REVELATION AN INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW REVELATION Outline

REVELATION AN INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW

REVELATION: Outline NEW KINGDOM VICTORIOUS! Chapter 1 PEP TALK Chapters 2 -3 INFANT KINGDOM BEYOND BELIEF Chapters 4 -5 OLD TIMER HATES NEW KID Chapter 6 PROTECTIO N PROMISED Chapter 7 LEADER SENDS WARNINGS Chapters 8 -9 OLD MAGIC STILL ALIVE Chapter 10 -11: 10 COMEBACK HISTORY! Chapter 11: 11 -19 WHERE DID THIS ROMAN HOSTILITY COME FROM? SATAN vs. ISRAEL Chapter 12: 1 -12 SATAN vs. THE CHURCH Chapter 12: 13 -19 NEW PUPPET SHOW IN TOWN Chapter 13: 1 -10 FAKE RELIGIOUS LEADERS TAKEN TO COURT Chapter 14 WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF THE COURT BATTLE? ROME IS CONVICTED & SENTENCED Chapter 15 -16 STRANGE TENT MEETING STARTS Chapter 13: 11 -18 MOST INFLUENTIAL CITY IN THE WORLD PUNISHED Chapter 17 -18 VICTORIOUS LEADER PRAISED BY FOLLOWERS Chapter 19 -20: 10 DEDICATED FOLLOWERS ARE REWARDED Chapter 20: 11 -22

REVELATION: Past or Present? Many believe that the events symbolized in Revelation are prophecies that find their fulfillment in our day; but let’s look at what the book says about itself on ten different occasions. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. “The things that must soon take place…” - 1: 1 “For the time is near…” - 1: 3 “I will come to you soon. ” - 2: 16 “I am coming soon. ” - 3: 11 “The third woe is soon to come. ” - 11: 14 “What must soon take place. ” - 22: 6 “I am coming soon. . . ” - 22: 7 “For the time is near. ” - 22: 10 “I am coming soon. ” - 22: 12 “Surely I am coming soon. ” - 22: 20

REVELATION: Symbols The book of Revelation is a book of symbols, not descriptions of literal, physical creatures and events. The word “like” is used 54 times in the New King James translation. Some of these symbols are: The 144, 000 - 7: 4 Gigantic unearthly locusts - 9: 3 The two witnesses - 11: 3 A woman clothed with planets - 12: 1 The dragon - 12: 3 Beasts from the sea and earth - 13 The mark of “ 666” - 13: 18 Stream of blood 200 miles long - 14: 20 Harps of God - 15: 2 Armageddon - 16: 16

REVELATION: Symbols “All the scriptural imagery (harps, crowns, gold, etc. ) is, of course, a merely symbolical attempt to express the inexpressible. Musical instruments are mentioned because for many people (not all) music is the thing known in present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity. Crowns are mentioned to suggest the fact that those who are united with God in eternity share His splendor and power and joy. Gold is mentioned to suggest the timelessness of heaven (gold does not rust) and the preciousness of it. People who take these symbols literally might as well think that when Christ told us to be like doves, He meant that we were to lay eggs” (Lewis, C. S. The Best of C. S. Lewis. Washington, D. C. : Canon Press, 1973). Quote found in Harkrider’s commentary on Revelation.

REVELATION: Use of Numbers 1 - This number suggests unity, or something unique or special. 2 - Twice the number of one, this became strength and truth. 3 - The “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, ” three came to represent the divine. 3 1/2 - Half of complete, hence incomplete, indefinite. 4 - There are four points on the compass. This number stands for where mankind lives. 6 - One number short of perfect, failure or incomplete. 7 - Like the days of creation, and the days of the week, this came to symbolize complete or perfect. 10 - By combining 7 and 3, we have another number that represents perfection or completeness. 12 - The number of Israelite tribes, as well as apostles called by Jesus. This number symbolizes God’s people.

REVELATION: Chapter 1 NEW KINGDOM VICTORIOUS! n A letter to the seven churches of Asia. - 1: 4 n From Jesus, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. - 1: 5 n He has made us a kingdom of priests! - 1: 6 n John is a fellow partaker in this kingdom. - 1: 9 n He is told the write things he has seen. 1: 19

REVELATION: Chapter 2 -3 NEW RULER GIVES PEP TALK! n To the seven churches of Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea n Order of the letters: 1) Greeting 2)Description 3)Commendation 4)Condemnation 5)Warn 6)Reward 7)Invite

REVELATION: Chapters 4 -5 NEW KINGDOM BEYOND BELIEF! “We have such a high priest, the has according to at law; who serve a “…There are those who offer whogifts taken his seatthe right hand of the throne shadow of heavenly things” a minister in copy and aof the Majesty in the heavens, (Heb. 8: 4 -5). the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man” (Heb. 8: 1 -2). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Altar Sea (Laver) Seven lamps Showbread Elders w/incense Lamp stand Throne Altar of Incense Living Creatures Holy of Holies Ark of Covenant Cherubim 4 6 3 1 C 7 C 2 5 5 C C 8 6 3 4

