Chapter 3 - A Simple Outline
What is the Book of Revelation to you? A mystery? Or a revelation? Is it too deep for you to study? ("Blessed is he that readeth and they which hear the words of this prophecy," Rev. 1:3a").
The fact is that most people neglect to follow God's injunction to read the book or even "listen."
I am going to try to give an outline of the book in a simple way.
The Book of Revelation is divided (by God Himself) into three parts. Rev. 1: 19 tells us that these three parts are: "Write the things which thou hast seen (1st part), and the things which are (2nd part) and the things which shall be hereafter (3rd part)" So we see that the book is naturally divided like this:
Part 1."The things which thou hast seen" - Chapter 1
Part 2."The things which are" - Chapter 2 and 3
Part 3."The things which shall be hereafter" - Chapter 4 to 22
"The Things Which Thou Hast Seen"
Part 1 - Chapter 1
Part 1 of the Book of Revelation is a record of the things John has seen thus far in the vision (before verse 19, chapter 1). "These things" were a vision of Jesus in glorious majesty in the midst of seven golden candlesticks, holding seven stars in His right hand.
"The Things Which Are"
Part 2 - Chapters 2 and 3
Chapters 2 and 3 contain a message from Jesus to each of seven churches that were in existence in Asia. These seven messages describe the condition of each church as it really was at the time John wrote the Book of Revelation. The seven messages can be applied three different ways as follows:
A. The names of the seven churches in Asia were: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Each church was, of course, named for the city in which it was located. To each of these churches Jesus sent a personal message, praising for some things, calling on them to repent of other things, and giving to each church a definite promise for those who were overcomers.
B. The seven messages in chapters 2 & 3 also have a personal application to all people everywhere, in every age. Jesus says again and again, once in each of the seven messages: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches".
So we are plainly told that the messages are meant for the whole world, not just for the seven churches.
Have you an ear? If so, you are commanded to listen to the things Jesus said to the seven churches and to apply these things to your personal life.
C. There is a symbolic meaning to the seven messages to the seven churches We are now near the end of the church age, that is, Jesus will soon come back in the air and take the church away from the earth with Him to a place that He has gone to prepare.
We can now look back over the history of the church and see that the seven different churches in Asia were types of seven different periods in church history. We are now in the church period called Philadelphia in the Bible, the next to the last period. Revelation 3:10 contains a great promise to us who are in this church period. In this verse, Jesus promises to keep us from the seven year period of great troubles that is coming on all the earth. He will do this by coming for us as described in I Thessalonians 4:16, 17.
Now for fear someone will say, 'What church do you mean?' I will try to explain briefly what the true Church is. There is only one true Church and Christ is the Head of it. Everyone who belongs to Christ is a member of this one true Church. Your name may or may not be on the register of some organization here on earth, such as: Methodist, Baptist, Church of God, Lutheran, Assembly of God, etc. Belonging to some such organization on earth is not a requirement for belonging to the one true Church.
It may be a good thing and a desirable thing to belong to some organization, but it is not the essential thing. The essential thing is to belong to Christ and have your name on the Lamb's Book of Life. How many have their name entered on some church book here who do not belong to the Lord and will have no part in His coming Kingdom?
The church record book of members (The Book of Life, Revelation 20:15) is in Heaven, safe from tampering human hands. If you belong to Christ, you are a member of the one true church and your name is entered on this book in Heaven.
As true Christians, we have the assurance that Jesus will come to take us away from the earth to escape the awful judgments of God upon the earth during the Tribulation. But we do not know what time He will come. Some people think He will come just before the seven years start; others think it will be just after the 5th seal is opened. Still others think it will be after the 6th trumpet sounds. It really makes little difference which of these times we think is correct, for God knows and He will take care of us. We cannot know the exact time of Jesus' coming. Whether He will keep us from all seven years (as some think) or from just the last 3 1/2 years (as others think) or a number of years in between these figures we are not certain, but we know that God will take care of us. Watch and pray. Mark 13:33
But there is one thing certain: Jesus will come for us before the sounding of the 7th trumpet (Rev. 11:15) because this marks the middle of the seven years. The last 3 1/2 years will be the most awful period of trouble in human history, and it is certain that the Lord will keep us from it (Rev. 3:10).
'The Things Which Shall Be Hereafter"
Part 3 - Chapter 4 to the close of the book
Chapter 4: 1b says. "Come up hither. and I will show you things which must be hereafter." Here we are shown plainly where the 3rd division of the Book of Revelation starts.
Keep in mind that none of these events described in Chapters 4 to 22 have yet come to pass; all are in the future.
