About the Author Kevin Bart
For more than 40 years, I have been following Jesus Christ and seeking to understand, live out, and share the truth of God's Word. My passion for Scripture has taken me beyond simply reading the Bible. I have spent decades studying its message, teaching it to others, leading people in Bible study, and helping believers grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
My desire in writing Unraveling the Mysteries of the Book of Revelation is simple: to help people understand the Book of Revelation without fear, confusion, or unnecessary speculation—and to see Jesus Christ at the center of its message.
Revelation can seem intimidating. It contains symbols, visions, angels, beasts, judgments, kingdoms, numbers, and prophetic events that have generated countless interpretations. Yet behind all of these things is a message of hope, faithfulness, judgment, redemption, and ultimately the victory of Jesus Christ.
I believe the Book of Revelation is not merely a book about the end of the world. It is a revelation of Jesus Christ.
More Than 40 Years of Following Jesus
My Christian journey has spanned more than four decades. During that time, I have had the privilege of learning from God's word, serving alongside other believers, teaching God's Word, participating in ministry, and witnessing the transforming power of the gospel in people's lives.
Following Jesus for more than 40 years has taught me that Christianity is not simply about accumulating biblical knowledge. It is about knowing Christ, trusting Him, obeying His Word, growing in faith, and helping others do the same.
The longer I study Scripture, the more convinced I am that God's Word deserves to be approached with humility, careful study, and a willingness to allow Scripture to speak for itself.
Bible Study and Teaching Experience
Teaching the Bible has been an important part of my Christian journey. Over the years, I have had opportunities to study and teach Scripture with people from different backgrounds and at different stages of their faith. My years of experience included teaching in Bible study classes, Sunday School classes, discipleship classes, and small groups.
My goal when teaching the Bible has always been to make God's Word understandable while remaining faithful to what the biblical text actually says. And to make sure that people are hearing God speak through me. Not just hearing me and my thoughts or opinions.
That approach is especially important when studying Revelation.
Revelation contains some of the most difficult passages in the Bible to interpret. Rather than treating every symbol as a code that must be deciphered according to a predetermined system, I believe we should begin with the biblical text itself.
That means considering:
- The immediate context of each passage
- The historical and cultural setting
- The Old Testament background
- The symbolism used elsewhere in Scripture
- The overall message of the book
- The original audience of Revelation
- The relationship between Revelation and the rest of the Bible
My goal is not to make Revelation say what I want it to say. My goal is to understand what God has revealed through His Word.
Discipleship and Spiritual Growth
Biblical teaching is not merely about knowing more information. Scripture calls us to become disciples of Jesus Christ.
Throughout my years of following Christ, I have come to appreciate the importance of discipleship—helping believers grow in their understanding of God's Word and in their daily walk with Jesus.
That includes learning to:
- Read and study Scripture carefully
- Pray consistently
- Trust God in difficult circumstances
- Recognize the importance of obedience
- Grow in spiritual maturity
- Stand firm in faith
- Share the gospel with others
- Live with an eternal perspective
The Book of Revelation has an important discipleship message. It repeatedly calls God's people to remain faithful to Christ even when doing so is difficult.
Revelation reminds us that history is moving toward God's appointed conclusion and that Jesus Christ ultimately triumphs. That truth should not produce fear in faithful believers.
It should produce hope, perseverance, and confidence in Christ.
Missions and Ministry Experience
Missions has also been an important part of my Christian experience. Ministry beyond the walls of a local church has helped me appreciate the worldwide nature of the gospel and the incredible diversity of people God calls us to reach.
In 1995 I prayed about serving God full time. Up until then I had my own business since 1983. Then early in 2004 God began to speak about selling my business and using our own resources to serve God full time. This was after a few tough years and some financial difficulties. At first it seemed very unlikely to happen, but in time we became sure that God was speaking.
For a year and a half we did not now how we would serve. Or when. Or what or where. We were willing to do whatever the Lord told us to do. On a mission trip to Sao Paulo Brazil in 2005 God clearly spoke and revealed to us His plan. We were to join Him in His mission work and serve as missionaries in Brazil.
We prayed for confirmation from God, and He confirmed His call in various ways. God also gave a clear vision and plan of what He wanted us to do. God's vision was for us to help churches & ministries to share the Gospel with as many people as possible in their communities. It also involved speaking and sharing Christ in schools. And finally to train pastors and churches to successfully fulfill God's purpose & mission of sharing the Gospel and making disciples.
People need Jesus Christ. All people. The gospel is not limited to one nation, culture, or people group. Revelation itself gives us a remarkable picture of God's redemptive plan reaching people from every nation, tribe, people, and language.
My missions experiences have strengthened my conviction that the message of Scripture and the Gospel is for the whole world.
Countries Visited in Ministry
My ministry experiences have taken me to many different countries and cultures, providing opportunities to see the global nature of God's love and work firsthand.
To date we have lived and served in Brazil two times. We have also had more than 50 mission trips to 36 countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, And Oceania.
These experiences have helped broaden my perspective and have reinforced an important biblical truth: God's kingdom is much larger than any one church, denomination, country, or culture.
Why I Wrote Unraveling the Mysteries of the Book of Revelation
I wrote this book because I believe many people want to understand Revelation but don't know where to begin.
Some people avoid the book because it seems too complicated. Others have encountered conflicting interpretations and are unsure what to believe. Still others have heard sensational claims about current events, world leaders, technology, or political developments and have been told that these things must fulfill specific passages in Revelation.
I wanted to take a different approach.
I wanted to encourage people to open the Bible and study Revelation for themselves.
The purpose of Unraveling the Mysteries of the Book of Revelation is not to sensationalize prophecy. It is to help readers understand the biblical text and appreciate the message God has given us.
