Book of Revelation Introduction

The Revelation: singular, not plural.

VApoka,luyij - noun (19 times):“revelation,” to unveilor uncover.

VApoka,luptw - verb (26 times): “to reveal.”

“He Shall Glorify Me” John 16:14

•      Old Testament - Christ in Prophecy

•      Gospels - Christ in History

• Acts - Christ in the Church

•      Epistles - Christ in Experience

•      Apocalypse - Christ in coming Glory

To Whom Given?

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by his angel unto His servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Revelation1:1,2

…rendered into “signs”(sememes)...

Basic Units

•     Alphabet  =  of written language;

•     Phonemes =  of spoken sound;

•     Pixels = of images;

•     Sememes = of meaning:

semaino; from sema, amark (4591 times):

1)  to give a sign, to signify, indicate;

2) to make known.

Signified by God = in “code”(1:1) “to give a sign or signal.” There are, in the Bible 4591 semas: The word is translated “sign” (15:1), “wonder” (12:1, 3) and “miracle”(19:20). This same word is used by John for the miracles of Christ. It’s a “spiritual code,” understood only by those who know Christ personally.

Revelation is in code: every code is explained in Scripture (virtually every other book required)!

The Apocalypse

Where to begin a serious study? Revelation is excellent…Everything begun in Genesis is consummated in Revelation: integrated design…

•     Catastrophic end-crisis of 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

A Unique Promise

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Two Basic Discoveries

1) The Bible consists of 66 separate books penned by over 40 authors over a period of several thousand years that are an integrated message system.

2) It can be demonstrated that the origin of this message is from outside of our dimensions of space and time.

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.

•      The most exalted privilege is to know Him. That’s what the Bible is all about.

Our Presuppositions

•     God means what He says and says what He means.

•     The Bible is an integrated whole: Every detail is there by design

(Mt 5:17,18).

•     Nothing is trivial: All things are for our learning (Rom 15:4).

•     God is His own interpreter.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Acts 17:11

Luke is warning you: Don’t believe anything that Chuck Missler says! Check it out for yourself!

Revelation: “The Unveiling”

•     The consummation of all things.

•     The only book promising a special blessing to the reader.

•     404 verses containing over 800 allusions from the Old Testament.

•     It presents the climax of God’s Plan for Man.

John, the Author

•     The Gospel of John.

•     Three Epistles (1 John, sermon on love; 2 John, personal letter to

Mary(?); 3 John, personal note to Gaius).

•     The Apocalypse.

John was born at Bethsaida to Zebedee and Salome and was a Galilean fisherman; partner with Peter and Andrew. He was an early disciple of John the Baptist and seemed to be well connected(High Priest, Nicodemus,

Alternative Views

•      Preterist                 Then only

•      Historical               History only

•      Idealist                   Allegorical

•      Futurist                  Prophetic

The Book of Revelation claims the latter (1:3; 22:7, 10 18-19; cf.10:11).

Why Prophecy?

•      Old Testament: 1,845 references to Christ’s rule on the earth; 17 OT

books give prominence to the event.

•      New Testament: Of the 216 chapters, there are 318 references to the

Second Coming; it is mentioned in 23 of the 27 books.

•      For every prophecy relating to His First Coming, there are eight treating His Second Coming.

Still, most people assume that the future is but a linear extrapolation of the present; life will just go on. But the Bible says otherwise.

Eschatology et al , cf. Jn 18:15).

Amillennial

Post-Millennial

Premillennial

John was one of the inner circle: Mt. Transfiguration (Mt 17); raising of

Jairus’ daughter (Mt 9:18); Olivet Discourse (Mt 24); Gethsemane (Mt

26:37); Assigned care of Mary (Jn 19:26);ultimately retires to Ephesus after his exile.

The Patmos Exile

Patmos is a small island,6 miles by 10 miles,40 miles from Miletus and

24 miles from the coast of Turkey. John was exiled by Domitian (A.D. 81-

96), the brother of Titus who destroyed Jerusalem. According to Irenaeus (2nd century A.D.), Revelation was written by John during the reign of Domitian.

