"The only other reference in the Bible to Gog and Magog is found in the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth chapters of Ezekiel. This use of the term by John is rooted in the Old Testament passage. One will have to admit that this is a rather strange battle which Ezekiel described in his vision. Israel is pictured at peace and dwelling in security in her land, with no attempt made to defend herself against the enemy which suddenly and powerfully sweeps down upon her. Without a struggle, as soon as the enemy marches into the land, he is smitten with a catastrophic judgment directly from God. The rest of the vision tells of a glorious celebration of victory on the part of the people of Israel. We must keep in mind that in both passages the language is highly figurative and symbolic, and it can only be interpreted in that light. The fact is, history records no battle in the history of Israel that answers to the one described in Ezekiel’s vision. Nor can we conceive of it as taking place in a literal way in our day or at some future time, for, you see, all the invading army comes riding upon horses, a great company having bucklers and shields, bows and arrows, and all of them handling swords. In addition to this all their weapons are made of wood, and there are so many of them that no man of Israel needs to cut any fire wood for seven years while they use these weapons for fire wood! It certainly doesn’t sound like modern warfare, does it?"
"If John’s vision is symbolic, then so also is Ezekiel’s. The only difference is that John’s version is a little more complete and is given to us in the fuller light of New Testament revelation. In both instances most of our struggles of the Lord’s people are already over, and they are dwelling in a sense of peace and security. There is no struggle at all. In John’s vision this is due to the fact that they have already overcome the beast, the false prophet, Mystery Babylon, and now Satan himself has been bound in the abyss. Ah, there is peace and security! But suddenly the old devil is brought out of his pit where he has been placed. He is turned loose in their midst and there is unleashed upon them an awful attack of the adversary! He gathers all his forces and rants and raves against the redeemed of God. But before he is able to harm a hair on the head of one saint, at once the fiery judgment of God falls upon all the enemies and the devil who leads them. This, my beloved, is no literal warfare fought with conventional weapons — this is the final battle of our spiritual warfare; this is the climax of the most magnificent celebration of victory!"
Much more in the link:
Prophecy is not primarily telling the future, it can be, it is primarily speaking for God, or on God's behalf, or some other entity.
Revelation is Prophecy for all generations, it is the unveiling of Jesus Christ in our earth, world, existence. Jesus Christ reigning in man, it is not an end times book.
Hi - Indeed prophecy can be taken to mean both forth-telling and fore-telling.
In the Book of Revelation we read:
Revelation 1:19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
So things which you have seen - forth-telling - Chapter 1 Christ in His glorious state.
Things which are - the sate of the churches, given the nature of Chapters 2 & 3 this is both forth-telling and fore-telling, but that is a far deeper evaluation than is space for here.
Things to take place after this, joined with
Revelation 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” i.e. after the events of chapters 2&3 the church period.
Rev 1:1, 1:9 and 4:1 all clearly state that this prophecy is primarily about things which will take place in the future thus fore-telling.
There are aspects of chapters 4&5 which could be taken as Forth-Telling about Christ but for the most part the information conveyed if future so fore-telling.
Finally and here we must agree to disagree Revelation is a book about the end times. When asked about 'the end times' Matthew 24 Jesus points to the key marker v15 the abomination and Daniel. Jesus pointed them and us to Daniel 9 & 12 and Daniel points us to Revelation chapters 12 & 13.
The Bible shows us the commencement of temporal time in Genesis 1 and to the close of temporal time, the dealing with the wickedness of angels and men and the entry, for us, to eternity in Revelation. Without Revelation we would have concern that the wickedness and evil of this world would continue forever - which indeed is why God banished Adam and Eve from Eden
Genesis 3:22-23 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden..." Live forever in his fallen state.
Glad I could let you explain your understanding of the book. I'm doing pretty much the same, I've been reading Preston Eby's series on Revelation. He teaches it from a spiritual understanding, it's taken about a year to get through the whole study.
From Eby's understanding of the book, it is Christ being unveiled in a people, in every generation. It's been good.
Revelation 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.