An Introduction to the Book of Revelation

Lesson Content

The book of Revelation contains things which John ‘saw’ and ‘things which are’, and the ‘things which shall be hereafter’ (Rev.1:19). All the future even ts, such as the rapture of the Church, the reign of the Antichrist, the sevenfold judgment which will be meted out to the disobedient nations, the seven years of tribulation, the Millennial kingdom of Christ and the saints, and the eternal heavenly habitat ions — the New Earth, New Heaven and New Jerusalem come under ‘things which shall be hereafter’. So it is

most essential that we study this book and receive a clearer and brighter vision of what is reserved for us in eternity so that we might prepare ourselves for that eternal glorious inheritance. Ch. 1: This is the vision of the glorified Christ as seen by John. Ch. 2, 3: speak of ‘things which are’ that is the state of the churches which existed at that time and the messages given to them. First of all, the Lord gives revelations of Himself to each church so that they can see their faults in the light of the revelations given to them and repent of them and correct themselves. Then He speaks of the state of the church and the reward for the overcomer. All the messages end with the words of warning: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches”. [Chapter 4 onwards speak of ‘things which shall be hereafter’. John is asked to ‘come up’ to be shown things ‘which shall b e hereafter’ (Rev.4:1). This may cause us to expect everything that follows to be in chronological order. That is not so. The book presents one and the same vision from two angles, namely, the Jewish angle and the Gentile angle (or the Church angle)]. Ch. 4, 5: speak of the various positions of the saints in heaven, with the exception of those who constitute the Bride of Christ. Ch. 6-11: describe the seven year tribulation period from the Jewish angle. It is illustrated with the sealing of the hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel (Rev.7:4-8), the golden altar, the golden censer and the incense (Rev.8:3), the trumpets (Rev.8:2), the temple of God (Rev.11:1), the two olive trees (Rev.11:4), the two candlesticks (Rev.11:4), the ark of the testament (Rev.11:19), all of which will help a Jew to understand the vision more clearly from his angle. The first half of the Tribulation Period is described in the sixth chapter (with the opening of the seven seals) and the second half is described in chapters 8-11 (the vision of the seven trumpets). No mention is made at all about the New Testament Church. After seeing the vision from the Jewish angle, John is told that he must prophesy again to the Gentiles of all nations (Rev.10:8-11). The same vision is therefore repeated from the Gentile angle or Church angle. The first half of the seven year Tribulation Period is described in chapters 12-14 and the second half in chapter 16. Ch.12-14: deal with the vision of the sun -clad woman in heaven (the Spirit - baptized Church), the manchild who is caught up to the throne, the first half of the Tribulation Period (as seen from the Gentile or Church angle) and the 1,44,000 who stand on mount Zion with the Lamb. Ch.15,16: deal with the seven angels with the seven plagues or the seven vials of the wrath of God. This is a vision of the second half of the Tribulation Period (as seen from the Church angle as discussed earlier). Ch.17-19: deal with the events that occur after the seven year s' tribulation. In chapters 17 and 18, we read of the judgment of ‘the great whore’ called ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth’. This is the ecclesiastical Babylon, the fallen Church. Chapter 19 deals with the vision of various groups of people

who will partake of the first resurrection, their confessions, the marriage of the Lamb, the marriage supper and the battle of Armageddon. Ch.20-22: deal with the Millennial Reign, the battle of Gog and Magog, the White Throne Judgment and the eternal kingdom. The Author of the Book is God Himself. That is the first statement of the book — God Himself gave this vision through Christ, by an angel to John (Rev.1:1) John had been banished to the isle of Patmos but the following year he was released and permitted to return to Ephesus. Since in Revelation 1:9 it is said, “ I... was in the isle”, it seems to indicate that John received the vision while in exile in Patmos, but wrote the book only after his release. The whole book is filled with passages of praise to God (Rev.4:11; 5:12,13; 7:10,12; 15:3,4; 19:1-7 etc.). In both the first and last chapters of the book we read that those who keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book are blessed (Rev.1:3;22:7). The 'Coming of the Lord' which is a keynote in this book is one of the first words in the book and one of the last words is John's prayer for the same (Rev.1:7;22:20). It is also mentioned in other parts of the book (Rev.2:25;3:3,11;16:15; 22:7,12,20). The first and last chapter s also contain the warning — 'The time is at hand’ (Rev.1:3;22:10). The coming of the Lord may be nearer than we think!