revelation

Background

Authorship.   Not only does the author identify himself as John (1:1, 4, 9; 22:8), but the work shows many important similarities with the gospel and epistles. One of John’s ‘trademarks’ is his love for absolute antitheses (such as light-darkness, truth-falsehood, God-Satan, saints-world, etc.), common in his other works, and also prevalent here. Some technical Johannine terms are found here, including ‘truth’ (alēthinos), ‘testimony’ (marturia), ‘conquer’ (nikaō), and the phrase ‘keep the commandments’ (tērein tas entolas). The Lord is called the logos (‘word’) only in the gospel (1:1, 14) and Revelation (19:13). In both he is called a lamb (arnion in Rev. 5ff, amnos in John 1:29, 36) and shepherd (John 10:11ff; Rev. 7:17). Remarkable are the citations in John 19:37 and Revelation 1:7 of Zechariah 12:10, quite similar to one another, but dramatically different from the LXX.

The ancient consensus was strong that John the Apostle wrote the book, including Justin, Irenaeus, Clement, Origen, Tertullian, and Hippolytus. There was however the notable objector Dionysius, who contended the Apostle could not have written it because whereas the Greek grammar is proper in the gospel, it is commonly flawed in the Apocalypse. He also alleged there was another John of note associated with Ephesus. But these arguments have not proven to be convincing. He seems to have overlooked the fact that the gospel is strongly Semitic in flavor, and his suggestion that there was another Ephesian John was based on very weak evidence.

Though other objections are raised by modern scholars, they all lack substance. Additionally, there has been no alternative suggestion with the probability of the Apostle.

Date of composition.   The book is usually dated toward the end of the reign of Domitian (90–95). Irenaeus taught that the Apocalypse “was seen no such long time ago, but almost in our own generation, at the end of the reign of Domitian.”[1] Other facts that support this date are the condition of the Asian churches and the persecutions they were suffering. The contention of Papias that John was martyred before 70 is contradicted strongly by Eusebius and Clement of Alexandria.

Destination.   The work is specifically addressed to seven churches in western Asia Minor. Little is known about most of them, since apart from Ephesus and Laodicea they were otherwise overlooked biblically.

Interpretation.   There are four main schools of thought regarding the interpretation of Revelation.

(1) The Allegorical approach teaches that Scripture is spiritual literature which, to be rightly understood, must be spiritualized. Revelation becomes then an allegory of the conflict between the church and the forces of evil, with no more prophetic value than assuring us that Good will triumph in the end.

(2) The PRETERIST method believes that most of the book has been fulfilled: the first part (4–11) describes victory over Jewish enemies; and the second part (12–19) describes victory over pagan enemies. The end (20–22) then portrays the church’s present power and victory.

(3) The HISTORICAL approach argues that the book is a symbolical description of the history of the present (church) age, from the first century to the present. Its advocates however are unable to agree on the historical events which constitute the fulfillment of the various symbols. This approach also fails to provide a sense of imminency of the Lord’s return to ancient generations.

(4) The FUTURIST approach sees chapters 4–22 as detailing end-time events (corresponding to the apparent ‘outline’ in 1:19), covering especially the 7-year Tribulation (= Daniel’s ‘Seventieth Week,’ Dan 9:27) and the glorious return of the Lord, and also including the Millennium, final judgments, and eternity.

Purpose.   The primary purpose of the work is to describe the Lord’s return to earth to judge his enemies and avenge his saints, both as to its glory and triumph, and also its imminence. Its bulk (6–18) is absorbed with the judgments and movements preliminary to and building the anticipation for that return. Thus it provided—and provides—encouragement for the saint to be faithful, and warning to the unbeliever to bow to him or suffer his wrath.

Argument

Several points should be made at the outset of the study of Revelation. First, it ends with description of New Heaven and Earth and Jerusalem (21:1ff), the eternal reign of God the Father and Son (shared with saints; 22:3–5), and a threefold announcement (22:7, 12, 20) by the Lord Jesus himself of his soon “coming” (echoed by invitations to the reader, v. 17, and John’s prayer, v. 20). All that is immediately preceded by description of the final judgment of the devil and all the wicked (20:11–15), which itself is preceded by ultimate battles. Could anything be more obvious than that this book is about the conclusion of history and its giving way to eternity? Along those lines, the book seems to achieve its climax in the account of the coming of the Lord in 19:11ff. These factors point toward the conclusion that the book means to address and explain ultimate issues of “history as we know it.”

