Why do Christians claim that the book of Revelation is for them when it was written before Christianity?

Question

it is about the end of this age and the kingdom of heaven coming to the earth

Answer 1

And there's me thinking it was written by St John the Divine (the youngest of the 12 Apostles who also wrote the Gospel of St John)

Answer 2

Why do you think the book of Revelation was written before Christianity? It was written well after Christ came, died, rose from the grave, and ascended into Heaven, and it was also written many years after Pentecost (the start of the Church). That makes it written AFTER Christianity began. Where did you get that idea? (that it predates Christianity?) Certainly not from history books or any scholarly journals.

You're correct that it is about the end of the world (the earth we now live on), and the world system (man-made governments), the end of Time and the beginning of Eternity.

Answer 3

It was written as churches were being developed throughout the world. It was a letter letting everyone know of what is going to happen in the future. It gives us the understanding that the seven churches need to follow the laws that have been set forth.

Revelation is a warning from God to let us know of the things that will happen and it is a warning for all people of the earth. If you want to see it happening right now, then look at the hatred around you and pray for everyone that is tied into this. We will either be heading towards heaven or go directly to hell. This is a direct warning to all that believe and don't believe.

Answer 4

The book of Revelations is a prophesy given to John, Jesus' friend. It was not written before Christianity. It was written shortly after Jesus died and rose, and ascended into Heaven. It is a book of phophesy for those in the Christian Church of what is yet to come.

Answer 5

Why do you think it was written before Christianity? It was written by John the beloved after he had been exiled by the Romans to the island of Patmos after Paul had been executed. And we have this account of when Christians first came by that name.

Acts 11:25 And Barnabas went forth to Tarsus to seek out Saul (Paul), 26 and having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for a whole year they assembled with the church and instructed many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Answer 6

The book of Revelations was written by Paul.

Answer 7

You can say a lot about Revelation. But it was not written before Christianity.

Answer 8

Most of its concepts predate Christianity and are pagan. Revelation was written by "John" and that's all it says. That this is the apostle John is pure speculation. Book of Revelation was probably written (recompiled; adapted) in Egypt by christian mystics, that's why it's full of mysticism, numerology, astrology, alchemy, etc.

Answer 9

As a Pastor, Lifelong Christian and Biblical Historian. Let me answer your question correctly.

First, of all let's look at the origins of the New Testament:

After the death (and resurrection) of Christ in 30 A.D. The Apostles Peter, Paul, James and others went out into the world proclaiming the word of God. Around this time the apostles they wrote many letter to many different churches in the surrounding areas. The earliest of these letters is both Paul's letters to the Galatians and 1st Thessalonians written around 49/50 A.D. The last of Paul's letters was written while Paul was in prison around 60/62 A.D. Although it is not 100% clear and there are no know records, many believe that Paul may have either died in prison or was executed by the Romans at that time.

Now the Gospels:

The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) started to come together around the year of 64/65 A.D. Due to careful research by many historians over the years, most likely Mark is the oldest of the four Gospels. Then came Matthew, Luke and finally John around 90/95 A.D.

Finally, The Book of Revelation:

The last book of the Bible, Revelation, was completed around 95/100 A.D. by John. It is not clear if this John is the Apostle John (Many historians, myself included, tend to think otherwise), but it could have been written a disciple of his or maybe written by a man named John. What is clear is that the book was written, most likely on the island of Patmos during the Roman persecution of the Christians by the Emperor Nero.

Now, understanding Revelation has long been one of the Bible’s greatest mysteries. Written much like many of the prophetic books of the Old Testament, it is filled with vivid symbolism, imagery and multiple meanings, it is hard to fully grasp all of what Revelation means. Is it about the coming end of the world? Could be. It is about the fall of the Roman Empire? Could be. Is it about a person’s personal struggle between Good vs. Evil? Could be. I like to think perhaps it is all of the above and maybe even a little bit more.

To whom the Bible is really for:

The Bible was written for everyone and for every time going forward since it was first published. It is God written word to you. Yes! The Bible WAS written by men. (By over 40 different people from all walks of life, levels of society and cultures, spanning a 1600-year period.) That amazing thing is that no contradictions exist in any form anywhere in the Bible. That is near impossible compared to any other book. Most people nowadays seem to believe that mankind is imperfect and that it is impossible for a human being to be involved in such a perfect act. People will often say, "Well, the Bible was written by men." and I reply, "Yes, so was the manual for your car. Does the fact that a human being wrote that manual disqualify it from being accurate and correct?" The real answer is obvious. Since it is more than possible for a person or a group of people to write a manual that is void of errors, then why cannot a person or a group a people write a Bible that is infallible? In most case as a society, we often put our entire lives in the hands of men based on their written words. Just think, every time when you start your car and drive, you are dependent upon the brakes, steering and other components for safety that a person had to first write down how it works on paper. This proves that although a person can make mistakes, they do not necessarily make mistakes in every case. Billions of lives have been miraculously transformed by its teaching, making the Bible the most impacting item in the history of man. No other book in history has the support of countless millions who have literally laid down their lives to defend its cause. Since its first printing, over nine billion copies have been printed and the Bible is still a best seller today. The Bible has weathered the trial of constant attacks from its conception and continues to triumph in great popularity. The Bible was personally endorsed as the infallible "Word of God" by Jesus himself and most importantly his resurrection confirms that Jesus is who he claimed to be, and his statements regarding the Bible's inspiration are all true.

For more information watch or rent:

PBS: Frontline: From Jesus To Christ - The First Christians
The History Channel's: A History Of God
The History Channel's: Banned From The Bible
A&E's: Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years
Madacy Entertainment's: Ancient Secrets Of The Bible

And read:

The Bible Answer Book by Hank Hanegraaff.
A Case For Christ by Lee Strobel
The Complete Bible Handbook: An Illustrated Companion by John Bowker
The Complete Idiot's Guide To The Bible by James Stuart Bell & Stan Campbell
The Devotional Bible (New Century Version) by General Editor and Pastor, Max Lucado

Answer 10

umm.... no it isnt about the fall of the Roman Empire.... its about the end of the world, its a really confusing book in my opinion, i believe it.

it was written by John, after being in prison for his Christian beliefs, so obviously Christianity was around