The Book of Revelation
INTRODUCTION
Just as Genesis is the book or beginnings, Revelation is the book of consummation. In it, the divine programme of redemption begun in Genesis is brought to fruition, and the holy name of God is vindicated before all creation. Like no other book, Revelation opens our eyes to the awesome spiritual warfare waged in heaven and earth and it reminds us fully and finally of the Lord’s victory. It is a Christ centred book – it is certainly not just one of the genre of apocalyptic literature, indeed we will argue it stands out from them as light amongst darkness!
CONTRAST BETWEEN GENESIS 1-3 AND REVELATION 22
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Genesis 1:1
I saw a new heaven and a new earth Revelation 21:1
The darkness He called night Genesis 1:5
There shall be no night there Revelation 21:25
God made the two great lights sun and moon; Genesis 1:16
The city has no need of the sun or of the moon Revelation 21:23
In the day that you eat from it you shall surely die Genesis 2:17
And there shall no longer be any death Revelation 21:4
Satan appears as deceiver of mankind Genesis 3:1
Satan disappears forever Revelation 20:10
Shown a garden into which defilement entered Genesis 3:6,7
Shown a city into which defilement will never enter Revelation 21:27
Walk of God with man interrupted Genesis 3:8-10
Walk of God with man resumed Revelation 21:3
Initial triumph of the serpent Genesis 3:13
Ultimate triumph of the Lamb Revelation 20:10; 22:3
I will greatly multiply your pain Genesis 3:16
There shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain Revelation 21:4
Cursed is the ground because of you Genesis 3:17
There shall no longer be any curse Revelation 22:1
Man’s dominion broken in the fall of man, Adam Genesis 3:19
Man’s dominion restored in me rule of the new man, Christ Revelation 22:5
First paradise closed Genesis 3:23
New paradise opened Revelation 21:25
Access to the tree of life disinherited in Adam Genesis 3:24
Access to the tree of life reinstated in Christ Revelation 22:14
They were driven from God’s presence Genesis 3:24
They shall see His face Revelation 22:4
In a very real sense, Revelation 21 and 22 is the new Genesis, but this time there will be no fall. In broadest terms, the Bible gives the story of God’s work in creation, redemption, and re-creation, and it centres on the incarnation of the God-man – Immanuel – the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the book that winds up the time-space universe created in Genesis 1 and opens the door into eternity. The story of man’s placement within this temporary universe began with God’s creative power and certain plan and it ends with God’s creative power and plan opening into eternity.
The space-time bubble is wrapped up and put away. 2 Peter 3:10-18. Other apocalyptic literature speaks of the perfect age to come – but this book reveals that there is no “age” to come – the Millennium simply rounds off mankind’s history – then time and space end! This is one of a number of significant differences between Revelation and the standard apocalyptic literature of the time. Refer Appendix on that subject. Refer W Scroggie’s book – “The Unfolding Drama of Redemption”.
Although there are numerous prophecies in the Gospels and Epistles, Revelation is the only New Testament book that focuses primarily on prophetic events. It is argued by many theologians that it is written in the literary form of “apocalyptic literature” (in contrast to Daniel and Zechariah), by a prophet (Revelation10:11; 22:9), and refers to itself as a prophetic book (Revelation 1:3, 22:7,10,18,19). This is an inadequate view however, for while it is based firmly in Daniel’s visions, it is also based in real visions, not literary inventions. It reads as an eye witness account, even at times like John is walking around a 3-D scene and describing it as a roving TV camera does today. It is unlike all the dodgy apocalyptic books. If you are tempted to believe that this is “just another of the genre”, then please read some of them!!!
No book in the Bible is more misunderstood and misinterpreted, especially by unbelieving theologians. As a result many leave it alone (eg. John Calvin). Yet it is the only book which promises a special blessing to all who read and heed it (Revelation1:3). Please don’t be tempted to say, “this is just another genre aspect of an Apocalypse”, for it is a real promise, from the Lord Jesus by means of the Holy Spirit by the hand of the very real great Apostle John – Please take him more seriously than the theologians!
