Transcript Document

A REVIEW OF REVELATION
CHAPTERS 1 THROUGH 11
INTRODUCTION
Written by JOHN – (Not the Baptist…the Disciple).
The youngest of the disciples, the “beloved,” a part of the inner 3.
Written – about 90-95 AD. John would have been in his 80’s.
He was on the Island of Patmos – a Roman Prison Camp Island.
He was there for his preaching of Jesus!
(Rev. 1:9)
IT IS FROM: -Verse 1. THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST!
From Jesus, through His angel (messenger). In the book –
The angel speaks to John, and Jesus speaks to John. It is all
about JESUS!
IT IS TO: -V1 – His “servants” - Christians…individually – them
and US!
V4 – To the 7 Churches - them and US!
CHAPTER 1
FOUR major keys in properly interpreting Revelation:
Key One – The book is divided into two major sections – “What is” Chapters 1-5 and “What is to come” - Chapters 6-22.
Key Two – The book is NOT in a perfect Chronology. It is a series of
vignettes beginning and ending at different points, highlighting different
features of the future along the same line. Most of this is centered
around the 7 Seals, the 7 Trumpets and the 7 Bowls. THIS IS A MOST
IMPORTANT KEY!
Key Three - We MUST understand – IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS and
HIS ultimate VICTORY!
Key Four - You must be saved and serious!
CHAPTERS 2-3 THE SEVEN LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES
The NUMBER SEVEN “7”
The Biblical number of COMPLETION.
7 Oceans, 7 Continents, 7 Chords of a musical scale, 7
Seals, 7 Trumpets, 7 Bowls, 7 Angels, 7 Days in a week,
The 7th Day is HOLY, The 7 fold Spirit, 7 things God
hates (Prov. 6:16), There are 7 colors in the rainbow and
3 primary colors, The 7 last “words” of Jesus, the 7
CHURCHES!
THIS BOOK IS THE BOOK OF COMPLETION! IT IS
TO THE 7 CHURCHES - THEM and US!
The 7 Churches of Revelation
1. Ephesus –The Loveless Church
2. Smyrna – The Lasting Church
3. Pergamum – The Lenient Church
4. Thyatira – The Licentious Church
5. Sardis – The Lifeless Church
6. Philadelphia – The Loved Church
7. Laodicea – The Lukewarm Church
REVELATION – CHAPTERS 4-5
THE WHOLE SCENE is WORSHIP!
W.I.S.A.T. !
Isn’t amazing – everybody wants to go to heaven and everybody
ultimately believes that they will go to heaven! ( over 90% of
American population when polled) – Yet only less than 40% are
actively and consistently in Church on Sunday Mornings!
If you are not happy in church NOW…you won’t be happy in
Heaven for ETERNITY!
If you can’t bear to WORSHIP
now…how will you do it with JOY for ever and ever?
It all is about your RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS!
REVELATION – CHAPTER 5
THE FOCAL POINTS
1. Throne of God – The focal point of the entire Bible!
2. Scroll – 7 seals
3. Who can open Earth”
4. The Lamb THRONE
The LION/LAMB - “no one in Heaven or on
7 horns,
7 eyes,
Standing in the center of the
5. The opening of the seals - will and can be done by - only ONE –
REVELATION – CHAPTERS 6-7
THE 7 SEALS
Chapters 4 and 5 – building to THIS!
The focus is on the SCROLL and the LAMB – the unfolding…
“REVELATION 7’s”
Each set of seven -“unfolds” into the other
Not Chronological – 3 vignettes interspersed with other vignettes,
signs and scenes.
The 7 Seals – unfolding of general history
The 7 Trumpets – unfolding of “last days”
The 7 Bowls – The outpouring of God’s Wrath after the rapture.
REVELATION – CHAPTERS 6-7
Just as Jesus told his disciples while He was here on earth with them…the
“general” unfolding of history right down to the last days…Again in
Revelation, He tells John in more detailed imagery.
MATTHEW 24 COMPARED WITH REVELATION 6 - THE 7 SEALS
Seal One – Rider on the White Horse – “bent on conquest” – False Christs
and religious systems.
Seal Two –Rider on the Red Horse – wars and rumors of wars…
Seal Three –Rider on the Black Horse – famine – poverty.
Seal Four - Rider on the Pale Horse – disease, plagues, terrorism, dread.
