7 KEYS ABOUT WHAT THE BOOK OF REVELATION REVEALS ABOUT ITSELF

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1 Revelation 5 MAIN VIEWS 1) About fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. 2) About Repeating Principles Which are True for All Times. Not about kings and countries and events, but about truths that is true for every time and country. Teaches wherever Christ is preached (white horse), there will be persecution and evil. A template you can put on every nation and people to say, Here s how things work. 3) Tells Story of Religious and Political History from 1 st Coming of Christ to 2 nd Coming of Christ. About Mohammed, Catholic Church, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Hitler, etc. 4) About the Fall of the Roman Empire Rome s persecution of the Early Church written to encourage the early church facing intense persecution. 5) About the 2 nd Coming Tribulation (Pre or Post) View all about the end times. 7 KEYS ABOUT WHAT THE BOOK OF REVELATION REVEALS ABOUT ITSELF 1) Primarily about Events that will SHORTLY come to pass 1:1 Soon take place. 1:3, 3:11, 22:6, 22:7, 22:10: Then he told me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. Daniel told to seal it up... because it was not going to happen for 400+ years. 2) Revelation was written in Symbols. Lamb, 7 Heads, Beast, 7 Heads with 10 Horns the entire book is written in Symbols Figures. Must look at the meaning. Written in Code to Protect Christians Rev 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. 3) Given to Comfort Persecuted Christians. The Blood of Christians is on every page. 1:9 5 of 7 letters to Churches about Persecution 6:9-10 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood? Special Thanks to Dr Stafford North, OKU 1

2 Main Characters Seen in 7:14, 11:7, 12:17, 13:7, 13:15, 17:6, 19:2, 20:4 The souls And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. 4) The book identifies the Main Characters: a. Souls of the Martyrs = Main Characters Christians suffering Persecution b. The Lamb = Jesus c. The Dragon Comes up in 12:3 7 heads, 10 horns, Tail sweeps 1/3 stars from sky, attempts to devour a child, has 2 beats as helpers... NO QUESTION ABOUT HIS IDENTITY 12:7-9 20:1- The DRAGON is Satan, and this book is about the war between Christ and Satan. EASY ANSWER. d. The 1 st Beast Comes up in Chapter 13:1-8 Another similar description in Chapter 17:8-14 Body like Leopard, Paws like Bear, Mouth like Lion Daniel 7 s vision saw 4 animals Lion, Bear, Leopard and a 4 th that was unnamed and different. 4 Great World Domineering Empires of that Day. o Lion = Nebuchadnezzar & Babylonians o Bear = Meads & Persians o Leopard = Greece & Alexander the Great o 4 th Animal = unnamed. Roman Empire? 13:5-7 The Beast makes war on Saints, has Universal Authority Everyone worships the Beast. 7 heads = 7 Kings 5 have past, 1 is, and 1 is to come... Clue to timing 5 have past, 1 is, 1 will come. When is this talking about? When it was written. 7 heads = 7 hills Rome was city built on 7 hills. 1 st Beast is Romans Empire Heads are Emperors (specific number of heads not as important symbolic). e. 2 nd Beast Comes from earth 5 horns like a lamb. Speaks like the Dragon; Comes up with 1 st Beast, goes down with 1 st beast is a contemporary of the 1 st beast. HAS ONE JOB to force people to worship the 1 st Beast. f. Beasts most likely Roman Empire rulers and those in authority Special Thanks to Dr Stafford North, OKU 2

3 5) Identifies the Harlot 17:18 Great City ruling over kings Sits on 1 st Beast (Roman Empire) Sits on 7 Hills - Septum montes Romae, Rome known as The City on 7 Hills Code Name Babylon a Capitol City of Universal Power. Spills Blood of the Saints. See coin of woman Roma sitting on 7 hills 6) Identifies the 1260 days. Used 5 times a. 42 months; 3 ½ years; Time, Times & ½ a Time. b. Always used as a time of persecution c. Not meant to be literal. d. 7 is symbolic time for Complete or Forever e. 3 ½ is symbolic for Incomplete or Temporary 7) 1000 Reign of the Kingdom a. 1:6 b. 1:9 c. John 18:36 d. Jesus came to establish a spiritual kingdom men wanted an earthly kingdom still do. WHICH OF 5 OPTIONS FIT BEST? Prediction of Future Events? Principles Only? Tells Story of 1 st Coming to 2 nd Coming of Christ? Destruction of Jerusalem? Fall of Rome? Best fits with Fall of Rome. Easiest by far. Then, it may ALSO foretell future events, and it clearly has principles that are true for all peoples and times. The best plan is to fully understand it in the context of what he s saying to THEM about THEIR PERSECTION, then understand what it could mean to us today. Most Scholars take this view. Special Thanks to Dr Stafford North, OKU 3

4 REVELATION 1-3 John on Patmos Exiled for Faith John in Spirit on Lord s Day. Don t know when written, but before 90 AD. Hears a great voice- See s Human Figure. In midst of 7 lampstands = 7 churches in Asia Minor; Living one =Jesus Angelos = Angel or Messenger; Asia Minor = Today s Turkey Writes letters to churches 7 Letters 7 Principles 7 Main things on Jesus Mind 1) I Know You I know your church, I know you, Christians. Knows struggles, difficulties, Good and Bad 2) Christ wants Church to Guard Their Teaching a. 2:2; 2:14; 2:20; 3:3, 3:8 3) Christ Wants Christians to Grow in Service a. 2:14 (or 19?), 2:8 (or 3:8), 2:4-5, 3:15, 3:1 4) Christ Wants Christians to Live Pure Life a. You live in Immoral Age b. You be strong Spiritual Work be on Right side of this Fight 5) Christ wants Christians to be Ready for Persecution a. 5 of 7 letters b. Entire book about Persecution c. Written on every page. 6) Christ wants Christians to Know they May be lost a. Ephesus Repent or remove lampstand b. Smyrna Faith unto death c. Pergamum d. Thyatira e. Sardis Not blot out of book of life f. Philadelphia Hold fast so not lose crown g. Laodicea Spew out of mouth 7) Christ wants Christians to Hope for Great Rewards. a. All 7 letters end same way To him who overcomes I will give... b. Overcome = NIKE Be victor, winner, overcome c. Tree of Life d. Not be hurt in 2 nd Death e. Give to eat hidden manna f. Rule Nations g. Dressed in White Robes h. Receive Morning Star i. Sit with me on throne Special Thanks to Dr Stafford North, OKU 4