It is well beyond and above the apocalyptic literature of its period and the centuries before. If you doubt me on this, please read that colourful garbage and be convinced! It draws upon Daniel and Ezekiel, and Zechariah but that is because they also “see”, they don’t create, invent or imagine. Lots of dodgy apocalyptic books were written from the years of the Seleucid control of the land of Israel through to the fourth century of our era. They read like they are, fake, satanic counterfeits, most not even as good as a good novel!
Remember, Satan does not waste energy on things of no consequence, but he must thrown dust in the air and obscure all genuine prophetic truth revealed by God to his prophets about the end of man’s time before the Lord’s Second Advent. Apocalyptic literature reads like a giant satanic joke, designed to obscure the genuine – and Revelation is we believe the real thing – it is we believe a genuine vision by the Apostle John, and it relates to things to come after his death. Peter warns that in the last days of the church the “Scoffers” will outnumber the preachers warning of reality, and we believe we see this now. 2 Peter 3:1-4. Satan is not wasting his shots when attacking Revelation – as a good grip on this book keeps you well grounded and emotionally stable as you face difficult things in our darkening days.
DATE
It is likely that John edited this book into its final form in A.D. 95-96. The date of his release from Patmos in unknown, but it is said he was allowed to return to Ephesus after the reign of Domitian who died in 96 AD. Passages like Revelation 1:11, 22:7, 9-10, 18, 19, all suggest that the book was completed before John’s release and only edited afterwards, if that. It is the first of John’s works, then he writes the Gospel, and then the First Letter as a Commentary on the Gospel. The last book written in the Bible is the First Letter of John.
HUMAN AUTHOR
The style, symmetry, and plan of Revelation show that it was written by one author, four times named John (Revelation 1:1, 4, 9, 22:8). Because of its contents and its address to seven churches the book of the Revelation quickly circulated and became widely known and accepted in the early church. Check the Ante-Nicene Fathers for quotes from it.
It was frequently mentioned and quoted by second and third century Christian writers and was received early as part of the canon of New Testament books. From the beginning the Revelation was considered an authentic work of the Apostle John, the same John who wrote the Gospel and three epistles. This was true of Justin Martyr, Melito, Irenaeus, the Muratorian Canon, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and others, but by the days of Clement and Origen the way it was interpreted had shifted from literal hermeneutics to figurative “Alexandrian” ways of seeing things. These theologians followed the traditions of their own Greek-Jewish culture, copying Philo rather than allowing scripture to interpret scripture.
JOHN
1. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome. (Matthew 4:2 1) Zebedee and Salome were apparently aristocrats from Galilee. Their home was at Bethsaida (Luke 5:10, John 1:44)
2. John had a background of wealth and influence.
(a) John possessed servants. (Mark 1:20)
(b) His mother Salome was very wealthy. (Mark 15:40, Matthew 27:55, 6)
(c) He was a friend of Caiaphas who had been the high priest since 7 A.D. (John 18:15)
3. John became a believer probably under the ministry of John the Baptist. (John 1-.35-9)
4. John and his brother James were called Boanerges – sons of thunder. (Mark 3:17). Thus both James and John were energetic types of people. (Luke 9:49 Gk)
5. John’s mother’s ambition kept popping into the scene. Salome was ambitious for her sons. She wanted them to be aristocrats in heaven. (Matthew 20:20-22). In (Mark 10:35-9) James and John had the same idea approaching Jesus themselves.
6. On three important occasions in Christ’s ministry John was mentioned in company with his brother James and Simon Peter to the exclusion of all others.
