The book of Revelation is meant to be understood.....

Just for the record, it is not a stand alone book at the end of the Bible meant for the scholars. It is for every believer written with the express purpose of motivating our hearts toward love. Intimacy with God is cultivated when we read the judgments of God devotionally. I know that sounds crazy, but this was the Lord's intention all along. I hear so many people say, "Well, I don't have the intimacy thing yet, so I will wait on the end times". I want to cry out "NO!!!!!!" They are not separate messages, but one whole package. When John was given all the details in the book of Revelation, it did not produce confusion or conflict - it produced a cry. Rev. 22:20, "Even so, Lord Jesus, COME QUICKLY". This was the cry of a man who had just seen world destruction, death and devastation on a global level. But he also saw the saints who had been killed singing, "JUst and true are your judgments, God". Think about it, the very ones who had been tortured in the end time drama were the ones declaring by song how brilliant His plan was! Amazing. And when John sees it all, he doesn't interceded to stop it. He doesn't say, "this is too much, I can't take it". He cries out, "even so, come quickly". Global conflict? "Even so..." Death and destruction? "Even so...." All he witnessed procuded the cry to hasten the day of His coming. Because that day will be the "day of the gladness of His heart".