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 testimony of
Jesus.”
Patmos: Revelation 1
Vision of the exalted 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
•
•
•
•
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
Vision of exalted Christ
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 on Earth
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
Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God
Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall
rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and
mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd
Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! though the
darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is
none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and
purity.
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints
adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns
around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling
down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore
shall be.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God
Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy
Name, in earth, and sky,
and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and
mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd
Trinity!
Revelation 5: 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
REVELATION 5, HYMN: ”11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels
surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered
myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 singing with full voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honour and glory and blessing!’
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the
sea, and all that is in them, singing,
‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might
for ever and ever!’
14 And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped.
HANDEL’s MESSIAH
#2 “Worthy is the lamb that was slain,
and hath redeemed us to God by his blood,
to receive power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength,
and honour, and glory, and blessing.”
#3 “Blessing and honour, glory and power
be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne,
and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. (Rev 5:12-13)
“Amen” (Chorus) "And the four living creatures said 'Amen!"
Worship of the Lamb: Revelation 5
Amen
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; 11.15-19)
• 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 12.1-6:
The Woman Clothed
with the Sun
[The Heavenly Battle:
and Victory Hymn:
12.7-12]
Revelation 12:13-17
Excluded from Heaven
Satan Works Mischief
on Earth
Attacking the Woman
clothed with the Sun a
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
--Second Coming of Christ
19.11-20.5
Last battle against Satan
Resurrection of the Dead
The Last Judgment--
• Lady Jerusalem 21.1-22:5: the Kingdom of God
Revelation 20:1-10
• 1. The Millennium: Satan is Bound for 1000
Years= Reward of the Righteous, who Reign
with Christ for 1000 Years (20:4-6)
• =the First Resurrection
• 2. Then Satan is Let Out and Defeated for the
Last Time (Didn’t this Already Happen? Reprise of the
Battle) (20:7-9)
• 3. Satan and the Beast are thrown into the Lake
of Fire: Eternal Torment (20.10)
Final
Defeat of
Satan
Rev 20:7-9
Revelation 20:10
Satan and the Beast
areThrown 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).”
The New Jerusalem
The New Jerusalem: Zion, City of our God
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He, whose Word cannot be broken,
Formed thee for His own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.
See! the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love;
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint while such a river
Ever flows their thirst t’assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the Giver,
Never fails from age to age.