01 Revelation, An Overview

Handout for this study

Slides for this study

INTRODUCTION TO THE REVELATION

  1. The book of Revelation is written by the apostle John
    • We need to study the life of John.
    • So we should study the book of John and I, II and III John in relation to the book of Revelation.
    • Biblical Evidence:
      • Revelation 1:1
        The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,
      • Revelation 1:4
        John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,
        Revelation 1:9
        I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
  1. The book of Daniel is about political prophecies and Revelation is about churches
    • Why is there a difference between the book Daniel and Revelation?
      • During Daniel’s day, God’s people were still a nation
      • During John’s day, God’s people were in a church
  1. Book of Daniel is a sealed book, Revelation is an open book
    • Daniel 12:4
      “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
    • Revelation 22:10
      And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
  1. The book of Revelation was written when John was exiled to the isle of Patmos (around 96 A.D.).

 

THE BIG PICTURE/THEME OF REVELATION

Sometimes we focus on too many details, that we often lose the focus of what the book is trying to tell us. There are many details found in the book of Revelation such as a dragon, two types of women, angels giving messages, churches, seals, trumpets and many other sorts of pictures and symbols to confuse a mind. But if we are able to focus on the big picture or theme of the book, it will keep us on track to why all these details have been placed there. So then what is the theme of Revelation?

1. Revelation 1:1
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.

  • It reveals Jesus Christ.
  • What about Jesus though? What does Jesus’ name mean?
  • Matthew 1:21
    And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
  • What about Jesus? He came to save us from our sins.

2. Time is short:

  • Revelation 1:1
    The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.
  • Revelation 1:3
    Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

 

If we go to the end of the chapter, we also see the same two theme being repeated:

  1. Time is short:
    • Revelation 22:7 – behold, I come quickly.
    • Revelation 22:10 – time is at hand.
    • Revelation 22:12 – behold, I come quickly.
    • Revelation 22:20 – surely I come quickly
  1. Grace:
    • Revelation 22:21 – of all verses that John could have ended with, he chose to end saying that the grace of our God be with us.
    • What do we need grace for?
    • Ephesians 2:8 – by grace are we saved.
    • We need grace for salvation.
    • Salvation from what? Sin.

 

So the two great themes found in Revelation are:

  1. Shortness of time.
  2. Jesus, who came to give us grace that we may have victory over sin.

 

THE CHIASM OF REVELATION

What is a Chiasm?

  • Typical Hebrew thought
  • Built around parallel thoughts
  • A
    • B
      • C
        • D
      • C’
    • B’
  • A’
  • The most important thought is placed in the center or peak of the chiasm

Note: This will help us to determine the most important chapter in the book of Revelation and also reaffirm the two major themes of Revelation.

 

Jesus and His Church

Sections 1 and 7

 Section 1 (Revelation 1:1 – 3:22)

Letters from Jesus to His Church

  1. “Write” (1:11, 11; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14)
  2. “Testimony of Jesus” (1:2, 9)
  3. “Faithful and true” (3:14)
  4. “His eyes were as a flame of fire” (1:14)
  5. “Out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword” (1:16)
  6. “He shall rule them with a rod of iron (2:27)
  7. “Prince of the kings of the earth” (1:5)
  8. “I John” (1:9)
  9. “New Jerusalem” (3:12)
  10. “I am Alpha and Omega” (1:8, 11)
  11. “The beginning and the ending” (1:8)
  12. “He/Him that overcometh” (2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21)
  13. “The tree of life” (2:7)
  14. “God gave … to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent … it by his angel” (1:1)
  15. “Behold, I come quickly” (3:11)
  16. “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things” (1:3)
  17. “For the time is at hand” (1:3)
  18. “The first and the last” (1:11, 17)
  19. “Morning star” (2:28)
  20. “Even so, Amen” (1:7)
Section 7 (Revelation 19:9 – 22:21)

The Marriage of the Lamb

  1. “Write” (19:9; 21:5)
  2. “Testimony of Jesus” (19:10)
  3. “Faithful and true” (19:11; 22:6)
  4. “His eyes were as a flame of fire” (19:12)
  5. “Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword” (19:15)
  6. “He shall rule them with a rod of iron” (19:15)
  7. “King of kings” (19:16)
  8. “I John” (21:2; 22:8)
  9. “New Jerusalem” (21:2)
  10. “I am Alpha and Omega” (21:6; 22:13)
  11. “The beginning and the end” (21:6; 22:13)
  12. “He that overcometh” (21:7)
  13. “The tree of life” (22:2, 14)
  14. “God … sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done” (22:6)
  15. “Behold, I come quickly” (22:7, 12)
  16. “Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (22:7)
  17. “For the time is at hand” (22:10)
  18. “The first and the last” (22:13)
  19. “Morning star” (22:16)
  20. “Amen. Even so” (22:20)

