Blessed are the reader and hearers of the words of this prophecy, provided they obey the things written in it! For the time is near! Revelation 1:3

The Book of Revelation - given to John

Stained glass All Saints Church, Hereford - Revelation 22 and Ezekiel 47

Stained glass window in All Saints Church, Hereford - Revelation 22 and Ezekiel 47

An outline

While he was exiled on Patmos, the Apostle John was given a special revelation of the things to come.

The thing about Revelation is not to understand everything, as this can take lifetime, but to read it so that it is tucked away for the Holy Spirit to call to mind at the right time. Also to see what he wants to reveal to you today.

This summary provides only an outline or introduction, and is no substitute for careful, prayerful study of the book itself. Anyone wishing to study Revelation is strongly recommended to enlist the aid of David Pawson's excellent, common sense, guidance which can be found in his "Unlocking the Bible" Rev Pawson points out that the Revelation was written down for ordinary believers, not academics, and is thus best read by ordinary believers.

The framework below uses the accepted chapter and verse numbering but, as David Pawson points out, the divisions created by them are artificial and sometimes misleading. It is suggested that you use them for finding subjects, but read the book as if they were not there.

David Pawson's book gives suggestions for more helpful ways of dividing and understanding this Revelation.

Ch 1-3

Introduction and messages to the seven churches (7 picture of the whole church) on the Lord's opinion of their progress. Can you see your church herein?

This revelation is "To show you what must take place after this"

Worship in Heaven

The scroll - only the Lamb may open it - The contents of the scroll are revealed

The riders

White	Conquest
Red	Take away peace
Black	Scales (scarcity)
Pale	Death

We see the souls of the slain of God's elect.

The earth and heavens are shaken.

We see the 144,000 sealed (12x12x1000- probably representing the faithful of Israel) and the great multitude of Gentiles who have come out of the tribulation.

Silence

Seven angels with seven trumpets.

We see the incense bowl holding the prayers of the saints

Fire from the incense altar is thrown on the earth

Trumpets

1	Hail fire and blood	¹/₃trees burned
2	Mountain thrown into the sea	¹/₃of fish and ships destroyed
3	Star (Wormwood) falls to earth	¹/₃waters turn bitter
4	Eagle calling, "woe, woe, woe"	¹/₃sun and moon darkened
5	Star fallen, key to Abyss, opened releasing smoke and locusts	Locusts to bite (torment but not kill) those not sealed. Their king is Abaddon (Destroyer)
6	4 angels (bound at the river Euphrates) released	To kill ¹/₃mankind. remainder did not repent.
7	Great angel with trumpet	Mystery of God to be accomplished.

Measuring the Temple

Gentiles trample Temple for 42 months

Two witnesses prophecy for 1260 days (they are 2 olive trees / 2 lampstands)

When they have finished testifying the Beast from the Abyss kills them

Bodies lie in streets 3¹/₂days (men exchange gifts to celebrate)

Then God raised them and took them up to heaven

An earthquake destroys ¹/₁₀of city - 7000 dead.

Seventh trumpet is sounded, there is worship in Heaven, the Temple is opened and the Ark of the Covenant is seen.

A woman clothed with the sun and moon and stars appeared and gave birth.

A red dragon appeared seeking to devour the child (a male child to rule the nations)

The child was snatched up to Heaven and the woman fled to the desert and was protected for 1260 days.

There was war in heaven and the dragon was hurled down to earth (by Michael and his angels) (dragon is Satan - ancient serpent, the devil)

"devil has gone down - his time is short" He went off to make war on the offspring - those who obey God's commandments and hold the testimony to Yeshua.

The Beast from the sea. Men worship him. Call for endurance from the saints.

Beast from the earth given authority from first beast. Orders worship of first beast.

( In biblical symbolism, the sea often represents the Nations / Goyim / Gentiles, while "the land" is "Eretz Israel", the land of Israel.)

Beast 2, also known as the false prophet, Performs signs and wonders - makes an image of the beast which can speak.

People must worship image or die. They receive the mark of beast

144,000 on Zion. The firstfruits to God.

