Apocalyptic
The Beginning of the End
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(by John)
Divine revelation in which God promises to overthrow evil empires and establish the Kingdom of Heaven.
This revelation was given by God to Jesus Christ so that His followers would know what was going to happen in the future. Jesus gave the message to John through an angel. John wrote it down and sent it to seven churches located near the Island of Patmos.
Everyone who reads this book and heeds its message receives a blessing.
Revelation describes some frightening events that lead up to the battle in which Satan is finally defeated. It is the Lord who fights this battle and conquers Satan once and for all. People are repeatedly warned to repent of their unbelief and hostility toward God. His patient restraint is evident even as He begins to pour out His wrath upon the nations. In His justice, God judges evil in heaven and on the earth. The book ends with a description of a new heaven, a new earth, and the New Jerusalem with no more pain, sorrow, or tears.
Major Characters and Events
John
One of the original twelve apostles. John lived a long life as a leader of the early Christian church.
John is Exiled to Patmos
John is exiled to the Island of Patmos because of his faith in Jesus Christ. While on the island he receives a detailed vision of events that will happen in the distant future.
John Writes the Book of Revelation
John is told to write this vision down. It has been preserved as the book of Revelation.
The Lamb on the Throne
John sees a vision of a lamb on God’s throne. This lamb is alive, even though it looks like it has been killed. The resurrected Jesus is the Lamb of God. He alone is worthy to open the sealed scroll that contains the message of this revelation of end-time events.
The Second Coming of Christ
The resurrected Jesus returns to earth, defeats Satan, and establishes Himself as King. The first time Jesus came to earth it was for the purpose of dying on the cross to reconcile humanity to God. But when He comes the second time it will be to judge evil and bring lasting peace. He will make all things new.
The New Jerusalem
John describes the new city of Jerusalem that has streets of gold, gates of pearl, and walls of jasper. The Tree of Life grows beside the river of living water that flows down the middle of main street. God and the Lamb have their throne in this city. They provide its light. There is no more curse.
The Tree of Life
The Bible begins and ends with the Tree of Life. In Genesis, Adam and Eve were banished from the garden after they sinned so they would not eat of the Tree of Life and live forever in their fallen state. The book of Revelation ends with the Tree of Life bearing fruit every month. Its leaves have the power to heal the nations.
Revelation: Chapter-By-Chapter
Letters to Seven Churches
Chapter 1: Introduction to John’s vision.
Chapter 2: Letters to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergammum, and Thyatira.
Chapter 3: Letters to Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
The Lamb and the Seven Seals
Chapter 4: Description of the heavenly creatures and God’s throne.
Chapter 5: Only the Lamb is worthy to open the seals on the scroll.
Chapter 6: Seals 1 to 6 are opened. The four horsemen of the apocalypse.
The 144,000
Chapter 7: A seal is placed on 144,000 people— 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.
And people from every nation praise God.
The Seven Trumpets and the Little Scroll
Chapter 8: The 7th seal is opened. There is silence in heaven for half and hour. Trumpets 1, 2, and 3 are sounded.
Chapter 9: Trumpets 5 and 6 are sounded. The survivors refuse to repent.
Chapter 10: An angel comes to earth with a little scroll. John eats the scroll.
The Temple and the Two Witnesses
Chapter 11: The Temple is measured and the worshipers are counted. Two witnesses bring plagues for three and a half years until the beast kills them. But the two witnesses come back to life after three and a half days and rise to heaven. An earthquake kills 7,000 people. The seventh trumpet announces that the kingdoms of the earth are now the Kingdom of the Lord.
The Woman and the Red Dragon
Chapter 12: A woman with a crown of 12 stars is about to give birth to a male child. A great red dragon with 7 heads, 7 crowns, and 10 horns wants to kill the child. The woman is protected in the wilderness for three and a half years.
War in heaven— Michael vs. Satan. Satan is thrown to earth and makes war with the woman’s children.
The First Beast and the Second Beast
Chapter 13: A beast with 7 heads, 10 horns and 10 crowns comes out of the sea. One of its heads appears to be fatally wounded, but it lived. People worship the dragon and the beast.
A second beast has two horns, speaks like a dragon, and comes out of the earth. The second beast does signs and wonders, deceiving people. The second beast forces people to worship an image of the first beast. He marks them with the number 666.
