The Book of Revelation
INTRODUCTION
First, I believe the entire Bible is the inspired word of God. I also believe God’s hand was guiding when the books were placed in the order they are in. I might have put them in chronological order, or alphabetical order, but I believe God put them in the order they are to be studied. And since the book of Revelation is last, I believe a good general knowledge of the rest of the New Testament is necessary in order to get a proper understanding of this last book in God’s Holy word.
Even the
natural mind is inquisitive and likes to look at mysteries. The symbolism in the book of Revelation
provokes many people who are generally uninterested in following Jesus Christ,
or studying the rest of God’s word, to want to know about the mark of the
beast, the number 666, the thousand year reign, or some other miniscule point
in the book of Revelation. Quite
frankly, some of the keys to understanding the book of Revelation are found in
other parts of the New Testament. There
are many basic teachings, which must be clearly understood before attempting to
study the last book of the Bible.
For
example, what was the subject of every preacher in the days of Jesus Christ?
(See Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:5-7; Luke 10:1,9; Acts 8:12; 20:25; 28:30,31.) All 86 of these preachers preached about one
thing: the kingdom of heaven (
If you do
not already understand those basic principles of the teachings of Jesus Christ,
and if you are not already trying to walk as a disciple of Jesus, you are
wasting your time to try to understand the book of Revelation. Even though the words can be read, and you
can come up with all kinds of explanations about the book of Revelation, you
cannot see the truth in God’s word unless He reveals it. And God has plainly said He will only reveal
the deep mysteries and truths in His word to those who
are disciples (learners and followers) of Jesus. Before beginning to study the book of
Revelation, study the rest of God’s word, try to daily follow Jesus, and then
pray fervently for Him to show you the truth in the book of Revelation.
Is
the book of Revelation a recording of events past, present, or future? Was it the last book written in the New
Testament?
Due
to the book of Revelation being placed as the last book of the New Testament,
and because it gives a symbolic picture of events which were yet to come as of
the time of its writing, many people have been led to believe that it is
prophesying of events in our lifetime, and even future to us. Many Bible scholars have placed the dating of
this book as the last written of all the New Testament books. These scholars have based their thinking
strictly upon the writings of a few second and third century Church
fathers. When all this evidence is
carefully examined, it is found to be resting upon the statement of one man,
Irenaeus, who wrote about 100 years after the death of the apostle John. He wrote the following about “him who saw the
Apocalypse”, “for it is not a great while ago that it (or he) was seen, but
almost in our own generation, toward the end of Domitian’s reign.” (Adversus
Haereses, v.30). “Here it should be
noted that the subject of the verb “was seen” in the original language, is
ambiguous, and may be either “it”, referring to the Apocalypse (Revelation), or
“he”, referring to John himself.
But
the voice of antiquity was not altogether uniform on this subject. An ancient fragment of a Latin document,
probably as old as Irenaeus’ writings, mentions Paul as following the order of
his predecessor John in writing to the seven Churches.” (See Biblical
Hermeneutics by M.S. Terry, p.238). This
being the case, Revelation, the message to the seven Churches of Asia, would
have been written sometime before the ministry of the apostle Paul had
ceased. This historical evidence as to
the time of the writing of the book of Revelation cannot be ignored even though
many Christian minds are prejudiced against this line of thought. We find therefore that external evidence does
not conclusively date the Revelation as being written after 70A.D.
We
now want to look at the internal evidence, that is
evidence as to its probable date of writing that would be found within the book
of Revelation itself, compared to other New Testament writings and secular
history.
“John
to THE seven
churches WHICH ARE in
in
The
evidence contained in Scripture confirms the evidence found in historical
documents, that the book of Revelation must have been written prior to 70 A.D.,
and prior to the letters to
We
showed that Irenaeus, writing 100 years after the death of the apostle John, in
fact did not date the book of Revelation as being after 70 A.D. as many
suppose. We brought out that no other
early Christian writer had any historical fact as to a post A.D. 70 date for
the writing of this book. We also stated
that an ancient fragment of a Latin document, probably as old as Irenaeus’
writings, mentions Paul as following the order of his predecessor John in
writing to seven churches. This means
that Paul communicated to some of the seven churches in
It is
also of great significance that Paul refers to ideas found in the book of
Revelation as though he had access to that book. Paul never indicated he had a direct revelation
from God as to the soon coming events.