(a) Raising of the daughter of Jairus. (Mark 5:37)
(b) At the transfiguration. (Mark 9:2)
(c) Gethsemane. (Mark 14:33)
7. John was apparently the only disciple of the twelve to develop maturity during the public ministry of Jesus Christ.
8. John was the disciple whom Jesus loved. (John 13:23)
The second leader (after Peter) of the church at Jerusalem, the Apostle James, was killed in the Temple at Jerusalem around 65 AD and John became the Church’s leader. The Jewish revolt broke out soon after this and at any early point in the siege of that city by the Romans in 67 AD, when the Roman army moved away to the north for a time, John led the church members across the Jordan to safety in the city of Pella. At approximately age 70, John came to the Roman province of Asia (Turkey) around 70 A.D.
He was called to lead the church at Ephesus possibly after the martyrdom of Timothy. He took with him the aged Mary, the Lord’s mother and her grave is still to be seen in Ephesus. Establishing a base of operations in Ephesus, he apparently had a circuit ministry to the seven churches listed in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. These were key churches of the Eastern Mediterranean. John’s ministry became the guiding light for all the churches of the Roman world through these last years of the first century.
In 95 to 96 A.D., he was banished to Patmos by Domitian, who died in 96 AD. John was released. John was miraculously preserved on Patmos by God, given his great age, because his work was not yet finished. After writing the Revelation, he would then write the Gospel, and then the First Letter as the commentary/sermon to go with the Gospel. He continued to write and minister until, as tradition has it, he died, although debilitated by the suffering on Patmos, at a great old age, the only one of the apostles to do so. In this it could be said he had been blessed by the fifth commandment as he had cared for Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary had been placed in his hands at the Cross, and he was faithful until the end to this charge to care for her. Exodus 20:12 cf John 19:26, 27.
WHERE WRITTEN
It was revealed and written from the isle of Patmos, a volcanic island twelve kilometres [eight miles] long and six kilometres [four miles] wide off the coast of modern Turkey (Revelation 1:9). It was used as a “gulag” for the Roman Empire, and it is a miracle that John lived through his imprisonment there given his age. It may be edited into its final form at Ephesus after his return, although the changes may have been very minor.
TO WHOM WRITTEN
John directed this prophetic word to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia to which he had been instructed to write in Revelation 1:3,4. The messages to these churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 begin with Ephesus, the most prominent, and continue in a clockwise direction until Laodicea is reached.
It is likely that this book was initially carried along this circular route. While each of these messages had particular significance for these churches, they were also relevant for the church as a whole. (“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”.)
OCCASION OF WRITING
The church was nearly 60 years old. It had made enormous growth, but it had suffered greatly and was still suffering. The first persecution was that of Nero ( A.D. 64-67). Multitudes of Christians were martyred by cruel means in and around Rome. The first great Roman persecution was brief and local but very violent.
The second great persecution was instituted by Emperor Domitian (A.D. 95-96). It was also short but extremely severe. Over 4,000 Christians may have been tortured and slain empire wide. This was the persecution in which John was banished to the Isle of Patmos, as at his age the Romans probably thought he would die naturally there and not become another “martyr”.
The third persecution, that of Trajan, was soon to begin (after A.D. 98). John had lived through the first two, and the church was now about to enter the third. It is thought that John died of old age and the results of his privation on Patmos within two years of his release. These were dark days for the church, but in these last years he finalized his Gospel. In addition, the church was suffering from within through corruption and apostasy. The satanic assault upon God’s people was building power and malice in these days. The early church recorded that in John’s last years he was carried to church on a bier, being unable to walk unaided, and he would constantly say aloud, “little children love one another”.
This is clearly a vital book for the church, and as such is seriously attacked, and is the subject of many controversies.
INTERPRETATION ALTERNATIVES
1. PRETERIST INTERPRETATION
The prophecies of Revelation are viewed as figurative and having been fulfilled in the early history of the Church by the death of John, and so all apparently prophetic material are all figurative recording of past events, or future certainties, for worship purposes.
Therefore an outline would be:
[i] Chapters. 5-11 tell of the church’s victory over Judaism.
[ii] Chapters. 12-19 tell of her victory over pagan Rome.
[iii] Chapters. 20-22 tell of the happy bliss and eternal glory of the church.
