A Study in the Book of Revelation

Revised January 2, 2006

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3)

“Behold, I am coming quickly!  Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Revelation 22:7)

Richard Geer and Brian Holda

ADDITIONAL SOURCES:

  • Ardron, H.: The Kingdom and the Antichrist.
  • Clement, George H.: ABC’s of the Prophetical Scriptures.
  • Geer, Richard and Earl Washington: “End Times” DVD Series.
  • Halley, Henry H: Halley’s Bible Handbook.

*NOTE: For studies on eschatology, we recommend the original version of Halley’s Bible Handbook as compared to the revised version.

  • Henry, Matthew: Matthew Henry’s Bible Commentary.
  • Hislop, Alexander: The Two Babylons (you can find the book online here: http://philologos.org/__eb-ttb/default.htm).
  • http://www.ao.net/~fmoeller/
  • MacPherson, Dave.  The Incredible Cover-Up: Exposing the Origins of Rapture Theories.
  • Mauro, Philip: The Hope of Israel.
  • Mauro, Philip: Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation.
  • Mauro, Philip: Things Which Soon Must Come to Pass.
  • Mauro, Philip: The Wonders of Bible Chronology
  • The Online Bible CD-ROM
  • Wohlberg, Steve:  End Time Delusions.
  • Woodrow, Ralph: Great Prophecies of the Bible.
  • Woodrow, Ralph: His Truth is Marching On.

Note:  All Scriptures are NKJV unless otherwise noted.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION 

WHY STUDY REVELATION?

  • For every 1 prophecy of Christ’s first coming, there are 5 prophecies of Christ’s second coming.
  • Christ’s second coming may be the most talked about subject in the New Testament.
    • General Rule:  We deal with subjects by the proportion that the Bible deals with the subject.  

*  For instance, 1 Corinthians 15:29 mentions baptism of the dead.  This is the only place in Scripture where this concept is mentioned.  We must deal with this concept because it is mentioned in the Bible, but we should never deal with this more than topics that the Bible devotes more time to.  

*  In contrast, Christ’s second coming should be dealt with in much depth, because the Bible devotes so many scriptures to this issue.

WHAT IS THE BOOK OF REVELATION ABOUT?

 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ…” (Rev. 1:1)

  • The Title.  This book focuses around the revealing of Jesus Christ.

“…which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place.  And He sent and SIGNIFIED it by His angel to His servant John” (Rev. 1:1, emphasis added)

  • “signified” – to show by signs; this is a book of symbols

OVERVIEW OF REVELATION

Revelation 1-3 is written for the things that were in John’s day (Rev. 1: 1).  

Rev. 4 – 22 covers from then on to the End (Rev. 4:1).

General overview…

Revelation 1, 21, and 22

Revelation 1:

3 – those who study Revelation will be blessed

4 – seven spirits are lamps of fire (4:5) and eyes of the lamb (5:6)

5-6 – Jesus has made those who believe kings and priests

7 – coming same way He left (Acts 1:11)

8 – written for seven churches

12 – golden lampstands = churches (1:20)

14 – eyes like flame of fire (both symbolize seven spirits)

15 – same description as Ezekiel 1:7,24; 43:2

16 – stars are angels (1:20), sword is Bible (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12), countenance is like Mt. of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:2)

20 – stars = angels, lampstands = churches

Revelation 21 (and 22):

Rev. 21:2:

“New Jerusalem, coming down OUT OF HEAVEN from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

  • Origin of the Church is from heaven.
  • Contrasts the Beast from the earth (Rev. 13:11)

Rev. 21:9-10:

“’Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God”.

  • The holy Jerusalem is the Lamb’s wife.
  • Bride of Lamb = Church (see Ephesians 5:25-27; 2 Corinthians 11:2)
    • Church also is:
      • Temple (Eph. 2:21)
      • House (Heb. 3:6)
      • Sheep (Heb. 13:20)
      • Salt (Matt. 5:13)
  • Holy Jerusalem = Church (Gal. 4:21-31; Heb. 12:22-23)

Rev. 21:11,23:

“[The City is described as] having the GLORY of God: and her LIGHT was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal…the LAMB IS THE LIGHT THEREOF” (KJV).

  • The Church has God’s GLORY (John 17:22; Eph. 5:27)
  • Church has God’s LIGHT (2 Corinthians 4:4; Eph. 5:8; 1 Peter 2:9)

Rev. 21:12:

The WALL of the City is “great and high”.

  • Wall is God’s salvation and protection (Isaiah 60:18,19)

Rev. 21:14:

“And the wall of the city had TWELVE FOUNDATIONS, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (KJV).

  • Church is built upon the teachings of Christ that he committed to the apostles.

These 12 men built the foundations of the church.  The church “is built upon the FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20, KJV).

1 Peter 2:4-6 also affirms that Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone laid in Zion to build the temple, and that the saints are the living stones that are built upon Jesus.

Rev. 21:19,20:

“And the foundations of the wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious stones” (KJV).

  • Twelve stones correspond with twelve stones that were in breastplate of the high priest (Exod. 28:17-20)
    • 12 stones are mentioned in Revelation and Exodus.
    • In Revelation, the names of the 12 apostles are in the foundations; in Exodus the 12 stones have the names of the 12 tribes.
    • In Revelation, the streets are gold; in Exodus the breastplate is decorated with gold.
    • In Revelation, the City is foursquare; in Exodus the breastplate of the high priest is foursquare.
  • Twelve stones may point to priesthood of believers (1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6)
    • God calls his people “jewels” (Malachi 3:17)

Rev. 21:18,21:

“[the] City was pure GOLD, like unto clear glass…and the street of the city was pure GOLD, as it were transparent glass” (KJV).

