The Book of Revelation
The Book of Consummation
Just as Genesis is the book of beginnings,
Revelation is “the book of consummation.”
In it, the divine program of redemption is brought
to fruition, and the Holy Name of God is vindicated before all creation.
A rich biblical portrait of the Divine Trinity (Rev.
1:4-8) is followed by an overwhelming visible manifestation of Christ in verses
9 to 18.
The Divine Trinity is our God Who is, and Who was,
and Who is to come—our Eternal Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the
Faithful Witness, and the Seven Spirits before His Throne.
Just like John, and the rest of the apostles, and
prophets, all 'the bridal saints' of Christ bear the Testimony of Jesus and
hold on to the Word of God. They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and by the
Word of their testimony.
In this beginning chapter of Revelation, John
recorded:
I, John, your brother
and companion in the suffering and Kingdom and patient endurance that are ours
in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because
of the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus (verse 9 NIV).
Note that the chapters in the book of Revelation
which begin with: “After this” or "After these things" refer to a
prophetic occurrence which must take place precisely after an event or after a
series of events. Such case can be seen in chapter 4:1; 7:1; 18:1; and 19:1
“After this I looked,
and, behold, a door was opened in Heaven: and the first voice which I heard was
as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will
shew thee things which must be hereafter”(4:1KJV).
“And after these
things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the
four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the
sea, nor on any tree”(7:1KJV).
“And after these things I saw another angel
come down from Heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his
glory” (18:1KJV)
“And after these
things I heard a great voice of much people in Heaven, saying, Alleluia;
Salvation, and Glory, and Honour, and Power, unto the Lord our God…” (19:1KJV)
In Revelation 4 John is translated into Heaven where
he is given a revelation of “the Divine Majesty.” In it, the Father (“One sat on the throne”)
and the Son (the Lion and the Lamb) are worshipped by the twenty-four elders,
the four-living creatures, the angelic host, and the entire Heaven.
They all worship the Father and the Son for what
they have done.
And, what have they done?
Creation and Redemption!
This is unveiled in chapter 4 and 5.
There is a prophetic connection between the Sixth
and the Seventh Seals. This is seen in chapter 7 which describes the protective
sealing of the 144,000 and also looks ahead to the Great Multitude from every
part of the Earth who come ‘out of the Great Tribulation.’
There is an extended prophetic connection between
the trumpet and bowl judgments.
There are three cycles of seven judgments between
chapter 6 and 16—consisting of seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls.
The first cycle of seven judgments—the Seals:
The First Seal (6:1-2)
The Second Seal (6:3-4)
The Third Seal (6:5-6)
The Fourth Seal (6:7-8)
The Fifth Seal (6:9-11)
The Sixth Seal (6:12-17)
The Seventh Seal (8:1-5)
The second cycle of seven judgments—the Trumpets:
The First Trumpet (8:6-7)
The Second Trumpet (8:8-9)
The Third Trumpet (8:10-11)
The Fourth Trumpet (8:12-13)
The Fifth Trumpet (9:1-12)
The Sixth Trumpet (9:13-21)
The Seventh Trumpet (11:15-19)
And, the third cycle of seven judgments—the Vials
(Bowls):
The First Vial (16:1-2)
The Second Vial (16:3)
The Third Vial (16:4-7)
The Fourth Vial (16:8-9)
The Fifth Vial (16:10-11)
The Sixth Vial (16:12-16)
The Seventh Vial (16:17-21)
The catastrophic events in most of the trumpet judgments
are called “woes.” This is seen from chapter 8 verse 2 to chapter 11.
There is a prophetic interlude between the Sixth and
the Seventh Trumpets (chapter 10:1-11:14).
Two unnamed witnesses minister during
three-and-a-half years period of the Great Tribulation.
At the end of their ministry they are overcome by
“the beast”, but their resurrection and ascension confound their enemies.
“The second woe is
past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly” (11:14 KJV)
Chapter 12 to 14 contain a number of miscellaneous
prophecies that are inserted between the trumpet and bowl judgments—however,
note that the trumpet judgments (8:6-13;9;11:15-19) begin after the time of the
Rapture. It will be followed by the bowl judgments (chapter 16).
When “the Seventh Seal” is broken, it will be time
for “the Rapture.” After this last seal is broken, the Rapture will take place
within the space of prophetic "half an hour." This time frame is in
Revelation 8 verse 1.
The trumpet judgments begin after the time of the
Rapture. It will be followed by the bowl judgments.
In the record of “the Seventh Trumpet” in chapter
11, Christ’s Millennial and Eternal Reign is foreseen.
And the seventh angel
sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall
reign for ever and ever.
And the four and
twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and
worshipped God,
Saying, We give thee
thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because Thou
hast taken to Thee Thy great Power, and hast reigned.
And the nations were
angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be
judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and
to the saints, and them that fear Thy Name, small and great; and shouldest
destroy them which destroy the earth.
And the temple of God
was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His
testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an
earthquake, and great hail (vv.15-19 KJV).
The Mystery of God will be accomplished in the
Seventh Trumpet.
But in the days when
the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be
accomplished, just as He announced to His servants the prophets"(Rev 10:7
NIV).
In chapter 12, the Woman [Zion] travailed in pain of
bearing the Holy Child (vv.1-2).
"Before she goes into labor, she gives
birth;
before the pains come
upon her, she delivers a Son.
Who has ever heard of
such a thing?
Who has ever seen such
things?
