The Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation to the first century Christians; addressing the problems, challenges, and concerns they had for their present and future circumstances. His understanding was that he was speaking to their immediate needs; passing along God’s correction, guidance and encouragement as they endured Roman persecution, Jewish antagonism, and internal strife.

However, with hindsight, we see and understand that it was God’s intention that the book not be confined to just that era. We know this because John was told to write about the things which are and the things that will take place after these things (Rev. 1: 19). Many scholars say that “the things which are” refers to the seven messages sent to the first century seven churches in 1: 9-22, and that the things to “take place after these things” refer to most visions found in 4-22: 5; messages that point beyond the first century.

Revelation obviously contains predictions pertaining to historical events that were future from John’s perspective. And although the first century Christians could find contemporary application of them for their present circumstances – equating, for instance, the predicted fall of Babylon to the defeat of Rome; viewing their current conditions as end time signs; believing in Jesus’ soon return, etc. – we know that there are unfilled prophecies that are even future to us.

The whole of Revelation contains messages that apply over and over to the problems and challenges of every Christian generation from the time of John on the island of Patmos to the return of Jesus. In a sense, then, the first century Christians can be thought of as symbolic for all of Christianity that has followed through the successive centuries.

Revelation’s appraisal of the church’s spiritual condition is relevant for every age. At every step in history, Revelation has shown what the church is doing and what it should be doing. In every era, it tells the church of what’s coming and reminds the church of its mission going forward. It peels back and exposes the evil one’s strategy and tactics behind current events as time passes. Along with its signs and symbols, the book also contains principles for righteous living that are applicable for all time. And it encourages all Christian generations by showing the victory that is in Jesus and by significantly focusing on Jesus’ Second Coming.

Continued study of Revelation inspires and uplifts the soul as the book’s contents show justice being done – Jesus guiding His church to eternal life and the wicked receiving punishment. We get to see Jesus ministering to and on behalf of the church, from the time of His ascension to the time of His returning to gather up His church to heaven – and even beyond that.

So, indeed, the book does point to the past, present, and future, and heavenly and earthly events in each; proving that the book is meant, not just for the first century, but like the rest of the Bible for the ages. That’s why I’m in favor of and use the Historicism method of interpretation.

The other major, traditional methods of interpretation are too limited in scope. The Preterism method limits all of Revelation’s messages to the first century, ignoring the prophecies that obviously are beyond that time. The Idealism method emphasizes only the book’s ethical truths and principles that, indeed, are ageless; but like the preterism method, it rejects the book’s prophetic nature and historical events beyond John’s day. The Futurism method, the most popular in today’s time, maintains that Revelation is only relevant to the end-time, last generation of Christians. It obviously embraces prophecy, but thinks of prophetic events as only taking place just before and after Jesus’ return.