  • Jesus said to buy symbolic GOLD (Rev. 3:18)
  • The “golden candlesticks” (Rev. 1:12) symbolize the seven churches (see Rev. 1:20).
  • “Street being pure gold can speak of absolute purity.  The place upon which the saved walk is holy ground.  It is the way of holiness.” (Woodrow, HTMO)
  • Gold is the material that stands the judgment (1 Cor. 3:10-15)

Rev. 21:21,25:

“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls…and the GATES of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there” (KJV).

  • Gates = entrance to the city.
    • Gospel is preached in season and out of season.
  • Gates facing each direction may speak of universality of the gospel (Lk. 13:29).

Rev. 22:1:

“And he showed me a pure river of WATER of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb” (KJV).

  • “living water” is the water of life, the Holy Spirit (see John 4:10,14; 7:37,38)
    • Water flows from the throne of God, then through the city (the church) to the nations (see Ezekiel’s vision of the New Temple with measured water, Ezek. 47)

Rev. 22:2: 

“The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

  • Points to gospel going to the nations for healing (see Ezek. 47:12).

Is Rev. 21-22 a picture of a PRESENT REALITY, or the future Church?

  • There are, no doubt, portions of these chapters that speak of the church in its final, complete, and perfect state.
  • HOWEVER, many verses must be a PRESENT REALITY on earth:
    • The water which flows in the city is available NOW (see Rev. 22:17)
    • If in the new earth there is no sickness, the tree for life and healing must be available NOW.
    • Outside the city are dogs, sorcerers, etc. (see Rev. 22:15).  UNHOLY things could not continue just outside the walls in eternity. 

*  The church is no last minute arrangement on the part of God.  Redemption is at the very center of a perfect and unfailing plan, worked out even before the world began (1 Peter 1:19,20; 2 Tim. 1:9).

TIMELINE

  1. SEVEN SEALS (Rev. 6:1-8:1)…Seventh seal opens up the seven trumpets (Rev. 8:1-2)
  1. SEVEN TRUMPETS (Rev. 8:2-11:15)…Seventh trumpet opens up the seven bowls
  1. SEVEN BOWLS (Rev. 15:1-16:21)…”Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘IT IS DONE!’” (Rev. 16:17, emphasis added).

REVELATION 20

MILLENNIUM

  • Rev. 20 is only place in Bible where the millennium – literally, “the thousand years” – and the millennial reign is mentioned.
  • Mentioned 6 times: Rev. 20:2,3,4,5,6,7

5 Eschatological Viewpoints (OVERVIEW):

  1. Preterism – Generally believes that all or most of the book of Revelation was fulfilled in the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem in 70 AD. 
  1. Spiritualism/Idealism – Generally believes that all or most of the book of Revelation carries a totally symbolic meaning with no obvious time-space fulfillment in history.
  1. Premillennial – The millennial reign of Christ will being when Christ returns to earth.  Most of Revelation refers to events taking place around or after Christ’s return.
  1. Amillennial – The millennial reign of Christ is the time of the Church’s existence (from Christ’s first coming to His second coming).  “Thousand years” does not refer to a literal thousand years, but is figurative language for the whole of the years of the Church’s existence.  (This is the viewpoint that we, the writers, would tend to subscribe to).
  1. Postmillennial – Similar to amillennial.  Believes Christ will return to a Christianized world (not necessarily every person will become a Christian, but the general thought patterns of the world will conform to the Christian value system).  Amillennialists, however, believe the world will grow more and more secularized before Christ’s return. 

Revelation 20:

1-3: The binding of Satan happened at the Cross.  Satan may have been thrown into the bottomless pit at 313 AD (we tentatively say 313 AD because this is when Constantine made Christianity the state religion).

4: millennium refers to the church age (the time since Christ and still going on now).  

  • 1,000 is a Biblically symbolic number:10 * 10 * 10 (3 ten’s…3 is God’s number (trinity); 10 is a number for completion).  
  • Psalm 50:10: 

“For every beast of the forest is Mine, 

And the cattle on a THOUSAND hills.”

Here, “thousand” is used to mean every hill, or all the hills.

5-6: First resurrection is when we are born again (become believers).  Second death is hell.  We are priests of God and reign with Him now (see Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 1 Peter 2:9).

7: At the end, but during the thousand years, Satan is released (possibly happened around the time of the “Enlightenment”, or around WWI.  

Satan seems to be released now.

8-9: Gog and Magog symbolize the corners of the world.  Satan will unite world against “camp of the saints and the beloved city” (which are terms for believers in Christ).  This is happening now…think of Euro, and English language, and other ways that the world is starting to assimilate and they are against Christianity.  God will come back as the world is becoming more and more assimilated against Christians.

12: Judgment of everyone.  Book of Life is for believers…other books are works believers have done.

14: hell = lake of fire = second death.

  • first death is being born (you’re born into sin, and sin yields death)
  • first resurrection is being born again (repenting and believing Jesus)
  • second resurrection is getting new body after you die.
  • Second death is hell.
  • Everyone takes part in first death and second resurrection.  Only believers take part in first resurrection.  Only non-believers take part in second death.

REVELATION 13 AND 17

Revelation 13:

1-2: beast of sea is world powers (see Daniel 2 and 7).  

Daniel 2:27-45:

King sees marvelous statue of kingdoms that will come…

Head of Gold = Kingdom of Babylon (v.38)

Chest and arms of silver = Medo-Persia (v.39)…just as there were two arms, this kingdom had two powers (the Medes and the Persians), although one was stronger (Persia)

Belly and Sides of Bronze = Greece (v.39)

Legs and feet of Iron = Rome (v.40)

Feet of Iron mixed with Clay = Rome’s dividing.  Rome = iron; clay = other nations that assimilated into Rome after its fall in 476 AD (v.41).

