Bible Prophecy # 21 The Book of Revelation UNVEILED at Last! 

I think I need to repeat what I have often said during this series on Bible Prophecy. I am not offering anything here about what one should believe about either the content or validity of these Hebrew Bible and New Testament texts. So many comment here, getting into their own views and faith, but my survey of the various interpretations is just that--a historical survey/ That is what we historians do. We are interested in the history of ideas. So please, no need to write back opposing this or that view I survey...that is not the point of an academic lecture. The idea is to learn and become familiar with these texts and the past 2500 years of interpretations! I hope this helps... P.S. Well alas, from the comments below, about me "believing" this or that, or taking "Christ' out of the text, it is clearly a challenge for some to be able to READ what I say here as well as in the video and have explained repeatedly. I have noticed on RU-vid that MANY comment without even watching a video...shooting off this or that comment as if blindfolded. I could try again to explain, but not sure it would help. I explained the method in both videos, and throughout the entire series, along the way, and it has nothing to do with "removing" Christ or anyone having their own personal beliefs or faith. Oh well, I tried. Sigh...

This series has been a highlight of the last month. Thank you James

Thanks again Dr. Tabor!

I've been of the Preterist view for years now. Makes the most sense to me. Seeing the Pre-Christian view (with Christ/Jesus/Lamb) taken out, and how 666 = Nero, adds to that 'sense'. Thanks!

Been waiting for this one. (Got my popcorn)

Thank you James

Thank you, Dr. Tabor. I grew up steeped in evangelical dispensationalism ala Jerry Falwell and others in the 70s and 80s. As I got into studying on my own, I rejected all of that, but I had never considered the idea that we call "Revelation" now might be a pre-Christian work that was Christianized at some point. I'll make one suggestion: I believe that the reference to "the mystery of God" being finished evidences Pauline influence on the author/editor of Revelation. Paul uses this "mystery" phraseology with regard to Christ and the church in his letters, and I also note the reference in Revelation to the measuring of the temple, where John is told to exclude the outer court because it has been given to the gentiles until their time is fulfilled. Paul uses this phraseology in Romans 11, and Jesus is quoted as having used it in Luke 21 (thus potentially indicating Pauline influence on both Revelation and Luke's gospel).

I grew up in the World Wide Church of God. It’s funny to hear that you taught at ambassador and you talking of Armstrong. I very much enjoy this and all your series. I am on the path of correcting what I was TOLD and reading what’s actually there and enjoy your content very very much. Thanks for providing your thoughts research and books as i deconstruct much of Armstrongisms.

I am thoroughly enjoying this series, Dr Tabor. I am reading your book 'The Jesus Dynasty' and can't put it down, a real page turner!

Thank you so much for sharing. I admire both your knowledge and your bravery. Thank you.

I remember the WWCOG when I was growing up with Herbert Armstrong! We used to get those booklets in the mail at home.

There is a very fine RU-vidr named Matt Baker. His channel is called Useful Charts. I highly recommend it. He was raised in H. Armstrong’s WWCoG and is well versed in their theology and imagery. These days, he is converted to Judaism and sees the Bible from an intellectual point of view.

Fascinating! I’m just learning of all these things. Thankful for this talk. Now I just need to go back and watch the first 20+. Looking forward to the sharing of interpretation and deconstruction in your next video. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Thank you

Thank you and Greetings 👋

Geez guys, mr. tabor has finally figured out the revelation, just ask him

“If anyone takes away any words from this book of prophecy, God will take away his portion of the tree of life and the holy city that are described in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19

I'm looking forward to the new series ❤. Thanks for all your help. James you have been very helpful to me. Much love to you and everyone 💕.

Thanks James. And as always, very informative.

My Massyngberde Ford arrived yesterday and I'm giving it the first read through now, and then again later for all the cross references. Very compact and well sectioned.

Excellent content 💯👏

Best channel on RU-vid! 😁

Love Dr. Tabor's dispassionate approach to decoding this emotionally toxic text. I also agree with Dr. Tabor's colleague, Professor Ehrman, that the Christian version of this scripture almost assuredly refers to ancient Rome - and thus has no prophetic power whatsoever. My primary interest in studying this material is from the perspective of comparative religion allied with contemporary modes of spirituality - very specifically, how a study of failed prophecies can teach human beings about the limits of our ability to glimpse, at best, whatever larger consciousness might authentically exist.

Sir, this is an awesome video. Thank.

Wonderfully explained.

I like herbert Armstrong teachings

I could not get your download to work right, but it could be my phone. I thank you for all the work you do, And especially how great you do that work.