The dragon and the two beasts are merely a counterfeit of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Three Angels and the Wrath of God
Chapter 14: The Lamb stands on Mount Zion. The 144,000 sing a new song. The first angel says, “Fear the Lord and worship Him.” The second angel says, “Babylon has fallen.” The third angel says, “Those marked with 666 will be tormented forever.”
A man on a white cloud harvests the earth. An angel harvests ripe grapes and throws them in the wine press of God’s wrath.
The Saints Sing the Song of Moses
Chapter 15: People who have overcome the beast praise God by singing the song of Moses. The temple in heaven is opened.
The Seven Bowls
Chapter 16: All seven bowls of God’s wrath are poured out.
Babylon: The Woman Upon the Beast
Chapter 17: The woman sitting on the beast is called Babylon. She is drunk with the blood of the saints.
Interpretation of some of the symbols: heads and horns are kings, the woman is a city, many waters are many nations and languages.
The Fall of Babylon
Chapter 18: Babylon will suddenly fall. The people of God are told to leave the city to avoid her plagues. Merchants mourn because the great city has fallen. An angel casts a large stone into the sea.
The First Beast and Second Beast Are Defeated
Chapter 19: Loud hallelujahs in heaven! War between the Lord with His army and the beast with the kings of the world as his army.
The first beast is captured and thrown in the Lake of Fire along with the second beast. The beast’s army is killed by the sword of the Lord and eaten by birds.
The Millennium and the White Throne Judgment
Chapter 20: The dragon is chained and thrown in the Abyss for 1,000 years.
Martyrs, seated on thrones, reign 1,000 years with the Lord. This is the first resurrection. After 1,000 years, Satan is released to deceive the nations and gather them to fight the saints.
Satan is thrown in the Lake of Fire. His followers are killed by fire from heaven.
The White Throne judgment of all the dead— Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life are thrown in the Lake of Fire. This is the second death.
All Things Are Made New
Chapter 21: The new heaven, new earth, New Jerusalem. There is no sea, no tears, no death, no mourning, no pain. “It is done.”
The New Jerusalem has 12 foundations and 12 gates. There is no need for a temple or the sun.
The Conclusion of John’s Vision
Chapter 22: The River of Life runs from God’s throne through the New Jerusalem. The Tree of Life bears fruit 12 times a year. There is no curse, no lamps, no night.
The Lord says He will return suddenly. John must not seal up this prophecy because it will happen soon.
A Few Observations
The Unfolding of Events
There is a definite progression of events leading up to the final battle in which Satan is defeated. Many warnings are given and there is ample time for individuals to repent of their unbelief. God’s patient restraint is evident even as He begins to pour out His wrath upon the nations. In His justice, He judges evil in heaven and on earth.
The Response of the Believers
Notice how the believers are not commanded to band together to fight the beast or the dragon. That’s because even if the believers formed a large army and killed millions of beast-followers they would not be able to stop the dragon. Only the returning LORD Jesus is able to defeat him. It is the LORD who will fight this final battle and defeat Satan once and for all.
The Tree of Life
The Bible begins and ends with the Tree of Life. In Genesis, Adam and Eve were banished from the garden after they sinned so they would not eat of the Tree of Life and live forever in their fallen state. The book of Revelation closes with the Tree of Life bearing fruit every month. It’s leaves have the power to heal the nations. Revelation brings everything full circle. The wrongs committed in the beginning are finally made right
A Blessing and a Warning for the Readers/Hearers
Revelation opens with the promise of a blessing for all who hear and take to heart the words of this prophecy. There is also a strong warning at the end of the book (22:18-19) where John warns everyone who hears the words of this book to accept it in its entirety. God will bring plagues upon anyone who adds words to this book. And if anyone takes words away from this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree of Life and the New Jerusalem.
Apocalyptic
Apocalyptic
REVELATION
REVELATION
Revelation is full of symbolism. Some symbols are clearly explained— like the woman riding the beast is the city of Babylon, or horns that represent kings. But others are not so easy. Don’t expect to understand everything John wrote. These symbols will probably make sense to the people who are alive when all these end-time events occur. The book of Revelation will be a great comfort to them.
Don’t be intimidated by Revelation and don’t take it too literally. This book uses figurative language to describe God’s sovereignty and His promise that evil will not triumph in the end. Revelation contains a powerful message of hope for humanity.
Revelation brings everything full circle. The wrongs committed in the beginning are finally made right.
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