Stone cut out without hands = Jesus’ kingdom (vv.44-45)…Jesus came during the midst of the Roman Kingdom

Daniel 7:

Daniel sees beasts of kingdoms that will come.  Daniel sees them as beasts (like God does), whereas Nebuchadnezzar sees them as beautiful statues…

The Beasts come from the Sea (like Rev. 13, symbolizes the world).

Lion = Babylon

Bear = Medo-Persia…As the Bear was raised on one side, this kingdom had two parts, and one was stronger (Persia).  3 ribs in the bear’s mouth represent the 3 city-states that Medo-Persia ruled over during its reign (Ninevah and Babylon are 2 of the city-states).  

Leopard = Greece…The leopard was split into 4 parts, just as Greece was split into 4 parts after Alexander the Great died (Ptolemy, Selucid, etc.)

Dreadful beast = Rome…10 horns represent the 10 kingdoms that Rome was split into after the fall of the Western part.  

Little horn = Antichrist (Office of Papacy)…Pope controlled 3 of the kingdoms (Raveneh, Lombardy, Rome).

7:24: “He shall be different from the first ones”…Pope’s kingdom is a different kingdom than the world’s kingdom.

7:25: “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High”…Some popes have called themselves God on earth or other pompous words.

7:25: “Shall persecute the saints”…it is estimated that 50-68 million Christians were killed by the pope’s decrees during the Reformation and Inquisition, over a 500 year period.

7:25: “Shall intend to change times and law”…Many popes said they have the right to change the times and laws.

7:25: “For a time and times and half a time”…”time” = a year.  So “time” + “times” + “half a time” seems to signify 3 ½ years (this can be seen clearly in the book of Revelation where the term, “time and times and half a time” is used interchangeably with the term “3 ½ years”…Pope had ultimate power for 1,260 years (3 ½ years = 1,260 days; Daniel 9 shows a prophecy where days signify years).

Dragon symbolizes Satan (see Rev. 12:9).  This beast has seven heads (see Rev. 17).  

The seven heads are seven kingdoms (see Rev. 17 and Dan. 2 and 7).  

Every head is a world power that subjugated God’s people, and the head that follows destroyed the previous head.  The Seven Heads:  

1) Egypt 

2) Assyria

3) Babylon 

4) Persia 

5) Greece 

6) Rome 

7) Soviet Union (?)

References:  Isaiah 11:16; Jeremiah 51:34-35; Ezekiel 16:26-29 (Chaldea = Babylon); 23; Zechariah 10:10-11; Halley’s Bible Handbook. 

Note:  In Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome there is a name for a multi-headed dragon.  One of these names is “leviathan”.  The leviathan is a creature discussed throughout the Scriptures (Isaiah 27:1; Ezekiel 29:2-4; Jeremiah 51:34-35), and is specifically used to talk about some of the kingdoms listed above.  Nave’s Topical Bible says that Leviathan is the Hittite word for a “seven-headed beast” and in the Hebrew, it is a word used as a symbol for Babylon (also, it is a constellation).  Strong’s Bible Concordance #3882 says it refers to a nine-headed beast (but also it could refer to a seven-headed beast).

Understanding this history, gives us a context to see what the readers of John’s Revelation would have thought of when he describes this seven-headed beast.  

In Rev. 17:10, John says 5 heads have fallen (Egypt – Greece), one head is (Rome: the world power of the time), and one is yet to come that will have a shorter reign than the rest (Soviet Union…who defeated Germany which was actually considered Rome in WW2, then they self-destructed and lasted less than any of the other heads).  

All the heads are the different kingdoms, but the beast himself is the entire world power (think of Satan uniting the world against the saints).

3: refers to the fall of Rome (fatal wound that was healed in the 6th head of the beast).  

4-10: refers to Rome

11: beast of the earth refers to Antichrist (Pope…who looks like Jesus but speaks like Satan, see Dan. 2 and 7, and 2 Thessalonians 2)

11-17: shows interconnectedness of Rome and Pope (think of Middle Ages, where everyone had to worship Pope and Rome)

18: “666”…taken at face value, it might be a contrast to 777. That is, 7 being the number of God showcased throughout Revelation, seen in 7 seals + 7 trumpets + 7 bowls. Also seen in the Trinity where 7 Spirits depict the 1 Holy Spirit (just like 7 lampstands show the 1 church). Additionally, it could stand for something in roman numerals (think about how roman numerals combine letters and numbers).  Iraneus (writing in 3rd century) translated 666 into “latinos”.  Latin is the language spoken by Catholic Church, and Roman empire.  Another possibility: in addition to meaning “latinos”, 666 has also been translated to mean “pontificus maximus”.  This is a term that was given both to the emperor of Rome and the pope. 

Revelation 17:

1:  prostitute contrasts bride (Eph. 5:25,32), and is the “great city” (Rev. 17:18), which is figuratively “Babylon” (Rev. 16:19), and symbolic of false religious systems (Gen. 11:1-9).  Waters are peoples (Rev. 17:15)

2:  World powers “fornicate” with false religion.  Drunkenness of prostitute contrasts love of bride (Song of Solomon 1:4)

3:  Spiritual Israel waits in wilderness (Rev. 12:14).  Scarlet beast is kingdoms of world (Rev. 13:1-2)

4:  Purple and scarlet show riches of prostitute and contrast beauty of bride (S. of S. 4:3; 7:5).  Prostitute is same color as 7-head beast – scarlet.  Also, Isaiah speaks of scarlet as a symbol for sin: ‘Though your sins are like scarlet” (Isaiah 1:18).

5:  Prostitute has mark on forehead (Rev. 20:4), is mother of prostitutes – daughters of prostitute included Reformation Churches (they began in innocence and purity, but eventually some of their aspects became like their mother, the prostitute).

