The book of Revelation is meant to be understood or revealed. The word revelation means to reveal, to uncover. But it cannot be understood by a man without the indwelling Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives keys to understanding the book both in Revelation and in other teachings of scripture. The Spirit lets us know when the book was written - by facts presented in the book. That is important in discovering when the fulfillment of the book took place. The Spirit also tells us the Revelation was of things that "must soon take place." This phrase governs our understanding in the fulfillment of the whole Revelation. Again, the teaching of prophecies were all to be fulfilled within the "generation of Jesus". These prophecies were to and "must soon take place" in the book. There are seven keys I have followed in understanding the book of Revelation. You can understand the book of revelation also by following the keys the Spirit has left for us. God blesses us in multiple ways in opening His book - the Revelation. May he bless you fully in that effort through his Spirit. May you come to understand his Revelation.