revelation 6, to see where the world stands in the chronology of the first six seals... to know and understand what hasn't happened yet... and to know what to expect, next.

The first four seals are the famous "four horsemen of the Apocalypse [Revelation]."

Jesus' explanation of them is described in Matthew 24:4-8: false Christianity [and religion], wars, famines, pestilences, diseases, earthquakes, etc." All the things that make up our daily life here on earth. To which He concludes:

"...All these are the beginning of sorrows." (verse 8)

Anyone who is conscious here on earth knows that these things have happened... they're happening now... they will continue to happen... and there is no stopping them.

But most people don't understand where they are leading. Jesus tells us that they are the "beginning of sorrows [woes, troubles, tribulation]." All these continuous "woes" on earth is "leading somewhere." They're all getting worse and growing in intensity and beyond man's ability to control or deal with them.

In other words -- the first four seals of Revelation 6 is leading to SEAL 5!!!

"For THEN shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be [again]. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake [the sake of Christ's servants] those days shall be shortened." (Matt.24:21-22).

So, so far, since the beginning of man's creation... the first four seals of Revelation "have been happening" -- over and over and over again... to the point where they are everyday, ordinary things in the world that we live with.

Therefore, what HASN'T happened yet of Revelation's seven seals, are three more signs: "seals 5. 6 and 7." The Great Tribulation, the darkening of the earth that will cut short the Great Tribulation to prevent it from ending all life on earth, which will mark the time of the imminent return of Jesus.

Jesus explains to His servants plainly, that the Great Tribulation will start out with a "global intolerance for the mere utterance of His Name."

"THEN shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of ALL NATIONS for MY NAME'S SAKE." (Matt.24:9)

This global intolerance of biblical teaching [morals, anti-abortion, Jesus' name used in public, etc] is starting to be felt in the world, even now.

Revelation's seal 5 is a direct shot at the Truth of God, and the world's coming intolerance of it. Like the blood of Righteous Abel... the shed blood of God's saints cries out for His vengeance. But, they are told to wait -- the shedding of the blood of saints is far from done. The Great Tribulation must produce more, and the last group of their slain fellowservants:

"...it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (Revelation 6:11)

Seals 1, 2, 3 and 4 - The four horsemen of the Apocalypse has happened... is happening... and shall continue to happen. And shall build and increase the distress in the world to its breaking point. But:

Seal 5 * "Global intolerance" of the "name of Jesus Christ" [the Great Tribulation] is on the rise... but, hasn't happened, yet.

Seal 6 * The darkening of the earth and the shaking of the powers of the heavens, "immediately" after the Tribulation of those days" [Matt.24:29] hasn't happened, yet.

Seal 7 * And the "return of Jesus Christ" to the earth, following on the heels of the darkening of the earth... hasn't happened, yet. Answer The answer depends greatly on your particular eschatological Biblical view or belief. Chief future events include Jesus' return, the millennium, the last judgment, the final resurrection, and heaven and hell. Early Christianity was rooted in the paradoxical conviction that the last things had "already" occurred, even though they were "not yet" fully completed (1 Cor. 15:20). For the last century or so, different overall eschatological perspectives have usually been classified according to their viewpoints regarding the millennium.

Premillennialist believe Jesus will return before he establishes a millennial kingdowm on the earth.

Postmillennialists believe Christ will return after an earthly kingdom is established.

Amillennialists interpret all language about a final, earthly realm of peace in a spiritual manner and believe no historical period called the millennium does or ever will exist.

The Bible describes 5 major final events: Jesus' return, defeat of evil, resurrection, judgment, and renewal of the cosmos. Postmillennialists and amillennialists expect them to occur more or less together and to be preceded by a troubled time called the Great Tribulation (Mark 13:19) during which the antichrist will rule. They also anticipate a large scale conversion of Jews before the end.

Another Answer:

Wow, so many thoughts. The Book of Revelations opens with these words, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him TO SHOW unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass..." So Christ is the 'revealer' of these future events. The Book of Daniel is important to read in conjunction with Revealation to get a better picture. The 7 Seals are explained during Christ's Ministry by Him in Matthew 24.

Imagery, like all verses of the Bible, should LET THE BIBLE interpret itself. When one does this, they will soon discover that a 'woman' is a Church. The 'serpent or dragon' is the devil. The 'composite beast' John saw the woman riding is speaking of the 4 beast of Daniel 7. Riding on its back was this woman or Church meaning it is directing it - like the Greek myth of Europa riding Zeus (disguised as a bull) to explain it to the readers who knew Greek thought. If you take the time and get a couple of Commentaries or other study guides, you can get a much clearer picture of this once 'veiled' book. Oh, the child flees for 42 months and not a 1,000 years. I suggest a re-reading considering the above.

Answer 2

Each of the "seven seals" that hide the contents of the scroll [Rev.5] is a prophecy.

The first four seals [the famous "four horsemen of the Apocalypse" [Revelation]; false religion, wars, famines, diseases... are "ongoing prophecies" that are in continuous, daily fulfillment in the world. They are things every generation lives with, constantly.

These are all building in global frequency and intensity toward an end time global situation of unprecedented distress and Horror that lead up to the final "three seals" or "prophecies" that the world hasn't seen fulfilled yet.

Seal 5: the Great Tribulation [see Matt.24:9-28 for Jesus' description].

Seal 6: the darkening of the sun and moon over the earth, meteor, asteroid showers, earthquakes... that cause people to abandon their homes and cities and "run for the hills," caves and rocks, in the stark realization that "the Bible is True"... and that Jesus' return is imminent:

Everyone "...hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said... Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the Great Day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Rev.6:15-17)

The obvious physical and visual fulfillment of seal 6will mark the time of the return of Jesus Christ to earth -- the time of God's wrath "poured out" [Rev.16].

Seal 7: the "Day of the Lord"... the time of Jesus' coming in those "darkening clouds"... and the gathering of Jesus' servants unto Himself.

"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the Day of the Lord has already come." (II Thess.2:1-2 NIV)

The Bible warns God's servants not to believe rumors of Jesus' return that aren't supported by scripture. The "Day of the Lord" [the time of Jesus' return] won't occur until "Seal 6" reveals it to all the world!!!

"The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood[Seal 6] BEFORE the coming of the Great and Dreadful Day of the LORD." (Joel 2:31 NIV)

So, Revelation's prophetic Seals 5, 6 and 7haven't seen fulfillment yet: (5): the "Great Tribulation," (6): the "Heavenly Signs," and (7): the "Day of the Lord."

The question was... what Prophecies have not come to pass which are mentioned in Revelation?

The answer requires understanding of what is actually written

1) The seals (Revelation 6) which reveal knowledge (all of these have been unsealed by Christ and provide observable events two of which appear to have come to pass (2nd and 3rd seals)

2) The trumpets (Revelation 8) which are action (none have yet sounded), and won't until Daniel 8, 11 comes to pass

3) The Vials (Revelation 16) of punishment (none have been poured out), won't be poured out until after Satan is worshiped as the Fake Jesus (False Prophet).

Answer 3

Some Christians believe that The Book of Revelation talks of the end of times and the second coming of Jesus, although this is a matter of interpretation. In fact, there is nothing in Revelation that has happened. At best, it can be read as a vision, dream or even hallucination. Do we really believe that a woman had a baby between earth and heaven, and that she fled from the Devil into the wilderness for a thousand years? We must either reject this as fanciful or invent a useful interpretation for it. And so it is throughout the Book of Revelation.