Only John claims to have received special insight as to these
events. Then, John was to in turn show
these events unto God’s servants by writing this book!!! (See Revelation
1:1). Paul was one of these servants,
for he calls himself “a servant of God” in his letter to Titus.
In
Revelation 1:1, we find that the Revelation was given and was signified (sent
and communicated) to his servant John.
The other New Testament writers referred to John’s revelation and Old
Testament prophecies on the matter of Christ’s coming and judgment.
Paul,
writing to the Corinthians, tells them that Christ will come, and the
resurrection will take place at the “last trump”. Here he has reference to the seventh trump of
Revelation 15. It was not necessary for
Paul to quote any more from Revelation, as no doubt the Corinthians, who were
only across the Aegean Sea from
Thessalonians, he tells, “And then shall that Wicked
be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and
shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” (II Thessalonians 2:8). Here Paul refers to the “beast” of Daniel and
Revelation. Both Daniel and Revelation
in symbolic language show that the “beast” was to rise to world power and later
be destroyed by the Lord at His coming.
Let
us make a very important observation regarding this prophecy. Daniel wrote about 500 years before Christ
and was told to “shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the
end.” (Daniel 12:4). John was told “seal not the sayings of the
prophecy of this book: for the time is
at hand.” (Revelation 22:10). The book of Revelation was the unsealing of
Daniel’s prophecy for the people of that time!
It would seem strange indeed for the Lord to tell Daniel that his
prophecy was to be sealed until the end (at least 500 years) and tell John NOT
to seal his prophecy, if this prophecy was not to take place for at least 2000
years. This can only indicate that
John’s prophecy was to be fulfilled as the Lord told John: “shortly.”
A
further argument for the book of Revelation having been written before A.D. 70
is John’s reference to the city of
The
final weight of the pre A.D. 70 writing of the Revelation rests in the
expressions: “things which must shortly come to pass”, “behold I come quickly” and
“for the time is at hand”. These
expressions appear at least
seven times within the book of
Revelation. If words have any meaning at
all, these expressions cannot be interpreted to mean 2000 or 3000 years. Therefore the events recorded in the
Revelation, according to the internal evidence of Scripture, were fulfilled
during the generation of people some of which were living at the time of the
ministry of Christ.
Let
us remember:
Rev. 1:1, “...show...things which must shortly come
to pass”. Revelation is the unveiling of
things, which were to shortly come to pass. Daniel was told to seal up the things,
which he saw, until the time of the end.
John, in the Revelation, was told to seal NOT the sayings of this
Book because “the time is at hand.”
(Rev. 22:10). John seeing the
same things as Daniel was the unsealing of Daniel’s prophecy at the “time of
the end” (Daniel 12:4)! Also in Rev.
1:4 we read, “John to the seven churches which are in
At the
time John wrote the book of Revelation, he plainly declares he was showing unto
servants “things which must shortly come to pass;” “for the time is at hand;” “yet a little
season;” “the great day of his wrath is come;” “Now is come salvation, and
strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ;” “the things
which must shortly be done;” “Behold, I come quickly;” “the time is at hand;”
“behold, I come quickly;” and “Surely, I come quickly. Amen.” (See Revelation
1:1,3; 6:11,17; 12:10; and 22:6,7,10,12,20.)
Clearly,
the book of Revelation was written before the destruction of
in: for God is able to graff
them in again.” (Romans 11:19-23). Do
not minimize the severity of the judgments of God on the Jews. And do not forget that God judges His people
according to their works. “It is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31). Looking at the condition of the Jews at the
time they were broken off and judged by God, it is clear to see the same
conditions of ungodliness, immorality and unbelief are
prevalent in
Studying the book of Revelation is made easier when we divide it into
five sections: chapters 1-5, chapters 6-11, chapters 12-19, chapter 20, and
finally chapters 21,22. The most important verse in the whole book is
verse 1! Pray, read it over and
over. Memorize it. Pray some more, and do not proceed to any
further study of the book until you have a clear understanding of the first verse. Then, do the same thing for verses 2 and 3 of
this first chapter. Those first three
verses lay the foundation for everything else in the book! Please digest those truths thoroughly and
understand them, or you will never understand the rest of the book.