REVELATION: Chapter 6 OLD KINGDOM HATES NEW ONE SEAL 1: Pure person sent to conquer SEAL 2: After that, persecution would come SEAL 3: Everyday life would become harder SEAL 4: Common woes of life would exist SEAL 5: A cry for justice from the martyred saints SEAL 6: Judgment will come

REVELATION: Chapter 7 PROTECTION IS PROMISED THE NUMBER: 144, 000 (12 x 10). THE GROUP: Spiritual Israel. - Rom. 2: 28 -29; Gal. 3: 7 -9 THE PROMISE: To be in God’s presence. - Rev. 7: 14 -17 THE SEAL: What is the seal?

REVELATION: Chapter 7 THE SEAL - Rev. 7: 3 -8 In the past, seals have been used for several reasons. 1. Protection from tampering - Matt. 27: 66; 2 Tim. 2: 19 2. Designates ownership - S. of S. 8: 6; Jer. 32: 11 -12 3. Certifies authenticity - Esth. 3: 12, 8: 8; Dan. 6: 17 4. Indicates confirmation - Jn. 3: 3 5. Marks the completion of a transaction - Jer. 32: 9 -10 God does all of this for the Christian! n We are marked as God’s possession. - 2 Tim. 2: 19; 2 Cor. 1: 20 -22 1. When we accept the revealed word of God as Jesus taught, we add our “seal” and certify to the authenticity and truthfulness of Christ’s testimony. - Jn. 3: 33 -34 2. None of these things takes place without us interacting with God’s written word. - Eph. 1: 13 -14

REVELATION: Chapters 8 -9 HEAVENLY RULER WARNS ROME “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands…” (Rev. 9: 20). n n 1. 2. 3. 4. One third of the earth burns. One third of the sea turns to blood. One third of inland water turns to blood. Light sources from the sky fail. Smoke and locusts ravage the land. One third of the people remaining after that will die.

REVELATION: Chapters 10 -11 OLD KINGDOM HAS COMEBACK MAGIC § § § A little book is seen. The temple is measured. 1, 260 days are mentioned. 2 witnesses are killed by a beast & resurrected. The great city is introduced & described.

REVELATION: Chapters 10 -11 THE LITTLE BOOK • • • ON SEA & EARTH: He covered the whole world. IT WAS SWEET: The words of God are sweet. - Ps. 119: 97 -104 IT WAS BITTER: The woes of God are bitter. - Ezek. 2: 8 -3: 4 God’s word must be spoken! It is sweet to the obedient, but bitter to the unrepentant.

REVELATION: Chapters 10 -11 THE TEMPLE & HOLY CITY • THE TEMPLE During the Mosaic dispensation the temple is where God’s presence dwelt, it was a meeting place between God and man (Ex. 25: 8 -9, 40: 34 -38; 2 Chron. 7: 13). • THE HOLY CITY In the Old Covenant this was Jerusalem, first introduced to us as the “city of peace” by Melchizedek (Gen. 14: 18), and as the “lion of God” by Isaiah (Is. 29: 1). Matthew called it “the holy city” (Matt. 4: 5, 27: 53). • CHRIST’S CHURCH In the New Covenant we are taught that God’s presence and the “Holy City” are spiritually found in the church (1 Cor. 3: 16 -17; Eph 2: 19 -22; 1 Pet. 2: 4 -5, 9; Heb. 12: 22 -24). The symbols of the temple and the holy city are describing God’s people. They are describing Christians.

REVELATION: Chapters 10 -11 1260 DAYS 1, 260 Days = 42 Months = 3 1/2 Years 11: 3 12: 6 11: 2 13: 5 12: 14 7 is the symbol for complete, so half of that number (3 1/2) would symbolize a short, indefinite period of time.

REVELATION: Chapters 10 -11 THE TWO WITNESSES • • The number “ 2” refers to strength and truth (competent testimony) when talking about witnesses. The witnesses’ job was to speak God’s word. They were a source of oil for the light of the candles (which are the churches). They perform miracles to validate their message. When was 1) God’s word spoken with 2) competent testimony, 3) providing enlightenment for 4) the churches, and backed up by 5) miracles?

REVELATION: Chapters 10 -11 THE TWO WITNESSES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Speaking God’s word - Acts 8: 25 Competent testimony - Acts 8: 25 Providing enlightenment - Eph. 1: 15 -18 To Churches - Eph. 1: 1 Supported by miracles - Acts 8: 13 The two witnesses symbolize the gospel, and attempts to “kill” it. Every time someone was killed for spreading it, it spread even faster, as if resurrected (Acts 4: 16 -18, 8: 1 -4).