The Book of Revelation – An Introduction
Bible Study Notes
Presuppositions
What do we know about the Bible?
How many books?
How many writers?
How many authors?
Comprises 66 (70 – [5 books of Psalms) books and 40+ writers over thousands of years – but an integrated design
Its origin is from outside of time and space – one author – the Lord God
The Central Theme:
The OT is an account of a Nation
The NT is the account of a Man
The creator became a Man –
His appearance is the central event of all history
He died to purchase us, and is alive now
There is a Man on the Throne of God now
In Scripture: God means what He says and says what He means
God is His own interpreter – most of the critical identities are interpreted in the book itself
The Bible is an integrated whole – every detail is there by design.
Integrated Design:
The NT is in the OT concealed.
The OT is in the NT revealed.
See Psalm 40: 6-8 and Hebrews 10: 5-7
Every jot & tittle is important (Matthew 5: 17-18)
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Matthew 5: 17-18
Greek: iōta ; Hebrew: yod, the smallest letter
Greek: keraia ; in Hebrew – the smallest stroke in a Heb. letter
Take the text seriously, nothing is trivial – all things are for our learning (Romans 15: 4)
Search the scriptures for yourself (Acts 17: 10-11)
‘Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.’ Acts 17: 10-11
Note – there are many areas where scholars disagree
What Advice would you give for Studying the Bible?
Advice for Study:
Pray and Ask the Author for understanding – relationship with the Author
Set aside your presuppositions – be open-minded and let the Holy Spirit teach you
Make extensive notes – it helps to be systematic
Keeping a secret private journal – a great encouragement in one’s walk with the Lord
Use commentaries and helps (e.g. Strongs) – make the Bible your hobby
Revelation – Introductory Notes:
How do we see Christ in the various parts of the Bible?
The Final Book of the Bible
Old Testament – Christ in Prophecy – (Behold He Comes!)
Gospels – Christ in History – (Behold He Dies!)
Acts – Christ in the Church – (Behold He Lives!)
Epistles – Christ in Experience – (Behold He Saves!)
Revelation – Christ Coming in Glory – (Behold He Reigns!)
What Makes the Book of Revelation Special?
The Consummation of All Things
The only book promising a special blessing to the reader – Revelation 1: 3 and 22: 7
‘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.’ – Revelation 1: 3
“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” – Revelation 22: 7
OT links – in 404 verses there are over 800 allusions/direct quotes from the OT
It presents the climax of God’s Plan for Man…for You & Me!
Why is Revelation Often Overlooked?
Revelation is a book often overlooked: it is said to be too difficult to understand; too controversial (many viewpoints). It is a book which highlights any lack of OT insight because of its numerous OT references
Revelation is in code – but the codes are explained elsewhere in scripture, either in Revelation itself or in the OT or NT – it leads us on a treasure hunt in the Word of God
Who is the Author of Revelation?
The book’s Author is Yeshua through John (the disciple)
Revelation was written either on Patmos 95AD, where John was imprisoned or in Ephesus soon after John’s release
Sevenfold Structure
7 Churches – Chapters 2 & 3
7 Sealed Scroll – Chapters 5-6 & 8:1 – 6 then parenthesis (Ch 7)
7 Trumpets – Chapters 8-9 – 6 then parenthesis (Ch 10 – Ch14)
7 Bowls of Wrath – Chapters 15-16 – 6 then parenthesis (16: 15)
7 Beatitudes (Blessings) …and many others
John is ‘In The Spirit’ in Revelation
On the day of the Lord (at Patmos) (1: 10) – transported to ‘the Day of the Lord’
In the Throne Room of Heaven (4: 2)
Carried away into the Wilderness (17: 3)
Carried to a Great and High Mountain (21: 10)
What Does the Name of the Book Mean?
The Title of the Book
Its title is singular, not plural – a singular revelation
The Greek name is apokalupsis which means to reveal, unveil or uncover
The Apocalypse
Prophetic Sequence of the Seven Churches
Catastrophic end-crisis of the present age
Spectacular reappearance of the King of Kings in His global empire
Internment of Satan in the Abousso
Millennial earth-reign of Christ
Final insurrection and the abolition of sin
New Heaven and New Earth
Outline of the Book of Revelation:
The Outline of the Book is given in chapter 1, verse 19
‘Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.’ Revelation 1: 19
How Do We See This Outline in the Book?