I was coming of age, and susceptible to such notions, in the late sixties & early seventies, when those crazy predictions were circulating. It really scared me.

Hi, Dr Tabor ❤

Pre Christian version is an interesting idea,

I like the quilt that is folded at the foot of the bed.

I had to use a magnifying glass to read what you have on screen

I noticed you've recommended three study bibles, the Oxford Study Bible, the Harper Collins study bible and the Jewish study bible. Which one would you currently recommend from a more historic / archaeological perspective. Thanks.

QUESTION: These prophesies were expected to occur at the end of the age right? If the crucifixion was the demarcation between the Age of Aries, and the Age of Pieces (there is abundant information in scripture which would lead one to conclude as much) then given that we are approaching the end of the Piecean age now (Taurus edged out Gemini to begin the transition June 22nd 2020) then why would we expect these prophesies to have occurred already? If according to Daniel 12; Michael was to take those written in his book at the end of his Age (Michael stands up, a time of trouble, everyone written in the book, etc. etc.) Wouldn't we expect Jesus to come and claim his people at the end of his age? After all: Stephen says he see's Jesus seated at the right hand of God in the heavens, which would mean Michael was no longer there. Jesus himself said: :"can you not read the signs of the times?" Sorry if it's too long a question. :)

Can it be the case that the book was a compilation of the letters of one John the Seer writing around the end of the first century whit a non Christian Apocaliptical book writing around the realm of Nero and whit add stuff by the compiler?

@ 35:45 James explains that he has another video on RU-vid that explains the destruction of Babylon in Revelation chapter 18 where he discusses an eye witness account of what happened at pompeii and Herculaneum when Mount Vesuvius erupted and the main harbor leading into Rome was destroyed. He stated that he would leave the details in the description but I don't see it. Anyone know what video that is?

It looks to me like the seven angels with trumpets are the same seven angels pouring out bowls of wrath. The events that happen when each angel blows its trumpet is roughly the same event that happens when they pour out their bowl of wrath.

I remember ole Herb. I used to listen to and watch his radio and TV broadcasts back in the end of the 70s and 80s and even subscribed to his Plain Truth and Good News magazines. Gave too much $$$ to his organization too. I stopped donating, watching, listening, and subscribing when I compared an article he wrote on Galatians and Galatians itself. Turns out he and Paul were saying diametrically the opposite and mutually exclusive doctrines about the Torah!

I also see what your saying and it's definitely true. Paul and other apostles, even Jesus is expounding on the old testament. Obviously Jesus changed it from being about what we do with our bodies vs our hearts 💞

Dear James Tabor, Thank you! May I ask, in which scriptures the Lamb in Revelation is not mentioned? I recently left a cult which has the lamb in Revelation as a basis. So the early scriptures dont mention the Lamb? I will be grateful for an answer. 🤗

Once R. Yossi had day-laborers [working] in the field. Night set in and no food was brought to them and they said to his son, ‘We are hungry’. Now they were resting under a fig tree and he exclaimed: ‘Fig tree, fig tree, bring forth thy fruit that my father’s laborers may eat. It brought forth fruit and they ate. Meanwhile the father came. He said to them: ‘Do not bear a grievance against me; the reason for my delay is because I have been occupied up till now on an errand of charity’. The laborers replied: ‘May God satisfy you even as your son has satisfied us’. Whereupon he asked: ‘Whence?’ They told him what had happened. Thereupon he said to his son: ‘My son, you have troubled your Creator to cause the fig tree to bring forth its fruits before its time, may you too be taken hence before your time!’ (Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 24a).

Behold!! He came riding the cloud like a surfer 🏄‍♂️, singing the Beachboys!

Most people don't realize this book is a form of inner soul Alcemy/evolution.

has the 1st verse of chapter 1 been Christianized?

"Unveiled at last"? Why do we need a special guru/middle man for something we can directly read and understand for ourselves?

I think I recall Tregelles saying this was one of the books that caused debate regarding its inclusion in Canon? And "shortly" has come and gone. Jesus had taken his place to coreign with the Father. When will he become sovereign. (btw: And I recall some scholars having difficulty accounting for the years of reign recorded for various kings. The problem was they were not accounting for the usual period of one year of co-reign.)

The quote, "they loved not their lives even unto death" sounds like they are talking about mortals who were martyrs, but Michael and his angels are not mortals.

The Book Of Revelations was written by people on hallucinogens.

75? Didn't Christ come, and nobody was ready. And missed the boat, with our heads in The Book. It's been more or less a Hell ever since.