Irenaeus, Clement, and Eusebius wrote that after Domitian died, John returned to Ephesus, went to the churches, and appointed leaders, and set things in order.

Post-Tribulational      Mid-Tribulational      Pre-Tribulational

Allegorical                                                                                    Literal

Hermeneutics

Amillennial Problems

•      Messianic Promises throughout the Old Testament.

•      Destiny of Israel in God’s Covenants.

•      Promise given to Mary by Angel Gabriel.

•      Numerous reconfirmations in the New Testament.

The Heptadic Structure: The Sevens

•      Seven Churches                                  1:4,11,20; 2; 3

•      Seven Seals                                          5; 6

•      Seven Trumpets                                  8, 9

•      Seven Bowls                                         15; 16; 17:1; 21:9

•      Seven Lampstands                             1:12, 13, 20; 2:1

•      Seven Spirits                                         1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6

•      Seven Stars                                           1:16, 20; 2:1; 3:1

•      Seven Lamps                                       4; 5

•      Seven “Title-pairs”                              2;3

•      Seven Promises to the Overcomer   2;3

•      Seven Horns                                         5:6

•      Seven Eyes                                           5:6

•      Seven Angels                                       8:2,6;15:1,6,7,8; 16:1;17:1;21:9

•      Seven Thunders                                  10:3, 4

•      Seven  Thousand                                 11:13

•      Seven Heads                                        12:3; 13:1; 17:3, 7, 9

•      Seven Crowns                                      12:3

•      Seven Plagues                                      15:1, 6, 8; 21:9

•      Seven Mountains                               17:9

•      Seven Kings                                          17:10,11

Seven Beatitudes

•      Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear and keep those things… (Rev 1:3).

•      Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord (Rev 14:13).

•      Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments (Rev 16:15).

•      Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the

Lamb (Rev 19:9).

•      Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection (Rev

20:6).

•      Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book

(Rev 22:7)

•      Blessed are they that wash their robes (Rev 22:14).

(More Subtle) Sevens

•      Seven Features                                   1

•      Seven Letter Divisions                        2, 3

•      Seven Personages                               12, 13

– Woman, Man-Child, Red Dragon, 7-headed Beast, False Prophet, Michael, Lamb.

•      Seven Years of Judgments                11:3; 12:6,14;13:5

•      Seven “I Am” of Christ                   1:8, 11, 17, 18; 21:6; 22:13,16;

•      Seven Doxologies in heaven            4:9-11; 5:8-13; 7:9-12; 11:16-

18; 14:2,3;15:2-4 ;19:1-6

•      Seven New Things                              20, 21

...and many, many more.                      (Seven times as many?)

Past

Present

Future

God (Rev 1:4)

Which  Was

(Col  1:15-17; Jn 8:58)

Which  is

(Heb 7:25)

Which Is to Come

(Rev  1:7)

Jesus Christ (Rev 1:5)

The Faithful Witness

(Jn 14:1-3; Jn 8:14)

First Begotten of the Dead (Col  1:18-20)

Prince of the Kings of the Earth

(Mt  25:31,32;

1  Cor  15:24,25)

Unto Him That

(Rev 1:5)

Loved  Us

(Gal 2:20; Jn 3:16)

Washed Us from our

Sins in His Own Blood

( Heb 7:25; 9:14)

Made Us Kings/Priests

(1 Pet 2:9; Lk 19:17; Re

2:26,26;  5:10; 20:4; 22:5)

Write

(Rev 1:19)

The Things Which Thou Hast Seen (Rev  1:12-18)

The Things Which Are

(Rev 2 & 3)

The Things Which Shall Be Hereafter

(Rev  4-22)

Tenses of Redemption

Three Tenses of “Being Saved”

•      Have been saved:  From the penalty of sin;

– Positionally, Eph 2:8, 9.

–  Called justification salvation.

•      Are being saved: From the power of sin;

– Operationally, by the Holy Spirit, moment-by-moment; Rom 6.

–  Called sanctification.

•      Shall be saved:  From the presence of sin;

– Called “the redemption of our body,”  Rom8:23.

