Evidence That Revelation Should Not Be Taken...

[Paladin D]

Well I know, but how do I explain that to others?

[Mary's Knight, La]

i cant' remember the name of the book but it's an old book (80's or earlier) where it goes through and explains exactly why, and gives scriptural evidence. Maybe a local priest might know which one i'm talking about.

[cmotherofpirl]

Get Scott hahns book on revelations.

Read the "Rapture Trap" and "Trials. Tribulations and Triumph" by Desmond Birch.

[mustbenothing]

(Paladin D) Well I know, but how do I explain that to others?

(Me) Here are a few places where John explicitly states that he is using symbols:

Revelation 13:18

18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

Revelation 17:9-11

9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated;

10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.

11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.

Add to this the fact that Revelation is apocalyptic literature, and apocalyptic literature is inherently symbolic.

Add to this the fact that John would have to somehow get his message through the Roman guards, and they wouldn't have let the message through if they had understood what it actually said (since it spoke against Rome), so he had to use symbols.