Introduction – Revelation 1: 1-3
Salutation and Occasion – Revelation 1: 4-11
‘The things which you have seen’ – Revelation 1: 12-18
The Vision of the Glorified Risen Christ
‘The things which are’ – Revelation Chapters 2 & 3
The seven churches – which existed then and which set out ‘the church age’
‘The things which shall be hereafter (meta tauta)’ – Revelation Chapters 4 to 22
Those end time events which come after the Rapture (Tribulation & Millennial)
The Tribulation and the Millennium – Revelation Chapters 4 to 22
What Bible Passages Give Us Insight Into Chapters 4 to 22?
A Key to Understanding – Daniel 9: 24-27: The Seventy Weeks of Daniel
The first 69 weeks are 7 x 69 years = 483 years (Jewish years of 360 days)
The exact period between the Decree of Artaxerxes I (Longimanus) given on the 14th March 445BC (Nehemiah 2: 1-8) to restore and rebuild Jerusalem – and the time of Yeshua’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on 6th April 32AD
Nehemiah records the city rebuilt in ‘Troublesome Times’ – see Nehemiah 4 & 5
Yeshua is prophetically named as the ‘Prince of Peace’ – see Isaiah 9: 6
Only on His Triumphal Entry a few days before His crucifixion was Yeshua proclaimed as ‘Messiah the Prince’ (Hebrew: mâshı̂yach nâgı̂yd)
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The Tribulation Period is the 70th Week (1 week = 7years)
‘“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.”’ Daniel 9: 27
What Does Daniel 9: 27 Tell Us About the Tribulation Period?
The tribulation begins with the Coming World Leader confirming a covenant with ‘many’ (this is Israel, and possibly the surrounding nations) for one week – purportedly for 7 years.
The covenant which is confirmed may well be the Land Covenant of scripture – see Genesis 13: 14-17, 15: 18-21, 17: 8.
The Covenant is abrogated by the Coming World Leader after 3½ years.
The Abomination referred to is the desecration of the Temple (as in the time of Antiochus IV [Epiphanes] in 167BC).
A Key to Understanding – Matthew 24: 15-28
Yeshua speaks of a time He calls the ‘Great Tribulation’
The definitive event at the beginning of this period is the ‘abomination of desolation’ (verse 15) and Yeshua refers His disciples to Daniel 9: 23-27 to understand this.
The Structure of Revelation Chapters 4 to 22
What is the Nature of Chapters 4 to 22?
Important Things to Note:
What is Happening?
Is the passage Sequential (a continuing story) or an Overview (a step back and a glimpse of the whole Tribulation, Millennium or Eternal Times)?
Overview of Chapters 4 to 22
Revelation 4 & 5 In the Throne Room of Heaven (sequential)
What is the significance of ‘after this’ in Ch. 4 v.1?
Greek ‘meta tauta’ the last words in Revelation 1: 19
Chapters 4 to 22 are ‘the things which will take place after this’; i.e. after the church age…after the rapture of the church (taking a pre-millennial view of the rapture)
What are the ‘seven lamps of fire’ in verse Ch. 4 v.5 – and where did we last see them?
The seven lampstands (lamps of fire are the seven churches
They are now in the throne room of heaven – the rapture of the church has happened!
What does the song of the Elder’s (Ch. 5: 8-10) tell us?
They are the redeemed of the Lord – representative of the raptured church
Revelation 6 The Seal Judgements 1 to 6 (sequential)
Where is the 7th Seal?
Not until Ch. 8 – there seems to be an interval
Revelation 7: 1-8 The 144,000 Sealed of Israel (overview)
Revelation 7: 9-17 The Tribulation Saints (overview)
Revelation 8: 1-6 The 7th Seal Judgement (sequential?) or (later?)
Revelation 8:7 – 9:21 The Trumpet Judgements 1 to 6 (sequential)
Where is the 7th Trumpet?
Not until Ch. 11 – there seems to be an interval
Revelation 10 The Little Book (overview / sequential)
Revelation 11: 1-13 The Two Witnesses (overview)
Revelation 11: 14-19 The 7th Trumpet Judgement (sequential?) or (later?)
Revelation 12 The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon (overview)
What/Who is this Overview About?
It is about the Devil’s pursuit to destroy the Jewish People and Israel
Revelation 13 The Two Beasts (overview)
What/Who is this Overview About?
It is about the Coming World Leader (often referred to as ‘the Antichrist’) and his sidekick the False Prophet
Together with the Dragon (Satan) they for a counterfeit Unholy Trinity
Revelation 14: 1-5 The Lamb and the 144,000 (overview)
Revelation 14: 6-13 The Proclamations of the Three Angels (overview)
Revelation 14: 14-20 The Reaping of the Earth (overview)
Revelation 15 & 16 The Bowl Judgements (sequential)
Where is the 7th Bowl?