Next, in order to make it plainer to understand, let us subdivide this part of the book (the things that are in the future- Chapters 4 to 22) into three sections:
A. Chapters 4 to 19 Tribulation (7 years)
B. Chapter 20 - The Millennium and the two resurrections (1000 yrs.)
Chapters 21 & 22 - After the Millennium(eternity, forever)
Chapter 4 up to and including Chapter 19 will all take place in seven years. This is the time of great trouble from which Jesus promises to keep true Christians (Revelation 3:10) by taking them from the earth, (I Thessalonians 4:17). Christians have developed the habit of calling this seven year period the Tribulation, which means great trouble. The seven years of trouble are also called "Daniel's Seventieth Week." The Book of Revelation is closely related to the Book of Daniel and each supplements the other. Therefore, we must study both books to obtain a clearer picture of the Tribulation.
A brief outline of Chapters 4 to 20 in Revelation is as follows:
Chapter 4 John is shown a scene in Heaven.
Chapter 5 God gives Jesus a book with seven seals which must be loosed. The book and seals are symbolic, that is, they stand for something else.
Chapter 6 The First six seals are opened. The explanation of the seals follows:
First Seal - The Antichrist comes into world prominence peaceably (denoted by the white horse) and sets out to conquer the world. The rider on the white horse cannot be Christ (as some have said) because Jesus Himself is loosing the seals.
Second Seal - The peace and prosperity of his reign is replaced by war as the ambitious ruler extends his kingdom.
Third Seal - Government control and scarcity of food is indicated here. The antichrist will probably starve some into submission.
Fourth Seal - Many people (one-fourth of the earth) die. Daniel tell us the antichrist will persecute and overcome the Lord's people. Multitudes will be slain, others will die of hunger, war, disease, and Wild Animals.
Fifth Seal - Here are pictured in Heaven the souls of those whom the antichrist has killed in conquering the world (those true to Jesus). The ones responsible for their death are still alive on the earth for these martyrs cry to God for vengeance on "them that dwell on earth".
Sixth Seal - God answers their plea by sending terrible demonstrations of His power and displeasure upon the earth (mighty earthquakes and great disturbances in the heavens cause panic on earth).
Chapter 7 This chapter tells of certain preparations to be made before the loosing of the seventh seal, for when the seventh seal is loosed the book will be open.
What is the book from which Jesus is loosing the seals? Some have thought it to be a title to the world, but does not Jesus already own the world? The Old Testament says that "The earth is the Lord's." John says, "All things were made by Him." But it is true that while the earth is really the Lord's already, there is an intruder who himself knows that he has but a short time. God is permitting his transgressions to come to the full, then judgment against Satan and all those who worship him will commence.
The book, I believe, contains the judgments of God upon the devil and the evil and corruption he has caused, and the plan of strategy by which the world will be forever freed from evil so that Christ can take over His kingdom free from everything sinful.
The symbol of the seals on the book is significant. The seals must be loosed so that the book can be opened. The rise of the antichrist and his conquest of the world (first by peace, then by war, bloodshed, and starvation) must precede the final judgment of God on the world.
Transgression must come to the full and has reached the point where it includes the whole earth under one evil man. Preparation is made for opening the Seventh Seal because the breaking of the seventh seal will render the book open and the earth subject to the judgments in the book. God sends an angel to seal 12,000 of each of the 12 tribes of Israel in their foreheads with the seal of God in order that judgments coming on the earth will not harm them.
Also, we now see a great company of redeemed people in Heaven so we must conclude that the First Resurrection (called the Rapture by some Christians) has already taken place. Probably it took place before the opening of the Seven Seals.
Chapter 8 Jesus looses the 7th and last seal on the book. What event is symbolized by the 7th seal? It is the final preparation in Heaven to execute the judgments and strategy contained in the book. After the equivalent of 1/2 hour of silence. an angel offers before God the prayers of the saints. These must be prayers of people still on earth, those who were not prepared when Jesus came to take away the Church (Rev. 3:10) but who were turned to God in desperation since then and are praying for deliverance.
Let us not overlook these prayers nor belittle their power with God. After offering the prayers, the angel casts censor of altar fire to earth to signify God's anger against the world and His sanction of the coming judgments. Now seven angels prepare themselves to execute the judgments by the blowing of trumpets for the seals on the book are all now loosed. That is, the preparations are now ready (both on earth and in Heaven) for the judgments of God to be executed. The book is opened. Why will God send these awful judgments? To show the world His supernatural power so that some may be led to repentance. At the beginning of the seven trumpet judgments, the world will be under one man and his evil character will not be apparent to the world because of the great material prosperity (Daniel 8:23, 24, 25).
