new testament survey: the book of revelation “behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will...

New Testament Survey: The Book of Revelation

“Behold, He is coming with

clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who

pierced Him. And all the tribes of the

earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”

(1:7)

Background

• This book brings to a close the New Testament and its history.

• It completes the perfect, divine revelation of God’s Scheme of Redemption.

• It is a special revelation, given in a special way, to convey a special message.

• Revelation—”to reveal or unveil.”

• Through this revelation, given to the Apostle John on the isle of Patmos, our Lord draws back the “veil.”

• To show the early church, not only the forces that were at work against God and human redemption, but a glimpse into what the future held for those who were faithful.

• The only book of prophecy in the New Testament.

Background

• Belongs in the “apocalyptic” literature category.

• The prophetic element is predominate. The book abounds in figurative language, signs, and symbols.

• Comparable to the OT books of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.

• Uses symbolic and figurative language to convey its messages to those to whom they were directed. To serve that purpose, it used language with which they-- especially the Jewish elements--were familiar.

• At the same time, the language meaning was withheld from those who were enemies of the Lord!

Background

• Written around 95 or 96 A.D.

• Written by John while he was in exile during the later part of Domitian’s reign (81 to 96 A.D.)

• Written during the time when Emperor worship demanded that they worship him as “Lord.”

• Faithful Christians refused to do so—thus bringing on persecution.

• This is the backdrop; it gives great reason to reject the book’s early writing date.

Background

• The book is addressed to the seven churches of Asia.

• John’s home was probably Ephesus, but he worked throughout the province of Asia Minor.– “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne.” (1:4)

Background

Keys to the Book of Revelation

• Key words– “Overcome”

• Key phrase– “Blessed are they who do

His commandments”

• Key chapters– Chapters 1 and 21

• Key verses– 1:1

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.”



His commandments”


• Key verses– 1:19, 2:10

• “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.”

• “…Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”


“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”




His commandments”


• Key verses– 22:18, 19

Purpose of the Book

• Written at the direct command of the Lord:– “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard

behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,’ and, what you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” (1:10,11)

• The theme of the book is the glorious triumph of Christ and the ultimate victory of the righteous.

• Victory of the Lamb!

• This book was designed to give comfort and support to Christians who were undergoing persecution by assuring them that all enemies of Christ and His church would be subdued!

• Their only hope was in Christ!

Purpose of the Book

• Severe persecution had already begun:– “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to

suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days…” (2:10)

– “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” (2:13)

Purpose of the Book

• Severe persecution had already begun:– “Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who

commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.” (2:22)

– “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” (3:10)

Purpose of the Book

• The conflict between Christianity and atheistic heathenism increased rapidly, endangering the lives of God’s people throughout the Roman Empire.

• Because they refused to submit to the Roman Emperor, many would die for their faith.

• History confirms that this did occur.

• During her first 30 years, the church enjoyed peace in the Roman Empire.

• This peace ended abruptly, and it took great courage to be a Christian.

Purpose of the Book

• The early church was looked upon as a sect of Judaism.

• Beginning with the reign of Nero (64 A.D.), dangers and difficulties multiplied.

• Nero blamed the burning of Rome on the Christians.

• Often, remaining faithful resulted in loss of occupations, property, possessions, family members, and even their own lives!

Purpose of the Book

• This revelation was given to unveil to God’s people what they would be called upon to suffer for Christ’s sake.

• It encouraged faithfulness and renewed to them the promises of God’s providential care over His own.

• In the end, truth and righteousness would ultimately triumph over the forces of evil.

• In the present despair, they received assurance of a more intense hope of future divine intervention.

Purpose of the Book

• This revelation emphasized God’s sovereign rule over the nations.

• It assured believers of God’s judgment of the wicked and their destruction, along with the glorious triumph and reward of the faithful

• A message of encouragement to these Christians— and for all Christians.

• A last means of warning those who might be tempted to take the “easy way” out!

Purpose of the Book

Methods of Interpretation

• PRETERIT: – Those who try to understand the book by

making its symbols and visions relate only to the events of the period during which it was written and who, therefore, believe the book, in its entirety, was fulfilled by the destruction of Jerusalem. Necessary in order to accept the early writing date.

• HISTORIST: – Those who approach the book using this

method believe that its visions form a complete historical outline of the entire course of church history, from its beginning to the Lord’s second coming.


• FUTURIST: – This approach is taken by those who believe that

the prophecies in the book’s first three chapters were fulfilled during the time in which it was written; or else that the seven churches of Asia represent seven different epochs, or periods, of church history, from the apostles to the Lord’s second coming.


• IDEALIST: – This represents the method used to understand the

book by those who believe in making a spiritual application of its various visions and symbols. They believe that the book becomes a symbolic picture of the struggle between Christ and Satan, the church and the world, truth and error, righteousness and sin, and Christianity and its enemies. It ends with the ultimate triumph of Christ and His church over all forces of error and sin.


Some Things to Keep in Mind…

• Remember what blessing is promised.

