REVELATION

(Rev. 1:1-3)

I.     The Revelation of the Triune God (Rev. 1:4-8)

A.  The Father – Who is, Who was, and Who is to come <Yahweh> (Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5)

B.  The Holy Spirit – the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 1:4)

1.   The seven torches of fire burning before the throne (Rev. 1:4; 4:5)

2.   The seven eyes of the Lamb
(Zech. 3:9; 4:10; Rev. 5:6)

3.   Sent out into all the earth

C.  Jesus Christ  (Rev. 1:5)

1.   The faithful and true Witness

2.   The Firstborn from the dead
(1 Cor. 15:20-23; Col. 1:18)

3.   The Ruler over the kings of the earth
(1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14; 19:16)

D.  The goal of God being triune

1.   Accomplishing eternal salvation for us (Rev. 1:5b)

2.   To impart His life into man (Rev. 22:14, 17)

3.   Making us to be kings and priests unto God
(Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 2:26-27; 3:21)

4.   Building up the churches to be the golden lampstands for the expression of His kingdom (Rev. 1:4, 10-12; 20b; 21:10-11, 23-24; Exod. 19:6; Matt. 16:18-19; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9)

 

II.    The Revelation of the Ascended, Glorified and Enthroned Christ as the Great High Priest Today (Rev. 1:13-18; Dan. 10:4-6; Matt. 17:2)

A.  The Son of Man

B.  Wearing a kingly and priestly robe with a golden girdle (Is. 6:1; 11:5; Exod. 28:2; Lev. 16:4; Ps. 93:1)

C.  Walking in the midst of the churches (Rev. 2:1; Deut. 23:14 <German bible v. 15>; 2 Cor. 6:14-18)

1.   Trimming the lamps (Exod. 27:20-21; 30:7-8)

2.   Supplying fresh supply of pure oil

D.  His hair white like white wool and as snow, and His eyes as flames of fire (Dan. 7:9, 13, 22; Mic. 5:2; Rev. 2:18; 19:12; Prov. 20:29; 16:31; Lev. 19:32)

E.  His feet like fine brass fired in a furnace

F.   His voice as sound of many waters
(Ezek. 43:2; Psalm 29)

G.  A sharp two-edged sword proceeds out of His mouth (Rev. 19:15; Heb. 4:12)

H.  His face shines as the sun in its full strength
(Matt. 17:2; Rev. 10:1)

I.    Holding the seven stars in His right hand
(Rev. 1:20; 2:1; 3:1)

J.   The Alpha and the Omega; the Beginning and the End; the First and the Last (Rev. 1:8, 11 <omitted by older manuscripts>, 17; 21:6; 22:13)

 

K.  The Living One who lives forevermore (Rev. 1:18)

1.   Who was dead and now lives

2.   Who holds the keys of Hades and of death

L.  The Holy One and the True One (Rev. 3:7)

M. The One who holds the key of David
(Rev. 3:7; Is. 22:20-24)

1.   Who opens and no one can shut (Rev. 3:8; Acts 14:27; 1 Cor. 16:8-9; 2 Cor. 2:12; Col. 4:3)

2.   Who shuts and no one can open

N.  The Amen (Rev. 3:14a; 2 Cor. 1:20; Is. 65:16)

O.  The Beginning of the creation of God (Rev. 3:14)

P.   The Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes
(Rev. 5:6)

Q.  The Lion of the tribe Judah and the Root and the Offspring of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16)

1.   The only One worthy to take the little book and open its seven seals (Rev. 5:7-9)

2.   The only One worthy to sit with God on the throne (Rev. 5:12-13)

3.   The only One worthy to receive the kingdom
(Dan. 7:14; Rev. 5:12)

R.  The Word of God (Rev. 19:13)

S.   The King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16)

T.  The Bright and Morning Star
(Rev. 22:16; 2:28; 2 Pet. 1:19)

U.  The universal Bridegroom (Rev. 21:2, 9; John 3:29)

III.  The Revelation of the Mystery of the Seven Golden Lampstands (Rev. 1:20; Exod. 25:31-39; Zech. chap. 4)

A.  The lampstands are the churches
(Rev. 1:2, 9; 6:9; 19:10b; 20:4)

1.   Giving light and shining brightly in this dark world (Matt. 5:14-16)

2.   Holding forth the word of life
(Phil. 2:15-16; 2 Pet. 1:19; Ps. 119:105, 130)

3.   The living testimony of Jesus
(Rev. 1:2, 9; 12:17; 19:10; John 8:12; 9:5; Matt. 4:16)

B.  Made of pure, refined gold (Rev. 3:18; Eph. 3:8,
18-19; Col. 2:3, 9; 1 Cor. 3:12; 1 Pet. 1:7; Ps. 19:7-10)

1.   Beaten (hammered) out of one talent of gold
(Luke 18:31-34; 24:6-7, 25-27, 44-46; Ps. 22 & 69;
Is. 53; Heb. 12:2; 1 Pet. 1:6-7, 11)