There is no indication that the early church interpreted this book in this allegorical manner until the early 200sAD, indicating that this was allegory and therefore for “worship purposes only”. This view of the Book of the Revelation came from a Spanish Jesuit of Antwerp named Alcasar in the beginnings of the seventeenth century to counteract the teachings of the Reformers which included the concept that the Pope was the Antichrist.
2. THE IDEALIST, POETIC, SPIRITUALIST OR ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION
This interpretation considers the book a pictorial unfolding of great principles without reference to actual events. Such people regard the book only as a form of spiritual encouragement and assurance of the ultimate triumph of Christianity. It is a popular viewpoint, as it allows you to ignore all embarrassing physicality about the Lord’s return, history just ends and we all enter eternity, with no Second Advent, last judgment, all of which many modern people find “difficult”.
Augustine of Hippo regarded Revelation as presenting in a symbolic way the total conflict between Christianity and evil or the City of God versus the City of Satan. This point of view originated in the Alexandrian School of Theology represented earlier in Clement of Alexandria and Origen. To them the book was one big allegory. The holders of this view do not believe that the 1,000 years mentioned in Revelation 20 should be read literally, and are therefore Amillennial in outlook. This view dominates modern theology, but majority voting has never been a safe way to hear God’s Word for our day!
3. THE HISTORICIST INTERPRETATION
This view understands the book as prophetically portraying a panorama of the history of the church from the days of John to the end time, or the Second Advent. Though it had earlier disciples, Joachim of Fiore [1135-1202], a Roman Catholic scholar, is largely responsible for this, and was also the originator of the first forms of the theology of post-millennialism.
This method of interpretation achieved popularity during the Reformation because of its identification of the pope and the papacy as the beasts of chapter 13. Wycliffe, Luther, Joseph Mede were adherents of this view.
One problem with this view is that no two scholars can agree in the identification of the personnel pictured in Revelation or of the historical interpretation of the events. The very multiplicity of historical interpretations is its own refutation. If this is the correct method of interpretation, then it is clear that no one has found the key.
4. THE FUTURIST AND/OR LITERAL INTERPRETATION
This views the book as genuine prophetic revelation, not “apocalyptic genre writing”. It is to be literally fulfilled, with Revelation chapters 4-22 as prophecy yet to be fulfilled in time and eternity. This was the view held by the early church until spiritual decline under the Alexandrians corrupted her doctrine, and the organized church moved away from literal hermeneutics. The Alexandrians were the ones who first compared Revelation to the many “apocalyptic” works of previous centuries and drew parallels to it, indicating that these dodgy works gave the clue to understanding Revelation.
We believe this was a false approach – To interpret truth by means of falsehoods was a flawed approach to start with. The literary rubbish of previous centuries needed to be put in the dust bin of history, and the Revelation read as it was written, as an eye witness account of real visions received, with real applications to be made now and into the future. The churches John wrote to did exactly this – they came to Revelation in the filling of the Holy Spirit and heard it, they did not interpret it through philosophy, theology, or previous pagan or Jewish religious literature.
Under the literal interpretation, the events of chapters 4-19 relate to the period just preceding the second coming of Christ. This is generally regarded as a period of seven years (the last “week” of Israel’s history before Messiah returns – Daniel 9:26-27) with emphasis on the last three and a half years, known as the “Great Tribulation”. Chapter 19 refers to the second coming of Christ onto the earth, chapter 20 to the future millennial kingdom, where Christ will rule in His kingdom on the earth, which will follow, and chapters 21 and 22 to events subsequent to the millennium, when space-time is wrapped up into the lake of fire and a new creation unfolds, eternal and infinite.
In contrast to other methods of interpretation, the futuristic position allows the most literal interpretation of the specific prophecies. It is based upon the logic that, as all the prophecies relating to the First Advent were literally fulfilled, then it is logical to expect that all the prophecies relating to the Second Advent will also be literally fulfilled.
Though recognising the frequent symbolism in various prophecies, the events foreshadowed by these symbols and their interpretation are regarded as being fulfilled in a normal way, eg. chapter 13 is considered a prophecy of the future world empire with its political and religious heads represented by the two beasts.