Types

•      Abraham &Isaac                                Gen 22

•      Nebuchadnezzar’s Image                  Dan 3

•      Redemption of the land                      Ruth

•      Model of the Revelation                    Joshua

•      The Tabernacle                                   Exodus

Idioms

•      “Friend of God” ( Abraham; Disciples)

•      “Dearly Beloved”(Daniel; John)

“Whole Counsel of God”

•      Christ at the center                                                              Rev 1:1

•      “More sure word of prophecy”                                        2 Pet1:19

•      “Search the Scriptures and they are they which testify of me” Jn5:39

•      “Volume of the book is written of me”                            Ps 40:7

•      “Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”             Rev 19:10

•      “Thy Kingdom Come”                                                        Mt 6:10 [The early church’s hymnal was the Book of Revelation!]

“I was in the spirit…”

•      On the “day of the Lord” (at Patmos)             Ch. 1:10

•      To the throne in heaven                                    Ch. 4:2

•      Carried away in the wilderness                          Ch. 17:3

•      Carried to a mountain                                         Ch. 21:10

“Thunders, voices, lightnings, and an earthquake”: Throne (Rev 4:5); Seals (Rev 8:5); Trumpets(Rev 11:19); and, Bowls (Rev 16:18).

Climactic Doxologies

•      Glory, dominion(2) Rev 1:6;

•      Glory, honor, power (3) Rev 4:11;

•      Blessing, honor, glory, power (4) Rev 5:13;

•      Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, might (7) Rev

7:12.

Worship

4)     Salvation to our God                           Ch. 7:9-12

Amen; Blessing...

5)     Kingdoms of the world                       Ch. 11:15-18

We give thee thanks

6)     Great &marvelous...                            Ch. 15:2-4

7)     Four hallelujahs                                  Ch. 19:1-8

Things Out of Place

•      Israel      v            Land

•      Church  v            Heaven

•      Lamb      v            Own throne

•      Satan     v            Bound

Three Women

Wife of Yahweh

Woman of Rev 12

Israel Virgin Bride

Bride of Christ - Church

Harlot - Mystery Babylon

Woman who rides the Beast

Creation vs Redemption

Redemption: restoration of that which was lost to the original owner (Lk

21:28; Rom 8:23;Gal 3:13; Eph 1:14; Dan 8:26; Dan 12:4, 9).

•      The Space:

–  Creation: Two chapters in Genesis, few Psalms, few chapters in

Job, Isaiah...

–   Redemption: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Joshua, Ruth, the

Prophets, the Gospels...the Epistles...the Revelation!

•      The Price:

– Creation: “Breathed from His nostrils…”

– Redemption: Cost God His Son!

1)

Holy, Holy, Holy

Ch. 4:8

2)

Worthy art thou

Ch. 4:11; 5:8-10

3)

Unto Him that sitteth

Ch. 5:11-13

Genesis vs. Revelation

God’s Flood to

Genesis               Revelation

Genesis = Beginning; Creation

Revelation = Redemption; Completion

Genesis                Revelation

Earth Created                                 1:1

Earth Passed away                                              21:1

Sun, moon, stars                            1:14-16                  4:12; 8:12

Earth’s government                      37

Earth’s judgment                                                 16:8

Sun to govern Day                       1:16

No need of sun                                                    21:23

Darkness called night                   1:5

No night there                                                      22:5

Waters He called seas                  1:10

No more sea                                                         21:1

A river for earth’s blessing          2:10-14

A river for New Earth                                          22:1,2

Man in God’s Image                     1:26

Man Headed by Satan’s

Image                                                                    13

Entrance of sin                               3

End of sin                                                              21, 22

Curse pronounced                        3:14-17

No more curse                                                      22:3

Death entered                                3:19

No more death                                                     21:4

Cherubim first mentioned            3:24

Cherubim final mention                                      19:4

Man driven out of Eden               3:24

Man restored                                                        22

Tree of life guarded                      3:24

Access to Tree of life                                          22:14

Sorrow & suffering enter             3:17

No more sorrow                                                    22:4

Religion, art, and science separated from God            4

judged, destroyed                                               18

Nimrod founds Babylon              10:8-10

Babylon falls                                                        17, 18

Destroy evil generation        6 - 9

Satan’s flood to

Destroy elect generation                                    12

A bow: God’s promise                  9:13

A bow for remembrance                                     4:3; 10:1

Sodom & Egypt:

Corruption, judgement         13, 19 “Sodom& Egypt”

(Jerusalem)                                                           11:8

A confederation vs.

