Question 8
Is Revelation the only book that uses symbols?
Bible
Ezekiel 4:6
"I have appointed thee each day for a year."
Answer
Here we see the “day-year principle” in the Old Testament. Bible scholars have determined that a day in time prophecy represents a literal year in fulfillment. See also Numbers 14:34. This applies to Revelation as well as the entire Bible.
Below is an example of a day-year prophecy in the book of Daniel
Daniel 9:25
"From the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto Messiah shall be 7 weeks and 62 weeks."
This day-year prophecy predicted that the Messiah (Jesus) would be introduced 69 weeks after the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. That commandment was given in 457 BC (see Ezra chapter 7). If a day equals a year, then 69 weeks would equal 483 years; the Messiah should arrive 483 years from 457 BC, which would be the year 27 AD. Did the Messiah arrive in 27 AD? Yes.That was the exact year that John the baptist baptized Jesus and introduced Him to the people as the Lamb of God.