2.   The middle piece – the shaft with its base
(John 15:1-6; Eph. 2:20-22; 4:15-16)

a.    Christ being the stem

b.   Six (6) branches attached to it, three on each side (Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Gal. 3:27-28; Heb. 2:11; 2 Cor. 1:21)

3.   Ornamented with sets of almond-like cup with bud and blossom – Signifying the full power of the resurrection life (Num. 17:8; Jer. 1:11-12)

a.    4 sets in the shaft

b.   3 sets in each branch

4.   Having seven (7) lamps

C.  Filled with pure golden oil (Exod. 27:20; Lev. 24:2; Zech. 3:9; 4:6, 10-14; Rev. 1:4; 3:1; 5:6)

D.  With a golden bowl on top of the lampstand
with 7 pipes to each of the seven lamps (Zech. 4:2)

E.  The two olive trees

F.   Prepared as the bride for the millennial kingdom age (Rev. 19:7-9)

G.  Culminating in the New Jerusalem
(Rev. 21:21-23; 22:5; Heb. 12:22-23)

1.   God is the light

2.   Christ is the lamp

3.   The city is the lampstand of pure gold (21:18) with
12 gates of pearls and 12 foundations of precious stones (21:14, 19-20; 21:21)

4.   With the throne of God and the Lamb in her midst (22:1, 3)

5.   With the river of water of life and the tree of life

IV.  The Revelation of the Prophetic History of the Church Depicted through the Seven Churches (Rev. chap. 2-3)

A.  The period of degradation – from the end of the 1^st to the end of the 5^th Century , culminating in the Roman Catholic Church

1.   Ephesus <desirable, lovable or “to let go”, “relaxing”> – the era of the beginning of the church life

2.   Smyrna <myrrh> – the era of persecution until
the 313 AD

3.   Pergamos <elevate or marry> - the era starting with Constantine the Great in year 313 to ca. 527 AD

a.    The Edict of Milan (AD 313) – end of persecution by the Roman Empire

b.   The Edict of Thessalonica (AD 380) – Declaration of the Roman state religion

4.   Thyatira <θύω άτειρές = continuous sacrifice> – Roman Catholicism from the 6^th Century  to the present

 

B.  The period of restoration – from the 16^th Century to the present

1.   Sardis <remnant, Hebr. שׂריד> Strong <8300>; or “Sepharad” <separated> (Obad. 20); or orig. Lydian lang.: <renewed> – Reformation including all the denominations and free groups, beginning from the 16th Century to the present

2.   Philadelphia <brotherly love> – the “restoration” of the lampstands as the proper expression of the church from the 18th Century to the present

3.   Laodicea <the rights or judgment or decision of the people> – the fall of Philadelphia to the present

V.    The Speaking of the Priestly King to His Churches

A.  Always linked to the revelation of Himself
(Rev. 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14)

B.  Always through the Spirit (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29;
3:6, 13, 22; 22:17)

C.  Our need of having an ear to hear
(Rev. 1:3; Matt. 11:15; 13:9; 17:5; Luke 11:28; John 8:47; 10:3-4,16; Heb. 3:7, 15; 4:7; Matt. 13:13-17; Acts. 28:27; Heb. 5:11; Is. 50:4b; Jer. 6:10)

D.  Rebuking and chastening the churches
(Rev. 3:19; Prov. 13:1; 17:10; 27:5)

E.  Ultimately the bride will speak in oneness with the Spirit (Rev. 22:17)

 

VI.  Things Which Are Offensive to the Priestly King and Corrupting the Churches

A.  Forsaking the first love (Rev. 2:4; Matt. 24:12)

1.   Away from the simplicity and purity toward Christ
(2 Cor. 11:1-3)

2.   Away from the tree of life

3.   As a wife leaving her husband
(Judg. 8:27, 33; Jer. 3:20)

a.    The church being the bride of Christ
(Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9-11; 22:17)

b.   Not becoming a harlot (Rev. 17:2)

5.   Resulting in the removal of the lampstand (Rev. 2:5)

B.  Mingling with the world (Rev. 2:13; John 17:14-18; 15:19; 1 John 2:15-16; James 4:4-5; Rom. 12:2; John 8:23; 16:33; 18:36a; 1 Pet. 2:11)

1.   Where Satan’s throne is (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 1 John 5:19; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:12)