Can a country be born
in a day
or a nation be brought
forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion
in labor
than she gives birth
to her children.
Do I bring to the
moment of birth
and not give
delivery?" says the Lord.
"Do I close up
the womb
when I bring to
delivery?" says your God.
Isa 66:7-9 NIV
Like as a woman with child, that draws near the time
of her delivery, is in pain, and cries out in her pangs; so have Israel been in
the sight of God (Isa 26:17).
Verse 3 of Revelation 12 speaks of the dragon and
his rising Babylon.
The enormous red dragon's seven heads, ten horns and
seven crowns were delegated to "the beast out of the sea" (the
antichrist) with 3 additional crowns
(see 13:1). The beast mentioned in this verse is a blasphemous beast (“on each
head a blasphemous name”).
The scarlet beast mentioned in chapter 17 is
"the beast out of the sea."
“Babylon the Great” is the woman which sits on the
scarlet beast.
Then the angel carried
me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet
beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns
(v.3 NIV).
“The city that never sleeps” is the woman; it is the
universal headquarter of “Babylon the Great.”
The woman you saw is
the great city that rules over the kings of the earth." (v.18 NIV).
The mystery of “the woman” and “the beast” is unraveled
in chapter 17 verses 7 to 18.
Then the angel said to
me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the
woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The
beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss
and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not
been written in the Book of Life from the creation of the world will be
astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet
will come.
"This calls for a
mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They
are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but
when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was,
and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his
destruction.
"The ten horns you saw are ten kings who
have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as
kings along with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and
authority to the beast. They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will
overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings — and with Him will
be His called, chosen and faithful followers."
Then the angel said to me, "The waters
you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and
languages. The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They
will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn
her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose
by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's Words are
fulfilled. The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the
earth" (NIV).
The mystery of the beast is unraveled in chapter 13:7-18.
A third of the angels became part of the dragon’s
rebellion in Heaven.
“And his tail drew the
third part of the stars of Heaven, and did cast them to the earth…” (12:4a KJV).
This verse goes on to say:
“…and the dragon stood
before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as
soon as it was born (12:4b KJV).
This is why Matthew 2:16 occurred.
Then Herod, when he
saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth,
and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts
thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had
diligently inquired of the wise men (KJV).
Zion which travailed in great pain brought forth the
Holy Child Who will rule over the earth.
(“And she brought
forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron…” (Rev
12:5a).
The Man-Child is the Anointed One—the Messiah.
His Reign over the earth was decreed from eternity
and prophesied long before His human birth.
He Himself said:
“I will declare the decree:
the Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee.
Ask of Me, and I shall
give Thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for Thy possession.
Thou shalt break them
with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
Ps 2:7-9 KJV
He shall reign and rule over the earth as “King of
kings and Lord of lords.”
Out of His mouth comes
a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them
with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the Wrath of
God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this Name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD
OF LORDS (Rev 19:15-16 NIV).
Zion's Child was caught up unto God.
"...and her child
was caught up unto God, and to His throne" (Rev. 12:5b KJV)
At the cross of His crucifixion, satan the dragon
was defeated. Christ died and rose from the grave, and ascended into the
Heaven, seated at the Father’s right hand (Acts 1:9; Col 3:1; Eph 1:20).
Chapter 13 gives a graphic description of a
prophetic exposure of the beast and his false prophet; both empowered by satan
the dragon. The first beast is given political, economic, and religious
authority, and because of his power and lying wonders performed by the second
beast, he is worshipped as ruler of the earth.
Chapter 14 contains a series of visions including
the 144,000 at the end of the Great Tribulation, the fate of those who follow
the beast, and the outpouring of the Wrath of God.
The seven bowl judgments of chapter 16 are prefaced
by a Heavenly vision of the Power, Holiness, and Glory of God in chapter 15.
In chapter 17, Babylon the Great—the great harlot,
and a scarlet beast full of blasphemous names are described and judged.
The kings of Babylon the Great and their kingdoms
will be destroyed by the KING of kings and LORD of lords.
Chapter 18 anticipates the destruction of Babylon
the Great—the city of the habitation of demons, foul spirits, and every unclean
thing.
Earth mourns Babylon’s destruction, while Heaven
rejoices.
In chapter 19 we see the Marriage banquet of the
Lamb ready, and the Second Coming of Christ Who leads the armies of Heaven into
battle against the antichrist and his false prophet.
In chapter 20 satan the dragon is bound for a
thousand years in the bottomless pit.
During this one-thousand year period Christ will reign
over the earth with His resurrected saints.
The Millennial Reign of Christ will consist of all
who have part in the First Resurrection.
In this chapter also is a revelation of the Great
White Throne Judgment.
In chapter 21 is the revelation of a New Heaven and
a New Earth as a new universe is created—this time unspoiled by sin, death,
pain or sorrow.
The New Jerusalem is shaped like a gigantic cube;
1,500 miles long, wide and high (note that the most holy place in the Old
Testament tabernacle and the temple was also a perfect cube).
The multicolored stones of this holy celestial city
reflect the Glory of God, as it is continually filled with Light.
But, the greatest thing of all is that all believers
will be in the Presence of God forever, and “they shall see His face.”
Revelation concludes with an epilogue (22:6-21),
which reassures the readers that Christ is coming quickly (vv.7, 12, 20) and
invites all who wish to “take the Water of Life freely” (v.17) to come to the
Alpha and Omega, the Bright and Morning Star.