Rev 18:6-7 seems to suggest that "My people" are to reward Rome as she has rewarded them. So it is "My people" who are to burn Rome with fire, as Nero said the Christians did in 64AD with the Great Fire of Rome. One would think these were Zealot Christians like Simon the Zealot, assuming Nero was correct. However, Tacitus said Nero was scapegoating the Christians.

Apocalipse 5 tells a story that nobody understands. If that was not the case, things would make sense at last!

Thanks isayah yes ships makes homes. Linntils RSJ.

The apocalypso dance contest goes on till all the non-NPC players are tapped out. Every soul gets their own personal Gehenna on the way to the heavenly room that's booked for them. The apocalypse has been unfolding since it was first dimly prophesied, millennia ago. Cosmic events ending entire days of creation take more than a few minutes of God's time scale.

I would not dare to attempt to interpret the Book of Revelation. (Good luck, Prof. Tabor, your ideas are probably as good as anybody's.) However, Wion's Prophecy of the Popes is much easier. It predicts only one more pope after Francis, and that pope will be St. Peter (Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oves .. . . ). Controversy surrounds Fr. Wion's list of 113 papal predictions which he falsely atributed to St. Malachy, but there exists a possible validation. Prediction number 112, which is for Pope Francis, reads in its original Latin: "In psecutione. extrema S.R.E. sedebit." the correct translation of which is: "He will reign in the final persecution. of the Holy Roman Church." If some human caused disaster befalls the Catholic Church during Francis' papacy, then Wion's prophecy is validated. If not, then it is falsified.

Bible = Genesis of Revelation Manual.

What about the Christian guy that did a video where he looked for the star of Bethlehem that the Magi were supposedly following. The dragon chasing the woman were celestial bodies

I think everything you say is true, but as a flat Rock of throne just right was skip across the water. I think prophecy is true in the original time that was intended but that it's true in a different way or a lesser way to other times in the future. I had an experience as a young child when my grandmother had a premonition that we should go into the yellow woods when the time came there's something special would happen and when that time came near she was leery if we should actually go there she thought it might be too dangerous but I told her she believed it the first time so we should do it. It was like walking through bubbles of time and when I looked back the path behind me was not the path I walked in on. And then the scariest monster that ever existed appeared on my left like a flash of light brighter than anything I've ever seen and he was scarier than anything I could ever imagine. The more he talked to me the more he changed. And then a second Angel appeared and he showed me the past slightly he showed me the future to my right then told me I was not allowed to remember it until it comes to pass. And that first monster had turned into a man and then he changed even more he went through a cycles of changing starting all over working up through himself refining himself and so he appear to be the most glorious man I've ever seen and at one point there were huge white angel wings behind him but then they disappeared. And then as that time came to a close as if he was risen up into the light of God and it was more glorious than anything I'd ever seen or ever imagined. And when he disappeared there was a death cab mushroom or he had been standing. So in the things that he spoke of and then the things the second Angel spoke of I only can partially remember but the future I saw matches those prophecies in a lot of ways but different than what they were before.. Someday God will let me remember more of this, some of my memory has started to come back.

While I agree the Christians added interpolations, I think your editing goes a bit too deep. You say it melds the prophets into a cohesive storyline but where is the messiah then? Revelation of what if not him? So where you cut out entirely the child references and Lamb triggers, your also denying the other prophets like Isa 53 that are describing the person suffering. Even that child sequence is telling information about that messiah. It’s not all about Jesus. That sequence is literally describing a c-section and early life that mirrors Isa 53 as well. The entire book isn’t about Rome but the revelation of that guy. The bow and crown are astrological alignments that can’t be refuted once you see what they are. The timing also coincides perfectly with Daniel’s 70 week count in 1535. The blood on his robe coincides with Zachariah prophesy being wounded in the house of friends. There’s so much more you’re butchering when you make convenient edits to suit your biases.

Mystery Babylon was ancient Jerusalem in prophecy. The judgment was upon Israel for persecuting and killing the prophets and then the Son. Read the parable of the wicked vinedressers Jesus had quoted from Isaiah 5.

Why do some bibles say the Revelation of St. John the DIVINE and others say the Revelation Of Jesus Christ?

That is a summary of any war. I think John of Patmos was just joirnaling.

