Where are we as Christians today in the time line of the Book of Revelation?
I do not believe that the book of Revelation was written as a "time line." I realize many radio and television preachers would disagree, but in my view this is a deeply flawed approach to the last book of the Bible. It has led to hundreds of bogus predictions of the end of the world, and will doubtless continue to do so.
Revelation gives a message of hope to Christians misunderstood and persecuted in the first century; its message of perseverance and hope is timeless. As many have noticed, the flow of this phenomenal book is more theological than chronological. Again, while it contains some allusions to the last judgment and the eternal kingdom, it is not arranged chronologically.
I would encourage you to:
1. Read the entire Old Testament, which is the necessary background reading for understanding Revelation, with all its images, symbols, and historical allusions.
2. Read a good commentary or two on Revelation. Not the pop commentaries so sensationalistic and popular in the Christian bookstores, but something more solid.
3. Strive to come to your own conclusions, ignoring the popular view so that you can arrive at your own convictions.
If you insist on an answer to the question, Where are we today?, then the answer might be that in one sense we are after most of the book of Revelation--since judgment on the Roman Empire and vindication of the saints have already happened; and yet in another sense, true Christians continue to look ahead to His coming, and the final judgment is yet to take place--which would put us somewhere near the end of the book. (But I hate to answer the question this way, because I am convinced that to follow a time-line method of interpretation is to misuse the 66th book of the Bible.)
For more, please listen to my audio series Revelation & the End of the World.
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