 

Revelation’s Two Judgments

Sections 2 and 6

Section 2 (Revelation 4:1 – 8:1)

The Heavenly Court Reviews History of God’s Servants

  1. Throne, elders, living creatures (4; 5:11; 7:11)
  2. Was, and is, and is to come (4:8)
  3. Book with seven seals (5:1)
  4. “Come and see” (6:1, 3, 5, 7)
  5. Seal of God in foreheads (7:2, 3)
  6. Them that were slain for the word of God (6:9)
  7. “How long dost thou not judge and avenge our blood” (6:10)
  8. Great multitude (7:9)
  9. They have washed their robes and made them white (7:14)
 Section 6 (Revelation 17:1 – 19:8)

The Judgment of the Great Whore

  1. Throne, elders, living creatures (19:4)
  2. Was, and is not, and yet is (17:8, 11)
  3. Book of life (17:8)
  4. “Come hither, I will shew unto thee” (17:1)
  5. Name of Babylon on forehead (17:5)
  6. The martyrs; all that were slain (17:6; 18:24)
  7. “He hath judged…and hath avenged the blood” (19:2)
  8. Great multitude (19:6)
  9. Made herself ready… arrayed in fine linen, clean and white (19:7, 8)

 

The War against Error

Sections 3 and 5

 Section 3 (Revelation 8:1 – 11:19)

The Seven Trumpets

Seven angels with trumpets are introduced (Rev 8:2)

Non-contextual preview (3 verses)

Angels prepare to sound the trumpets (8:6)

  1. Earth
  2. Sea became blood
  3. Rivers and fountains of waters
  4. Sun
  5. Air darkened
  6. The great river Euphrates

The development of God’s movement (10:1-11:13)

  1. Lightning, voices, thunder, earthquake, hail (11:14-19)
 Section 5 (Revelation 13:1 – 16:21)

The Seven Last Plagues

Seven angels with plagues are introduced (Rev 15:1)

Non-contextual preview (3 verses)

Angels prepare to pour out the plagues (15:5 – 16:1)

  1. Earth
  2. Sea became blood
  3. Rivers and fountains of waters
  4. Sun
  5. Darkness
  6. The great river Euphrates

The development of Satan’s movement (16:13-16)

  1. Voices, thunder, lightning, earthquake, hail (16:17-21)

Comparing Chapters 10 and 14

Chapter 10: The calling of the remnant

Chapter 14: The message of the remnant

Notice the chiastic relationship between these two chapters:

  1. Christ clothed with a cloud (10:1-4)
  2. Announcement of the fulfillment of a prophetic time period (10:5-7)
  3. Messengers commissioned to many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings (10:8-11)
  4. Focus of the message: Measure the temple, altar, and worshippers (11:1)
  1. Christ sitting on a cloud (14:13-20)
  2. Announcement that the hour of God’s judgment is come (14:7-12)
  3. Message addressed to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people (14:6)
  4. Fruit of the message: 144,000 worshippers before the throne (14:1-5)

Comparing Chapters 11 and 13

The issue: Scriptural Authority vs. Human Authorty

 Chapter 11

The two witnesses

  1. Prophesy 1260 days (v. 3)
  2. Fire proceeds out of their mouths (v. 5)
  3. Opposers must be killed (v. 5)
  4. Can withhold rain (v. 6)
  5. Can turn water to blood and do other signs (v. 6)
  6. At the end of the time, they are killed (v. 7)
  7. Brought back to life again (v. 11)
  8. Great fear fell on them which saw them (v. 11)
 Chapter 13

The two beasts

  1. Continues 42 months (v. 5)
  2. Makes fire come down from heaven (v. 13)
  3. Opposers should be killed (v. 15)
  4. Can withhold economic trade (v. 17)
  5. Doeth great wonders and miracles (v. 13, 14)
  6. One of his heads wounded to death (v. 3)
  7. His deadly wound healed (v. 3)
  8. All the world wondered (v. 3)

 

 

The Woman and the Dragon

A closer analysis – the fine chiastic detail

  • The woman described  (v. 1, 2)
    • The dragon sweeps a third of the stars from heaven  (v. 3, 4a)
      • The dragon’s unsuccessful plot against the woman’s child  (v. 4b, 5)
        • The woman flees to the wilderness for 1260 days  (v. 6)
          • War in heaven: Michael against the dragon  (v. 7, 8)
            • The dragon cast to earth  (v. 9)
              • The voice from heaven  (v. 10-12)
            • The dragon cast to earth  (v. 13a)
          • War on earth: the dragon against the woman  (v. 13b)
        • The woman flees to the wilderness for 3½ “times”  (v. 14)
      • The dragon’s unsuccessful plot against the woman  (v. 15, 16)
    • The dragon makes war with the remnant of the woman’s seed  (v. 17a)
  • The woman’s has remnant described  (v. 17b)

The apex of Revelation’s chiasm is found in verses 10-12 of Revelation 12. In these verses we also find the theme reiterated again:

  1. Jesus Christ who came to save us from our sins (give us Salvation)
  2. Time is short

The problem that we find is that it is not God’s people that know that time is short, it is Satan that knows that he has a short time. So the book of Revelation will awaken us to the time that we are living in that we may realize how short time is and that we may prioritize those things that are most important to us.

