A Tour Of The Last Days Series

The Revelation Of Jesus Christ

Realizing that there are several different views concerning the return of Christ, and that good and godly men espouse the various views, the comments and questions in this study will be based on what the author understands to be the scriptural view: that being the pre-millennial, pre-tribulation return of Christ.

I. The Author of the Book

A. John, the apostle (Rev. 1:1; 4, 9; 22:8)

II. The Recipients of the Book

A. To “the seven churches which are in Asia (v.4).

B. To the “angels” (pastors) of each church.

III. The Date and Place of Writing

A. Date - 96 A. D.

B. Place - The Island of Patmos (1:9).

IV. The Theme of the Book

A. It is a book about Jesus.

B. “Revelation” = to “unveil; uncover; to make clear”.

V. The Keys to the Book

A. The Key Thought - the unveiling of Jesus Christ; His Person, His Power, and His Program.

B. Key Verse: 1:19

C. Key Words:

1. “I saw” (with, “I beheld, I looked”) … 49 times

2. “Seven” … 59 times (7 groups of 7)

· Group 1 - The 7 Churches (Ch. 2,3)

· Group 2 - The 7 Seals (Ch. 6)

· Group 3 - The 7 Trumpets (8:2; 11:19)

· Group 4 - The 7 Persons (Ch. 12:14:1)

· Group 5 - The 7 Bowls (Ch. 15-16)

· Group 6 - The 7 Dooms (Ch. 17-20)

· Group 7 - The 7 New Things (Ch. 21-22)

3. Angel - 70 times

4. Lamb - 29 times

VI. The Outline of the Book

A. The Prologue (1:1-8)

1. The Superscription (1:1-3)

2. The Salutation (1:4-8)

B. “The things which you have seen” (1:9-20)

1. Circumstances of the Vision (1:9-11)

2. Content of the Vision (1:12-16)

3. Consequences of the Vision (1:17-22)

C. “The things which are” (2:1-3:22); Messages sent

1. … to Ephesus (2:1-7) - orthodox, but cold

2. … to Smyrna (2:8-11) - persecuted, but faithful

3. … to Pergamos (2:12-17) - worldly

4. … to Thyatira (2:18-29) - corrupt

5. … to Sardis (3:1-6) - dead

6. … to Philadelphia (3:7-13) - missionary

7. … to Laodicea (3:14-22) - lukewarm

D. “The things which shall be hereafter” (4:1-22:5)

1. The Tribulation Period (4:1-19:21)

a. The Throne in heaven (4:1-11)

b. The Scroll in heaven (5:1-14)

c. The Seal Judgments (6:1-17)

1) 1st seal: cold war (6:1-2)

2) 2nd seal: open war (6:3-4)

3) 3rd seal: famine (6:5-6)

4) 4th seal: death (6:7,8)

5) 5th seal: martyrdom (6:9-11)

6) 6th seal: physical disturbances (6:12-7)

d. Interlude: Redeemed of the Tribulation (7:1-17)

1) The 144,000 Jews (7:1-8)

2) The multitude of Gentiles (7:9-17)

e. The Six Trumpet Judgments (8:1-9:21)

f. The seven seal opened (8:1-6)

1) 1st trumpet: the earth smitten (8:7)

2) 2nd trumpet: the sea smitten (8:8-9)

3) 3rd trumpet: the waters smitten (8:10-11)

4) 4th trumpet: the heavens smitten (8:12-13)

5) 5th trumpet: men smitten (9:1-12)

6) 6th trumpet: men killed (9:13-21)

7) The Little Scroll (10:1-11)

8) The Two Witnesses (11:1-19) [7th trumpet]

9) War in heaven (12:1-17)

10) The Beast (13:1-10)

11) The False Prophet (13:11-18)

g. Visions and Voices (14:1-20)

1) Concerning the 144,000 (14:1-5)

2) Concerning the everlasting gospel (14:6,7)

3) Concerning the fall of Babylon (14:8)

4) Concerning beast worshippers (14:9-11)

5) Concerning the dead in the Lord (14:12-13)

6) Concerning harvesting of the earth (14:14-16)

7) Concerning God’s wrath (14:17-20)

h. Prelude to the Bowl Judgments (15:1-8)

i. The Bowl Judgments (16:1-12)

1) First bowl: grievous sores (16:1-12)

2) Second bowl: seas smitten (16:3)

3) Third bowl: rivers smitten (16:4-7)

4) Fourth bowl: scorching (16:8-9)

5) Fifth bowl: darkness (16:10-11)

6) Sixth bowl Euphrates dried up (16:12-16)

7) Seventh bowl: widespread destruction (16:17-21)

j. Religious Babylon (17:1-18)

1) The description (17:1-18)

2) The interpretation (17:8-18)

k. Commercial Babylon (18:1-3)

l. The Second Coming of Christ (19:1-21)

1) Announcements 19:1-10)

2) Advent of Christ (19:11-16)

3) Armageddon (19:17-21)

2. The Millennium (20:1-15)

a. Satan bound (20:1-3)

b. Saints resurrected (20:4-6)

c. Sinners rebelling (20:7-9)

d. Satan doomed (20:10)

e. Sinners judged (20:11-15)

3. The Eternal State (21:1-22:5)

a. Descent of the New Jerusalem (21:1-8)

b. Description of the New Jerusalem (21:9-27)

c. Delights of the New Jerusalem (22:1-5)

4. Epilogue (22:6-17)

a. Words of Comfort (22:6-17)

b. Words of Warning (22:18-19)

c. Closing Benediction (22:20-21)