James O. Davis is the founder and president of Second Billion (TM). You are invited to learn more about Second Billion by visiting www.billion.tv.
In this message, we look at a synopsis of the tribulation that occurs on earth after the saints are taken to heaven at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in the air. We will end the overview of the Book of Revelation in this message with the good news of our Millennial reign with Christ, the New Jerusalem and eternity with Jesus.
The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is often called the apocalypse, the transliteration of the Greek word translated “revelation.” It is a word that carries the idea of an “unveiling.” In this book is the unveiling of the Person of Christ and of the purposes of God. The Holy Spirit brings us repeated views of Jesus in His glory, and sets before us clear pictures of God’s impending purposes for both the human race and this planet on which we live.
The Book of Revelation contains 285 direct and indirect quotes from the Old Testament, more than any other book of the New Testament. Matthew, which has a strong Jewish flavor, has 92 references to the Old Testament. Hebrews, which was written for the Jews, has 102 references.
This preoccupation with the Old Testament is significant. It suggests that the Book of Revelation anticipates a time when God will deal primarily with Jews and Gentiles as the Church is no longer here. This truth is endorsed by the Book itself because, after chapter three, there is no further direct reference to the Church until the closing remarks in the last chapter, verse 16.
Much can be said about the structure of Revelation. One evident fact is that it seems to alternate between scenes in heaven and earth. The structure is complicated by the fact that its basic chronological sequence of events is constantly interrupted by parenthetical passages that provide comments on the action described in the chronological segments of the Book. Remember, when interpreting the Book of Revelation, the context always determines the interpretation.
Before we proceed further, let me give you the overall plan of the Book of Revelation. It can be divided as follows:
Part I
I. The Introduction the Book (Rev. 1:1-3)
II. The Visions of God (Rev. 1:4-20)
III. The Visions of Grace (Rev. 2:1 -- 3:22)
IV. The Visions of Government (Rev. 4:1 -- 20:15)
A) The Hallelujahs in Heaven (Rev. 4:1 -- 5:14)
B) The Horrors on Earth (Rev. 6:1 -- 20:15)
1) The seals—a world ruined by men
Part II
2) The trumpets—a world ruled by Satan
The Three Capital Cities
The Two Witnesses
The Believing Jewish Remnant
The Two Beasts
The Scene Back in Heaven
Part III
3) The vials—a World Rescued by God.
The Two Babylons
The Scarlet Woman
The Antichrist
The Fallen Babylon
Events in Heaven
V. The Visions of Glory (Rev. 21:1 -- 22:7)
VI. The Conclusion of the Book (Rev. 22:8-21)
I. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK (Rev. 1:1-3)
Blessing and benediction (1:1-3) -- The visions of the apocalypse were given to John when he was a prisoner on Patmos, a small island off the coast of Asia Minor (Turkey). Before him lay the mainland and thriving churches in a dozen cities of the empire. To the west lay Rome; to the east the Holy Land, the Euphrates and Babylon. The Book was addressed to seven chosen churches in Asia Minor and begins with a blessing and a benediction.
II. THE VISIONS OF GOD (Rev. 1:4-20)
The endurance of grace (1:4-20) -- In verse 4, John records, “Grace be unto you and peace.” How like God to begin a book which deals with the most appalling of judgments with grace and peace. God begins this book by saying that even in the hour of wrath He remembers His mercy and that the people can have what they don’t deserve—grace. Yes, grace and peace win at last. In the end, the storm clouds roll away. The drums of war are stilled. The earth is purged with fire and there emerges a new Heaven and a new earth where all is grace and peace.
III. THE VISIONS OF GRACE (Rev. 2:1-3:22)
Chapters two and three deal with the seven churches of Asia Minor to whom John was writing about all that was going to happen in the future.
Ephesus, the church that lost its first love (2:1-7).
Smyrna, the church of longsuffering (2:8-11).
Pergamos, the church that was lax (2:12-17).
Thyatira, the church of the libertines (2:18-29).
Sardis, the lifeless church (3:1-6).
Philadelphia, the church of loyalty (3:7-13).
Laodicea, the lukewarm church (3:14-22).
IV. THE VISIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT (Rev. 4:1-20:15)
A) The hallelujahs of heaven (4:1 -- 5:14) -- Chapters four and five deal primarily with the visions of the Lamb of God. The magnificent scenes in these two chapters are set in Heaven and form the prelude to the judgments about to break upon the world. No where else in the Bible is there a greater emphasis about the Throne of God. It is mentioned seventeen times in these two short chapters.
First, John is caught up into Heaven and comes away with the memory of an unforgettable throne of majesty and mystery that is awesome.
Second, John has the memory of an unforgettable throne. The angels and cherubim are there. The four and twenty elders are there. His descriptions allow us to catch a glimpse of the solemnity and dignity of the divine government.