Such ultimate concerns could then be more precisely described, some as Ultimate and some as Penultimate. Ultimate should include final judgment and eternal dispositions of the righteous and the wicked with special attention to the glories of eternal life for the redeemed. God has seen fit also to reveal some details of events and characters that will dominate the world scene in the “last days” just before the Ultimate (think Antichrist, the Great Tribulation).[2]

His Coming is the great climax of the whole program of the First Creation and which is the end of the Penultimate, the beginning of the Ultimate. His Coming inaugurates the rollout of all the concluding chain of events determined to wrap up this creation before the full delivery of the New Creation, the New Heaven and Earth, the glorious eternal Kingdom.

Second, two primary themes predominate: “coming,” which is especially about the Lord’s Second Coming, and “king/kingdom” and reigning. A next tier of themes includes judgments, conquering, repentance and worship.[3]

The book is about the same thing the prior sixty-five canonical books are: the coming of the Savior, the seed of the woman, of Abraham, of David. He comes to repair the damage done to his precious creation and to effect the redemption of his chosen people. The fact that he “comes” twice in no way minimizes the importance of the fact that the coming described in Revelation must be that which has come to be known as “The Second Coming.” It is eminently appropriate that canonical revelation would conclude with a final information dump about the most important event in history since Creation and the First Coming. That this book is centrally about the Lord’s Second Coming is prominently indicated by the author at the beginning and ending, and is developed throughout all the major sections, and is itself the book’s climax.

This author consistently represents this Coming One as King. So he comes to claim his rightful domain, Earth, which has been corrupted by the abusive pretender-usurper, Satan, and his followers ever since Eden. The ruling situation is that the throne of Heaven is and has always been securely maintained by God the Father, the King of Heaven. But Earth, created to be ruled by man, has been topsy-turvy since the Fall. This book is about the final resolution of that ultimate conflict of the ages, with Earth in the end being re-made and ruled by Heaven’s chosen vassal, God the Son, the Son of Man.

As well, most end times prophecy in both the OT and NT is centered around Israel and particularly Jerusalem. So we should not be surprised that that is also the case with Revelation. Israel is God’s chosen people and Jerusalem is the city of David and of the great Son of David.

The penultimate prophecies of Revelation 6–20 are especially about judging and purging Israel in the time of the Great Tribulation, the 70^th week of Daniel 9:24–27. God determined and promised long ago that he would eventually and ultimately purify and redeem Israel. But that will not be fully realized until the last days and hours before the Messiah returns. The horrors of the seven years of the 70^th week (especially the Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl Judgments) will be God’s pressure on that generation of Israel to repent and bow in humble faith and allegiance to her King, Jesus. God’s pressure on his enemies including wicked Israel is a kind of reverse persecution. If persecution is pressure on nonconformists to get in step with the “regime,” so God demands absolute allegiance and threatens, not idly, to crush forever persistent defiance in the face of Calvary’s grace and God’s longsuffering through many centuries, not to mention his undeniable supremacy over creation (cf. Rom 1:19–21). The elect will finally be broken of their stubbornness; the rest will just be broken and crushed. Revelation speaks in several passages in several ways of the need and opportunity to repent. Of course that goes for the rest of the world; but Revelation gives primary attention to Israel, exposing its wickedness, as God demands the worship he is due.

All the other important theme issues—including judgment, worship, repentance, conquest, witness—descend from these two. Jesus is coming to claim his throne. He will judge his enemies and reward his loyal (faithful) followers. The exhortation to the faithful readers, especially those of the Penultimate day, is to persevere in faith and testimony in the face of persecution, which for some reaches the extreme form of martyrdom.

Third, the entire book, not just the letters of chapters 2–3, is to and for the seven churches (1:4, 11; 22:16). But it is also for all churches from John’s day to today and to the day of fulfillment, the time between Daniel’s sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks, which are comprised of Jewish and Gentile Christians. The churches are not the Israel of the seventieth week, but are nevertheless in need of this revelation as to how God intends to wrap up history and the consolation that he will give those who suffer unjustly.

As well, it is a rare church in John’s day or ours that is not populated by true and false followers of Jesus. So this book is a warning to all churches and all Christians that the coming King of Israel, the Lord of the churches, does not countenance false or half-hearted devotion by them. (Recall numerous statements of God’s impartiality, including 1 Pet 1:17.) The scenes of pressure on the Israel of the Penultimate day are meant then to put the fear of God in the hearts of all in the churches from John’s day to the end.

Fourth, the author indicates in his opening statement that the events described “must soon take place” (1:1), and that the time is near (engus; 1:3; 22:10) or the events will occur “soon” (tachu, en tachei; 2:16; 3:11; 22:6, 7, 12, 20; these last three being the Lord’s announcement that he is coming soon). To state the obvious, these reinforce the previous point that the book is about the future; but also that the grand climax will creep up on the last generation and catch the unrepentant unprepared.