Generally speaking proponents of the first three views are Postmillennial or Amillennial, while futurists are Premillennial. Postmillennialists believe that the spread of the gospel will lead to a golden age of peace on earth followed by the return of Christ. Amillennialists believe that the Christian’s present heavenly position in Christ is the true “millennium”, not an earthly kingdom. God will not fulfil promises made to Israel they believe, because they think the Church has got them all.
In contrast Premillennialists believe that the six occurrences of the phrase “a thousand years” in Revelation 20: 2-7 are to be taken literally as the duration of the earthly kingdom that Christ will establish between the second advent and the end of space-time, and the creation of the new universe. It is of interest that a number of early Jewish traditions divided history into seven one thousand year periods of which the last would be an age of peace. We believe that Revelation is to be interpreted in terms of Daniel’s earlier revelation, not in accordance with dodgy non-biblical apocalyptic writings.
Advocates of all four interpretive approaches to Book of the Revelation do all agree that it was written to assure the recipients of the ultimate triumph of Christ over all who rise up against Him and His saints. The readers were facing dark times of persecution and even worse times would follow. This is clearly true; differences only relate to views on future fulfilments and whether we go through these events, or are taken up from out of them.
The believers of the time needed to be encouraged to persevere by standing firm in Christ in view of God’s plan for the righteous and the wicked. This plan is especially clear in the stirring words of the book’s epilogue (Revelation 22:6-21).
The book was also written to challenge complacent Christians tostop compromising with the world. According to futurists, Revelation serves the additional purpose of providing a perspective on end-time events that would have meaning and relevance to the spiritual lives of all succeeding generations of Christians.
The “Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ” has been given an appropriate place as the last book in the canon of Scripture because it ties all the themes of the Bible together. Just as Genesis is the book of beginnings, Revelation is the book of consummation. Genesis opens time, and Revelation closes it.
ADOPTED METHOD
Having stated the four methods we will adopt the ancient and orthodox first century one, the one that was once and for all given to the saints – Jude 3 – the futurist or literal interpretation. We soundly reject the company of Origen and Clement of Alexandria from the third century. We select the good company of the Apostles from the first century. We reject the notion that this book, or Daniel, are fabrications that teach philosophical principles for joyful worship alone, for we believe both record real visions, by the real men, teaching reality to come that we need to understand as the days move fast towards the end of history.
“About the time of the end a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attentions to the Prophecies and insist upon their literal interpretation in the midst of much clamour and opposition”. – Sir Isaac Newton
SYMBOLS
The Revelation is the genuine “Apocalypse”. Understand the meaning of the term at the time however, not the confused views of the unbelieving theologians. It is the “unveiling”, and as such it is meant to be understood. However, the apocalyptic style necessitates heavy use of symbols/visual images. These symbols save a thousand words by presenting a Biblical concept in picture form. They are drawn from well understood images that draw upon previous usage in Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah and other prophets of the Old Testament. We don’t go to the Apocrapha – we stick with the canon.
Many symbols are interpreted in the book itself; others are found elsewhere in Scripture or in historical background. Symbols must be seen and interpreted in their Biblical context, and their historical setting at the time of writing, but do not interpret them from pagan apocalypses. Why would John write in this way? We believe he did so because he could only explain what he saw by using images and language that is reflected in earlier biblical visions. John wrote in a style that in his day could also be interpreted in various ways if you operated outside of the scriptures.
It is so different to read than the dodgy apocalyptic books, but there are some elements that are similar, and so a pagan reading John’s work would not feel “threatened” by it – they would see it in terms of the falsehoods of the previous 200 years, and so it could avoid the censer, and get to the churches that needed to read it, and read it properly (ie, in terms of the rest of the Canon of Holy Scripture).