After
“buying the truth” in the first three verses, try to get a visual picture of
the following outline of the rest of the book.
Chapters 1-3 Message to THE SEVEN churches which
were in
Chapter 4
Vision of God on His throne, surrounded by a rainbow,
twenty-four
elders clothed in white raiment, seven lamps of
fire,
sea of glass, and four beasts.
Chapter 5
Vision of a book in the right hand of God, Jesus (called in this
chapter
the Lion and the Lamb) prevailing to open the book
and
to loose the seven seals, four beasts
and twenty-four
elders,
many angels, and every creature worship Jesus.
Chapter 6 Opening of six of the seven seals (Judgments pronounced.)
Chapter 7
12,000 servants from each of the 12 tribes of
all) are sealed in their foreheads; great
multitude in white robes
worship
God and the Lamb (“These are they which came out of
great tribulation, and have washed their robes,
and made them
white in the blood of the lamb.” See v. 14).
Chapter 8
Opening of the seventh seal (First four angels sound their
trumpets, judgments proceed.)
Chapter 9
Fifth and sixth angels sound their trumpets (more judgments).
Chapter 10 Vision of another angel with little
book open, his right foot upon
the sea, and
his left foot upon the earth; gives little book to John
who is told to eat it up, tasting sweet as
honey but making his
belly bitter.
Chapter 11 John is given a reed like unto a rod
and is told to measure the
inner temple, and altar, and them that worship
therein; two
witnesses prophesy 1260days, are killed; after
3 ½ days, are
raised; end of second woe; Seventh trumpet sounds.
upon her head a crown of twelve stars brings
forth a man child;
Michael fought against the dragon and casts him and his
angels out;
the dragon persecutes the woman and makes war
with the remnant of her seed which keep
the commandments
of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Chapter 13 One
beast rises up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten
horns; and upon his horns, ten crowns; name of
blasphemy
upon his heads. One of his heads wounded as it
were to death,
is healed, and all world wondered after the
beast. Worshipped
the dragon which gave power to the beast; he
continued 42
months (same as 1260 days; same as 3 ½
years). He made war
with the saints. Another beast comes up
out of the earth with
two horns like a lamb, but spake as a dragon;
same power as
first beast; does great wonders and miracles; deceives many.
Chapter 14 Saw the Lamb with 144,000 having His Father’s name
written in their foreheads; these follow the Lamb; these were
redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and
to the Lamb. Saw an angel having the everlasting gospel
to
preach. Another angel saying
angel followed them pronouncing judgment on those who
worship the beast and his image and receive his mark in their
forehead, or in their hand. Son of Man comes to make two
harvests in the earth.
Chapter 15 John saw seven angels having the seven last plagues. And he
saw a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who had gotten
the victory stand one the sea of glass, having the harps of God,
and they sang the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb.
Chapter 16 Seven angels pour out the seven vials of wrath upon the earth.
Chapter 17 Judgment of the great whore upon a scarlet colored beast, full
of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. “The
seven heads are the seven mountains, on which the woman
sitteth….and the ten horns which thou sawest are ten
kings….And the woman which thou sawest is that great city,
which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”
Chapter 18 Details of the fall and destruction of the great whore.
Chapter 19 Great rejoicing over the judgment and fall of the great whore.
The four beasts, twenty-four elders, and great multitude worship
God and rejoice that the marriage of the Lamb is come! Christ
comes on His white horse with the armies in heaven on white
horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. “Out of His
mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the
nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron.” War between
Christ Jesus and His armies against the beast and the kings of
the earth and their armies. Jesus wins!