Fifth, the structure of the book must be considered carefully. In some ways it is quite transparent—letters to the churches (2–3); heaven’s throne room (4–5); seals and trumpets (6–11); introduction to the dragon (12) and beasts (13); bowls (15–16); Babylon (17–18); climactic judgments (19–20); New Heaven and Earth (21–22). The challenging question is how to organize these—or rather, how the author meant them to be grouped. Various factors have been noted by interpreters, and various approaches have been championed.

This study sees 1:19 as providing the broad plan: chapter one (that is, especially the vision of the Lord in 1:9–20) being the things which he “saw”; chapters two and three “the things which are”; and the rest of the book (perhaps leaving out the Epilogue, 22:6–21, as a final section) “the things which will happen after these things.” But that still leaves more than eighty percent of the book in the third section.

There are the two white horses and riders in 6:1–2 and 19:11. These define the beginning and end of this largest block of material in the book, chapters 6 to 19–20. The rider must be the same in both places, Jesus, the rightful King. Chapter 19 verses 11–21 is “climax” to the whole drama; chapters 20–22 are the “falling action” including the “happily ever after.”

There is a strong connection between the throne room (4–5) and the following with the introduction and opening of the seven-sealed scroll. The “seven-ness” demands literary continuity, even with the gap between the sixth and seventh. The seventh seal must be seen as consisting of the seven trumpets, so that that entire section is continuation of the scroll seals, thus yielding a literary unit from chapter 6 through 11: the Scroll. The seventh Trumpet (11:15–18) has the quality of finality, ultimacy, and the next verse acts as a transitional buffer. Likewise the material that follows is new in a number of ways.

The material that follows is introduction of the archvillains—the dragon (12) and the two beasts (13)—who had not yet been formally introduced. These are literarily connected. The bowl judgments (15–16) focus on these and their followers. The prostitute Babylon (17–18) is also entwined with the first beast. So the author seems to shift at chapter 12 to the topic of archvillains and to continue on that concern through chapter 19.[4] Chapter 19 provides the climax of the building dramatic tension, the Second Coming (v. 11). Chapter 20 completes the climax with the fate of the devil heightened, as he is treated separately from the beasts (19:20).

One more Big Impression: our author means that we should above all be impressed—amazed!—with God, how that he is spectacularly glorious. That glory includes such perfections as his infinite Power, absolute Righteousness and limited Patience. It is the height of folly to oppose him who is all-Powerful. It is his very nature to run a kingdom of Righteousness, and so will certainly bring all moral agents of all time to answer to him in his holy court. That reckoning is delayed, as he is patiently giving people opportunity to repent before their day in court. He has however set the day for that reckoning; his patience will run out. It is the height of folly to procrastinate repentance, as none of us knows the day of our death or of the Lord’s coming.

We must be very careful not to get so caught up in bizarre images and debated interpretations that we lose sight of him. All revelation is God revealing himself. There is nothing grander, and so there is nothing more important. Knowing God is the bull’s-eye of all of life. He is the only reason there is life and a wonderful eternal future. He is the great prize. The Kingdom will be glorious because the King is glorious.

This book opens with a prologue in which the author asserts his work as the true account of important future events, which carries the promise of a blessing for those who order their lives accordingly (1:1–3). Next comes an epistolary greeting, in which there is reference to several themes of the book, but especially those of the Lord’s coming and reigning (1:4–6). The final piece of the prologue is a summary of the central message of the book (1:7–8), the coming of the Lord leading to great repentance.

The divine source of the book is emphasized in the command to write (1:9–11), and its impact is magnified by the majestic and fearsome description of the speaker (1:12–18). Most significant in the symbolism are his likeness to the great Judge of Daniel 7 and the great revealer of Daniel 10–11, and his special association with the churches. Verse 19 provides the outline for the structure of the work.

The immediate movement to the Lord’s words to his churches (chapters 2–3) indicates his special concern for his own. His glorious person, a feature of which begins each letter, commands the attention of the churches. He exercises the power of a judge—to the faithful, more like a loving and strict father—in each case, presenting the facts of their performance (“I know your works”) both positive and negative, and prescribing a course of action for improvement, often a threat of judgment for failure, and always a promise of participation in his glorious triumph for those who obey. The behavior he seeks is unfailing and uncompromising loyalty to himself even in the face of fierce opposition and pressure to defect.