I also wanted to emphasize something that can easily be overlooked:
Revelation is ultimately about Jesus Christ.
The book begins with the revelation of Jesus Christ and concludes with the promise of His return and the restoration of all things.
Between those two points, we see God's sovereignty, the seriousness of sin, the reality of judgment, the perseverance of God's people, the defeat of evil, and the ultimate victory of Christ.
That is a message every Christian needs to hear.
My Approach to Interpreting Revelation
I approach Revelation with several principles.
1. Scripture Interprets Scripture
The Bible is the primary source for understanding the Bible.
Revelation contains hundreds of references and allusions to Old Testament passages. Understanding those connections is essential for interpreting its imagery.
Rather than immediately turning to modern events or popular theories, I believe we should first ask:
How does the Bible itself use this language and imagery?
2. Context Matters
Individual verses should not be isolated from the passages and chapters in which they occur.
I seek to understand each vision within its immediate context and within the overall structure of Revelation.
3. Revelation Contains Significant Symbolism
Revelation uses highly visual and symbolic language.
Lambs, beasts, horns, crowns, stars, lampstands, dragons, seals, trumpets, bowls, numbers, and other images communicate theological truths.
The presence of symbolism does not mean the message is meaningless or impossible to understand. It means we must carefully determine what the symbols communicate.
There are words that John sometimes uses that indicate what he is writing about is symbolic of something, someone, or an event that is real. Other than these occasions when John uses this symbolic writing style and words, I believe it is best and more true to the meaning of Jesus's message to interpret the events or things literally.
4. Jesus Christ Remains the Center
The central question should not simply be, "What does this prophecy predict?"
It should also be:
"What does this passage reveal about Jesus Christ?"
He is the Lamb.
He is the conquering King.
He is the faithful witness.
He is the One who judges evil.
He is the Lord of history.
He is the One who returns.
And He is the One who ultimately makes all things new.
5. I Seek to Distinguish Biblical Teaching From Speculation
There is a difference between what Scripture clearly teaches and what interpreters believe may happen.
Where Scripture is clear, we should be confident.
Where Scripture leaves room for legitimate disagreement, we should be humble.
I do not believe we should force certainty where the Bible does not give certainty.
My goal is therefore not to predict dates or sensationalize current events. It is to carefully examine what Scripture actually reveals.
My Theological Perspective & Beliefs
Statement of Faith
God The Father
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.
Jesus Christ
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin.
Jesus was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord.
Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1-18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. The Holy Spirit exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Savior, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church.
He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17.
The Bible
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy.
It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
Man
Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin.
Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11.
Grace
Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.
All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.
The Church
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.
The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews 11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.
Baptism & The Lord's Supper
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12.
The Lord's Day
The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Activities on the Lord's Day should be commensurate with the Christian's conscience under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1ff.; Mark 2:27-28; 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-3,33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1,19-28; Acts 20:7; Romans 14:5-10; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; Revelation 1:10.
The Kingdom
The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His particular kingship over men who willfully acknowledge Him as King. Particularly the Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ. Christians ought to pray and to labor that the Kingdom may come and God's will be done on earth. The full consummation of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus Christ and the end of this age.
Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Matthew 3:2; 4:8-10,23; 12:25-28; 13:1-52; 25:31-46; 26:29; Mark 1:14-15; 9:1; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2; 12:31-32; 17:20-21; 23:42; John 3:3; 18:36; Acts 1:6-7; 17:22-31; Romans 5:17; 8:19; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 11:10,16; 12:28; 1 Peter 2:4-10; 4:13; Revelation 1:6,9; 5:10; 11:15; 21-22.
Evangelism & Missions
It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. The new birth of man's spirit by God's Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.
Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 6:1-8; Matthew 9:37-38; 10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19; 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20; Luke 10:1-18; 24:46-53; John 14:11-12; 15:7-8,16; 17:15; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2; 8:26-40; 10:42-48; 13:2-3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 22:17.
I also believe that Revelation should be read as part of the larger biblical story—from creation and the fall, through God's covenant purposes and His redemptive work in Christ, to the final defeat of evil and the creation of the new heaven and new earth.
When Christians study prophecy, theological humility is important. Faithful followers of Jesus may disagree about aspects of prophetic interpretation while still agreeing about the central truths of the gospel.
My commitment is to keep the focus on Scripture and on Jesus Christ rather than allowing secondary questions to overshadow the central message of God's Word.
The Hope of Revelation
Perhaps the greatest reason to study Revelation is the hope it gives believers.
Revelation does not end with Satan winning.
It does not end with evil triumphing.
It does not end with God's people abandoned.
It ends with Jesus Christ victorious.
It ends with judgment being completed, evil being defeated, and God's people dwelling with Him.
It ends with the New Jerusalem, the river of the water of life, the tree of life, and the presence of God with His people.
And it ends with the promise of Jesus:
"Surely I am coming soon."
The proper response is not fear or speculation.
It is faithfulness.
It is worship.
It is hope.
And it is a renewed desire to know Jesus Christ and faithfully follow Him.
My Prayer for Every Reader
My prayer is that Unraveling the Mysteries of the Book of Revelation will do more than answer questions about prophecy.
I pray that it will lead readers deeper into God's Word, strengthen their faith, encourage them to remain faithful to Jesus, and give them a greater understanding of God's plan for the future.
Most of all, I pray that as you study Revelation, you will see what John was ultimately shown:
Jesus Christ is Lord, Jesus Christ is victorious, and Jesus Christ is coming again.
Welcome to RevelationMysteries.com.
I invite you to open your Bible, examine the Scriptures carefully, and join me in Unraveling The Mysteries Of The Book of Revelation.