• This necessitated an open mind, a willingness to learn and study without prejudice or a closed mind.

• Approached with all humility.– “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the

words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (1:3)

• Whatever God wanted those who read and study the book to understand without any doubt or uncertainty, He has made unmistakably clear and positive.

• Source of revelation:– “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to

show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.” (1:1)


• The message was concerned with…

• Some of the things in the vision were being fulfilled and some things would occur “thereafter.”– “Write the things which you have seen, and the things

which are, and the things which will take place after this.” (1:19)

• How much time “thereafter” embraces, no man knows or can discover—only God knows when the world will end.


• Avoid speculative guessing in your efforts to understand this book. Avoid being dogmatic about what is not plainly made known.

• Some things in the book are figurative. God has disclosed their significance or meaning (fine linen is the righteousness of the saints).– “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My

right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” (1:20)


• One of the primary rules for interpreting any kind of literature is to avoid giving the language under consideration a figurative meaning, unless demanded by the context, or for some other reason.

• In a visionary scene full of symbolic representation, we must be careful about making a literal interpretation.

• Example: Revelation 20…– An angel with chain; the dragon, old serpent; souls

seated upon the throne


• Consider the martyr scene in chapter 6:– Crying beneath the altar– Seeking revenge for the blood being shed

• Then again in chapter 20:– Envisioned as seated upon thrones reigning with Christ– Their blood has been avenged, and the cause for which

they died has triumphed.– A spiritual scene expressed in figurative language

• First resurrection is spiritual—not bodily– 1000 years is figurative—not literal (2 Peter 3:8)


• The expression “shortly come to pass” does not justify believing that the things John wrote were to be considered necessarily imminent, or that their fulfillment would begin immediately.

• Many NT passages discussed the coming of the Lord as being “near or at hand,” but 2000 years have passed, and He still hasn’t come!– 1 Thessalonians 4;13-17; Philippians 4:5; James 5:8; 1

Peter 4:7.


• It is quite simple to discern whether a symbol--whether just a figurative expression, or a vision--represents good or evil.

• One might not know exactly what the symbol represents, but there is no difficulty in determining, from this much of its meaning, whether it represents good or evil.


Contents and Characteristics

THE ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD (1:1)• A message given by God through Jesus Christ• The message emanates from God—therefore, it is

divine revelation.• By His good providence and power, He will

overrule and accomplish His purposes.– “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”

• The throne of God– 4:2-11; 5:1-10; 6:14-17; 7:9-12; 11:15-19; 15:3,4; 19:1-6.

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST (1:1)• The beginning of the book and one of its most

prominent themes

• Christ—the book’s central figure—is set forth, along with His authority!– “Faithful witness”– “First begotten from the dead”– “The prince of the kings on earth” (1:5,6; 17:14)– “Cometh in the clouds” (1:7)– “Alpha and Omega” (1:8)


THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST (1:1)• Christ is in the midst of His church.

• Glorified in it forever (Ephesians 3:21)

• His authority over the church is, therefore, absolute and exclusive!

• He is the “Lamb” who, because of His redemptive work, has the right to administer judgment under the authority of the “sealed book”!– (5:4-7)


THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST (1:1)• He is revealed as a “conqueror” riding on a white

horse at the head of a triumphant procession, as the Roman emperors did with their victorious armies.– 5:9-14; 7:9-17; 15:3-5; 17:14; 19:11-16– “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud

voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” (11:15)


THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST (1:1)• All of these foregoing passages, and others could

be listed, reveal Jesus Christ as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”

• They DO NOT prophesy that he will become King at His second coming; John’s vision of Him reveals that He is King now, with all authority over the Kingdom of God and the nations and rulers of the earth!


THE OFFICE AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT• In all of these visions, John was under the Holy

Spirit’s power and guidance.– 1:10; 4:1,2; 17:1-3; 21:9,10

• All four great cycles of visions began with the assertion that John was “in the Spirit.”

• Not an imaginary dream, but true revelation from the Lord--all testimony recorded by John while under the Spirit’s influence.


THE OFFICE AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT• John, in what he wrote to the seven churches,

reminded them, “hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”– 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22

• John affirms the whole revelation given by the Spirit– “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him

who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (22:17)


THE CHURCH IS REVEALED AS THE BRIDE OF THE LAMB OF GOD.

• The Church as the “bride” is a common figure of the NT.– Ephesians 5:22-33; Romans 7:1-4; John 3:29

• Figure used in Revelation to reveal the relationship between Christ and His church– 19:7-9; 21:9


THE CHURCH IS REVEALED AS THE BRIDE OF THE LAMB OF GOD.• At His coming, He will receive her unto Himself as a

chosen bride, escort her into His Father’s presence, and dwell with her in God’s eternal city.

• In eternity, she will partake of His everlasting glory.– 2 Thessalonians 1:7-12

• Great conflict between the Great Harlot and the Bride of the Lamb– 17:1—21:9


THE EVERLASTING CONFLICT BETWEEN CHRIST AND SATAN—THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS

• From the beginning, the Kingdom of God and Christ had been engaged in conflict with the forces of evil. (Ephesians 5:5)

• In every generation, there is an everlasting struggle between the enemies of righteousness and God’s Kingdom.