6:  Woman (false religion) responsible for death of believers.  Saints and martyrs mentioned separately (Rev. 20:4)

8:  Beast that was is “specific kingdoms” (heads) (Rev. 17:10), then the specific kingdoms fall, and entire world system unites against Christians (Rev. 20:8).  This is the 8th head described in Rev. 17:11.  Really, the 8th head encompasses the entire world system, not any specific kingdom.  The trend towards world unity and away from superpowers dominating the world is evidence of the rise of this 8th head.

9:  Rome was built on seven mountains, and known as “seven-hilled city”.  Heads = mountains = kingdoms (Rev. 17:10).  

10:  5 kings fallen – Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece; 1 now is – Rome; 1 yet to come – Soviet Union?

11:  The whole beast (unity of world powers) is considered the “eighth” (which will follow individual rulers).

12:  Ten horns are ten kingdoms who emerge from Rome after Rome’s fall; they receive authority for a short time when they join forces with the Papacy.

14:  Christ’s church was persecuted viciously by Roman kingdoms, but still survived.

15:  Waters are the peoples.

16:  Ten kingdoms will turn against prostitute (directly the Roman Church) – this happened during reformation.

18:  Woman is great city, which is Babylon (16:19).

REVELATION 11 AND 12

Revelation 11:

1 – “reed like measuring rod” = cannon; standard for our faith (accepted books of Scripture); temple = body of Christ (Eph. 2:19-22); altar = cross = Jesus’ blood atonement (Heb. 13:10-12); those who worship there = Christians

fulfilled: Canon (Bible) is used as measurement for the Church (sola scriptura).

2 – court outside temple/Gentiles = people of the world, non-Christians; holy city = Church; 42 months = 1,260 years (1 day = 1 year)

fulfilled: Church was afflicted by influences of the world for around 1,260 years (from rising of Pope’s power to reformation), Bible was not allowed to be read by the people.

1-2 – show there was difference between true inner church and external, visible professing church

3-4 – two witnesses = 2 olive trees and 2 lampstands; olive trees = church joined by the Holy Spirit (Zech. 4:11-14; Rom. 11:11-24; Eph. 4:4) (oil symbolizes Holy Spirit, olives must be crushed for oil to flow…this is Christians crushed for Holy Spirit to go forth [Zech. 4:12]); lampstands = church lit by Holy Spirit (Rev. 1:20; Zech. 4:2; Exodus 27:20-21…pressed olives bring pure oil that cause the lamp to burn)…Holy Spirit always goes with Bible (Eph. 6:17), therefore, 2 witnesses may be the influence of the Holy Spirit and Bible in the church.  Also, the two witnesses seem indicative of Moses and Elijah.  Moses would represent the Law, and Elijah was called the prophet.  If these two prophets are Moses and Elijah, it would correspond well with the influence of the Spirit and the Word (see study entitled “Union of the Spirit and the Word” for more details).

“sackcloth” (v.3) = symbol of sorrow and mourning

1,260 days = 42 months = 1,260 years prophetically

fulfilled: Holy Spirit and Bible were withheld during 1,260 year reign of apostate church  

5 – fire is brought about by those who reject the Spirit and Bible (Jeremiah 23:29); fire = judgment

6 – shut heaven from raining = 1) rain is Holy Spirit outpouring (Acts 2:17-18);  2) duration of drought is 1,260 years (James 5:17-18)

fulfilled: during reign of Apostate Church, outpouring of Holy Spirit was very minimal

7 – beast = world government (17:10-11); finishing of their testimony is end of 1,260 years (started with Justinian decree in A.D. 533 and ended with French Revolution in 1793); killed = France outlawed all religion for three and a half years

8 – on Nov. 10, 1793, leaders of France dressed up a donkey with symbols of Christianity, even tying the Old and New Testaments to its tail, led down the street until it reached its destination where it was burned among other devotional books.

9 – France’s banning of the Bible and religion lasted exactly 3.5 years.  

11 – two prophets have life = Bible no longer banned.  As said previously, the two prophets may very well be symbolic of Moses and Elijah, which speaks to the Law and the Prophets, therefore, it would make sense that when these two prophets were given new life, the Bible would no longer be banned.

13 – earthquake = revolution; “the city” = Babylon (false church)

14 – still another woe to come

15 – trumpet sounding happens after plagues of Rev. 15; kingdoms of world becoming kingdoms of God is prayer of Jesus (Matt. 6:10), and purpose of Revelation

15-19 – Jesus’ second coming

Revelation 12:

1: woman refers to Israel (see Joseph’s dream, Gen. 37:9-11).  Israel before Christ refers to natural Israelites.  Israel after Christ refers to believers (see Romans 11 and Galatians 3:26-29; 4:21-31; 6:16).

2: birth of Christ from natural Israel.

3: talks about dragon who is Satan.

4: talks about fallen angels.  And it talks about how Satan wanted to kill Jesus when He came into the world (think about Herod wanting to kill all the babies at Jesus’ birth, and think about crucifixion)

5: describes Jesus, and the ascension.

6: refers to believers fleeing into wilderness…we think this is when Catholic church had total control of Christianity and it was very apostate.  1260 days symbolize 1260 years (see Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:5-6; Daniel 9)…from Justinian decree 533AD that made Pope most powerful in the land unto French Revolution in 1793AD where reign of terror begins and atheism is declared the state religion, which lasted 3.5 years. This totals 1,260 years.

7-9: refers to Satan’s banishment from heaven (see Luke 10:18).  

10-13: is when Christians were massively persecuted after Christ came.

14-16: again refers to 1,260 years when Catholic Church was only authority in Christianity.  But the earth accepted her power, and true Christians did not (v. 16)

REVELATION 2 AND 3: The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:

Ephesus

1 – Ephesus – mother of Asian churches, city of 225,000, metropolis, commercial center of “Asia”, Temple of Diana one of Seven Wonders of World.  40 years before Revelation, Paul did some of most successful work.  After death of Paul, it is said that Timothy spent most of his time in Ephesus, and there was killed by Domitian (same persecution sending John to Patmos).  In Ephesus, John spent old age.  There John wrote his gospel, three Epistles, and Revelation.  Approximate geographic center of Roman Empire, becoming approx. geographic numerical center of Christian population of world during John’s time.