3 angels.

first	"Fear God"
second	"Fallen is Babylon"
third	"those with the mark to suffer"

"Blessed are those who die in the LORD"

7 last plagues, Worship, Song of Moses

Tabernacle / Temple in Heaven filled with smoke from the Glory so no one could enter.

Seven last plagues - 1 to 6 poured out

V15 "Behold I come like a thief"

Kings gathered at Armageddon

Seventh plague

Judgment on Babylon (represented as a woman drunk with blood of the saints)

She rides on a beast with 7 heads and 10 horns.

(7 for 7 hills (Rome?) and 7 kings - 5 have fallen, 1 is and 1 is to come)

(10 for 10 kings yet to receive kingdoms - for 1 hour will have authority)

They will make war on the Lamb and his followers.

The Fall of Babylon. v4 "come out of her my people"

Hallelujah!

V7 The wedding of the Lamb

V11 The rider "Faithful and True" "Word of God"

Beast and armies gather for battle (with him is the false prophet)

Birds summoned to feast on the army

Beast and False Prophet into lake of fire - the rest killed with sword from Messiah's mouth

Satan bound.

The Thousand Years ( Millennium) reign of Yeshua.

Satan freed and deceives nations - Gog Magog war - Satan into lake of fire

Judgment

Death and Sheol into lake of fire; also those not found in the Book of Life

The new Jerusalem (needs no sun or moon)

The river of Life flowing out from the Temple

v16 our "bright morning star"

Note. When the term Anti-Christ is used, in the Greek, anti means substitute or counterfeit rather than opponent. Note also that here is a Jewish belief about a figure corresponding to the antichrist, and Islam has its Messiah equivalent - The Mahdi.

It should be borne in mind that Revelation is a collection of visions of events seen from different perspectives, and can not be read linearly with a view to producing a timeline. Some passages probably overlap - seeing events from a Heaven viewpoint and from an earth viewpoint.

I offer this sequence to see if it helps. But please do not take it as, in any way, adding to or taking away from the book.

Section 1	Chapter 12 - A historical overview of God's salvation plan - through Israel and out to the Gentile world through His Messiah Satan's opposition and persecution is introduces as we move from past to future.
Section 2	Chapter 1 - Introduction to Jesus' revelation to us written down by John
Section 3	Ch 2 & 3 - Jesus' review of the seven churches in Asia Minor with criticism and warnings as appropriate Not representing seven ages of the church, but seven types that exist through the life of the church.
Section 4	John's attempt to convey his vision of God in his glory Compare with Ezekiel's experience and notice how Revelation shares old testament style
Section 5	Ch 5 to 11 (and 19?) - Events to come seen from the point of view of Heaven.
Section 6	Ch 13 to 19 - Events to come seen from Earth's point of view
Section 7	Ch 19 to the end - The establishing of the Kingdom of God and his Messiah. The 1000 year Messianic reign on earth, then eternity in the New Jerusalem.

David Pawson summed up Satan's desire that we should be ignorant about Revelation as follows, "The devil hates the first few pages of the Bible that reveal how he gained control of our planet, and the last few pages that reveal how he will lose control of it. ("Unlocking the Bible" - see Books)

Remember; This revelation was given to the Church to enable us to be prepared for what is to come, not to speculate about dates and details such as Is Europe the Beast of Revelation 13?

This book is very helpful

Understanding Revelation

By Rev. Malcolm Hedding -

price: $15.00 from ICEJ

For too many Christians, Revelation is a closed book - they have considered its mysteries and symbols too difficult to understand, and have in effect passed it by. All too often the topics addressed in Revelation are not dealt with from the pulpit. Much of its contents are ridiculed as being unimportant to the real issues and beliefs of the Christian faith. This is a deception.

Revelation is in fact rich in devotional instruction and so important to God that He promises a blessing upon those who diligently study its pages. This book has been written to provoke your interest and inspire you to further study of the Book of Revelation in the hope that promised blessing of God will be yours.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. Revelation 22:18-19

Updated 21/11/22

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