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Many recognize that Revelation reveals the most important last day's issues and battle for mankind. But is that battle physical or spiritual? Is it only yet to come, or has it been going on already for a long time? What kind of battle is being described, and what should I be doing to ensure that I am on the right side of the battle?
If you attempt to interpret Revelation literally (which most interpreters do to some degree or another) you come up with many different physical battle interpretations or political/religious personality warnings; all according to the author's worldview. So now the confusion comes from trying to determine which interpretation is actually coming to pass and how to prepare yourself for it. But if you focus on a spiritual interpretation, you will find that there is only one interpretation, and that one points to the life and testimony of Jesus Christ (see Revelation 1:2). So if you prepare yourself to follow Jesus Christ's testimony revealed through Revelation, you will find that you are prepared for anything!
In scripture the number seven is often used to represent the completed work of God. Revelation is a book of many sevens because it is intended to complete the testimony of Jesus Christ within you. With that purpose, this book is a follow-on from the first book that focused on Jesus Christ's "Love Letter" to the church, covering the first eight chapters of Revelation. This book will continue by covering the next eight chapters, and by explaining the spiritual meaning of most of the many "sevens" within Revelation. As those sevens are revealed, we will see a spiritual battle unfold, uncovering the greatest foe to the true church, which is hypocrisy. Revelation will ultimately describe this hypocrisy as "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Revelation 17:5)
As a missionary I am focused on exposing hypocrisy (which is spiritual harlotry) so that we might establish the kingdom of God that Jesus brought within the hearts of people. In particular, my calling is to focus on identifying a true ministry, to enable them to follow the Holy Spirit's lead in reaching and teaching others. So it is only natural that this book would focus on the Revelation purpose of, "The Conquest of Babylon" because spiritual Babylon represents the spiritual harlotry that has saturated the multitude of church organizations and their ministry. Therefore Revelation shows us a "calling" vision for a ministry that has,
"...the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel (a ministry), saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." (Revelation 14:6-8)
Hypocrisy has corrupted most every church organization, which in turn has also influenced great corrupted purposes within most every institution of mankind. People learn how to play the insincere facade of hiding the corrupted purposes of their heart by the examples that have been shown them through corrupted church organizations and their leadership.
There are many symbolic lessons within Revelation: the seven trumpets, the three woes, the two witnesses, the woman with a crown of 12 stars, the 1,260 days, the dragon, the war in heaven where Satan is cast out, the beast, the image of the beast, the mark and number of the beast, fallen Babylon, the 1,600 furlongs, and the seven vials of God's wrath poured out. All of these and more are covered thoroughly within this book.