2-3 – church doing some good things

4 – first love = faith/love for Jesus (Matt. 22:37-38)

5 – first works = faith (John 6:29; Heb. 4:3,10-11, see also “REST” Bible study); God warns He may end the church

6 – Nicolaitans means, “destruction of people”, literally “over the laypeople”

7 – “overcomes” = belief in Jesus (1 John 5:4-5; Rev. 2:11); “tree of life” corresponds to spiritual Paradise and eternity (1 Cor. 15:45-47; Gen. 3:22).  “Tree of life” also signifies the new life we receive by faith in Jesus Christ: “the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself” (John 5:25-26).

Smyrna

8 – Smyrna – 50 miles north of Ephesus, splendid city, rare beauty, on a fine bay, rival of Ephesus, with proud tradition that it had been Homer’s birthplace.  Polycarp was its bishop at the time.  Church was full of poor people (nothing like Ephesus’s prestige).  Is now the largest city in Asia Minor (modern name Iz-mir).

9 – materially poor, spiritually rich

10 – tribulation for 10 days: may be referring to Trajan’s persecutions (AD 98), or the 10 ages of persecutions before Constantine, or Diocletian’s persecution that lasted 10 years.  

11 – overcomes = faith, which keeps you from second death (hell, see Rev. 20)

Pergamos

12 – Pergamos – Royally situated in commanding position, chief town of new province of Asia, site of first temple of Caesar-cult (erected 29 B.C.).  Worship of Asklepios and Zeus endemic.  On crag above Pergamum was throne-like altar to Zeus (Rev. 2:13?).  Possessed large library, parchment invented here.

13 – Satan dwelled there; did not deny faith to death

14 – doctrine of Balaam is same as doctrine of Nicolaitans (2:15): Balaam led Israel to commit harlotry and worship to Baal (Num. 25:1-3; 31:16).

17 – hidden manna = Jesus? (Jn. 6:49-51) or revelation of scriptures? (Matt. 4:4; 1 Cor. 10:3); white stone = new body (stone = believer) (1 Pet. 2:4-5)

Thyatira

18 – Thyatira – city in Asia, no illustrious history, scarcely mentioned by ancient writers, city was center of commerce.

19 – good works

20 – Jezebel introduced Israelites to abominations of Astarte worship into Israel (1 Kings 16).

26-27 – believers reign alongside Christ (see Ps. 2:9)

28 – “morning star” is inner experience of Christ (2 Pet. 1:19), also Jesus is Morning Star (22:16) and Messianic prophecy declares He will be “A Star” and “A Scepter” (Num. 24:17).  FAITHFULNESS, NOT COMPROMISE, BRINGS SUPERNATURAL RESULTS

Revelation 3:

Sardis

1 – Sardis – chief city of Lydia, famous for arts and crafts, first center to mint gold and silver coinage, great earthquake in A.D. 17 ruined it physically and financially, city never recovered.

2 – perfect works = works done in accordance with Bible (2 Tim. 3:16-17), through Jesus’ blood (Heb. 13:20-21) and with patience coming by the testing of one’s faith (James 1:2-4)

3 – Jesus is coming back as thief, and those who do not keep watch will mourn (Rev. 16:15)

4 – garments = righteous acts of the saints (19:8)

5 – overcomes = faith in Jesus; white garments = pure, righteous acts; Jesus confesses name before Father to those who confess Jesus before other people (Luke 12:8)

Philadelphia

7 – Philadelphia – Lydian city, earthquake of A.D. 17 ruined it completely, 20 years of recurrent quakes followed, Christian witness was maintained in Philadelphia through medieval and into modern times, church was humble and faithful in midst of pagan and corrupt society.

Key of David – allusion to Eliakim (chief steward of the royal household holds the key of power) (Is. 22:22)

8 – no one can shut door = no one can take away the salvation of the elect (John 10:28; Eph. 1:14)

10 – Church in Smyrna suffers persecution (2:10), church of Philadelphia is spared. (There is still church in Philadelphia despite Turks); whole world – end of age?  Rome’s final fall?

12 – overcomes = faith; pillar in temple = believers are being built into temples of God (Eph. 2:19-21); name of my God = believers marked by God; name of city = reference to believers being called “Jerusalem” (Heb. 12:22); new name = allusion to proposal to rename city Neocaesarea in gratitude for Tiberius’ generous earthquake relief, also see Rev. 2:17.  * note: Philadelphia tormented by 20 yrs recurrent quakes after disaster of 17, hence is derived the imagery of Rev. 3:12 (“a pillar,” “go no more out,” “a new name”).

Laodicea

14 – Laodicea was banking center, proud of wealth, beautified with great temples and theatres.  Noted for manufacture of rich garments of black glossy wool; and medical school that made powder for treatment of eye troubles.  This suggests “riches” “garments” and “eye salve” of 3:17,18.

15 – both cold and hot are referring to believers; shows deadness.  “The city of Colosse, which was fewer than 10 miles from Laodicea, was known for its cold, refreshing waters. The city of Hierapolis to the north was famous for its beneficial hot springs. Laodicea had a six-mile-long aqueduct that brought both hot and cold water to the city, but by the time the waters arrived they were both lukewarm.” (John Mark Ministries, http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/13090.htm).  Hot and cold is beneficial for something, but lukewarm is only stale, worthy of being spit out.