Remember he was in “open jail” on Patmos, sent there to die, and anything written would be checked by the guards. By writing this way, pagan guards would interpret his work within their frame of reference, as a harmless work of apocalyptic, like those they knew, but when interpreted through Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah it is clearly a literal record of his very real and awesome visions, and teaches the facts of history in advance, relating to the end of the age of man before the Lord’s Second Advent, building on Daniel’s very real and awe filled visions. Daniel begins this process of revelation and John is privileged to finish it.
Some examples of signs/symbols, interpreted within the book, are as follow:-
[i] The seven lamp stands (Revelation 1:12) are the seven churches (Revelation 1:20).
[ii] The seven stars (Revelation 1:16) are seven angels (pastors of the seven churches) Revelation 1:20
[iii] The sharp two-edged sword (Revelation 1:16) is the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12).
[iv] The woman clothed with the Sun, Moon, and Stars (Revelation 12:1) is the nation of Israel as seen in Genesis 37:9-11. It is noted that even Joseph’s family knew what these symbols meant.
[v] The great red dragon (Revelation 12:3) is identified as Satan (Revelation 12:9).
[vi] The seven heads and ten horns (Revelation 12:3), seen again in connection with the Antichrist (Revelation 13:1), are identified in Revelation 17:9-12 as the final Gentile empire, the revived Roman Empire or Imperialism. This draws on Daniel’s revelation from the Lord – both having the same source. Daniel Chapters 7-8.
[vii] The Great Whore (Revelation 17:3-4) is apostate religion (Revelation 17:5-6) centred in a city-state (Revelation 17:18).
The danger with symbols is “interpreting” them in light of what that symbol may represent in modern times, or from pagan, or earlier Jewish apocalyptic works, and later heretical Gnostic works, leading to some wild and eccentric “hidden meanings”. We will follow accepted biblical hermeneutics and let scripture interpret scripture. It is what the symbol meant in Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and John’s days that guides us, not what it meant to the authors of the Seleucid period(when the majority of dodgy apocalyptic literature was written), or what it means now to Sky Television’s pagan commentators or liberal academics who follow Origen and Clement!
DISPENSATIONAL OUTLINE OF THE REVELATION
1. General Scripture (Ephesians 3:1-5)
Key words –
Verse 2 – dispensation – stewardship or administration.
Verse 3 – mystery – Church age.
Verse 5 – other ages – Gentile and Jewish ages.
2. Definition:
A dispensation is a period of time expressing the viewpoint of God in relation to the history of man. During each dispensation God entrusts the spreading of the Gospel to specific people.
3. Human history can be divided biblically into 4 Dispensations.
(a) Gentile or Family.
(b) Jews.
(c) Church or Grace.
(d) Christ or the Millennium.
4. In all cases salvation is the same which is faith in Jesus Christ. However due to the position of the Cross its viewpoint of the sacrifice varies from prophetic to historic.
(a) The Gentile and Jewish ages looked forward to the Cross by means of animal sacrifices, the Tabernacle and Old Testament Scriptures.
(b) The Church age looks back at the Cross as an accomplished fact in history.
(c) The Millennial Age looks at the present person of Christ on earth.
5. Greek words related to time.
(a) “Chronos” – a succession of events – chronology – a history of Israel. e.g. reign of Saul, reign of David, reign of Solomon.
(b) “Kairos” – an epoch or period of time which is used for categories of times – dispensations.
(c) “Oikonomia” – translated dispensation which means to administer an estate, to be a responsible steward of an important item.
(d) “Aion” means age and is very similar to Kairos but allows for a break in an epoch such as occurs in the Jewish age with the Tribulation occurring after the Church age.
6. Responsible Agents for the Gospel.
(a) Gentiles – the head of the family responsible for the gospel.
(b) Jews – a special race based on regeneration responsible for the gospel. The Jews are often called the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, all ‘born again’ believers.
(c) Church – a spiritual race based on regeneration responsible for the gospel.
(d) Christ – the God/Man himself responsible for the gospel.
7. Civilisations
As a parallel system to dispensations are civilisations of which there are three. In all cases the civilisation starts with believers only and finishes with a mixture of believers and unbelievers and judgment.
