INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXT ANALYSIS

A proper understanding of this text analysis of the book of Revelation is dependent on knowledge of the material presented in the previous background studies. If you have not read through all of these background studies, the text analysis will not make sense. Please turn back to the main index and begin with Section I of the background information.

To look into the "future" as presented in the book of Revelation, we begin by going into the past. Revelation is a fulfillment of a prophecy found in the book of Daniel. The prophet depicts a period of time that will end with the establishment of the Kingdom of God:

Daniel 9:24 - `Seventy weeks are determined for your people, and for your holy city, to shut up the transgression, and to seal up sins, and to cover iniquity, and to bring in righteousness age-during, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies.

There is a very deep, mystical, reference in the book of Daniel that has been overlooked in Bible commentaries. The following verses are well recognized as relating to the end times, particularly the "great tribulation" of the book of Revelation. The angel making this revelation to Daniel (which in fact started in the previous chapter), ends his statement by commenting that at the time of the end, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased:

Daniel 12:1-4 - And at that time stand up does Michael, the great head, who is standing up for the sons of your people, and there has been a time of distress, such as has not been since there hath been a nation till that time, and at that time do your people escape, every one who is found written in the book. `And the multitude of those sleeping in the dust of the ground do awake, some to life age-during, and some to reproaches -- to abhorrence age-during. And those teaching do shine as the brightness of the expanse, and those justifying the multitude as stars to the age and for ever. And you, O Daniel, hide the things, and seal the book till the time of the end, many do go to and fro, and knowledge is multiplied.'

Typically, Bible commentaries and articles discussing the phrase, "many shall run to and fro," will point to the increase in global travel in the days we live in. They will state that never before have so many people taken airplanes and other modes of transport to move about all over the world.

But what does an increase in physical travel have to do with anything the angel is talking about to Daniel? The context of this passage is both spiritual and mystical. The key to understanding the phrase, "many do go to and fro," is at the end of the verse, where it says; knowledge is multiplied (shall be increased). Again, many commentaries, remarking on these words, will point to what technology is doing for us these days, and refer to facts such as how knowledge is doubling every two years, etc. All true and perhaps interesting - but again, this has nothing to do with what the angel is saying and how this verse should be understood.

Daniel's passage must be understood at the Sod (mystical) level of interpretation as that is where the meaning lies. The knowledge that the angel is speaking of is "spiritual knowledge." Just as God bestowed great insight at key times in history such as in the days of Abraham, Moses and Yeshua, He promises to do the same, in an even greater degree when the time of final redemption and atonement approaches.

Earlier in this study, we discussed the concept of "movement" in the spiritual realm. This is important in understanding the message the angel is conveying. The "going to and fro" has nothing to do with the physical realm. Rather, this "going" (or "running") is of the spiritual type, and can mean both, a) angels carrying out the will of God (descent), and, b) people "connecting" with God (ascent) in terms of gaining insight into the mysteries of Torah.

An understanding of the book of Revelation will illuminate the texts of the gospels, as well as much of what is found in the epistles. Revelation is not only a fulfillment of Daniel (as seen above), but also of: the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4); of Yeshua's example of prayer (as found in Matthew 6 and Luke 11, in what is called "the Lord's Prayer"); and of His own personal prayer to the Father, as seen in John, chapter 17. All of these Scriptures point to the establishment of God's Kingdom, the main lesson of the Bible and fulfillment of history, as shown in the book of Revelation.

With this study we tread on new ground, presenting an interpretation of the book of Revelation that views it as a Jewish mystical text, drawing from the many works of Torat ha-Sod, to assist us in learning its intended meaning.

These works, including the Zohar, the Bahir, Sefer Yetzirah, the book of Enoch, parts of the Talmud and Midrash Rabbah, along with the writings of such famous teachers as Nachmanides, are the first witness. They present evidence, made up of elements such as; Metatron, Tipheret, Melchizadek and the forty-two letter name of God, that point distinctly to an individual. The characteristics of this person fulfill the role of; Messiah, "Son of Yah," "sun of righteousness," the "middle pillar" (Jacob's ladder), enemy of haSatan, atonement of Israel, "living waters," bridegroom, High Priest, and above all -- the image of the invisible God.

The second witness is the historical testimony of the Talmud, which recognizes that something signficant occured 40 years prior to the destruction of the second Temple. From that date, for forty consecutive years, the Yom Kippur sacrifice was rejected by God:

Talmud - Mas. Yoma 39b- During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot [‘For the Lord’] did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-coloured strap become white; nor did the westernmost light shine; and the doors of the Hekal would open by themselves

These two witnesses testify to someone, and to something occuring a certain time in history. When the book of Revelation, and the other texts of the "New Testament" are interpreted in light of Torat ha-Sod, there is one figure who emerges to "fill the mold" made by Jewish writers who lived both before and after he died -- forty years before the Temple was destroyed.

Hashem has marked the path for those who wish to be found by Him in these last days. May He guide us as we go forward with this study.

Lastly, I wish to dedicate this work to my daughter, Shoshana. Her arrival into this world was foretold to us on Sukkot in 1999. She arrived just in time for Sukkot 2000, as HaShem had revealed.