 

REVELATION AND THE SANCTUARY

We find the sanctuary in the book of Revelation. It gives us timing.

Revelation 1:12-13
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

  • Jesus is standing at the golden candlestick

Revelation 4:2, 5
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

  • Jesus is at the table of showbread
  • In front of the throne is the golden candlestick. So this must either be the table of showbread of the altar of incense.
  • How do we know this represents the table of showbread and not the altar of incense? Because we will see the altar in Rev 8
  • Also, the table of showbread is situated in the north of the sanctuary and God’s throne is in the sides of the north
    • Isaiah 14:12-13
      12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north;
    • Psalms 48:2
      Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King
  • So God’s throne is in the sides of the north. That is the table of showbread.

Revelation 8:2-3
2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

  • Jesus is standing at the altar of incense. We know it is the altar of incense because it is the only altar in the sanctuary that is made of gold. The other altar is bronze (altar of burnt sacrifice).

Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

  • Jesus is now standing in the Most Holy Place at the ark of the testament (ark of the covenant).

Revelation 15:1, 8
1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. 8 The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

  • Smoke has filled the temple, no man can enter in anymore.
  • Intercession has ceased.
  • We see next the 7 last plagues being poured out.

 

What is the theme of the sanctuary?

  • Exodus 25:8
    And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.

    • God wants to dwell with us.
  • But before God can dwell with us, He has to deal with the very thing that has separated us from Him from the beginning.
  • Isaiah 59:2
    But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.
  • God has to deal with the sin problem.

 

The Sanctuary theme:

  • God wants to dwell with us
  • Deal with the sin problem

We will see God dealing with the sin problem in the book of Revelation:

  • The first theme of the book of Revelation – the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
  • But in the book of Revelation, we will see a group of people who are free from sin.
  • We will also see the message that sets this group of people free from sin, the message that will give them victory over sin!

We also see God dwelling with us at the end of the book of Revelation

  • The last 2 chapters talks about heaven.
  • Revelation 21:3
    And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
  • God finally is dwelling with us.
  • That’s why we find the sanctuary theme in Revelation as well.

But we also see a timeline in the sanctuary:

Revelation 1-3 – Jesus at the candlestick

  • Mostly dealing with history from Jesus’ ascension to 1844

Revelation 4-7 – Jesus at the table of showbread

  • Mostly dealing with history from Jesus’ ascension to 1844

Revelation 8-11 – Jesus at the altar of incense

  • Mostly dealing with history from Jesus’ ascension to 1844

Revelation 12-14 – Jesus at the ark of the covenant

  • Mostly dealing with time from 1844 and beyond
  • We will see this in the next section on the timeline of Revelation – mapping each chapter out and the time

Revelation 15 to the end of the book – Jesus has left the sanctuary

  • Mostly dealing with events from the close of probation and beyond

 

THE REVELATION TIMELINE

Each chapter of the book of Revelation has been outlined in reference to its relevant time period that it is speaking about. From this we can determine the relevancy of the book of Revelation to our time.

  • Chapter 1:  34 – 100 A.D.
  • Chapter 2:  34 – 1798 A.D.
  • Chapter 3:  1798 A.D. – Second Coming
  • Chapter 4 & 5:  34 – 100 A.D.
  • Chapter 6:  34 A.D. – Second Coming
  • Chapter 7:  Just prior to close of probation – Second Coming
  • Chapter 8:  395 – 493 A.D.
  • Chapter 9:  1299 – 1840 A.D.
  • Chapter 10:  1844 A.D.
  • Chapter 11:  538 A.D. – Second Coming
  • Chapter 12:  Encompassing All Time
  • Chapter 13:  538 A.D. – Close of Probation
  • Chapter 14:  Shortly before 1844 A.D. – Second Coming
  • Chapter 15 & 16:  Close of Probation – Second Coming
  • Chapter 17:  1798 A.D. – Close of Probation
  • Chapter 18:  Close of Probation – Second Coming
  • Chapter 19:  Second Coming – Third Coming
  • Chapter 20:  Second Coming – Third Coming
  • Chapter 21 & 22:  Beyond the Third Coming

We can see that majority of the chapters are covering the time period from 1798 and onwards. Therefore we can conclude that the relevancy of this book is more for our time that we are living in than during John’s day when he was writing the book.

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