Seal Five - The martyrdom of the saints - increasing in the last days.
Seal Six - The harvesting of the earth (rapture) and the beginning of the
outpouring of God’s Wrath!
CHAPTERS 8-9
The 7 TRUMPETS = a closer, more focused look at the specific end
time generation(s) – these are “warnings” and “announcements” –
especially to GOD’S PEOPLE (as ALL the trumpets of the Bible are)
BUT…also – a revelation to the world of the TRUTHFULNESS of
God’s Word – so that some, in this end time would REPENT and
turn to Jesus!
These are “mile-markers” or “signs” along the way of history that
declare – “THE TIME OF THE RETURN OF JESUS IS NEAR”!
WHAT DID WE DISCOVER THAT THE SEVEN TRUMPETS
POSSIBLY ARE?
1945
Trumpets One and Two – Speak of the devastation, human loss,
destruction and the Nuclear Bomb of WWII. This signaled to the
World that the End Time Generation(s) were here!
-literally – 1/3 of all who fought and involved in WWII were killed.
-literally - 1/3 of all ships used in WWII were destroyed.
-literally – hail and fire mixed with blood fell from the heavens.
-literally – a burning mountain, huge and all ablaze was thrown “into
the sea”.
THE LARGEST WAR IN HUMAN HISTORY
THE MOST KILLED IN HUMAN HISTORY
THE MOST NATIONS INVOLVED IN WAR IN HUMAN
HISTORY
THE FIRST USE OF A NUCLEAR WEAPON IN HISTORY
1986
TRUMPET THREE
THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR PLANT EXPLOSION
The FIRST nuclear accident in the history of the world
The LARGEST amount of radiation released into the atmosphere,
water and soil in human history (10X the amount of Hiroshima)
Hundreds of thousands dead – and MILLIONS more poisoned and
dying as we speak!
-“Wormwood”
= CHERNOBYL in Russian – GOD GAVE THE
NAME! – He could not have been more CLEAR!
Literally fell blazing from the sky to the earth.
Literally poisoned the waters (turned them bitter).
1991 – PRESENT!
TRUMPETS 4 and 5 – Began with invasion of
KUWAIT / GULF WAR –
Continued with a 10 year man hunt for Saddam and we are back
there NOW! (Operation Iraqi Freedom) Desert Storm - THE SHORTEST WAR OF ITS SIZE in HUMAN HISTORY – with the LEAST
killed! The FIRST WAR in HUMAN HISTORY to be watched LIVE by the entire world! THE
FIRST USE OF SMART BOMB technology and a myriad of other weapons technologies the world
had never seen before! Operation Iraqi Freedom – The SHORTEST, SWIFTEST conquering of an
entire nation with the most massive forces used in HUMAN HISTORY. The largest, longest, most
expensive manhunt in human history – unsuccessful for TEN YEARS!
SADDAM = “THE DESTROYER” in Arabic
Literally 1/3 of day and night darkened by THICK SMOKE – (for eight months – 700 oil wells)
The invasion of Kuwait lasted exactly 5 MONTHS
The “locusts” (helicopters) came out of the “smoke” and “stung” “like scorpions”
Saddam’s troops were not allowed to “kill” (conquer) Kuwait – only “torment” them for 5 months
Saddam did not want to destroy the “trees, grass” (the land) – he wanted the land and its oil!
We sought “the death” and longed for “the death” to die, but he kept alluding us – for 10 years.
The people under this torment? – MILLIONS of them! – MUSLIM! – Not the “sealed”!
WHAT DO THE FIRST THREE “SIGNS” (first 5 trumpets)
HAVE IN COMMON?
1.
2.
First, Longest, Shortest, Most, Largest – in HUMAN
HISTORY!
Each event was witnessed and participated in - in one way or
another – by the ENTIRE PLANET!
EACH OF THE ELEMENTS WERE NAMED BY THE LORD
AND/OR GIVEN an UNMISTAKABLE DESCRIPTION!
Wormwood = Chernobyl (Russian Bible)
Destroyer = Saddam (Arabic Bible)
Huge mountain – all ablaze – thrown into the sea 3.
Trumpet 6
IT IS STILL IN THE FUTURE
POSSIBLY
– a coming Middle Eastern WAR – centered in IRAQ?