• During some periods, opposition has been stronger than in others.

• Constant struggle to allow Christ to reign in the hearts of men.

• Satan constantly uses all of his wiles to struggle against truth.



• The first 11 chapters, not only contain messages to the churches, they also seek to encourage them to persevere.

• There is a series of visions concerning:– God’s might and power.– The worthiness of the Lamb– The glory of His reign through the church



• Chapter 12—”the great red dragon”—the serpent of old called the Devil and Satan

• He persecuted the woman; she gave birth to a man child; the dragon sought to devour it.

• A man destined to rule over a nation with a “rod of iron” (Psalm 2:9; 110:1-4)



• The man child is caught up into heaven where he struggles with Satan and Michael and his angels.

• Satan and his angels fail to prevail!

• They are cast out onto the earth to deceive the nations of the world.



• The woman fled to a place prepared by God; there, she was sustained and nourished by God’s good providence.

• The dragon continued his war with the woman’s seed.

• A direct picture of Satan’s attempt to prevent and overthrow the reign of Christ



• Chapter 13, first beast comes out of the sea (seven heads, ten horns, and upon those horns ten crowns); upon his head is the name of “blasphemy.”

• Beast given power by Satan (13:4)

• Mouth speaking great things and blasphemies



• Spirit of blasphemy belongs to the antichrist; it vividly pictures heathenistic unbelief.

• Came to a peak in opposition to Christ and His church when Rome demanded that the entire world recognize the head of the civil state as “Lord.”

• They were to confess him and burn incense unto him.


THE EVERLASTING CONFLICT BETWEEN CHRIST AND SATAN—THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS• The beast made war against the saints and

destroyed man’s faith.– “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to

overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (13:7,8)



• Another great beast came up out of the earth; he had two horns like a lamb and spoke as a dragon.

• Exercised all power of the first beast; caused all the earth to worship him– 13:11-18



• Another enemy of Christ—false religion— identified first by religious Rome and the false prophet

• Countless hearts of millions on the earth have been deceived by Roman Catholicism and protestant denominations.


THE EVERLASTING CONFLICT BETWEEN CHRIST AND SATAN—THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS• “The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and

adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (17:4,5)



• Evidently, this is a picture of:– Seduction of evil– Ungodliness– Lasciviousness

combined with other enemies of Christ.


THE EVERLASTING CONFLICT BETWEEN CHRIST AND SATAN—THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS• These three enemies--pagan atheism and

heathenism, false religions, and a spirit of lasciviousness and ungodliness--are the sources from which destruction has so widely been wrought on the souls of men who have contested and opposed wrong!


THE PARALLELISM OF THE BOOK• The book’s last two sections are parallel:

– 17:1—21:8 depicts the destruction of the world system of evil represented by the harlot, Babylon.

– 21:9—22:5 pictures the final appearance of the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem.

• The two sections are parallel by way of contrast, as well as by similarity.


THE PARALLELISM OF THE BOOK:• Each section shows the consummation

of a purpose:– One, the end of the trend away from God– The other, the end of redemption

• Each is introduced by “seven angels” and “seven bowls.”


Parallelism…

• The first section introduces a harlot

• The latter a bride– The wilderness

scene of the harlot– 17:3

• “So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”

• The first section introduces a harlot

• The latter a bride– The mountain

scene of the bride– 21:10

• “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.”

Parallelism…

• The first section introduces a harlot– Harlot full of names

of blasphemy– 17:3

• “So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”

Parallelism…

• The latter a bride– Names of the 12 tribes

and 12 apostles– Inscribed on the Holy

City– 21:12-14

• “… and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel... Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

Parallelism…

• First section introduces a harlot– Babylon, city of

corruption and judgment

– 17:6

• “I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.”

Parallelism…

Judgment…

• JUDGMENT– Judgment centers

around God’s throne.

– God’s absolute sovereignty

• 18:1-5• 20:7-10• 20:14,15

• “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Three Judgment Series • THREE SERIES OF JUDGMENTS IN THE

SECOND VISION– Seven seals– Seven trumpets– Seven bowls

• Terrible picture of God’s judgments upon those who dwell on the earth

• Man remained unrepentant– 6:15-17; 9:20,21; 16:9,11,21

• DEFEATING THE FORCES OF EVIL, GOD REIGNS SUPREME!

• The Lord’s chief enemies:– The dragon– The first beast– The second beast and the false prophet– The scarlet woman riding upon the beast

• Failure in “war with the Lamb”

• Overcome and consigned to their doom– 19:19-21; 20:10

Three Judgment Series

• THE HEART OF THE BOOK’S MESSAGE

• “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.“ (17:14)

• Great certainty of the final triumph of the Lamb of God and the forces of righteousness over the forces of evil and error. Message of comfort and hope!

• Victory with the Lamb!

Three Judgment Series

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