Yes, the book of Revelation definitely has meaning for us today. Admittedly, parts of it are hard to understand but it’s still part of God’s Word, and He wants to use it to encourage us and give us hope for the future.

And that’s one of its main themes: hope for the future. If we only looked at the world around us – with all of its evil and with all the terrible things that happen – we wouldn’t have any reason to hope. If this life is all there is, we’d have to say with the Old Testament writer of Ecclesiastes, “Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both. … Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 3:19).

But the book of Revelation reminds us that someday this world as we know it will come to an end – and beyond it is the glory of heaven! Someday Christ will come again to cast out all evil and injustice, and in that day “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

Although Bible scholars may debate the details, the central truth of Revelation is clear: We can have hope, because God is in control, and someday Christ’s victory over death and Hell and Satan will be complete. Is your hope and confidence in Christ? Keep your eyes on Him and His coming – and in the meantime make it your goal to live every day as if it were your last.