Along the Euphrates – (Bible starts here – Eden – 1st murder – 1st Sin
– 1st war counsel – 1st worldwide revolt against God (Babel) – nations
scattered from here – ABRAHAM called from here (Israel born from
here) – last war on earth fought HERE (Armageddon – Revelation
16:12)
The United States of America is THERE NOW!
IT IS THE FOCUS OF THE WORLD NOW!
IT IS THE FOCUS OF THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION – NOW!
Horses and their riders “looked like” lions heads with tails that had
heads that shot fire!
CHAPTER 10
Chapter 10 declares that the SEVENTH TRUMPET – signals
the very last “days” and particularly - the “hour” of the
rapture. Rev 10:7 and I Corinthians 15:51 make this extremely
clear.
Rev. 10:7 “But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the
mystery of God will be accomplished…”
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
51
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-52
in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
THE FOCAL POINTS OF CHAPTER 10
1. THE MIGHTY ANGEL – who is he, why is he significant?
Dan 10:5-8, Dan 12:7-10 – Same angel
Raises hand and swears by “Him who lives forever”
Both tell listener to “seal up” part of what they are shown
Both – speak of: End times, Anti-Christ appearance, Anti-Christ persecution of God’s people, the rapture.
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS!
2. THE LITTLE SCROLL – what is this “little” scroll – why is it significant?
“little” – as opposed to the 7 sealed scroll of Chapter 5
“open” in his hand – for all who care to see, read, hear.
“one foot on land, one on sea” – available to the world – “take the scroll and eat it – sweet as honey in mouth” –
Same as in Ezekiel 2 and 3!
Ezekiel’s job with the scroll was to be a “watchman” – to warn of sin and judgment!
THE EARLY CHRISTIANS WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS!
THE MAIN STORY LINE OF CHAPTER 11
1.
The Holy City (Jerusalem and/or the Church) will be
“trampled” by Gentiles (profane or unbelievers – particularly
the antichrist) for 3 1/2 years. He will set up some of his
authority here. This corresponds exactly with Daniel 7:25-27,
Daniel 8:11-12, Daniel 9:26-27 – The antichrist will rule from
here. (See also Luke 21:24)
2. “TWO WITNESSES” from the Lord – will preach during this 3 ½ years
and will infuriate the ANTI-CHRIST.
3.
The two witnesses are ISRAEL (National and Spiritual) and the
CHURCH! Chapter 11:4 “These (two witnesses) ARE the two olive
trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.”
(Zechariah Chapter 4, Revelation 1:20, Eph.3:4-6, Romans Chapters
8-11)
THE MAIN STORY LINE OF CHAPTER 11-continued
4. The anti-Christ will show his rage towards these two “witnesses” at about
the 3 ½ year mark of his rule!
5. These two witnesses will be “killed” (silenced, stopped, put-down –
outlawed). This decree of “killing” them will come from the antiChrist himself . (Again… both of the above correspond exactly to
Daniel 7:25)
6. For 3 ½ days – they will appear to be completely “put down” – “dead”.
The unbelieving - profane and vile world will celebrate the putdown
of (Biblical) Christianity. 3 ½ days corresponds to 3 ½ years – in
other words… ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME!
7. After this short time – of apparently being finally “put down” – THEY
ARE RAPTURED!
8. There is celebration in Heaven…and the Wrath of God is about to be
poured out on the unbelieving world.
DO YOU SEE A PATTERN?
Chapter ONE – John “in the Spirit” – future revealed – The message is
especially to the CHURCH
Chapters TWO and THREE – Letters (completion) to the CHURCHES
Chapters FOUR and FIVE – all about WORSHIP – and that JESUS alone is
worthy to unlock the seals to the future and reveal the future to the CHURCH
Chapters SIX and SEVEN – The 7 seals are opened…THE CHURCH is shown
the signs of the last days generation and warned of persecution in the last
days…but also told … “hang on!” Jesus is coming soon!
Chapters EIGHT and NINE – 6 of the 7 Trumpets are blown and revealed – a
sound of “GET READY” for the CHURCH…The King is coming!
Chapters TEN and ELEVEN – The CHURCH is told that WE are the
Witnesses, WE have the GOSPEL, WE are the “Watchmen” in these last
days!
AND….the CHURCH is told – “hang on!” – The 7th TRUMPET is
going to be blown SOON!