Having shown the Lord’s attitude toward his own churches, he turns to the larger burden of the work, his conquest and judgment of his enemies. The background for that begins with the scene in heaven (chapters 4–5). In the first part the scene is set, depicting the majesty of the heavenly Father—in the description of him and his entourage—and his absolute dominion over Creation, his magnum opus (4). The second part introduces more directly the judgment that follows, with the focus on the scroll and the Lamb (5). It is his prerogative alone to open the scroll’s seals because of his atoning self-sacrifice.

The next several chapters are clearly structured around the sevens of seal (6–7), trumpet (8–11), and bowl (15–16) judgments. There may be progression of intensity of the judgments from the seals to trumpets to bowls. There is a fairly obvious four-three pattern in the groups of seven judgments.

The first four seals involving four colored horses harken to the first and eighth of Zechariah’s vision unit, Zechariah 1:8–17 and 6:1–8. These (and the whole book of Zechariah) speak of God’s zeal for Jerusalem (see especially Zech 1:14). The scroll (which includes the seven trumpets) is about the rightful King reclaiming his land and his holy city. God’s people have been suffering deadly persecution at the hands of the wicked “inhabitants of the land,” so that they cry out for justice in the fifth seal (6:9–11). The terror expands in the sixth seal to cosmic disturbances on a supernatural level, leading to attempts to hide from Heaven’s King and the Lamb, the undoubted source of certain judgment (6:12–17). Before the seventh seal is opened, there is a pause, beginning first with a clue as to the content of that seventh seal—harming of earth, sea, trees—(7:1–3), then two complementary scenes that reveal God’s special protection of his own saints from the effects of the plagues; the first Jews, the second Gentiles, the ones on earth and in their mortality, the others in heaven and following their martyrdom (7:4–17). The breaking of the last seal brings all heavenly beings to the edge of their seats, so to speak (“silence for about a half an hour”), looking to see what might emerge as the last seal is broken and the scroll is at last fully opened (8:1).

What comes forth is the answer to the prayers of the saints for the completion of their salvation and vengeance on their tormentors (8:2–6), in the form of seven trumpet judgments. The first four trumpets bring judgment through calamities in all aspects of the natural world: earth, the seas, fresh water, heavenly bodies (8:7–12). As if that were not bad enough, the last three are so much severer that they warrant a special announcement (8:13). The fifth and sixth are a complementary pair. In them demonic forces are permitted to attack the unprotected, non-elect men; in the first merely inflicting excruciating pain (9:1–12), whereas in the second actually killing (9:13–19). The refusal of the survivors to repent (9:20–21) demonstrates God’s justice in pouring out such judgment. While the sixth trumpet may appear to end in chapter 9, the author signals that the content of chapter 10 and the first fourteen verses of chapter 11 are also part of it (the end of Woe 2, 11:14). What the ending of trumpet six adds is clarification that the sixth trumpet, and hence all the trumpets, is opportunity to repent. Whereas the survivors of the carnage in the second half of chapter 9 stubbornly refused to repent, the survivors of the great earthquake in Jerusalem “feared and gave glory” to God, an expression used two more times of faithful repentance (14:7; 15:4).

In chapter 10 a strong angel, whose appearance conveys divine authority, commits to John a message of the imminent conclusion to judgments, confirming the idea of a last chance to repent.

Next the measuring of the temple of God and the career of his two witnesses describe a specific timeframe—the second half of Daniel’s seventieth week (3½ years; 11:2, 3)—during which two special witnesses prophesy in Jerusalem and survive constant threat of martyrdom only by unique divine protection (11:3–12). Immediately upon the removal of that protection, their martyrdom, their resurrection and heavenly rescue 3½ days later, there was a catastrophic and deadly earthquake in Jerusalem, leading to widespread repentance among the survivors (11:13). It is then that the author means for us to see the sixth trumpet as finally concluded (11:14).

As it turns out, this was effectively the “last hour” or last chance for repentance before the Lord’s triumphant Second Coming, claiming what he came for: dominion over Earth. The seventh trumpet speaks in ultimate terms of that historic development issuing in final judgment of the righteous and the wicked (11:15–18).