The rest of Chapter 8 tells about the 1st four judgements or plagues. An outline of these is as follows:
1st Trumpet 1/3 of trees and all grass burned up
2nd Trumpet 1/3 of sea becomes blood, 1/3 of ships destroyed, 1/3 of sea animals die
3rd Trumpet 1/3 of fresh waters become bitter
4th Trumpet 1/3 of the sun, moon and stars darkened
Now an angel warns that the next three plagues that are to come on the earth (when the 5th, 6th and 7th trumpets sound) are to be worse than the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th plagues or judgments already sent.
Chapter 9 A description of the 5th and 6th trumpets.
5th Trumpet - Evil supernatural beings come from the bottomless pit to torment earth dwellers five months, but not to kill.
Where is the bottomless pit? How can anything be bottomless? Some have said that it is probably a place shaped like a "V". While this would permit a very narrow bottom to the place, still we could not say that it was bottomless. There is only one place within our limited knowledge that could be bottomless and that place could be the center of the earth. If there was a hollow pit in the center of the earth, it would have no bottom. Gravity would draw an object to the center of the pit and hold it there. Then every direction would be up. There would be no bottom. If the center of the earth were the center of a hollow place, it would not be a bottom.
6th Trumpet - Other evil supernatural creatures torment and kill earth dwellers for 13 months (1/3 of the people killed).
Chapter 10 There was great emphasis put upon the opening of the 7th seal so now we see that similar importance is attached to the blowing of the 7th Trumpet. Opening the 7th seal freed the book of judgments in Jesus' hand. What does the blowing of the 7th Trumpet signify? It marks the middle of the seven-year covenant that the antichrist made with the Jews. Three and one half years are past and now three and one half years remain. This is indeed an important event for at the sounding of the 7th Trumpet the devil himself will be cast to the earth, having access to Heaven no more. A number of other events take place at the blowing of the 7th Trumpet. They are as follows:
1) The devil will be cast down to earth (Rev. 12:9)
2) His spirit enters into the antichrist (Daniel)
3) The antichrist (world ruler) will break his covenant with the Jews by causing the daily sacrifice in the Temple at Jerusalem to be discontinued. (Daniel 9:27)
4) The antichrist will enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple, proclaiming himself to be God. This is the abomination of desolation. (Daniel 11:31)
5) The 144,000 Jews sealed in their foreheads will be caught up to Heaven (the man child) (Rev. 7:4, Rev. 12:13, Rev. 14:1, 2 and 3).
6) The rest of the Christian Jews (the man child's mother) will flee into the wilderness, fulfilling Matt. 24:16. Also see Rev. 12:6.
7) The two witnesses will come down from Heaven to prophesy during the remaining 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation, (Rev. 11:3).
Chapter 10 details the great emphasis put upon the sounding cf the 7th trumpet in a dramatic way. A mighty angel comes from Heaven and makes a proclamation concerning the 7th trumpet or judgment, (There shall be delay of time no longer). The angel said when the 7th trumpet sounds the mystery of God shall be finished.
Chapter 11 The angel tells John that the outer court of the Temple at Jerusalem and the city of Jerusalem itself were soon to be trodden under foot by Gentiles for 42 months or 3 1/2 years.
The angel also tells John that two witnesses shall come down from heaven to prophesy and do miracles during the 1260 days (3 1/2 years). Although the angel describes the whole of their ministry in Rev. 11:3-13, we must bear in mind that their ministry will not start until the blowing of the 7th trumpet, for the 7th trumpet blows at the beginning of the 3 ½ years and the ministry of Elijah and Enoch are for the same period. Most Bible students agree that these two men who will come down from heaven to preach during the 3 1/2 years of Tribulation are Elijah and Enoch, the only two men recorded who were taken to heaven without dying. The two witnesses will be killed at the end of the 3 1/2 year period so one of these men could not be John (as some have thought) because John died on the Isle of Patmos, and therefore could not die again after receiving an incorruptible body in the First Resurrection "It is appointed to men once to die" Hebrews 9:27a. Remember Rev. 11:3-13 tells of events during 3 ½ years so we may well conclude that the earthquake in Rev. 11:13 is the same as the earthquake in Rev. 16:18.
Notice Rev. 11: 18a, "Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged." This verse does not say that this is the time for the dead to be resurrected, but to be judged. Probably this refers to the judgment of reward that is to take place before the judgment seat of Christ.
Chapters 12 & 13 It is important to remember that the events in Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 to verse 9 happen at the blowing of the 7th trumpet in rapid succession. Let us take into consideration Matt. 24:15-22 and II Thess. 2:3, 4.