Chapter 20
Chapter 20 The binding of satan, and he is cast into the bottomless pit for
“the thousand years.” Saints which were beheaded lived and
reigned with Christ a “thousand years.” Satan is loosed after the
“thousand years.” Satan goes forth to deceive the nations. The
devil is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. Great white
throne judgment. Death and hell cast into lake of fire. This is the
second death.
Chapters 21,22
Chapter 21 New heaven and new earth come down from heaven.
Description
of the
Chapter 22 Further details about the
that city for those who “do his commandments.” Warning of
severe judgment to those who “add to” or “take away” from the
words of the prophecy of this book.
Jesus says, “SURELY I
COME QUICKLY.”
:
Symbolic or Literal???
It is important to determine whether the book of Revelation is symbolic or literal. In fact, there are passages and expressions that are symbolic, and other statements that are literal. For example, this can be clearly seen in the first vision that John describes. He really saw our Lord Jesus Christ! But look at some of the symbolic expressions used in describing His appearance:
1. In the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man.
2. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow.
3. His eyes were as a flame of fire.
4. His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.
5. His voice as the sound of many waters.
6. He had in His right hand seven stars.
7. Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.
8. His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Notice particularly three of the above expressions that are definitely symbolic: “seven candlesticks”, “seven stars”, and a “sharp two-edged sword.” Are those literal or symbolic? Well, Jesus makes it plain that at least two of them are symbolic and tells us what they represent. “The mystery of the seven stars which thous sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:20). It is this intertwining of symbolic with literal descriptions that makes the book of Revelation so difficult to understand.
Just as Jesus explains what the seven stars are, and the seven candlesticks, He periodically will go back to ambiguous symbols later in the book of Revelation to explain what He was talking about. This is similar to Jesus giving parables, and occasionally going back to explain what some of those parables were teaching.
It is these explanations and identifying of symbols that give us most of the “keys of understanding” to the meanings of the visions. For example:
1. The dragon is the Devil and Satan. (Rev. 20:2).
2. The whore woman sitting upon a scarlet colored beast, having seven heads and ten horns: “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth….And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings.” (Revelation 17:1-12).
3. “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” (Rev. 17:15).
4.
The dead bodies of the two witnesses “shall lie in the
street of the great city, which spiritually is called
5. The Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, is the Lamb. (Rev. 5:5-14).
6. A Lamb, “having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (Rev. 5:6).
Thus, we have listed a few of the symbolic terms that are specifically explained and identified. It is such revealing as this given within the book that help us as we try to understand the truth in the book of Revelation. Strength, power, glory, dignity and many other attributes of God, as well as characteristics of the Devil will be repeatedly portrayed in symbolic expressions. Be on the lookout for anything, which is specifically, yet sometimes subtly, explained as you go through the book.
Parallel Passages
While the first five chapters in the book of Revelation are relatively easy to understand, as well as the last two chapters, it is the much larger middle portion of the book which present a greater problem. Understanding that chapters 6-19 are actually two parallel passages is of great importance to seeing the overall picture being presented. Please carefully study the following outline that shows chapters 6-11 are basically being repeated in chapters 12-19.
* Chapters 6-11 Chapters
12-19
7. Parenthetical: Parenthetical (14):
(1)
(2) Blessedness of saints. (2) Blessedness of the saints.
8, 9. SEVEN TRUMPETS SEVEN VIALS (15, 16)
1. On the earth. 1. On the earth.
2. On the sea. 2. On the sea.
3. On the rivers. 3. On the rivers.
4. Sun, moon, stars. 4. Sun.
5. Darkness, scourge. 5. Darkness, scourge.
6.
7. “Nations angry”; 7. “Nations fell”;
“Wrath”; “Great “Wrath”; “Voices”;
voices”; “Time no “Thunderings”; “It
more.” Is done”
10, 11. Parenthetical: Parenthetical (17-18)
Tribulation”. God.”
11:15. End of seventh trumpet. After seventh vial (19)
1. “Kingdom of the Lord.” 1. “Lord God reigneth.”
2. The 24 elders worship. 2. The 24 elders worship.
3. “Wrath” is come. 3. Evil powers judged.
· Adapted from Explore the Book by J. Sidlow Baxter, p. 344.