The Revelation to John
Overview
The Revelation to John:
Part I: Revelation 1-11
Revelation 1: John on Patmos
• Revelation 1.9
• “I John, your brother, who
share with you in Jesus the
persecution and the
kingdom and the patient
endurance was on the
island called Patmos
because of the word of
God and the testiomony of
Jesus”
Patmos: Revelation 1
John’s Vision of Christ
Revelation 1.12-20
• John Sees the Son of
Man
• 7 Golden Lampstands
• White hair; golden
sash
• Bronze feet
• [Compare Dan 7.13;
Dan 10.5-9; Rev
19.11-16]
Structure of the Revelation to John
•
•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
Rev 1:
Rev 2-3:
Rev 4-5:
Rev 6-9:
Rev 10-14:
Rev 15-16:
Rev 17-19.10:
Rev 19.11-20.5:
• Rev 21-22.5:
• Rev 22.6-21:
Introduction: John’s Vision
7 Letters to 7 Churches
The Kingdom of God in Heaven
7 Seals: 7 Plagues
7 Trumpets: 7 Plagues
Interlude: Christians in the Present
7 Bowls: 7 Plagues
Lady Babylon
The Parousia; the Millennium; Final
Defeat of Satan
Lady Jerusalem
Conclusion
Cycles of Seven
Other Material
1.1-20: Introduction; Prophetic Call
2.1-3.22 7 Letters
6.1-8.5b 7 Seals
8.5-9.21 7 Trumpets
(11.15-19)
4.1-5.14: God on his Heavenly Throne;
The Lamb
(7.1-17: the Present Situation:
Sealing of 144,000)
10.1-15.4: the Present Situation
Satan on Earth
15.5-16.21: 7 Bowls
17.1-19.10: Lady Babylon
19.11-20.5: the Parousia;
Millennium; Defeat of Satan
21.1-22.5: Lady Jerusalem: the
Kingdom of God
22.6-21: Conclusion
The Central Vision:
Revelation 4-5
John sees God the
Father on his
Heavenly Throne
Note: Worship of God by
--4 Living Creatures
--24 Elders
Revelation: the Lamb
Presented to the Heavenly Court
• Revelation 5: A Key to the
Action of the Book
• The Lion who is also a
Lamb
• Appears before God and
Receives Worship
• Is Worthy to Open the
Scroll= the Eschatological
Plan of God
• *The Two Advents of
Christ: Rev 5 Relates to
Rev 19.11-16: the Second
Coming
Worship of the Lamb: Revelation 5
The Book with 7 Seals
• Book: symbolizes the plan of God for
Judgment and Salvation of the World
• Seals: indicate secrecy
• Only the lamb is worthy to open the Seals
• Why?
Results of the Death of Christ
=Beginning of the Eschatological Events
• Battle between Good and Evil begins in Earnest:
Christ and Satan; Cross as Preliminary Victory
• Drawing up the Battle Lines: Some Marked for
Christ and some for Satan (the Beast)
• Eschatological Woes: Plagues and Suffering on
Earth
• Judgment of All People
• Rewards and Punishment:
• The New Jerusalem; the Lake of Fire
The Eschatological Woes
Portrayed 3 Times: in Cycles of 7 Plagues
• 7 Seals (Rev 6)
• 7 Trumpets (Rev 89)
• 7 Bowls (Rev 1516)
Revelation 10-11
Interlude: The Situation of Christians on Earth
• Rev 10: John is given the Little Scroll to
Eat
• Rev. 11: The Two Witnesses
Revelation: Part II
Revelation 12-22
The Cosmic Battle
Saint Michael Battles Against Satan
• Revelation 12
• Michael= the Chief of
the 7 Archangels
according to Jewish
Tradition
• He Throws Satan=the
Dragon out of Heaven
Satan Attacks the Woman
Revelation 12.13-17
Excluded from Heaven
Satan Works Mischief
on Earth
Attacking the Woman
clothed with the Sun
and her Child with a
Flood of Water
Revelation 13
The Beast from the Sea
And the Beast from the Earth
The Beast from the Sea=
the Earthly Incarnation of Satan
Rev 13.1: “And the dragon gave his
power to the beast”
**Compare the Four Beasts in Daniel
7
Revelation 14-16
Repetitions
• Rev 14 cf. Rev 7: Marking out of the Elect
• Rev 15-16: cf. Rev 6-9: The 7 Plagues:
• (This Time with Allusions to the Plagues of the Exodus)
The 2 Ladies
• Lady Babylon: 17.1-19.10: Rome the Evil City
– The Parousia of Christ: 19.11-20.17
• As Heavenly Warrior and Judge (Son of Man)
– Finishes what was begun in the Cross (Rev 5)
• Millennial Kingdom:
• Final Battle Against Satan
• Resurrection; Judgment
• Lady Jerusalem 21.1-22:5: the Kingdom of God
Revelation 20
• 1. The Milennium: Satan is Bound for 1000
Years= Reward of the Righteous, who Reign
with Christ for 1000 Years
• =the First Resurrection
• 2. Then Satan is Let Out and Defeated for the
Last Time (Didn’t this Already Happen? Reprise of the
Battle)
• 3. Satan and the Beast are thrown into the Lake
of Fire: Eternal Torment
Final
Defeat of
Satan
Revelation 20:
Satan
and the Beast are
Thrown Into the Lake
of Fire
Revelation 20.11-15
• The Last Judgment
“And I saw the dead, great and
small, standing before the
throne, and books were
opened…And the dead were
judged according to their
works, as recorded in the
books. And the sea gave up
the dead that were in it, Death
and Hades gave up the dead
that were in them, and all
were judged.”
[Compare Daniel 7: Judgment of
the Ancient of Days]
Revelation 21-22: The New Jerusalem
• “And I Saw the holy city,
the new Jerusalem coming
down From Heaven,
prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband.”
• Rev 4 cf. Rev 21-22
• “Thy Kingdom Come, on
earth (Rev 21-22) as it is
in Heaven (Rev 4-5).”