What ties the next group of segments together is the thread of judgment on the enemies of Israel, the chosen people of God (12–14). The opposition was Satanic in source—aroused by the threat of the Savior coming from Israel to overthrow him—and frustrated in its intent (12:1–6). His expulsion from heaven portends his eventual final defeat, but also his great rage in view of the shortness of his time (12:7–12). Confined to earth his efforts are directed against Israel, but again are frustrated, so that he thrashes against her faithful offspring (12:13–17). He then raises up his human agents, the beasts from the sea and land, to perform his work. The former climaxes a long train of oppressors of Israel, exercising intimidating powers and demanding absolute loyalty to himself (13:1–10). The latter enforces the same by deception and coercion (13:11–18). This chapter creates the impression that these characters are indomitable (especially 13:4, 16–17). The opening paragraph of chapter 14 however demonstrates first that the Lamb will ultimately win and rule Zion and second that God shall have successfully protected the 144,000 (of 7:4–8) from the dragon’s and beasts’ deadly ferocity. In contrast to their identification with the Lamb in his conquest of Zion, the rest of the earth, those who submitted to the dragon and his goons, will surely suffer the wrath of God. This is the message emphasized by the compound (three) angelic announcements and the two-fold harvest of the earth (14:6–20).

In the bowl judgments which follow (15–16) the object of divine wrath is especially the kingdom of the beast. The preparatory events focus on the truth of God’s unique position as deserving of worship (15:2–4), and the righteousness and finality of the judgments (15:5–8). The object of those judgments is identified in the first and fifth bowls: the subjects of the beast’s kingdom (16:2–11). The survivors validate the justification for the judgments by refusing to repent and cease their blasphemies.

The sixth bowl is Armageddon (16:12–16). But it is not a battle, as traditionally understood. Nor does it have anything to do with Megiddo. It is rather about a war council at a mythic “mountain of assembly” (Hebrew, har-moed; cf. Isa 14:13). The point is that despite all their preparations for the anticipated ultimate conflict, they will not be ready (15; caught in their pajamas, so to speak).

The seventh bowl is God raining down terror—from the air, using lightning, hail, and the greatest earthquake ever—and still the survivors blaspheme and refuse to repent (16:17–21). These last two bowls also set the stage for the remaining judgments against Babylon (chapters 17–18; cf. the reference to Babylon in the earthquake-hailstorm) and the Lord’s return (19:11).

The next to be judged is “Babylon the great,” aka “the mother of prostitutes,” “the mother of the abominations of the land-earth” and “the great city” (17:5, 18). First John describes her, especially as to her relationship with the beast and “the kings of the earth,” her extravagant self indulgence, and her deadly opposition to saints (1–6). Next he expresses how that he was extremely shocked: he is stunned that this city of promise has come to this deplorable state (6–7). Then he provides the angel’s description of the beast (8–11) and the ten kings (12–17), as well as their eventual destruction of her in fulfillment of God’s purpose (16–17). Finally in verse 18 he provides the final clue eliminating any remaining question as to her identity: she is Jerusalem (“the great city,” cf. 11:8).

Chapter 18 represents her demise in the dramatic form of a funeral dirge. Every section of the entire chapter—the announcement of her impending fall (vv. 1–3), the warning to individuals to escape her fate (vv. 4–8), the lament (vv. 9–19), and the symbolization of her destruction (vv. 20–24)—points to the certainty and finality of that fall, and obviously that multiplied compounding is meant to underscore the message.

The first ten verses of chapter 19 go together juxtaposing the two leading ladies, Babylon, old wicked Jerusalem, the prostitute girlfriend of the antimessiah, and New Jerusalem, the spectacularly beautiful bride of the Messiah. All of heaven rejoices at the ending of chapter 18, the prostitute’s utter destruction (vv. 1–5; “Hallelujah” three times). Then the celebration continues with another Hallelujah as all eyes are on the Lamb’s bride-to-be (vv. 6–9). When John hears the revealing angel speak of the blessing on those invited to the wedding banquet, it seems his exuberance gets the best of him and he mistakenly bows to the messenger (v. 10).

The book has been building from the beginning toward its literary climax (as the future history it presents is building toward its climax) in the coming of the Lamb (cf. 1:7). That return is gloriously portrayed by the description of his appearance (19:11–16). As expected by his earlier presentation as judge (cf. 1:13–16) and here as warrior, as well as by the deadly animosity of his enemies, he immediately engages those enemies in order, bringing on each the judgment of second death (19:17—20:15). The first of those is the beast and his false prophet, while their toadies, the “kings of the earth” (Ezekiel’s Gog and Magog; 38–39), suffer their first death (19:17–21). The dragon is next, being subjected first to temporary (1000 years) confinement, while the saints enjoy participation in Messiah’s Millennial reign (20:1–6). After the dragon is allowed a final moment of freedom at which time he leads a final rebellion, he too is committed eternally to the lake of fire (20:7–10). The third enemy to be judged finally is the world of unbelieving men (20:11–15).

