Revelation Review
It has been a very, very interesting series. If you’re new tonight, you came at a great time because we’re going to take 22 chapters in thirty minutes and tie it all together. If you’re standing in the back, there is tons of room here in the front. Actually, there’s some room over here and some room over there. The guys are giving me the signal to scoot, but I don’t think we need to because it’s 150 degrees right now. This air conditioner might actually turn on if we hit 130! But if you’re in the back, come on up. Jeff is up here all by himself, and I think he bathed, so you can come and check for yourself.
We’re going to take Revelation and tie it off tonight. It’s been a time of celebration, and it’s been so fun hearing the stories of what God is teaching us. We did that reflection a couple of weeks ago where you wrote out your personal responses, and the honesty was so refreshing. It’s not a group of people faking it like everything is always good; it’s just people being real with God.
One of the things that has been so encouraging for me happened just a couple of days ago. On Friday, we had the privilege of doing a funeral for a guy who is part of our family, Ed Amundson. Ed and his wife, Barbara, have been coming here. Ed had Parkinson’s, had suffered four strokes, and had all kinds of health issues that put him in a wheelchair. If you came here regularly, you may have seen Ed sitting in the back with his family—his son Eddie and his daughter Beth, along with her husband Kyle, are all part of our church family.
What was so neat and refreshing to me is that Ed was a guy who had a faith background, but it was the kind of background where he felt like, “I think I know God. I’ve been around church a long time.” A lot had come in and out of his head by osmosis, but maybe he lacked the clarity of truly putting his faith in Christ. A week ago, after we finished talking through Revelation, he went home with his family and started talking about his faith. He put his faith in Christ right then. They had the privilege of walking with him as he crossed the line of clarity. Seven days later, he went to be with the Lord. We stood up here on Friday and had a glorious time talking with great assurance about where he is now because of his relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Purpose of the Revelation
Part of what Revelation does is give us understanding. For most people, when you dive into this book, you start getting into the symbolism and it becomes a little too cryptic. People often back off because they’re intimidated by it. Part of our desire as a church is to be an “equipping church,” which means when we finish a book of the Bible, we provide tools to help you understand it. We’ve put a chart together for you—it’s available on our website—to help put some handles on the book. For those of you squinting in the back, don’t worry, we’ll walk through it together.
The beauty of Revelation is that without it, we are left with a lot of unanswered questions regarding the existence of evil, the end of the world, and eternity future. We’re left with an ambiguous “what will be.” In Genesis 1:1, we see the point of origin: “In the beginning, God created.” But what is the destination? Where is this world going? What on earth is God doing? Revelation speaks to that. We see the summing up of all things in Christ. Without this book, sin is never judged, Christ never reigns, the kingdom is never established, and there is no resolution.
Revelation 1:1 (NASB)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated [it] by His angel to His bond-servant John,
Before we dive into the chapters, let me give you some general details. It was written by the Apostle John while he was in exile on the island of Patmos. He was there under the persecution of the Roman authorities, likely around AD 90. Some people try to “late date” Revelation to avoid its prophetic nature, but if it was written in AD 90, it is clearly speaking to what is coming with such clarity that it forces a conclusion of divine inspiration. It was written during a time of intense suffering. The Emperor Nero, for example, would kill Christians, sew them into animal skins, and throw them into the lion’s den. He would impale Christians and light them on fire to serve as torches for his garden parties. That is the context of this book.
The word “Revelation” literally means the apocalypse—the revealing. It’s the revealing of Christ and God’s plan for the world. It’s about our Lord finally setting up His kingdom, God finally winning, and the world being brought under the subjection of Jesus. Our method of interpretation is “futurist,” meaning we believe most of the things from chapter six through the end are yet to take place.
If you need a theme for the book, it’s found right in the first chapter. John is told to write the things he has seen, the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.
Revelation 1:19 (NASB)
’Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.
The Things Which Are: The Seven Churches
Chapter one covers the things John has seen—the glorified Lord and the fact that God is sovereign and on His throne. This was vital for John’s audience. When you went to work, you weren’t sure if the authorities were going to raid your home, beat your wife, or take your children. You needed to know that in the midst of suffering, there was a purpose and a God in control.
Chapters two and three cover “the things which are.” These were seven geographic churches, but their descriptions also seem to parallel the flow of church history. First was Ephesus, the church that lost its first love. This was the Apostolic Church—Peter, James, and John. They had the truth, but over time, the passion began to fade.
Revelation 2:4 (NASB)
’But I have [this] against you, that you have left your first love.
Then came Smyrna, the suffering church under tremendous persecution, where claiming to be a believer meant risking your life. They met in catacombs and passed on stories of Jesus by word of mouth. Around AD 313, Constantine took over, leading to the Imperial Age. Christianity became institutional. You were no longer a Christian based on a profession of faith, but by residency. This led to Thyatira, the tolerating church. When you jettison the Word of God, right and wrong become subjective. This gave birth to the age of the papacy and tradition being exalted over Scripture.
Then came Sardis, the dead church, followed by the Reformation Age where we saw a return to Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) and Sola Fide (faith alone). This led to Philadelphia, the missional church, characterized by brotherly love and the great expansion of the Gospel across the world. Finally, we have the church at Laodicea—the lukewarm church. This is the age we are living in. It is a church of phenomenal affluence that feels it is in need of nothing. We’ve got the AC, the comfortable seats, and all the external dressings, but Christ is on the outside knocking, trying to get back in.