2.   Where “Antipas” was killed – a collective martyrdom

3.   The need to overcome the world
(John 16:33; 1 John 4:4; 5:4; 2 Pet. 1:4)

C.  The works and doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which the Lord hates (Rev. 2:6, 15)

1.   <νικάω> = to conquer, to vanquish; <λαός> = people

2.   The clergy-laity religious system

D.  The doctrine of Balaam <“not of the people” or “devourer”> (Rev. 2:14; Num. chap. 22; 31:8, 16;
2 Pet. 2:15-16; Jude 11)

1.   Loving the wages of unrighteousness (for hire)

2.   Casting a stumbling block before God’s people

3.   Teaching God’s people to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication

E.  Tolerating Jezebel <chaste> (Rev. 2:20; Matt. 13:33; Rev. 17:1-7; 2 King 9:22)

1.   Who called herself a prophetess (1 Cor. 11:3; 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:11-14)

2.   Seducing the Lord’s servants to commit fornication and to worship idols

3.   Harboring the depths of Satan (Rev. 2:24)

F.   Having a reputation of being alive but is dead (Rev. 3:1-2)

1.   Unable to strengthen and to sustain life (dying)

2.   Garment defiled by death (Num. 19:11, 14)

3.   Works not found complete or perfected
(Phil. 3:12-15; Eph. 4:13; Heb. 5:11-14; 6:1)

4.   Remaining in the tradition and oldness
(Matt. 15:2-3; Mark 7:3-5; Rom. 7:6; 6:4)

5.   Not living by Christ in the spirit
(Gal. 2:20; Phil. 1:21a)

G.  Becoming lukewarm – neither hot nor cold
(Rev. 3:15-17)

1.   Self-conceited, self satisfied, complacent and arrogant

2.   Having much knowledge but no real substance

3.   Being vomited out of the Lord’s mouth

4.   The Lord’s advice (Rev. 3:18-20)

H.  Being hardened and not repenting
(Rev. 2:5, 16, 21-22; 3:3, 19)

I.    Culminating in Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth
(Rev. chap. 17)

1.   From “Babel” <confusion by mixture> (Gen. 11:1-9)

a.    Confusion of language

b.   Mixture of the things of God with abominations (Rev. 17:4; Matt. 13:33)

c.    Dispersion and division

2.   The mother of harlots

a.    Christ being the Bridegroom and the church His bride (Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9-11; Eph. 5:23-27; 2 Cor. 11:2; Is. 54:5; Hos. 2:19-20)

b.   The unfaithfulness of God’s people
(Is. 1:21; Jer. 2:20; 3:1-9; Ezek. chap. 16)

3.   Sitting upon many waters (Rev. 17:1-2, 15)

a.    Many waters – peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues

b.   Drunk with the wine of her fornication

4.   Drunk with the blood of the saints
(Rev. 17:6; 18:24; 1 King 18:4; 2 King 9:7)

5.   Kings of the world committed fornication with her (Rev. 17:2, 18)

6.   Riding on the beast (Rev. 17:2-3, 7)

7.   Merchants have becoming rich through her luxury (Rev. 18:3)

8.   Fallen and becoming a dwelling place of demons, a prison of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hated bird (Rev. 18:2; Matt. 13:31-32)

9.   The captivity of God’s people (Rev. 18:4)

10.   God’s severe judgment on Babylon
(Rev. 14:7-8; 16:9; 18:10, 21; 19:1-5)

VII. The Rewards for the Overcomers in Revelation 2-3

A.  The eating of the tree of life (2:7; 22:14)

B.  The drinking of the water of life (7:17; 22:17)

C.  The enjoyment of the hidden manna (2:17)

D.  Feasting with the Lord (3:20)

E.  Having an open door which no man can shut (3:8)

F.   Being made a pillar in the temple of God (3:12)

G.  Having the name of God, the name of the city of God, the New Jerusalem, and the new name of the Lord written on them

H.  Receiving the Morning Star (2:28; 22:16; 2 Pet. 1:19)

I.    Saved from the hour of trial (3:10)

J.   Receiving a white stone with a new name written on it (2:17)

K.  Their names will not be erased from the book of life (3:5; Matt. 22:11-14), but the Lord will confess their names before His Father and His angels (Matt. 7:21-23; 10:32-33; 25:11-13; 28-30; Luke 9:26; 12:8-9)

L.  Not to be hurt by the second death
(2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8)

M. Being clothed with white garment and walking with the Lord in white (3:4-5)

N.  Receiving the crown of life (2:10; James 1:12; 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 5:4)

O.  To sit with the Lord on His throne (3:21)

P.   Having the authority over the nations and ruling over them with a rod of iron (2:26-27; Rev. 12:5; 19:15; Ps. 2:8-9)