They consist of :-
Pre Flood -Adam in innocence and the Flood
Post Flood – Noah and his family and the Second Advent
Millennial – Believers who survive the Tribulation and the Great White Throne Judgment
We are thus in the Church Age dispensation and Post Flood Civilisation.
THE AGES OF HISTORY AND THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION
The Book of the Revelation can be divided into three sections as follows:-
A. “Write the things which thou hast seen.” Chapter 1 deals with the vision of John on Patmos of the glorified Jesus Christ.
B. “And the things which are.” Chapters 2 and 3 deal with the seven churches of Asia then in existence. As we will see shortly, these seven churches represent characteristics that exist throughout the Church Age
C. “And the things which shall be hereafter”. Having dealt with the Church Age in Chapters 2 and 3, John is commanded to deal with the rest of human history following the Rapture of the Church
This last and major section is subdivided into four sections:-
[i] Chapters 4 and 5 are the Church in Heaven. These chapters prepare for the Tribulational judgments.
[ii] Chapters 6 through 19 are the Tribulation period. The most extended passage of Revelation deals with the seven years of the restoration of Israel and the judgments on the earth. This age is the “time of wrath” (1 Thessalonians. 1:10, 5:9); the “70th week of Daniel” (Daniel 9:24-27); the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:1-8); and the “time of tribulation coming on the whole earth” (Revelation 3:10).
[iii] Chapter 20 reveals the Millennial Reign of Christ and the Great White Throne judgment.
[iv] Chapters 21 & 22: The Eternal State.
Chapters 6 to 19 can be further subdivided as follows:-
Chapter 6: The Seven Seals Opened
Chapter 7: The Sealing of the 144,000 Jewish Evangelists
Chapter 8: The Seven Trumpet Judgments
Chapter 9: The Seven Trumpets Blown
Chapter 10: Angelic Herald of the 2nd Advent
Chapter 11: The Herald of the Two Prophets
Chapter 12: The Seven Personages of the Tribulation
Chapter 13: The Antichrist and the False Prophet
Chapter 14: The 144,000 Jews at the Second Advent and the
Bloodshed of Armageddon.
Chapter 15: The Seven Vials
Chapter 16: The Vials Opened
Chapters 17 & 18: Babylon the Whore (Religious and Commercial)
Chapter 19: The Second Advent of Jesus Christ
CONCLUSION
In 1903 Dr C. I. Schofield stated, “This book is so written that as the actual time of these events approach the current events will unlock the meaning of the book”. Just over 100 years later in 2019 we are seeing this start to happen. Sir Robert Anderson, author of “The Coming Prince”, writing in the 1890s, said that he could not understand how Revelation chapters 12 and 13 could occur. Since 1948 we can now understand how they can be fulfilled literally.
As the time of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ approaches, this book is becoming more and more real and meaningful. Israel is back in the land after nearly 2,000 years. There is a strong move towards one world government and centralised planning and control of world finances and trade.
Technically it is now possible for all of the world to see events in Jerusalem happening at the time of the events as shown in Chapter 11. A one world electronic monetary system is upon us and CCTV coverage in cities makes it possible to monitor populations like never before and control movements and through IT systems control the finances of States and individual people. Facial recognition technology is now wide spread to “fight crime”, but is easily used to monitor or find anyone with advances in Artificial Intelligence as computers become “stand alone” tools to analyse and report. Travel and knowledge explosions match Gabriel’s warning to Daniel – Daniel 12:4.
There is strong evidence that we are the generation who will see the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to set up his kingdom and reign as the greater Son of David. Matthew 24:32-39. It is therefore most timely that we study the Books of the Daniel and Revelation. As we will see in the text below, the word “shortly” means that once things start to happen they unfold quickly. The generation that sees the start of these things may be the one to see the end of them. Our recent “Prophetic Update” in 2019, Book 128, covers the recent possible advances in prophetic fulfilment.
Let’s proceed to Revelation Chapter 1