It follows the 6th bowl – there is no interval!
What do Revelation 8: 1-6, 11: 15-19 and 16: 17-21 have in common?
The Focus is on Heaven:
Ch. 8: silence
Ch. 11: praise and worship
Ch.16: a loud voice – “it is done”
On Earth:
Ch. 8: noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake
Ch. 11: lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail
Ch. 16: noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake and great hail
See Supplementary Note 1 ‘A Suggested Chronology of the Great Tribulation Period’
Revelation 17 The Scarlet Woman & the Scarlet Beast (overview)
Who is the ‘Scarlett Woman’? See vs. 1-2 and 5-6
She is the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth
Harlots (plural) – she is the mother (root) of many false religions and idolatries
Abominations (plural) – she is the root of many types of iniquity and evil
The woman, who rides the beast, is Babylon
The woman is drunk – with the blood of the saints (the martyrs of the church age) and with the blood of the martyrs – the tribulation martyrs (Revelation 6: 9-11)
The woman (harlot) sits on many waters (v15)– that is, many peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues
Who is the ‘Beast’ ridden by the ‘Scarlett Woman’? See vs. 3, 8 and 12-14
The beast – the Coming World Leader and the political/religious system which he leads
The woman rides, she takes advantage of, uses and controls (to some extent), this beast – but this beast will ultimately turn and consume her (v16)
The Ten Horns are ten kings / kingdoms in the end times – they give their power and authority to the beast – he rises up in the midst of them (the 11th or little horn) and they submit to him
The Final Battle (v14) – the kingdoms and the Beast make war with the Lamb
Revelation 18 The Fall of Babylon (sequential)
Revelation 19: 1-10 The Rejoicing in Heaven (sequential)
The celebration in heaven over Babylon’s fall marks the end of the Great Tribulation
Revelation 19: 11-21 The Return of the King (sequential)
Who comes back with the Returning King (Rev. 19: 14)?
The armies in heaven – followed Him (Yeshua) on white horses
They are clothed in fine linen, white and clean – it is His bride (the church)
See verses 7 & 8
Revelation 20: 1-10 The Millennial Reign of Jesus (sequential)
What do we learn about Yeshua’s millennial rule from vs. 4-6?
The saints will sit on thrones of judgement – living and reigning with Christ
There are Two Resurrections – these are ‘categories’ not ‘events’ – the first resurrection particularly so
Revelation 20: 11-15 The Judgement at the End of the Millennium (sequential)
Who is destined for the ‘Lake of Fire’ (Rev. 20: 10-15)?
The Beast (the Coming World Leader [or Antichrist]) and the False Prophet are already there – they have been there since the beginning of the millennium
Destined also for the Lake of Fire are:
The Devil
Death & Hades – note this indicates these ‘places’ are spiritual personalities
Anyone Whose Names are not found in The Book of Life
The Lake of Fire (sometimes called Hell) is a place of torment… day and night forever and ever – it is a place of consciousness
It is place under the control of the Lord – it is torment at His (not the Devil’s) hand
Revelation 21: 1-8 The New Heaven and the New Earth (sequential)
Revelation 21:9-22:5 The New Jerusalem (overview)
What can we discern about the Timing of the New Jerusalem’s appearing (Rev. 21: 1-4)?
It is after the Millennium – it is when there is a new heaven and a new earth – it is the eternal kingdom
What can we discern about the Timing of the New Jerusalem’s appearing (Rev. 21: 24-27)?
It is during the Millennium:
The nations still exist – those saved walk in its light…and by inference, those unsaved still walk in darkness
Uncleanness still exists (things which defile, cause abomination, or are a lie) – but not permitted to enter the New Jerusalem…there are angels at the gates (v.12)
So it seems this multidimensional New Jerusalem is present during the millennium and after the millennium
Revelation 22: 6-21 The Soon Coming King (note the blessing in v. 7) (overview)
Alternative views of Revelation:
Preterist – ‘Then only’ – i.e. applicable only in 1st century
Historical – ‘History only’ – historically completed (written later recapping history)
Idealist – Allegorical…the predominant view in the church today
Futurist – Prophetic…the book itself claims to be prophetic (see Rev. 1: 3; 22: 7, 10, 18-19)
Why Prophecy?