Q.  Inheriting all things (Rev. 21:7)

VIII. The Time and Place of the Rapture in the book of Revelation

A.  The man-child (12:1-6, 11)

1.   The dead overcomers among God’s people in all the past ages up to the present

2.   Resurrected and taken to God and His throne

3.   Before the hour of trial (12:6, 14; 3:10)

B.  The firstfruits (14:1-5)

1.   The mature living overcomers

2.   Standing with the Lamb on Mt. Zion before the throne

3.   Before the hour of trial

C.  The late overcomers (15:1-4)

1.   Those who overcame the beast during the hour of trial

2.   Standing on the sea of glass mingled with fire

D.  The general harvest (14:14-16; 1 Thess. 4:15-17)

1.   The remaining of the rest of the believers

a.    The woman in the wilderness

b.   The remaining living believers

2.   Caught up to the air

3.   Toward the end of the hour of trial

E.  The judgment seat of Christ for the believers
(2 Cor. 5:9-11; Rom. 14:10-12; Matt. 25:14-19; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; Rev. 22:12)

IX.  The Revelation of the Throne of God in Heaven and the Ascended, Victorious Son of Man (Rev. chap. 4-5; Is. 6:1-7; Ezek. chap. 1; 8:1-2; chap. 10; Daniel 7:9-14)

A.  The One sitting – like jasper and sardius in appearance (4:3), with a book in His right hand, sealed with seven seals (5:1)

1.   A rainbow around the throne – like emerald in appearance (4:3)

2.   Flashes of lightning with sounds and peals of thunders

3.   The seven burning lamps of fire burning before the throne – the seven Spirits of God

4.   A sea of glass before the throne (4:6; 15:2; 19:20; 20:10, 14-15)

5.   24 elders of the angelic beings around the throne of God (4:4, 10-11)

a.    Clothed in white garments with golden crowns on their heads

b.   Each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which bowls are the prayers of the saints (5:8; 8:3-5)

6.   With myriads and thousands of angels around the throne

7.   The four living creatures

B.  The ascended and glorified Son of Man
(chap. 5; Dan. 7:13-14)

1.   The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David

2.   The Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes (which are the 7 Spirits of God)

3.   The only One worthy to take the book and open its seven seals

a.    To administer (execute) God’s will and to carry out God’s judgment in this universe from His ascension to eternity

b.   To receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, blessing and dominion forever and ever

C.  The events and the judgment of this world

1.   The seven seals (chap. 6)

a.    1^st seal = the white horse – the victorious work of the Holy Spirit in the spreading of the gospel and the building of His church

b.   2^nd seal = the fiery red horse – war

c.    3^rd seal = the black horse (Jer. 4:26-28; Hos. 4:3) – scarcity of food and necessities

d.   4^th seal = the pale horse – death and terror

e.    5^th seal = the souls of the martyrs throughout the centuries (2:10, 13; 17:6)

f.    6^th seal = the shaking of heaven and earth, a supernatural sign of the coming of the great hour of trial (3:10)

2.   The 7^th seal = the 7 trumpets – the beginning of the great hour of trial (chap. 8-9)

a.    The preaching of the eternal gospel (Rev. 14:6-7)

b.   Trumpet 1 to 4 = 1/3 of all the nature destroyed

c.    5^th trumpet & 6^th trumpet (the 1^st & 2^nd woe) – the great red dragon cast down to earth (Rev. 12:7-17) with the key of the abyss (chap. 13)

      - the release of the 2 beasts
   (11:7; chap. 13; 9:11; 2 Thess. 2:3-10)

      - the release of all the demons in the abyss to hurt
   mankind for 5 months

- the killing of 1/3 of mankind for a year, a month,
   a day and an hour

3.   The 7^th trumpets (the 3^rd woe) = the 7 bowls (10:7; 11:14-15; 14:9-11; 15:1; chap. 16; 19:11-21) – the final outpouring of the wrath of God upon the earth

a.    Upon those who have the marks of the beast and who worship the beast with sores, blood, heat, great earthquake and hailstones (16:2-9, 17-21)

b.   Upon the throne and the kingdom of the beast with darkness (16:10)

c.    The winepress of God’s wrath (16:12-16; 14:17-20; 19:11-21) – the war in Armageddon

      - The beast and the false prophet thrown into the
   lake of fire (19:20)

      - The rest of the armies were killed with the sword
   from His mouth

      - The dragon was chained and imprisoned in the
   abyss for 1000 years

4.   The judgment of the nations at the second coming of the Lord (20:4; Matt. 13:47-50; 25:31-46; 1 Cor. 6:2; Ps. 149:5-9)

X.    The Millennial Kingdom
(20:4-15; 11:15; 19:9; Is. 2:1-4)

A.  Satan released again to deceive the nations at the end of 1000 years

B.  Final war of Gog and Magog – the devil thrown into the lake of fire forever

C.  The final judgment of all the dead before the great white throne of God

XI.  The Eternal Age of the New Heaven and the New Earth with the New Jerusalem (chap. 21-22)