Overview of The Book of Revelation Barney s Staycation 2017 Rt Rev Dr Michael Stead, Bishop of South Sydney
Introduction A paradoxical name Revelation Bewildering number of approaches When? How? Who? What? How should we live in light of Revelation? My approach
Rev 1-3 Rev 21-22 Rev 4-5 Rev 20 Rev 6-7 Rev 17-19 Rev 8-11 Rev 15-16 Rev 12-14
Linear? Rev 1-3 7 Letters Rev 4-5 Rev 6-7 Rev 8-11 Rev 12-14 7 Seals 7 Trumpets Woman,Satan Time
Rev 1-3 Rev 4-5 Rev 6-7 Rev 8-11 Rev 12-14 Rev 15-16 Rev 17-19 Rev 20 Rev 21-22
Overlay / concurrent Like colour printing (CMYK)
Present What was and is? Future What is to come?
Present What was and is? Future What is to come? Rev 6-7 7 Seals Rev 15-16 Judgment on World Rev 1-3 Rev 8-9+10-11 7 Trumpets Rev 17-19 Judgment on Babylon Rev 21-22 Rev 4-5 Rev 12-14 Woman, Satan Rev 20 Judgment on Satan
How the read the book of Revelation Revelation as Apocalyptic Symbolic Numbers Symbolic Imagery Listening for the Echoes of the OT
Revelation 1-3 Letters to 7 specific churches addressing 1 st century issues
Revelation 4-5 Rev 4 Rev 5 Worship God Worship the Lamb (Creator) (Redeemer) The Lamb s victory as past-tense (5:5) The gospel foundation for what follows
Revelation 6-7 : 7 Seals 1-4 : Conquest, War, Famine, Death 5: Persecution - How Long, O Lord? 6: Earthquake interlude: sealed and clothed 7: Silence in heaven for ½ hour Theme: Suffering Implication : Protected (Sealed)
Revelation 8-11 : 7 Trumpets 1-4 : ⅓ land, ⅓ sea, ⅓ freshwater, ⅓ sky 5: Locust from abyss 6: Earthquake interlude: scroll & witnesses (Rev 10-11) 7: Loud voices in heaven for ½ hour ⅓ = partial judgment, 42 months =3½ years Purpose of the judgment repentance (9:20)
Revelation 12-14 : The woman & the lamb, the dragon and two beasts Man child = Jesus Woman = faithful Israel (cf. Isa 66:7-13) Dragon, Beast, & False Prophet (16:13,19:20) In the first instance, referring to Rome Theme: Spiritual Conflict
Revelation 15-16 : 7 Plagues=Bowls 1-4 : Land, Sea, Freshwater, Sky 5 Darkness (overtones of Exodus..) 6 miraculous signs => battle 7 Earthquake Theme: Final judgment on the world
Revelation 17-19 : Babylon and her fall Babylon = Ancient Rome Persecutor of Christians 7 heads & 10 horns The wedding of the Lamb has come Theme: Final judgment on the oppressor
Revelation 20 : The End of Satan The 1000 years The book of deeds & the book of life Theme: Final judgment on Satan
Revelation 21-22 : No More Tears! New Heaven & New Earth The Bride of Christ The river of life Behold I am coming soon Theme: New creation
When does it all happen? 2 main options : Premillennial OR Amillennial Millennium = 1000 Years (Rev 20:2) Premillennial = Literal 1000 years of Christ s rule, preceded by 7 years of tribulations (ie. Rev 6-22 is all future for us) Amillennial= millennium has begun Christ has begun to rule, and yet we are in a period of tribulation at the same time
Present What was and is? Linear? Future What is to come? Rev 1-3 7 Letters Rev 4-5 Rev 6-20 Rev 20 Rev 21-22 Seals, trumpets Millennium New Creation 7 years 1000 years Time You are here
Premillennialism You are here
Overlay / concurrent Metaphor: Colour Printing (CMYK)
How to Put the Blocks Together Rev 6-7 7 Seals Rev 8-11 7 Trumpets 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rev 12-14 Woman, Birth
Now Future Rev 6-7 suffering world Rev 15-16 Judgment on World Rev 8-9+10-11 partial judgment Rev 17-19 Judgment on Babylon Rev 12-14 Woman, Satan Rev 20 Judgment on Satan
Present What was and is? Future What is to come? Rev 6-7 7 Seals Rev 15-16 Judgment on World Rev 1-3 Rev 8-9+10-11 7 Trumpets Rev 17-19 Judgment on Babylon Rev 21-22 Rev 4-5 Rev 12-14 Woman, Satan Rev 20 Judgment on Satan
Amillennialism You are here
What was and is now Rev 1-3 7 letters to 7 churches Under threat from idolatry, immorality, false teaching, forsaking our first love, lukewarm Rev 4-5 The Lord and Lamb. The Lord God is worthy of praise (creator) The Lamb on the throne is worthy of praise (saviour) Rev 6-7 7 Seals A world of suffering This isn t the perfect world (yet) - Conquest, war, famine, death, persecution & disaster. Rev 8-9+10-11 7 Trumpets Rev 12-14 Woman, Satan Warning judgment on rebellious world God is pouring out a partial judgment on the world to bring people to repentance. Spiritual conflict Satan is actively opposed to Christians and seeks to make war against us