Since it runs in your family the love of church history and the Lord you might get a book called 'The Seven Church Ages.' Spoken Word Publications in Jeffersonville,Ind., USA has it. It covers from the life of Paul to now. I believe the gentiles like the Jews also had 7 church ages.

the book is totally symbolic. i well know how the church has used this book, but that is for another venue. the pearly gates are not pearly gates any more than the cows in pharoahs dream were cows. this is the language of god. very few have had the wisdom to interpret this language. joseph did. daniel did. jesus did. but it must be revealed from god. i dont think john understood what he was seeing. he didnt have to. his instructions were to wite it down faithfully, not understand it. even daniel yearned to know more, but it was not time.

so every interpretation you have ever heard about revelations(the book) has been grossly in error. if any of them were true, they would fit the rest of the scriptures to a T, but they dont. i can understand having questions about it, but they are all born of a lack of understanding, not a problem with the vision. it is no surprise that the early church and the latter have had no trouble having this book in the sciptures - they have not understood it so they knew no one else did so they can say whatever they want about it and who can argue?

when it says it is a mystery, it is indeed. and just like an encrypted computer code or worm or virus, it is carried along with the rest of scripture undetected until the time when it gets activated. the time is now and that is why you see someone trying to remove it from scripture altogether by discrediting it.

only those who follow christs commandments will be able to see this revealing for what it is. i have asked this here before and got trashed, so maybe you can answer - what are the commandments of christ? those are definitely not encrypted, yet people miss them. why?