When the judgments are all past, the positive effects of the Lamb’s coming are described (21:1—22:5). He first brings about a New Creation, without any taint of sin or its effects (21:1–8). Provision for the saints is made by the New Jerusalem, heavenly, beautiful (21:9–11), secure (21:12–21), specially made to honor God’s saints of all ages (patriarchs’ and apostles’ names). But most of all it will be a place where God dwells and reigns among his people: his presence eliminates the need for a temple or luminaries (21:22–23). His very presence means a glory which draws holy people to the city like a magnet (21:24–27). The prosperity and health of the residents are symbolized by the river of the water of life and the tree of life (22:1–2). In sum it will be a place of perfect benefit (22:3–5).

John’s epilogue appears to be a scattered review of the main points of the book, designed as a final exhortation to the readers (22:6–21). Its main emphases are the imminence of the climactic return of the Lord (vv. 7, 12, 20), and an underscoring of the validity of the whole. To the unbeliever it offers an invitation to turn in submissive faith to the Lamb. To all it predicts the final discrimination between the righteous and unrighteous, and pronounces a warning against tampering with the book. The closing benediction of grace upon the reader was never more meaningful than in the light of the Lord’s coming.

Outline

I. Prologue  1:1–8

A. Introduction  1:1–3

1. Description of the document  1:1–2

2. Blessing on the obedient reader  1:3

B. Salutation  1:4–6

1. The parties  1:4a

2. Greeting  1:4b–6

a) Well wishes from Trinity  1:4b–5a

b) Doxology  1:5b–6

C. Summary of the message: Announcement of the Coming One  1:7–8

II. “The Things Which You Have Seen”  1:9–19

A. Introduction  1:9–11

1. The circumstances  1:9–10

2. The initial directive  1:11

B. The vision  1:12–18

1. The vision proper  1:12–16

2. John’s reflexive fear  1:17a

3. The Lord’s consolation: He is Life itself  1:17b–18

C. The command to write: the structural plan  1:19

III. “The Things Which Are”  2–3

A. Introduction  1:20

B. Ephesus  2:1–7

1. Destination  2:1a

2. Identity of sender: holds the stars, walks among lamps  2:1b

3. Commendation  2:2–3

4. Rebuke  2:4

5. Exhortation  2:5

6. Second commendation  2:6

7. Promise  2:7

C. Smyrna  2:8–11

1. Destination  2:8a

2. Identity of sender: first and last, resurrected one  2:8b

3. Commendation  2:9

4. Exhortation  2:10

5. Promise  2:11

D. Pergamum  2:12–17

1. Destination  2:12a

2. Identity of sender: wields sword  2:12b

3. Commendation  2:13

4. Rebuke  2:14–15

5. Exhortation  2:16

6. Promise  2:17

E. Thyatira  2:18–29

1. Destination  2:18a

2. Identity of sender: Son of God, fiery eyes, bronze feet  2:18b

3. Commendation  2:19

4. Rebuke  2:20–23

5. Exhortation  2:24–25

6. Promise  2:26–29

F. Sardis  3:1–6

1. Destination  3:1a

2. Identity of sender: holds seven spirits, stars  3:1b

3. Rebuke  3:1c

4. Exhortation  3:2–3

5. Commendation  3:4

6. Promise  3:5–6

G. Philadelphia  3:7–13

1. Destination  3:7a

2. Identity of sender: holy, true, holds key  3:7b

3. Commendation  3:8

4. First promises  3:9–10

5. Exhortation  3:11

