Revelation & The Time Things Were to Occur

When were the things written about in the Book of Revelation to take place? Immediately? Within the lifetime of those living at the time it was written? Within a generation? Or two thousand years later?

Read the phrases in Revelation which indicate when something was to occur, and then compare the phrases in Revelation to similar phrases found throughout the Bible. Consider the context of all passages you compare and then make an educated decision as to when the things written about in Revelation were to take place.

Rev. 1:1 – “Things which must shortly take place”

New King James Version

Revelation 1:1 - The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,

Revelation 22:6 - Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.

Rev. 1:3 – “For the time is near.”

Genesis 47:29 - When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt,

Isaiah 13:22 - The hyenas will howl in their citadels, And jackals in their pleasant palaces. Her time is near to come, And her days will not be prolonged."

Isaiah 26:17 - As a woman with child Is in pain and cries out in her pangs, When she draws near the time of her delivery, So have we been in Your sight, O LORD.

Ezekiel 7:7 - Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land; The time has come, A day of trouble is near, And not of rejoicing in the mountains.

Ezekiel 7:12 - The time has come, The day draws near. "Let not the buyer rejoice, Nor the seller mourn, For wrath is on their whole multitude.

Ezekiel 11:3 - who say, "The time is not near to build houses; this city is the caldron, and we are the meat.'

Ezekiel 30:3 - For the day is near, Even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles.

Daniel 8:17 - So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end."

Matthew 21:34
Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.

Luke 21:8 - And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, "I am He,' and, "The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them.

Acts 7:17 - "But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt

Romans 13:11 - And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

Revelation 1:3 - Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Rev. 2:5 – “I will come to you quickly”

Joshua 10:6 - And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, "Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us."

1 Samuel 20:19 - And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel.

2 Kings 1:11 - Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: "Man of God, thus has the king said, "Come down quickly!"'

Job 5:13 - He catches the wise in their own craftiness, And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.

Psalm 68:31 - Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God.

Jeremiah 48:16 - "The calamity of Moab is near at hand, And his affliction comes quickly.

2 Timothy 4:9 - Be diligent to come to me quickly;

Revelation 2:5 - Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.

Revelation 2:16 - Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

Revelation 22:20 - He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Rev. 22:10 – “the time is at hand”

Genesis 27:41 - So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."

Deuteronomy 15:9 - Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, "The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,' and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the LORD against you, and it become sin among you.

Deuteronomy 32:35 - Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.'

1 Samuel 9:8 - And the servant answered Saul again and said, "Look, I have here at hand one-fourth of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way."

Isaiah 13:6 - Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.

Jeremiah 23:23 - "Am I a God near at hand," says the LORD, "And not a God afar off?

Jeremiah 48:16 - "The calamity of Moab is near at hand, And his affliction comes quickly.

Ezekiel 12:23 - Tell them therefore, "Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel." But say to them, "The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.

Joel 1:15 - Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.

Joel 2:1 - Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand:

Zephaniah 1:7 - Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD; For the day of the LORD is at hand, For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests.

Matthew 3:2 - and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

Matthew 4:17 - From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Matthew 10:7 - And as you go, preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

Matthew 26:18 - And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, "The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.""'

Matthew 26:45 - Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Matthew 26:46 - Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."

Mark 1:15 - and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

Mark 14:42 - Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."

John 2:13 - Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 7:2 -Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.

Romans 13:12 - The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Philippians 4:5 - Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

2 Timothy 4:6 - For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.

James 5:8 - You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

1 Peter 4:7 - But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

Revelation 22:10 - And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.