Jack Hibbs : This Will Change Your Understanding Of Revelation

The Bible reaches its final and most powerful conclusion in its 66th book—the Book of Revelation. It reveals “things that must take place shortly,” meaning events that are unfolding now and events that will happen rapidly. Revelation is not random or confusing by design. It follows a purposeful, God-given outline that guides readers through what is coming next.

For generations, many people have tried to dismiss Revelation by calling it purely symbolic or allegorical. But the truth is, Bible prophecy becomes far easier to understand when you see it in the full context of Scripture—especially the Old Testament. And whether we feel ready or not, the future is coming.

So why is the Book of Revelation even in the Bible? And is it truly possible to understand it? Yes—and that’s exactly what we’re going to explore. From this point forward, we’ll be sharing deeper and deeper teaching on the Book of Revelation. Today is simply an introduction, but in the near future, we plan to take a much deeper dive—possibly even longer than our usual 40–60 minute podcast episodes.

Before we go further, we’d love to invite you to subscribe through the Real Life Network app so you can access teaching and resources anytime—24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Now, let’s start by painting a simple picture. When you eat ice cream—whether you add peanuts, chocolate, sprinkles, or anything else—what’s the best bite? The first bite, or the last bite? The same question applies to a great hamburger or even the final French fry at the bottom of the bag. For some reason, the last bite often feels like the best one.

That’s a perfect way to understand why Revelation sits at the end of the Bible. It’s the “last bite.” It’s the final, richest, and most complete conclusion to the entire message of Scripture. Revelation brings everything together. It is the theological climax of the 65 books that come before it.

Here’s something many people don’t realize: the Book of Revelation references the Old Testament more than all other New Testament books combined—through verses, symbols, events, and prophetic patterns. That’s one major reason some churches and denominations avoid it. Some even treat it as off-limits.

But avoiding Revelation is exactly what the enemy would want—because this book is meant to be known and understood. If someone says, “I don’t understand the Book of Revelation,” the problem is often this: they haven’t read the Old Testament.

If you’re Jewish, consider reading the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi—not only the first five books, but the entire Hebrew Scriptures. Then, without reading the New Testament, read the Book of Revelation. You may be shocked by how much you recognize, because Revelation is deeply connected to Old Testament imagery and prophecy.

To begin our study today, we’ll start with Revelation 1:19. But before reading it, imagine three buckets placed in front of you: a blue bucket, a yellow bucket, and a red bucket—three distinct containers, each with a purpose. That simple picture will help frame the structure we’re about to see.

Revelation opens by making one thing clear: this is not the revelation of John the Apostle. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ.