Revelation: Structure

It is the position here that, in order to understand the Book of Revelation, the reader must acknowledge two basic premises:

A) Revelation contains 7 parallel visions covering the same time period but with a different perspective and new information. This parallel reading is essential and the only logical reading as it harmonizes the various harvest/rapture scenes as well as judgements. (The reader could even fuss a bit with the exact delineation of the visions and still come out with the essential understanding of the Book)

B) The 42 months, or 1260 days, represent the entire Gospel Age, which will here referred to hypothetically as ~2000 years merely for the sake of convenience. The actual length of time between His two advents is unknowable until it happens.

The book is divided into 9 sections as follows:

Introduction) Chapters 1,2, and 3. The 7 letters are the key to understanding the structure of the visions.

7 visions:

1) 4 - 8:1
2) 8:2 - 11
3) 12 - 14
4) 15, 16
5) 17, 18
6) 19
7) 20

Epilogue) 21, 22. These are a final vision of Heaven after judgement.

Using this method you can understand why in Matthew 24 Jesus describes the sixth seal, then the Second Coming as the end, but Revelation continues after the sixth seal in Chapter 7: this is because 8:2 begins a new vision covering the same time period from a different POV. Then Chapter 12 begins a new vision again, only this time looking at the Church history--the woman.

It is imperative to understand that when a new vision begins it goes back into the Gospel Age time period.

The time period in question is the time between two Advents, approximately 2000 years. This is the Church or Gospel Age, and it is symbolized by the numbers 42, 1260, 3 1/2, or "time, times, and half a time". All of these numbers mean the same thing: the entire time between Jesus' first coming and His second.
All of these numbers are half of 7. If 3 1/2 represents the "second half" of the human era, then 7 represents the full human era--similar to the "week" of creation.
What you have is: 3 1/2-Jesus Christ-3 1/2.

This is similar to our current designation of : B.C.-Jesus Christ-A.D.

And it is mirrored again in Daniel's 70th week as 3 1/2-crucifixion-3 1/2.

You will notice that 1260 is used twice in the context of the Church, and 42 is used twice in the context of the Beast or persecution. Same, but different.

The implications of this reading:

1) The tribulation is approximately 2000 years long, ongoing now. This makes much more sense considering the church history and even what happens in many countries today; it is also in harmony with Matthew 24 and the understanding that Revelation was written for all Christians at all times.
2) There is no 7 year period known as "The Great Tribulation."
3) There is no pre-tribulation rapture.
4) Satan will not be released 1000 years after His Second Coming. The 1000 years is the supernatural equivalent to the 42 months, i.e., the entire ~2000 years Gospel Age. Satan's "binding" is regarding the protection of the church.
5) The "little" beast, the false prophet, and the harlot are all the same entity: the apostate church.

Scriptural support for a parallel reading can be found in Genesis 41, Pharoah's dreams were one.

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one. And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. (vv. 25 - 28)