Abraham’s people                14

Abraham’s Seed                                                  12

A bride for Abraham’s son         24

A bride for Abraham’s

Seed                                                                       19

Marriage of 1st Adam                2:18-23

Marriage of Last Adam                                      19

Promised Seed:

Possess gate of enemies   29:8

Promised Seed possessing                                 19

Man’s dominion ceased and

Satan’s begun                      3:24

Satan’s domain ended and

man’s restored                                                     22

One Integrated Design

The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed;

The Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed.

Prophetic Scriptures

•      8,362 predictive verses;

•      1,817 predictions;

•      737 separate matters.

J. Barton Payne, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy

Major Prophetic Themes

•      Israel

•      Jerusalem

•     Temple

•     Babylon

•     Russia (Magog)

•     Rise of China

•     European Super State

•     Ecumenical Religion

•     Global Government

•     Rise of the Occult

Our Challenge

We are being plunged into a period of time about which the Bible says more than about any other period in history …including the time when Jesus walked the shores of Galilee and climbed the mountains of Judea.

The Ultimate Issue

•     We are in possession of message of extraterrestrial origin.

•     It portrays us as objects of an unseen warfare.

•      Our eternal destiny depends upon our relationship with the ultimate victor in this cosmic conflict.

•     Where do you stand with respect to Him?

How to Study

•     Prayer & relationship with the Author

•     Presuppositions

•     Note taking

•     Your Secret Journal

•     Helps (Exegetical and Expositional)

John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and  from the Seven Spirits which are before his throne...

Vision in Chapter 1: Seven Features

1)     Hair; head                                            Dan 7:9

2)     Eyes,                                                      Heb 1:13; 4:13

Flame of fire                          1 Cor 3:13; Mal 3:2

3)     Feet,       symbol of walk

Brass,     judgment                               [cf. Brazen serpent: Num 21]

4)     Voice, many waters                             Ezek 1:24; 43:2; Dan 10:6

5)     Right Hand:                                          7 stars,

lampstands:                                         in the midst; in His hand

6)     Mouth:  two-edged sword:                Heb 4:12; Eph 6:17;Isa 49:2

Judges unbeliever                               Jn 12:48

Earth smitten                                        Isa 11:4

Antichrist consumed                          2 Thess 2:8

7)     Countenance, Sun                              Mt 17

[Cf. Programmer’s “Data Declarations”]  These “descriptors” will be used as identities throughout the rest of the Book.

The Divine Outline

Write the things which thou hast seen [The Vision of Christ, Chapter 1], and the things which are [The Seven Churches, Chapters 2,3], and the things which shall be hereafter [That which follows after the Churches, Chapters 4-22];

Revelation 1:19

The Keys are Self-Contained

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: And the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Revelation 1:20

Seven Spirits (Angels?)

Revelation 1:4,5

The Seven Churches: “The Things That Are”

Why these seven?   Why not Jerusalem? Antioch? Rome? Lystra?

And the Spirit of the YHWH shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel, the Spirit of Might, the Spirit of Knowledge, and the Spirit of the Fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 11:2

Some view this as referring to angels: seven special ones. Angels appear

74 times mentioned (104 in NT); nine times these seven special ones.

Iconium? Et al…[“He that hath an ear…” 7X elsewhere]

1)     Local: actual churches. Researched archaeologically by Sir Wm.

Ramsey...

2)     Admonitory: “..churches”: all of them. Each message applies to each, to some extent.

3)     Homiletic: “He that hath an ear...”  Applies to us.

4)     Prophetic: In their particular order, they lay out the history of the church. [They fill the gap impliedin Daniel 9:26, and betweenRev

12:5 and 6, etc.]

Seven Design Elements In Each of the Letters

•      Name of the Church

•      Title of Christ Chosen

•      Commendation

•      Concern

•      Exhortation

•      Promise to the Overcomer

•      “He that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”