16 – vomited out = utterly rejected and cast off as church (fulfilled)

17 – God sees the eternal, not material (Rom. 14:17)

18 – white garments = righteous acts; see = walk by faith not sight

19 – Heb. 12:6,7 shows truth of this verse

20 – every person must make choice to open door

21 – overcomes = faith; sit on throne = reign with Christ (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:10) 

REVELATION 4 AND 5

Rev. 4 (vision of heaven):

1 – door is opened to vision of heaven; “things which must take place after this” refers to things after the events of the churches in 1-3

2 – no matter what, God is still on throne; refers to eternal Father sitting on throne

3 – Jasper probably is diamond; sardius, red; emerald, green; rainbow is same picture as Eze. 1:28

4 – 24 thrones of 24 elders = Glorified Church (union of 12 O.T. Tribes and 12 N.T. Apostles: symbol God’s People)? or distinct class of heavenly intelligences (princes of Heaven, or various classes of Angels)?; white robes = righteous acts; crown given to overcomers, those who reign with Christ

5 – lightnings, thunderings, etc. show Majesty and Power of God (Ex. 20:18); seven Spirits of God = Holy Spirit in complete working

6 – “sea of glass” = calmness of God’s rule?; four living creatures = cherubim (Eze. 1:10; 10:14-15)  

Note:  If you compare Ezekiel’s visions of heaven (as seen in the book of Ezekiel) with John’s visions of heaven (as seen in the book of Revelation), you will quickly see that they are strikingly similar in some parts, yet different in others.  To understand these differences, the reader must understand that Ezekiel was seeing heaven at the time he wrote (around 600BC), and John was seeing it around 100AD.  We believe that some of the heavenly scenery would be subject to change in this 700 year period of time.  With this in mind, a study of these differences can become a valuable exercise for the Bible student.

7 – four creatures represent characteristics of Christ as depicted in Gospels: 1st = lion = king (Matt.); 2nd = calf = laborer (Mark); 3rd = man = human (Luke); 4th = eagle = God (John)

11 – God is worshiped as Creator/ vision of God as Creator.

Rev. 5 (cont. vision of heaven):

1 – scroll written on both sides is opisthograph, holds secrets of future, God holds it.

2-5 – only Jesus has power to see the secrets of the future

5 – Jesus is seen as Lion of Judah (Gen. 49:9), represents Power; root of David (Is. 11:1,10)

6 – Lamb slain, represents sacrifice (secret of Christ’s power is His suffering); seven horns, eyes (which are Spirits) = All-Conquering Might, All Knowledge, All Power.  Knows future and is able to control it.  “Lamb” is Revelation’s favorite name for Christ, shows suffering LAMB of God is Victor of struggle between Kingdom of God and Kingdom of World (Lamb foreshadowed 1400 years in Jewish Passover, commemorated for 2,000 years, in Eternity will Himself be Center of Redeemed World that He Himself will have brought into being).

8 – PRAYERS OF SAINTS are used by God to chart course of history (Rev. 8:4).  Exodus 30:1-10 shows that there is a direct relationship between priests offering incense and the lampstand being lit.  As Rev. 1:20 shows that the lampstand symbolizes the church, it corresponds that prayers affect the lighting of the church throughout history.

9 – Everybody sings; “new song” = song of redemption, new as related to song of Creation; song is sung to Lamb

10 – all servants of Jesus are kings and priests (1 Pet. 2:9)

11 – All sing (millions)

12 – song sung to Lamb

13 – sing to Creator and Lamb (Rev. 4 is about creator, Rev. 5 is about lamb, 5:13 joins the two)

REVELATION 6 AND 7

Revelation 6:

Seals – first 4 are connected (like trumpets and bowls; also like days of creation)

2 – rider on white horse with bow and crown is not Christ (compare 19:11-15).  Rider is world power Christ starts work with to make kingdom of world into kingdom of God (11:15).  White = something good; bow and crown = armored authority, expansion of territory in conquest.  

Fulfilled: period following Domitian (ruler when John wrote) is Golden age of Rome.  Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius A.D. 96 to A.D. 180.  Gibbon says: “the happiest and most prosperous period in entire history of human race”

4 – red = blood, war, fire; peace is taken from earth, civil wars occur

fulfilled: A.D. 200 to A.D. 300 had fifty different emperors.  They were fighting amongst themselves.  Hundred years of Civil War – Rome lost more than half its population. 

5 – black = darkness, despair; “pair of scales” = food sold by weight.  Food is scarce.  

6 – denarius = day’s wage; food sold by weight; “oil and wine” = luxuries abundant

fulfilled: result of civil war foretold in second seal.  Empire had worst of famines and shortages.  Rulers had much wealth, but people had zero.

8 – pale = sickliness; fourth of earth killed with sword, hunger, death, and wild animals

fulfilled: during civil war of A.D. 200 to A.D. 300, many people died and there was enormous increase in wild animals, bubonic plague also broke out.

9 – souls had been slain = Christians being/been martyred

fulfilled: 10 Imperial Persecutions of Church from Nero A.D. 64 to Diocletian A.D. 305

11 – white robe = righteous works; “little while longer” or “a little season” = A.D. 300 – A.D. 313, Christians encountered last and greatest imperial persecution.

Fulfilled: Empire ceased its persecution of the Church.  

12 – earthquake = revolution, upheaval, shakeup; sun and moon = symbols of authority in human government

13 – stars = spiritual powers (1:20)

14 – sky receding = removal of spiritual powers; mountains and islands = governments and nations (Is. 49:1); shows that the powers of government will change (Is. 13:10; Eze 32:7;etc.)