6. Summary promise  3:12–13

H. Laodicea  3:14–22

1. Destination  3:14a

2. Identity of sender: faithful and true foundation of creation  3:14b

3. Rebuke  3:15–17

4. Exhortation  3:18–19

5. Promise  3:20–22

IV. “The Things Which Shall Take Place After These Things”  4–22

A. The Lamb-King’s commissioning in heaven  4–5

1. Vision of heaven’s throne room  4

a) Introduction: John’s arrival in vision  4:1

b) Description of the majestic scene  4:2–8a

(1) The King  4:2–3

(2) His entourage  4:4–8a

(a) 24 elders  4:4

(b) Holy Spirit  4:5

(c) 4 “living beings”  4:6–8a

c) Praise of the King  4:8b–11

2. Vision of the seven-sealed scroll and the Lamb  5:1–12

a) The scene  5:1–7

(1) Introduction of the scroll  5:1

(2) Dramatic introduction of the Lamb  5:2–6

(3) The Lamb’s claim of the scroll  5:7

b) Praise of the Lamb  5:8–12

(1) By the “living beings” and elders  5:8–10

(2) By innumerable angels  5:11–12

3. Summary: Praise of the King and the Lamb by all creation  5:13–14

B. The Lamb-King’s Coming to Earth  6–20

1. Reclaiming His rightful domain, Earth: Eviction of the defiling tenants of His earth-land (Seals and Trumpets)  6–11

a) Six seals  6–7

(1) The first four: colored horses  6:1–8

(a) White: the ultimate conqueror  6:1–2

(b) Red: sword, killing each other  6:3–4

(c) Black: damage to grain but not trees  6:5–6

(d) Pale green: death by “sword, famine, pestilence, wild beast”  6:7–8

(2) Seal five: Martyrs under altar  6:9–11

(3) Seal six: cosmic disturbances, divine wrath  6:12–17

(a) The phenomena  6:12–14

(b) The terror upon all  6:15–17

(4) Interlude  7

(a) The command to pause  7:1–3

(b) Sealing of 144,000 Israelites  7:4–8

(c) Multitude of martyred saints in heaven  7:9–17

(i) The vision  7:9–12

(ii) Their identity  7:13–14

(iii) Their blessing  7:15–17

b) Seventh seal: seven trumpets  8–11

(1) Introduction  8:1–6

(a) Seventh seal: silence, seven trumpets  8:1–2

(b) The censer of prayers thrown to earth  8:3–5

(c) The seven trumpeters prepared  8:6

(2) Trumpets 1–4  8:7–12

(a) First: One third of land burned  8:7

(b) Second: One third of sea polluted  8:8–9

(c) Third: One third of fresh waters polluted  8:10–11

(d) Fourth: One third of heavenly bodies darkened  8:12

(3) Introduction to last three trumpets (Woes)  8:13

(4) Trumpet 5: “locust-scorpions” from the pit, non-mortal wounds  9:1–12

(a) Their advent  9:1–3

(b) Their commission  9:4–6

(c) Their description  9:7–11

(d) Summary: end of first woe  9:12

(5) Trumpet 6: last chance for repentance  9:13—11:14

(a) Army from east  9:13–21

(i) Their release  9:13–15

(ii) Their deadly threat  9:16–19

(iii) Survivors’ refusal to repent  9:20–21

(b) The mighty angel and the little scroll  10

(i) Introduction  10:1–4

(ii) The angel’s message: the end is near  10:5–7

(iii) John’s filling with that message  10:8–11

(c) The two witnesses  11:1–13

(i) Measurement of the temple  11:1–2

(ii) Ministry of the two  11:3–6

(iii) Death of the two  11:7–10

(iv) Resurrection of the two  11:11–12

(v) Earthquake: survivors’ repentance  11:13

(d) Summary: end of second woe  11:14

(6) Trumpet 7: SECOND COMING; Mission Accomplished: the Kingdom of Earth is won!  11:15–19

