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Maybe it is *complicated* because church hierchies do not want you to think you have an understanding beyond what they say. Common sense and logic will take you a long way. Sometimes, it means exactly what it says. If you question, it is considered blasphemy.
It is a debate I have often had with my own Rabbis because I KNOW that the Hebrew Mystics in ancient times wanted to hold to their power and set themselves up as the keepers of G-d’s *secrets.* It is a device of man, not G-d.
G-d gave us the power of understanding. Use it or lose it.

Well, I think by "church hierchies" you may be refering to the Catholic Church, and I am not a part of the Catholic Church. My church body encourages everyone to dig into the Scriptures, test, and raise questions, and search for answers.

While I know that there are mysteries, I also know that prophesies were written for people to read and get an understanding of what is to come. They weren't meant to be completely void of any understanding.

Ultimately, I believe understanding of God's Word comes from God's Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:12-14 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.