Old Testament 1845 references to Christ’s rule on the earth
17 OT books give prominence to Christ’s earthly rule
New Testament In 216 chapters there are 318 references to Christ’s Second Coming“ 23 of the 27 books mention Christ’s Second Coming
For every prophecy of His first coming there are there are between 7 and 8 referring to His Second Coming
Eschatology:
One’s eschatology is derived largely from one’s hermeneutics (method of interpreting the Bible)
The more allegorical one’s hermeneutics, the more one tends towards Amillennialism
Amillennial View – Allegorisation of Christ’s millennial rule
– It is the view of most of the denominational church today
Problems of the Amillennial View:
Messianic promises in OT (hundreds of them)
Destiny of Israel in God’s Covenants (Romans 9-11)
Promise given to Mary by Angel Gabriel (Luke 1: 31-33)
Numerous reconfirmations in the NT of Christ’s Millennial rule
The Amillennial view in fact calls God a liar
Post-Millennial View – Believes we are already in the Millennium
If this is so, then Satan’s chain is too long (things are not getting better)
Pre-Millennial View – Understands the Millennium literally
Three different Pre-Millennial Views of the Rapture of the Church (Harpazo):
Post-Tribulational – Rapture is after the tribulation / church is in the tribulation
Mid-Tribulational – Rapture is in the middle of the tribulation
Pre-Tribulational – Rapture occurs before the tribulation
Scholars disagree on the timing of the Rapture but it need not divide us
I personally believe there is clear evidence in scripture that the rapture is pre-Tribulation
The prophetic model of the Jewish wedding indicates this
The Doctrine of Imminence requires this
Two Distinct Comings (Returns) of The Lord in scripture
See 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18; Revelation 3: 10, 5: 9-10
See Supplementary Note 2 ‘The Harpazō – A Summary’
The ‘Whole Counsel of God’ is our protection in interpretation
Christ at the Centre Revelation 1: 1
More sure word of prophecy 2 Peter 1: 19
Search the Scriptures – they are they which testify of me John 5: 39
The Volume of the Book is written of Me Psalm 40: 7
The Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy Revelation 19: 10
Thy Kingdom Come Matthew 6: 10
Genesis vs. Revelation:
Earth Created (Gen. 1: 1) Earth Passed Away (Rev. 21: 1)
Sun to govern Day (Gen. 1: 16) No need of Sun (Rev. 21: 23)
Darkness called Night (Gen. 1: 5) No more night (Rev. 22: 5)
Waters called Seas (Gen. 1: 10) No more Sea (Rev. 21: 1)
River for Earth’s Blessing (Gen. 2: 10-14) A River for New Earth (Rev. 22: 1-2)
Earth’s Government (re Israel) (Gen. 37) Earths Judgement (re Israel) (Rev. 16: 8)
Man in God’s Image (Gen. 1: 26) Man Headed by Satan’s Image (Rev. 13)
Entrance of Sin (Gen. 3: 6) End of Sin (Rev. 21: 27)
Curse Pronounced (Gen. 3: 14-17) No more Curse (Rev. 22: 3)
Death Entered (Gen. 3: 19) No more Death (Rev. 21.4)
Man driven out of Eden (Gen. 3: 24) Man Restored (Rev. 22)
Tree of Life Guarded (Gen. 3: 24) Right to Tree of Life (Rev. 22: 14)
Sorrow & Suffering Enter (Gen. 3: 17) No more Sorrow (Rev. 22: 4)
Nimrod founds Babylon (Gen. 10: 8-10) Babylon Falls (Rev. 17-18)
God’s Flood to destroy evil generation Satan’s Flood to destroy elect generation
(Gen. 6-9) (Rev. 12)
A Bow of God’s Promise (Gen. 9: 13) A Bow for Remembrance (Rev. 4: 3; 10: 1)
Sodom & Egypt – corruption & judgement Sodom & Egypt – Jerusalem
(Gen. 13, 19) (Rev. 11: 8)
A Confederation vs. Abraham (Gen. 14) A Confederation vs. Abraham’s Seed (Rev. 12)
A Bride for Abraham’s Son (Gen. 24) A Bride for Abraham’s Seed (Rev. 21)
Marriage of First Adam (Gen. 2: 18-23) Marriage of Last Adam (Rev. 19)
Man’s dominion ceased & Satan’s begun Satan’s domain ended & Man’s restored
(Gen. 3: 24) (Rev. 22)
See Supplementary Note 3 ‘Timeline of Biblical History’