2. Wrath directed against archvillains  12–20

a) Dragon introduced  12

(1) The woman and the dragon  12:1–6

(a) The woman in labor  12:1–2

(b) The dragon poised to devour the child  12:3–4

(c) Mother and child delivered  12:5–6

(2) The dragon’s defeat in heaven  12:7–12

(a) His expulsion  12:7–9

(b) Anticipation of God’s final victory  12:10–12

(3) The dragon’s persecution of the woman  12:13–17

(a) His frustrated efforts against her  12:13–16

(b) His redirected efforts against her faithful offspring  12:17

b) Beasts introduced  13

(1) The beast from the sea  13:1–10

(a) His description  13:1–3a

(b) His blasphemous rule  13:3b–8

(i) Earthlings’ amazement and adoration  13:3b–4

(ii) His brazen blasphemies  13:5–6

(iii) His deadly, intolerant rule  13:7–8

(c) Warning to the reader  13:9–10

 (2) The beast from the land-earth  13:11–18

(a) His description  13:11

(b) His enforcement of loyalty to the first beast  13:12–17

(c) Warning to the wise: “666”  13:18

c) Preview and Warnings  14

(1) The 144,000 with the Lamb on Mt. Zion  14:1–5

(a) Their position  14:1

(b) Their heavenly song  14:2–3

(c) Their purity  14:4–5

(2) Three angelic messages  14:6–11

(a) First: Eternal gospel  14:6–7

(b) Second: Babylon’s fall  14:8

(c) Third: Doom of the beast’s followers  14:9–11

(3) Blessing of the faithful even in death  14:12–13

(4) The harvests of the earth  14:14–20

(a) First harvest  14:14–16

(b) Second harvest  14:17–20

d) Seven bowls  15–16

(1) Preparation  15:1–8

(a) Introduction  15:1

(b) Tribulation martyrs’ song  15:2–4

(c) Seven angels’ reception of bowls  15:5–8

(2) Command to pour them out  16:1

(3) First bowl: (earth) sores on Beast’s subjects  16:2

(4) Second bowl: death in the sea  16:3

(5) Third bowl: bloody rivers and springs  16:4–7

(a) The plague  16:4

(b) Affirmation of God’s right to judge  16:5–7

(6) Fourth bowl: scorching sun  16:8–9

(a) The plague  16:8

(b) The response: blasphemy  16:9

(7) Fifth bowl: darkness and pain on Beast’s kingdom  16:10–11

(a) The plague  16:10

(b) The response: blasphemy  16:11

(8) Sixth bowl: dried Euphrates, Armageddon  16:12–16

(a) The river dried  16:12

(b) The kings summoned (war preparations)  16:13–16

(9) Seventh bowl: earthquake and hail  16:17–21

(a) Report of the finality  16:17

(b) The earthquake: God punishing Jerusalem (Babylon) finally  16:18–20

(c) The hail  16:21

e) Wrath directed against the counterfeit bride  17–18

(1) Babylon’s rise and fall  17

(a) Introduction: to her judgment  17:1–2

(b) Description of the prostitute  17:3–6

(i) Her mount: the beast  17:3

(ii) Her adornment  17:4

(iii) Her name  17:5

(iv) Her drunkenness  17:6a

(v) Parenthesis: John’s amazement  17:6b

(c) Signification of the beast  17:7–17

(i) Introduction  17:7–8

(ii) The seven heads  17:9–11

(iii) The ten horns  17:12–17

(α) Submission to the beast  17:12–13

(β) Opposition to, and destruction by, the Lamb  17:14

(γ) Destruction of the prostitute  17:15–17

(d) Positive identity of the prostitute: “the great city”  17:18

(2) Her fall  18:1–24

(a) The announcement of her fall  18:1–3

(b) The warning to escape her fate  18:4–8

(c) The world’s lament over her fall  18:9–19

(i) Kings of the earth  18:9–10

(ii) Merchants  18:11–19

(d) The symbolism of her termination  18:20–24

f) The two lady-cities contrasted 19:1–10

(1) Heaven’s joy over Babylon’s judgment  19:1–5

(2) Heaven’s joy over the Lamb’s bride’s readiness for the wedding  19:6–9

(3) John’s misguided exuberance  19:10

g) The Lamb’s triumphant return  19:11—20:6

(1) His arrival described  19:11–16

(2) The battle  19:17–21

(a) Invitation to the bird feast  19:17–18

(b) The enemy forces arrayed  19:19

(c) The enemy forces destroyed  19:20–21

(i) Beast and False Prophet summarily dispatched to Hell  19:20

(ii) Enemy armies slaughtered, birds feasting  19:21

(3) Lamb’s 1000-year reign  20:1–6

(a) Satan’s incarceration  20:1–3

(b) Blessed reign of resurrected saints with the Lamb  20:4–6

h) Satan’s end  20:7–10

(1) Final rebellion  20:7–9

(2) Final destruction  20:10

i) Final judgment of all enemies: Great White Throne  20:11–15

C. The glorious, eternal reign of Father and Son: New Heaven and Earth  21:1—22:5

1. The new creation  21:1–8

a) The vision: all new Heaven, Earth, Jerusalem  21:1–2

b) Angelic announcement: divine cohabitation, end of sorrows  21:3–4

c) Statement of the King (God the Father) Himself  21:5–8

(1) It is certain  21:5

(2) Free, satisfying water  21:6

(3) “I claim the overcomers”  21:7

(4) “I dispatch the wicked”  21:8

2. The new Jerusalem  21:9—22:5

a) Introduction: descending from heaven, glorious like precious stone  21:9–11

b) Its walls, gates, and foundation stones  21:12–21

(1) The gates (Israel tribes’ names) and foundations stones (apostles’ names)  21:12–14

(2) Measurements of its walls  21:15–17

(3) Materials of the walls, gates and foundation stones  21:18–21

c) Its luminary and temple: God Himself  21:22—22:5

(1) Summary  21:22–23

(2) Its international renown without contamination  21:24–27

(3) Its river of water of life and tree of life  22:1–2

(4) The blessedness of the King’s servants  22:3–5

V. Epilogue: the imminence of His coming  22:6–21

A. Review of the main message: Jesus is coming soon!  22:6–7

B. John’s misguided exuberance, Part 2  22:8–9

C. Discrimination between righteous and unrighteous  22:10–15

D. Final invitation  22:16–17

E. Warning against tampering with the book  22:18–19

F. Final announcement of the Lamb’s soon coming  22:20

G. Benediction  22:21