Revelation: Locked, with a Key

With the book of Revelation showing a contemporary time of fulfillment...the book written in the first century A.D., the obvious problem arises: if the prophecies of the Revelation are to happen in a time soon after the book was written, when and where did the Second Coming and subsequent millennial reign of Jesus Christ happen (Rev. 19:11-20:6)? Indeed, when did the manifest glory and presence of God the Father take residence on Earth with Redeemed Humanity and made all things new (Rev. 21:1-22:5), and none too long after the book’s ink had dried? At this point, the question of Nicodemus must be asked: “How can these things be?” (John 3:9). How can the prophecies of the Revelation, given to the Church some two-thousand years ago, be proven true if the above climactic events are to happen “shortly” or “soon”, yet never came to pass in recorded history, first century or otherwise? What the author of Revelation is presenting to the Reader is essentially a paradox: a statement that seems absurd but is essentially true. By refusing to resolve or choosing to ignore this paradox, such has become the age-old stumbling-block to any who reads and tries to understand the book of Revelation. Because of this paradox the many readers and students of the book of Revelation throughout the Church-Age have entered the book, only to find themselves in a labyrinth of dark alleys and dead ends, turning this way and that, while accomplishing little in an expository manner. So how is this paradox of Revelation to be resolved? From the Preface