5 CHAPTER 4-11 ACT 1 THE GREAT DRAMA Drama in 2 acts Act 1 = Chapter 4-11 Curtain rises see STAGE of Drama: Throne room Rainbow 4 Living Creatures 24 Thrones with Elders (don t know who) Super Majestic Throne room 1000 s of angles Every living creature on earth and in heaven. Body of water sea with no ripples 7 lampstands = Holy Spirit Alter of burnt offering (6:9), Ark of Covenant (Ch 8&11) SCENE 1 WHO IS WORTHY? - Chapter 5 A SCROLL w/ 7 SEALS (1 st of 2 scrolls (2 nd Scroll is Act 2)). No one worthy to open scroll. Lamb is worthy Lamb of tribe of Judah Root of David 7 eyes (7 = complete), 7 eyes = perfect knowledge; 7 horns = perfect power. What do we learn about the lamb? Jesus already slain back in heaven. Book about resurrected savior. Was slain, now risen. He is worshipped, and worshipped, and then, worshipped. SCENE 2 OPENING OF SEALS Chapter 6 Opens Seals 4 Horsemen 1) White House Crown & Bow Go Forth and Conquer 2) Red Horse Power to take peace Given sword 3) Black Horse Has Scales food very expenses scarcity & famine. 4) Pale Horse Rider is Death and Hades follows Each given power over ¼ of the earth (what it says) (what it means): From whom do the horsemen receive power? From God. God s power over nations. Special Thanks to Dr Stafford North, OKU 5

6 O.T. all about God s power over nations. God wields power and vengeance over nations still does. Acts 17 (esp verse 26) - The unknown God s boundaries of nations. 5 th Seal Chapt 6:9-11 KEY VERSE. HOW LONG? Martyrs have this question: How long...? Answer: take a white robe and wait more of your brothers will be persecuted. Persecution 80 AD 300 AD. Intense Persecution. ** CHURCH GREW STRONGER, NOT WEAKER ** 6 th Seal Day is come sun darkened, moon blood, Day of Wrath all OT imagery every time the same subject Fall of Nations Isaiah 1:2-22 Fall of Jerusalem Is 13:9-16 Fall of Babylon (read) Is 34:4 Fall of Edom Hosea 10:8 Fall of Samaria Joel 2:30-32 Fall of Israel (Peter on Pentecost) Fall of Nations Great clue to people reading this letter. INTERLUDE 144,000 Great Multitude (Chapter 7) Not start yet put my mark on my people 144,000 are 12,000 from 12 tribes Numbers # are symbols. 12 = Fullness or Completeness. 1,000 = Completeness. 12 X 12 X 1000 = Full X Full X Complete all the church and all of faithful Israel. White robes if Martyr going to be with me it s going to be OK. SCENE 3 7 TH SEAL (7 TRUMPETS) Chapter 8 7 th Seal 7 Angels with 7 trumpets (chapter 8) Trumpets used to warn someone being warned (9:20-21) warning to Dragon and Beast. 1 st Trumpet 1/3 Land burned 2 nd Trumpet 1/3 Sea Blood 3 rd Trumpet 1/3 Wormwood Rivers to blood 4 th Trumpet 1/3 Sun, Stars, moon dark Land, Sea, Rivers & Sky = All of nature. God uses natural disasters to warn. Pompeii destroyed by Vesuvius in 79 AD volcano warning. 1/3 is not TOTAL destruction 1/3 = partial destruction to warn. Special Thanks to Dr Stafford North, OKU 6

7 5 th Trumpet Locusts from Abyss 5 months. Abyss = Headquarters of Evil. Comes for 5 months to partially harm not forever, for a while. To hurt, harm, warn those who are evil. EVIL AGAINST ITSELF. Rome fell partially because they were too immoral. Immorality has played a role in the destruction of every major world political empire. U.S.? Trumpet 6 2 million soldiers from Euphrates. Euphrates River was Eastern Boundary of the Roman Empire. Forces coming from beyond the borders to ruin Roman Empire. The Goths, Visigoths, Huns & Vandals came to attack Rome. Chapter 9:20-21 Warnings not effective. INTERLUDE BETWEEN 6 TH & 7 TH TRUMPET Ch Angel 1 feet on land, 1 in sea. Gives John Scroll. John eats scroll and it is sweet in mouth, but bitter in stomach Good News / Bad News. Measuring temple. Enemies surround temple not hurt. Temple is what? Christians the church. Church and Christians going to be protected. 2 Witnesses > Christians giving testimony killed raised after 3 ½ days. FINAL SCENE OF ACT 1 7 TH TRUMPET Chapter 11:15-7 th Trumpet Heavenly Scene Praising God, Taken Power, Will destroy those persecuting. The wait is over I m gonna make my move. Curtain closes on Act 1. Conclusions: 1. Jesus is worthy of praise. 2. God uses natural disasters; immorality; outside forces to warn. 3. All ends well for the martyrs. 4. God is always in control. Special Thanks to Dr Stafford North, OKU 7