Third, John comes away with the memory of the thrill of seeing Jesus, the beloved Lamb of Calvary, step into the spotlight of eternity and become the center of everything. He saw the scroll that was sealed with seven seals, the title deed of planet earth. He heard the call for any man who was worthy to break the seals. None from Adam’s fallen race was worthy, not even Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Daniel, Peter, James or John. No wonder John wept.
Then he saw Jesus step forward and take the scroll. Suddenly, all heaven burst into song. Jesus is called “the Lamb” only twice in the Old Testament, in Isaiah 53:7 and Jeremiah 11:19. He is called “the Lamb” only twice in the Gospels, John 1:29 and 1:36, once in Acts 8:32, and once in the Epistles—1 Peter 1:19. He is called “the Lamb”, however, 28 times in the Book of Revelation.
Jesus is described in Revelation in great symbolism: His seven eyes suggest omniscience; the seven horns a picture of omnipotence. The Lamb of God takes the scroll and the seals are broken, the trumpets are sounded, and the vials are poured out. Everything that happens in the Book of Revelation happens because He precipitates the action. From start to finish, Jesus is in complete control.
B) The horrors on earth (6:1 -- 20:15) -- Chapters six through eight comprise the seven seals. With the scroll firmly in the hands of Jesus, the stage is now set for the judgments of the apocalypse to begin. The first thing we notice is that there are three major series of judgments in the book: the seals, the trumpets and the vials. The seal judgments set before us a world that is ruined by man. The symbolism is fairly simple because it deals with familiar things, everyday occurrences in the world. When the seals are broken, the natural and national disasters that plague mankind will be allowed to develop to their full potential of horror.
The events which take place under the seals can be summarized as follows:
1) The first four seals are linked together by the appearance of a horse and a rider after each seal is broken. These riders are often called, “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” Under the four horsemen of the apocalypse, we see:
Seal number one, which is successful propaganda.
Seal number two, which is sanguinary policies.
Seal number three, which is severe privations.
Seal number four, which are spreading plagues.
2) Under the further horrors of the apocalypse, we see:
Seal number five, an immense persecution.
Seal number six, an impotent panic.
Seal number seven, an imprecatory prayer.
The first seal -- The first horse is white and its rider has a bow and a crown and is sent forth to conquer (chapter 6:2). The immediate problem before us is to determine who or what this rider symbolizes. The key is found in verse 8 where the rider of the fourth horse is identified as death. This makes it clear that the riders are not persons, but personifications. They symbolize forces that will be abroad in the world immediately after the Rapture of the Church.
The color of the first horse, the bowl, the crown, and the victorious career of the rider are all clues. In the Bible, a horse is sometimes used as a symbol of war. Here we have war symbolized, but quite a different kind of war from that which appears under the second seal. The rider on the white horse symbolizes bloodless conquest, possibly what we call a “cold war”. He represents the all-victorious antichrist, anti-God ideologies of the Last Days.
The second seal -- The red horse appears. Its rider has a great sword and his commission is to take peace from the earth (chapter 6:4). He symbolizes war on a global scale.
The third seal -- The black horse has a rider that carries a pair of scales. At his coming, a voice calls out: “A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny. And see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” (6:6) This symbolism depicts famine, privation and shortage, but a kind that particularly affects the poor and does not impede the luxurious lifestyle of the rich.
The fourth seal -- The pale horse has a rider whose name is Death and Hell. Authority is given to this rider to kill men by sword, famine, plague, and the wild beasts of the earth (chapter 6, verse 8). One way or another, this last horseman decimates the world of a quarter of its population. The net effect of all these sealed judgments is not possible to say, especially since all of these riders are sent forth. There is no word of their recall. Ideological struggles, warfare, famine and plagues will continue to the end until everything culminates in the battle of Armageddon.
The fifth seal -- This seal removes divine restraint from yet another horror which curses mankind, persecution. John sees beneath the brazen altar those who have been martyred for their testimony to God and His Word.
The sixth seal -- When this seal is broken, great convulsions take place everywhere. The sun, moon and stars are smitten. The heaven rolls back like a scroll. The earth is shaken with violent earthquakes. All men, from kings on thrones to the meanest slaves, are seen running for shelter and calling upon the mountains and rocks to hide them from the face of the Lamb and from His wrath. The sixth seal also looks toward the very end because the forces set in motion under the seals are not recalled, but go on operating until the day of wrath itself dawns.
The seventh seal -- This first phase of apocalyptic judgment ends with a description of the seventh seal. The scene is once more cast in heaven where the opening of this seal brings about a solemn silence which lasts about the space of half an hour (chapter 8:1). This is followed by the presentation to God of the prayers of His afflicted people on earth.
CONCLUSION
This concludes Part 1 of this three-part message, “The Tribulation and the Second Coming.” The remainder of this message about the events of the Book of Revelation is covered in Parts 2 and 3. It should be clear to everyone that we must be ready for the soon return of Christ for His Church. Surely, none would be so foolish as to ignore the severe judgments that are to come upon the face of this earth!
