The Bible Only Revelation Commentary: Understanding the Easiest Book in the Bible
The Bible Only Revelation Commentary suggests that the book of Revelation is the easiest book in the Bible to understand—that is, of course, if you were a Jew living in Jerusalem in AD 66. Revelation is a Jewish document written by Jews for Jews. Much of the imagery was foreign and meaningless to 1st century Gentile converts to Christianity and even more so today. The overarching theme of the book of Revelation is the extinction of physical Mosaic Judaism with the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple as the final phase of fulfilment of Jeremiah 31:31.
The Chronology and Dating of Revelation
According to the commentary authored by Steven Rudd, the text identifies Revelation written in AD 66. Chronology is an important tool to unlock the Bible, and several internal and external evidences support this early date. There are two key Revelation verses that prove when and why it was written: Rev 11:8 and 17:10. These two scriptures trump the fluff statements of uninspired church fathers like Irenaeus, commonly used by Late-daters as the primary support that John wrote Revelation in AD 96 and that Rome is the books target of destruction.
Following the prophecy of Jesus that the tribulation will fall upon this generation, the historical timeline reveals significant milestones:
- AD 33: Resurrection of Christ and the giving of the Law of Christ on Pentecost.
- AD 65-66: Josephus records 7 miraculous signs that began Passover AD 65 and ended Passover AD 66.
- AD 66: The First Jewish War began on Pentecost and lasted 7 years.
- AD 73: The Fall of Masada on Passover, exactly 40 years to the day from the crucifixion of Christ.
The Central Synchronism: 587 BC and AD 70
The key to unlocking Revelation is the direct synchronism between the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC and AD 70. This was triggered by the rebellion of the Jews against two of Gods anointed servants of Daniel 2: Nebuchadnezzar and Titus. The central synchronism is based on the following facts:
- The two destructions happened on the exact same day of the year, the 10th Av.
- Both Nebuchadnezzar and Titus were crown princes when they captured Jerusalem and both went on to become kings.
- The 587 BC destruction is mirrored by the account in Ezekiel, which decodes much of Revelation.
Historical Identifications and Warfare Imagery
The commentary provides a specific decoding of the imagery used within the prophecy. In this context, Jerusalem is identified as Babylon, Sodom, Egypt, and The Harlot. Furthermore, Roman warfare tactics are described through symbolic language in the text.
Below is a summary of historical fulfillments and interpretations based on the commentary:
| Revelation Symbol / Event | Historical Fulfillment / Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Hail Stones | Ballista |
| Scorpions | Catapult |
| The Harlot / Babylon | Jerusalem |
| 1260 days / 42 months | Book of Daniel and Revelation timeframes |
| Two Witnesses | Jesus ben Ananus (AD 62-70) according to Josephus |
The Role of Scripture and Archeology
The 5-minute beginners guide emphasizes that the Role of Archaeology in Understanding Revelation is vital for verifying external evidences. In Daniels prophecy of the 70 weeks (Dan 9:27), it is exactly 490 years to the solar day from the decree of Artaxerxes in 458 BC to the resurrection of Christ in AD 33. Revelation opens with promises of persecution from the Jews among the 7 churches of the first century and focuses on the warning to flee Jerusalem or be destroyed in AD 70.