15-17 – the upheaval of government is directly related to Christ, all those who were not Christians now fear Christianity because of the revolutionary change

Fulfilled: Emperor Constantine became a Christian (A.D. 312).  Issued an Edict of Toleration (A.D. 313).  Made Christianity the religion of his court.  In A.D. 325 he issued general exhortation to all to embrace Christianity.  Moved his Capital to Constantinople.  Theodosius (A.D. 378-395) made Christianity the State Religion of Empire, and Church Membership Compulsory.  A.D. 395 the Empire was Divided: the West with Rome its Capital; the East with Constantinople its Capital.  This was the beginning of the break-up of the Mighty World Empire that had for 300 years tried so hard to destroy Christianity (Halley).

(For more details: http://www.ao.net/~fmoeller/7seals.htm)

Revelation 7 (continuation from 6th seal (6:12)):

1 – “After these things” shows that this is after events of Rev. 6 (which ended with the empire being Christianized)

2-3 – God’s seal = Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13-14); mark on forehead signifies who you serve (Rev. 20:4; 22:3-4); destruction of Rome withheld until believers sealed (see Rev. 8)

4 – 144,000 = 12 (O.T. tribes?) * 12 (N.T. apostles?) * 1,000 (number of finality, completion (see Rev. 20:2; Psalm 50:10))…complete number of saved Israel?  Number of early Christians?  Christian conversions after Christianity becomes state religion of Rome?; tribes of Israel = Jewish believers/ all believers (James 1:1); 144,000 from tribes = firstfruits of believers (14:1,4) = believers after Christ’s resurrection (James 1:18) (all foreshadowed in feast of firstfruits)

5-8 – Tribes of Dan and Ephraim are absent, “Dan” means judge, “Ephraim” means double fruit, both tribes brought Idolatry to Israel (see Judges); 

Judah – he shall be praised

Reuben – behold a son

Gad – a troop

Asher – blessed

Naphtali – wrestling

Manasseh – forgetting

Simeon – harkening

Levi – joined

Issachar – reward

Zebulun – a habitation

Joseph – let him add

Benjamin – son of right hand; son of good fortune

* Levi and Joseph were the two tribes substituted, both names show that there would be a joining

9 – great multitude = gentile believers? All believers?; white robes = righteous acts of saints; palm branches = palm Sunday worship of King riding on donkey, feast of booths celebrated with different trees, trees represent peoples of world

10 – praise for Father and Son (same as 5:13)

12 – same praise as 5:12, except “riches” and “strength” are substituted by “Thanksgiving” and “might”

14 – great tribulation – “the” is not in the Greek (KJV does not include “the”)

16,17 – glimpse of new heavens and new earth (22:5; 21:4)

* Rev. 7 focuses on great conversion following seals of Rev. 6

REVELATION 8 AND 9

Revelation 8:

1-2 – seventh seal opens the seven trumpets; silence shows onlookers struck with awe

3 – golden = pure, divinity; censer = holds burning incense   ; incense = prayers (5:8); 

4 – prayers weighed when charting course of history

5 – earthquake = revolution

5-13 – foretells destruction of Roman Empire

7 – first trumpet – hail, fire, blood, trees and grass burned (1/3 of world destroyed)

fulfilled: Goths (A.D. 409), descended upon Italy in savage fury, and left behind Burning Cities, and Scorched, Bloody and Desolated Lands.  Goths were led by Alaric.  It was his policy to burn the orchards and vineyards, fill cultivated fields with stones and generally destroy agriculture.

8-9 – second trumpet – burning mountain thrown in sea; third of sea die, third of ships destroyed

fulfilled: Vandals (A.D. 422) swept across Gaul and Spain into Africa.  Built a Navy, and, for 30 years, fought the Roman Navy, which for 600 years had controlled the Mediterranean, and Drove it from the Sea.  They reached and rebuilt Carthage by 429 and attacked Roman commerce from the sea, first the islands and the coast of Spain and finally sacked Rome in 455, loading their pillaged goods into their boats and carrying them off.

10-11 – third trumpet – “Wormwood” means bitterness, affliction, remorse in Hebrew and undrinkable in Greek; waters and rivers afflicted; many men died

fulfilled: Attila the Hun appears A.D. 440.  Fights on banks of Danube; always fights on rivers.  Head of 800,000.  Defeated Roman armies with awful slaughter, successively, on River Marne, River Rhone, and River Po, so that these rivers actually ran with blood.  Attila claimed to be son of Mars.  

12 – fourth trumpet – 1/3 of sun, moon, and stars darkened; third of day had no light

fulfilled:  Odeacer the Ostrogoth entered Rome and in 476 sat on the Imperial throne. An unlettered barbarian was now king of Rome. From that event in history most historians date the beginning of the dark ages. It was the end of civilization in the West, and the amenities accompanying it. There would no longer be an education system — no schools, no roads, no centralized commerce. The light of culture had surely gone out and the progress of systematic learning would not be rediscovered again in the West until the Renaissance of the 1500’s.

7-12 – prophesies fall of Rome, and dark ages that followed (during this time also the Crusades occurred)

* 1/3 – 1/3 earth, sea, rivers, stars destroyed

fulfilled: Rome fell in 3 parts.  First part: Western part fell A.D. 476 (prophesied by 8:7-12) (first 4 trumpets).  This was the first 1/3.  Second part: Asiatic and African Parts overrun by Muslims (5th trumpet).  Third part: Eastern European Empire fell to Muslims (A.D. 1453) (6th trumpet).  

13 – 5th, 6th, 7th trumpets = 3 woes to come

(for more information: http://www.ao.net/~fmoeller/barbars.htm)

Rev. 8:13 gives us strong warning about what Revelation 9 is about to reveal…

Revelation 9:

1 – bottomless pit holds Satan (20:2-3); angel is Abaddon in Heb., Apollyon in Gr. (v. 11)

2 – smoke is a figure of confusion, obfuscation; light is dimmed, so it is difficult to see clearly; may refer specifically to delusion of Islam (Mohammed lived A.D. 570-632) or Church’s worship of images and relics in the day of Mohammed.