I'll feel this survey is incomplete if you do not broach the 1000 years as a day prophecy

سيد تابور🌷🌷🌷اعترف لك لم اكن اعرف ماتقوله ولو عرفه الناس في مصر (مسلمي مصر) لماتوا من الضحك او لشخروا (صوت استهجان) فالجنون اللذي يتوعدنا به العزيز اشعيا والبار يوحنا شيء مفزع لكنه مضحك فالرب يضع علامه xعلي مسكن الاخيار لينتقم من الاشرار ؟ فماذا لو قام احدهم وغير لون جدار منزله وازال العلامه فهل سيتعرف الرب علي بيته ثانيه أم سيقصفه؟

"What do you think of a book like this?" So what are we doing here actually, we are building on forward looking prophesies. Look at Ezekial, he's sitting on the banks of a canal, in the mid-day sun and hes having a vision. These visions or imaginations, we don't know which is true, but we do know 1. That the visions of one of these prophets is forcibly put under the name of Isaiah. 2. That in the book of Dani'el the imaginations of someone are forcibly being placed in a prophecy 400 years after the fact. And so we a logically left with three possible sources 1. Experiential visions 2. Errors or deception in document handling 3. Story telling and deceptive historical revisionism. So lets be generous about the sources, lets say that these were all experiential visions. That means what? So lets call these visiers what they are, mystics. And then lets equivocate their mysticism, why should their mysticism be treated any differently than any other mystic. And then lets ask the question, are their predictions sound. So if you ask the question, what does revelations mean in light of the source text, then the question is how credible is the mysticism in the source text. 1. Ezekial, but ezekial appears to be polytheistic, hes talking about women weeping for Tammuz in his vision. He wants his god of youth to be restored to his "rightful" temple. 2. Second Isaiah, psuedepigraphy, why is someone, a priest or a scribe trying to cleverly promote this minor prophet, might it be because he wasn't credible in his own time. And if its edited into the text we can beg the question what might he said that was not in the text. 3. Dani'el. The most obvious forgery in the bible. And so the question as a mystic is why should I put the dubious mystical interpretations, worse off story-telling imaginations, above my own visions. But its also a warning for those seeking to force mysticism and then overinterpret it. In 2 cor 12 Paul speaks of his vision in 3rd person in order to hide the fact that he is violating esotericism. But what is the point of esotericism, to keep hidden that which must be. And in revelations we spell out exactly the harm that becomes of violating these. Magick is that which promotes the exoeriential and bathes in the experience and becomes a part of it. The magick of the beliefs of the peoples around Ezekial near Larsa play into his visions, their gods are dancing through his visions. But we should know better. There is a path, its a hard and lonely path, a path without all the ancient magick; its a path of reflection. It is through experience and reflection that the profane excesses seen in Ezekial, Daniel and Revelations are examined, its a place were ones biases and preconceived notions are made clear, and were you are left with one apparent divine, the self. Gods are projected, what we learn about divinity are things projected from one mind to the next. As one author stated there was a time, a context and an audience fir revelations. Its not my time, not my context, and i'm not the intended audience; moreover in reflection I see a pattern of profanity in the text with regard to esotericism. If you want me to offer up a modern purpose for the book, I will do so. It is for reasoning of books like this that I do not recommend people seek mysticism, this book demonstrates the types of delusionary conclusions one can invoke. It is more likely that a person will stray down a false path (pointed out by the Rabbi Akiva and the orthodox church) than find truth. Moreover, for those persons who naturally have, or have had visions, on a regular basis, I recommend esotericism and reflection on one's visions, a cross-examination to see the role of unrealized magick of the ego in those visions. It is important for them to realize how visions are being prompted by notions from the their past. I do not discredit mysticism, just bad practices, but my point here is this, revelations are things that have objective truths in them. Things that can be reinterpreted 1000 different ways and in every generation 1000 more .... these things are not truths, they are sloppy thinking. I could say more but this is esoteric, its so and meant to be so. But I can say this psuedonym, if you invision world glory and destruction you are invisioning the ego.

I believe what hagee is saying is fulfillment of what the angel Gabriel was telling Daniel in the book of Daniel 11:14B. That these evil men are trying to establish a thousand year reign That's why they say that the Gog and Magog war is happening now. They are going to try to say that the battle of Armageddon has happened and that their Messiah is Jesus 2 coming to fool the Christian.... Maybe🎉

I do appreciate you Dr. Tabor, and enjoy your lectures, but how can the prophecies in the Book of Revelation possibly be referring to Nero? If it points to Nero where is God's kingdom? Where are the peaceful conditions on the earth? Where's the resurrection of the dead? And you are right, believers in Jesus aren't going to be thrilled with him being crossed out of Scripture. Let's just say I'm a bit frustrated by this specific lecture. I did however appreciate your breakdown of the Book of Revelation verse by verse. I also don't feel that using Gematria to break down Neron Kaisar into 666 is enough to label Nero as the antiChrist strictly based on numbers. If you take the same name using Pythagorean theorem the numbers come out rather positive for Nero. 🧚‍♀