I think we can safely conclude that the devil will be cast down first for that is the event over which all heaven is so jubilant and which the mighty angel announced in Rev. 11. The devil's spirit will enter the antichrist who goes to the temple. orders the sacrifice to be discontinued, and then as II Thess. 2 says he will sit in the temple, proclaiming himself to be God. This is the abomination of desolation spoken of in Matt. 24:15. The devil and his agents start to persecute the 144,000 Jews who are sealed in their foreheads. God catches up the 144, 000 (the man child) to Heaven and the members of the Christian Jewish Church (the woman in Rev. 12), hearing of the antichrist in the Temple in God's place, (abomination of desolation or possibly there may be something supernatural to see from a distance) flee to the wilderness as commanded by Jesus in Matt. 24: 16-22 and recorded in Rev. 12:6.
Chapter 13 is a detailed description of the antichrist and his associates during the last 3 1/2 years.
The first beast is the antichrist. Notice both he and the dragon have seven heads and ten horns. The difference is in their crowns. The antichrist has crowns on the ten horns, but the dragon has crowns on his seven heads. The heads represent the seven world kingdoms as follows: Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Persia-Media, Greece, Rome, and the world kingdom that is in the future and will be in existence during the Tribulation. The devil has been the spiritual head of all these kingdoms down through the centuries for none of the pagan world kingdoms glorified God in the past, and neither will the world kingdom that is coming glorify God. The devil will also be the spiritual head of it. Therefore, he is represented as having crowns on the seven heads.
The antichrist is not pictured having crowns on the seven heads because he was not born during the time Egypt was a world kingdom, nor during the world kingdoms of Assyria, Babylonia, Persia-Media; Greece, or Rome. Neither is he pictured as having a crown on the head that stands for the last world kingdom (still in the future) because we are told in Rev. 13:2b, "the dragon gave him his power, and his seal, and great authority." Likewise. look at the times the words "was given" occurs in other verses in Rev. 13. This plainly represents the devil (dragon) as being the spiritual head of the last world kingdom and tells us that he will "give" his power to the antichrist. It suggests that the antichrist would never be able to conquer the whole world without the help of the devil.
Now we find crowns on the ten horns of the antichrist. These ten horns represent ten kingdoms of which the antichrist comes into possession by his own power. He controls these ten kingdoms before the beginning of the seven years Tribulation, before the loosening of the seals on the book of judgments.
The rest of the 13th chapter gives details of the last 3 1/2 years. The 2nd beast represents another man who will be the antichrist's prime minister, and will command that all worship the antichrist. Those in lands far from the antichrist's kingdoms will be commanded to worship his image (which will both "speak and move"). Anyone worshiping the antichrist or his image will be forever lost. There will be many who will refuse to worship the antichrist or his image, and refuse to have the mark of the beast stamped on the right hand or forehead. These will be killed in great numbers. Their bodies will perish but their souls will be saved.
What is the mark of the beast? Much has been written concerning this, but I do not think anyone knows. The beast is not yet here, so how can we know what his insignia will be? It is reasonably certain that the man who is to be the world ruler of the future will come from a little country called Syria. This we learn from a study of the 11th chapter of Daniel. It is not certain where the 2nd beast, the prime minister will come from. Some have thought from Rome. Revelation 13 is a detailed account of the coming world ruler's kingdom. This world ruler (the antichrist) is pictured symbolically here as a strange beast having seven heads, ten horns with crowns on them, also a body like a leopard, feet like a bear, and a mouth like a lion.
In actual appearance the antichrist will be an intelligent man "of fierce countenance" (Daniel 8:23), who will "cause craft to prosper," that is, material prosperity will be one of the ways by which people will be deceived.
Now let us go back to the appearance of this beast that represents the antichrist in his true nature. All of the things mentioned have a symbolic meaning: the seven heads, the ten horns, the crowns on the horns, the leopard body, the bear feet, and the mouth as a lion.
The seven heads represent seven world kingdoms from the time Adam was created. Until the date of this writing, there have six world kingdoms, as follows: Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Persia-Media, Greece, and Rome. Rome was ruler over all the civilized world when Jesus walked on the earth. In fact, Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross. The Roman kingdom was broken up into different parts, and there has been no world kingdom since, although many have tried to establish one. Napoleon tried it, so did the German Kaiser. Hitler has made the most recent effort to subdue the world. All of these failed. but the Bible says that someone will succeed "in the latter days." A 7th worldwide kingdom will materialize in the future, probably not far into the future. The antichrist will be the world ruler of the future, so the 7th head represents his kingdom.
The antichrist will have control of the land that made up the kingdom of Egypt, likewise that of the other six kingdoms, as well as additional territory of his own. Therefore, he is represented as having seven heads.
©2015 HLF Co.