Revelation 3:16 (NASB)
’So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
The Heavenly Throne and the Seven Seals
In chapters four and five, the scene changes to heaven. These are the things that take place “after these things.” We see a picture of the throne of heaven and the Lamb on the throne. John is weeping because no one is found worthy to open the scroll of judgment. But then, an elder tells him not to weep because the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lamb who was slain, is worthy. Christ takes the scroll and begins to open the seals.
Revelation 5:5 (NASB)
and one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.’
Chapter six begins the seven-year tribulation period. This starts when the “restrainer”—the Spirit of God working through the Church—is removed. This period consists of three sets of judgments: Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls. God, in His wisdom, gives us “intermissions” between these sets of judgments to let us catch our breath.
The first four seals are the famous Four Horsemen: false peace, war, famine, and death. The fifth seal is a prayer for vengeance from the martyrs, and the sixth is the fear of the wrath of God. The seventh seal then announces the seven trumpet judgments.
Revelation 6:12 (NASB)
I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth [made] of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
Before the trumpets, we have an intermission in chapter seven. We see 144,000 Jews sealed by God to be a voice for Christ during this time. We also see a great multitude of “tribulation saints”—Gentiles who put their faith in Christ during this period.
The Trumpets and the Unholy Trinity
The trumpet judgments in chapters eight and nine are more intense. You’ll notice God puts boundaries on these judgments—a third of the vegetation is burned, a third of the sea becomes blood, a third of the water is destroyed. It’s as if God is measuring out the wrath. By the fifth and sixth trumpets, demonic activity increases. Remember, there is no longer anything restraining evil. It’s like a frat house with no conscience and no rules—total madness.
In the intermission between the trumpets and the bowls (chapters 10-15), John is told to eat a scroll. It tastes sweet like honey but turns bitter in his stomach. This is the reality of the Gospel: it is sweet to know we are saved, but bitter to realize that judgment is coming for those we love who don’t know Him.
Revelation 10:10 (NASB)
I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
We also see two witnesses who preach in Jerusalem. They point everyone back to Christ, and when they are killed, the world throws a party over their corpses. But then God raises them from the dead! That’s one way to get a party started. We also see the rise of the “Unholy Trinity”: Satan, the Beast (Antichrist), and the False Prophet.
The Bowls of Wrath and Armageddon
By chapter 16, the gloves are off. The bowl judgments are poured out rapidly. These mirror the plagues of Egypt: sores, blood, darkness, and intense heat. The sixth bowl dries up the Euphrates River to prepare the way for the kings of the East to march toward Israel. Why is the world so focused on Israel? It has no natural resources to speak of. It’s because they are God’s people. The armies of the world gather for the Battle of Armageddon.
Revelation 16:16 (NASB)
And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.
In chapters 17 and 18, we see the fall of the religious and commercial systems of the world. This is where we see the “mark of the beast.” People freak out about this, wondering if their Vons club card is the mark. Listen, the Bible says the mark will be very clear. It won’t be a bait-and-switch where you accidentally get it. It involves the name and number of the Beast, and it’s a conscious choice. Furthermore, if you’re a believer, you’re going to have box seats for this—you won’t be here for it.
The Return of the King
Chapter 19 is the crescendo. Often, we have this “flannel graph” image of Jesus as a soft, timid figure giving out bear hugs. While He is gentle and kind, the Jesus of Revelation 19 is riding a white horse with eyes like fire. He has an entire army behind Him, and He has what looks like a six-foot cleaver coming out of His mouth to slay His enemies.
Revelation 19:11 (NASB)
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it [is] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.
This isn’t a long, drawn-out fight. It’s not like a movie where the hero almost loses. It is the most unimpressive “battle” in history because Jesus simply speaks, and it’s over. He squashes the opposition. The Beast and the False Prophet are grabbed by the throat and thrown into the lake of fire.
In chapter 20, Christ sets up His thousand-year reign on earth. Satan is bound. At the end of that thousand years, there is one final rebellion, which God quickly ends. Then comes the Great White Throne Judgment. The books are opened, recording every deed, and the Book of Life is opened. If your name is not in that book, you are judged based on your deeds. None of us want to stand before a holy God based on our own “goodness.” That’s why He sent Jesus. He is the narrow gate.
Revelation 20:12 (NASB)
And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
A Final Warning and a Future Hope
Finally, in chapters 21 and 22, we see the new heaven, the new earth, and the New Jerusalem descending. It is a place of no more tears and no more pain. Jesus says, “I am coming quickly,” and the believer’s response is, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
Revelation 22:20 (NASB)
He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
I want to comment on one final thing in chapter 22. Verse 18 gives a stern warning: do not add to or take away from the words of this prophecy. You might have someone knock on your door telling you they have “further revelation” or “upper-division spiritual writings” that supplement the Bible. I tell those folks, “No thanks.”
Revelation 22:18 (NASB)
I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;
This book is completed and sealed. We don’t need a magazine or a new “utterance” to tell us more about God. We have 66 books that give us a beginning and an end. If we stay biblically measured, we will find everything we need to know about God right here.
We could have chased a thousand rabbit holes in this series, but I hope this has given you some handles to hang on to. Well done for hanging in there through 26 weeks of intense Bible study! You guys are awesome.
Next week, we’re going to do something a little lighter. We’re going to have a Q&A session. The guys are going to pass out some cards for you to write down your questions. We had some fun in the office—it was my birthday Friday, so we were feeling a little zany—and we put together a video to explain the parameters for next week. Let’s take a look.