|
The book of Revelation is important because it talks about “things which must shortly come to pass.” It is a revealing of prophetic things that God desires us to understand. John, commanded to keep this book open, was told not to seal this book, because those who would read it with understanding would be blessed.
Revelation or Apocalypse means to uncover or unveil. Therefore, the Revelation of Jesus Christ as written in Chapter one verse one is an uncovering or unveiling of who Jesus Christ is. It is not as many feel a book of mysteries and undeterminable phrases, but instead it is a book designed to clarify and reveal. It is a book written to tell of things to come.
The actual authorship of this book is still under speculation, most though believe and agree that it was John, a disciple of Jesus. The beginning of the book itself says that the author was John, on the isle of Patmos. John was a leader in the churches of Asia and was from a family of fishermen. He was believed to be a prosperous man also according to Matthew 4:21. Along with James and Peter, He held a rare relationship to Christ. (Mark 5:37 and 13:3) Tradition would have it that John settled in Ephesus where he was eventually arrested and exiled to a small island close to Ephesus in the Aegean Sea. He was arrested under the reign of the Emperor Domitan who reigned from AD 81-96.
There are many different interpretations of this book. Many take one view and one view only. Others combine two or three, while some look at it, as a combination of all views. In the first chapter, it is said that this is a writing of “things which must shortly come to pass.” This phrase, “things which must shortly come to pass,” is the cause of the four interpretations.
· Preterist: This interpretation is one of seeing the book of Revelation as having already been fulfilled. Preterist is from the Latin meaning past. This interpretation believes that the entire book was fulfilled by the time of Constantine. (AD 312)
· Historical: This interpretation gives a view of the history of the church from the days of John to the end of time. This interpretation believes that the book is being fulfilled throughout the Christian era. Such things as the symbolic messages of the rise of the papacy, the corruption of the church and wars. This interpretation varies greatly within its self, due to writers having their own viewpoint as to the scheme of the book.
· Idealist: This method of interpretation gives us a look at Revelation in surrounding of conflict and constant chaos. There are no actual events that have taken place or that are to come to pass; it is simply a portrayal of the struggle between good and evil.
· Futurist: This view seems to be the one most accept as prophecy that primarily is yet to come. It has not yet been fulfilled and particularly from chapter 4 on. It is a more literal view of the book.
An Outline to the Book of Revelation
1) The introduction and coming of Christ
The revelation of Jesus Christ as recorded by John
Blessings promised for reading
Blessings promised for obedience
Message to the seven churches
Vision of the Second Coming
John’s vision on Patmos
The seven churches
The vision of the glorified Christ
The chosen symbols
Death conquered
The imagery is explained
2) Christ’s message to the seven churches
The church sound in doctrine but lacking in love
Church discipline
The divine reproof
The rich church yet poor
The worldly church
The false doctrine is condemned
The church of the false prophetess Jezebel
3) What John was told to write to the churches
The dead church
The church that is loyal
The church that is lukewarm and self satisfied
4) John’s vision of God’s throne
God’s throne is seen and all that is around it
The elders are lifted up
The creator of all is worshipped
5) The book with the seven seals
A book with seven seals
An unsolvable mystery
The vision of the Lamb of God
Christ as interpreter
All shall worship the Lamb
6) Six of the seals opened
The mysterious seals are opened
The first seal reveals the four
The conqueror upon a white horse
The second seal brings war
The third seal brings famine
The fourth seal brings death
The fifth seal shows the martyrs
The sixth seal shows a catastrophe
7) The servants of God are sealed
The saints are sealed
A vision is seen of the redeemed
The white robed saints
8) The seventh seal is opened and great plagues
There is silence in heaven
The seventh seal is opened
The sounding of the seven trumpets
The first trumpet brings judgments of hail, fire, etc.
The second trumpet is sounded a Great Mountain is seen
The third trumpet brings the falling of a great star
The fourth trumpet sounds and the sun is smitten, etc.
The fearful woes are now predicted
9) The fifth angels sounds
The fifth trumpet sounds and the abyss is unlocked
The locusts are described
We see the king of the abyss
The sixth trumpet sounds loosing the four bound angels of death
The horsemen and the horses are described
No repenting is seen even with the judgments
10) John is commanded to eat the book
The angel with the book
The voices of the seven thunders and the utterances of them
A fullness of time, no more delay
A closing to the divine plan
John eats the book
11) The prophecies and preaching of the two witnesses
The temple is measured on the inside
We see the two witnesses
The power of the witnesses
A temporary victory over evil
The seventh trumpet sounds with the victory of Christ’s kingdom
12) The woman clothed with the sun
The great red dragon
A war in heaven
Satan is cast out of heaven
The victory is foretold of God’s kingdom
Satan persecutes the woman
A demonic spectacle is seen
13) A beast with seven heads and ten horns
The beast is seen rising from the sea
The dragon is worshipped
War is made against the believers
A beast comes up from the earth
14) Babylon is falling
The Lamb is seen
A heavenly chorus is heard
Those that follow the Lamb
The everlasting gospel
The evil powers are going to fall
There is worship of the beast
The wicked will have no rest
There are two harvests
15) The last seven plagues
John’s vision of the overcomers
The vials of wrath
16) The angels pour out the vials
God’s judgments
The first vial, boils and sores
The second vial, blood
The third vial, blood
The fourth vial, fire that would scorch
The fifth vial, darkness
The sixth vial, river dried up
The battle of Armageddon
The seventh vial, it is done
The fall of evil powers
17) The woman arrayed in purple and scarlet
The scarlet woman, mother of harlots
The mystery Babylon
The woman and the beast
The rise and fall of kings
War is made against the Lamb
18) The fall of Babylon
Sin is doomed
God’s people are called out
The evil of the world is defeated
The kings and merchants are saddened over the defeat
The fate of the city is given
19) The marriage of the Lamb
The hallelujah choir in heaven
The marriage of the Lamb
The rider and the white horse
A great conflict
The evil powers are joined together
The Lamb is victorious
20) The thousand years
Satan is bound
The believers are exalted
Satan’s final defeat
The last judgment
21) A new heaven and earth
The Holy city
All things are made new
A picture of the holy city
The walls, gates, and foundations
The pearly gates
The light of the city
22) The river and tree of life and the final warnings
Paradise is restored
The truth of what John has seen
The city is always open
The final warning
The grace of Christ
| 