3 – Locusts  = 1) Arabia was a land of Locusts (see Ex. 10:13)…it was in Arabia that Islam originated.  

2) many in number (Jer. 6:23; Nahum 3:15,17)

3) desolation or destruction…locusts devour every green thing and leave a land in waste (they do this not so much out of a need for vegetation, but more out of a rage for destroying)

  • from studying the Biblical uses and the characteristics of locusts, we see that this symbol would mean something numerous, coming from Arabia, and destroying for the sake of destruction.

Power = power to hurt (because compared to scorpions’ power on earth).

4 – Islam got commands from Mohammed; commanded not to harm nature – Mohammed commanded Muslims to not harm nature; only those without seal of God were they commanded to harm = just like Israel escaped locusts of Egyptians, so those commanded as having God’s seal escape these locusts (Ex. 10:12-15); seal of God on foreheads is given to servants of God (7:3); Mohammed commanded Muslims not to harm people of the book/Bible (Christians), but particularly aimed attacks towards Roman Catholics who worshiped statues and relics.

5 – five months = 150 days (normal stay of locusts) = 150 years (in prophetic language, a day = a year (see Dan. 9:24-5))…Rise of Islam in Arabia in A.D. 622 lasted 150 years, until the founding of Baghdad, when they decided to abandon world conquest and live peacefully with other nations.

6 – death is preferred to life = during the Arabic Muslim invasions, they tortured men so much that death would have been preferred to life

7 – horses = Arabic Muslims fought with horsemen; something like gold crowns = Muslims wore yellow turbans; faces of men = bearded faces, Romans did not have beards, Muslims, however, were famous for their beards 

8 – hair like women’s hair = Muslims were characterized by their long hair, like women’s hair; lion’s teeth = ferocious

9 – iron breastplates = Muslims wore Iron coats of armor; wings sound like horses running into battle = Muslim conquests happened by horses running into battle

10 – stings = the Muslims stung terribly, and left stingers in their path

11 – Abaddon in Hebrew means destruction.  Apollyon in Greek means Destroyer.  Same angel that let smoke (confusion) come from pit (v. 2).

12 – preceding verses are first woe (8:13)

13 – sixth trumpet sounds

14 – angels bound at Euphrates = A.D. 1057, vast horde of Turks appeared on banks of Euphrates, in their westward march they replaced the Arabians as rulers of Muslim lands.

15 – one hour (1/24 of a day) + one day + one month (30 days) + one year (365 days) = a little more than 396 days = 396 years (day = year interpretation)…from Turks crossing Euphrates (A.D. 1057) to the Fall of Constantinople (A.D. 1453) is 396 years; third of men were killed = first 1/3 destroyed by fall of Western Rome (8:7-12); second 1/3 destroyed by fall of Arab Muslims (9:1-12); third 1/3 destroyed now by Turkish Muslims…also, Turks killed 1/3 of Romans during this time period.

16 – 200 million horsemen = 300 years of crusaders probably had about 200 million Turkish horsemen 

17 – fire, smoke, brimstone = literal explosive force…it was at battle of Constantinople (A.D. 1453) that Artillery with GUNPOWDER was First Used, which gave victory to the Turks.

18 – 1/3 of mankind killed by fire, smoke, brimstone = it was at the battle of Constantinople that Gunpowder was used, and the fall of this city was the destruction of the last remaining “third” of the original Roman Empire.

19 – like Arabic Muslim army (v. 10)

REVELATION 10

2 – little book open (as opposed to closed scroll of 5:1); only place Greek word for “book” is used, word denotes a book smaller than sealed scroll of 5:1; Greek word for “open” denotes that it had been closed previously; book = Bible/printing press; sea = people (17:15); land = false religion/false church (13:11)

fulfilled: Bible was made available to people through printing press, fueling reformation

4 – some things are not given that John had a vision of

6 – “delay no longer” = an era has ended, not Jesus’ return (see v. 7)

7 – seventh trumpet will bring in Christ’s return

8 – John is told to take the book, similar to Ezekiel 2:9 – 3:3; John takes book symbolic of Church taking in Scriptures (sola scriptura of reformation)

9-10 – book (= Bible) eaten = Scriptures are to be consumed and taken in by Church; tastes sweet in mouth = Bible gives knowledge and wisdom to church (Prov. 24:13-14), initially tastes good compared to clutches of apostate church; stomach bitter = led to great persecution of protestants by the Catholic church (see John 16:1-2), could also include the peasants’ revolt that the sending forth of the Bible produced (which Martin Luther opposed).  (See “Luther” Movie for further information)

11 – “prophesy again”…after Bible is received in Reformation (through printing press and sola scriptura), there is dramatic change that takes place to entire world (peoples, nations, tongues, and kings); prophesy again = using the book consumed (Bible) people must be told again what John had already told in Revelation (concerning kingdoms of this world becoming kingdoms of God (Rev. 11:15)), fulfilled: during Reformation, people realized the fulfillment of the book of Revelation

FINAL NOTE:

At the beginning of this study, it was stated that Revelation centers around the revealing of Jesus Christ.  It is our hopes that the reader has readily seen this theme – that Jesus is revealed – through our notes.  When you read the book of Revelation you will notice that Jesus is at the center of every vision.  It is inconsistent, therefore, if we study the book of Revelation and there is another center outside of Jesus Christ.  For instance, in many studies of Revelation the central theme is the revealing of the Antichrist.  This, though, does grave injustice to our Lord.  

Let us never forget that this book is called “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”.  Our goal in these studies, then, is to reveal Jesus at every bend and turn.  It seems clear to the authors that God has cherished His Bride so much to leave us this wonderful revelation of what will happen to the Church until His return to earth…

Song of Songs 8:14:

“Make haste, my beloved”

Revelation 22:20:

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”