🌷🌷🌷🌷شكرا سيدي فالان فهمت اشعيا اللذي قرأه نتنياهو ويوحتا فالسيدان يوحنا واشعيا اغرقانا في بحر الجنون نسبح فيه الان والحمد لله انني لن اموت بسبب الشمس المظلمه ولا القمر الاحمر جدا وليس تحت قصف حجاره الرب لكن موتي سيكون بصواريخ نوويه من غواصاتكم اللتي تقف امام سواحلنا

Can you make the text larger on screen?

The "Two Witnesses" Will show up in America..".Sodom and Egypt" "Where our lord was "ALSO CRUCIFIED"..

Jude 1:25 in the KJV vs other translations that added "Through Jesus Christ" proves that there were many edits to the NT. Once you notice this its easy to see how we were deceived into worshipping a man or false image, as God Almighty. The very strong delusion we were warned about. You can find these inserts throughout the NT is you really learn to establish the truth carefully and divide truth from lies.

Yhwh created sin to expell Adam and Eve from paradise. Than needed a blood sacrifice of his son Jesus to forgive Adam and Eve. So yhwh can put Adam and Eve back into paradise. WTF.

quote: and remember the earthly temple is just the shadow of the heavenly temple... So Richard Carrier was right all along: Jesus was crucified in outer space! Fun fact: the printer Robert Tephanus verificted revelations such, that the 175th las verse (think Alpha and Omega) matches the 666th verse of the torah, which tells you about Abrahams age. Holy gossip!

PLEASE MOVE YOUR MIC CLOSER TO YOU OR SPEAK UP. Audio is very low and I know you speak softly but it became too difficult straining to listen to you.

I was born on 10 September 1965

Hey Doc, have you checked out ARCHAIX yet? Interdisciplinary forensic chronology resolved the discrepancies between the earliest stellar, the later lunar & the still-later solar calendars, including the change from 360-day year to 365.25-day years in 713 AD, Also the shar was a single turning of the stars - ONE day, NOT one year. This provides some temporal clarity unknown prior to this 26 years of research. Check it out!

🤔.•°{i was born in 75}

The Creator exists in/on a different dimension, unbound by time. The fulfillment will be realized, but on a different level.

I reject the book. It speaks as Jesus in the letters to the Churches that do not match Christ.

It's astrology

One of the riders was given a " great sword" The Bible says the Word of God is like a sharp double edged sword. So if the Bible is referred to as a sword, then tthe " great sword" is also a book. Its the quran. Islam is that Beast and muhamed is that False prophet. 666 is on the forhead which in greek appears as xξς. Which is what you see on the headbands of terrorists. You also see 666 in numerical form on those same headbands. John said we were in the last hour in his time. If thats true ( it was true) then we are now in the last minutes. We are waiting for a global antichrist to appear, but hes already come. He will be thrown alive into hell at the ressurection

Here’s a not so novel view Nero was not the beast that was a false assumption stop projecting your ignorance onto others.

I guess you think this is in the past. The wrap up is at the END! The world is still here and this must be in the future. WRAP UP.

You cannot remove the Messiah Yahusha ('Jesus') as the 'Lamb' that opens the seals BECAUSE He is the only One Worthy to open them BECAUSE He was slain like a lamb. It's the whole context of Chapter 5. smh Rev 5:2, 5-9 KJV And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?' ... 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a >>Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.'Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation...'

Preterism is extremely foolish, and wrong. Your takes are all terrible. Rev 9 is a prophecy of the rise of Islam.

you getting old, have a chance and read Quraan

@UsefullCharts and @JamesTaborVideos should definitely get together. I could really see some interesting things come from that match up. Maybe a collaboration on this very series.

Oh my God you are right, I am God Almighty Father not Jesus. WoW

My friend I am the child clothed with the Sun. I blink and the Universe blinks all the lights of the world and Universe point towards me, I stand beside any pregnant woman of any race the child in the mother's womb jumps excited, that can have just one meaning that everyone is connected to me, the light comes out of the ground and water and mirrors and point towards me. I am God or Jesus. My grandmothers name is Anne, my mothers name is María, my father was a carpenter. The false Prophet was my childhood friend, the Beast Babylon USA made him president and he fooled the world. The Vatican is the first Beast and they knew about me from the time I was born.

Why do you study something you don't believe in. It is even more futile because it is stated in the very Book that it can be understood only by those who believe.