The Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation is the last book of the Bible. It covers what the apostle John saw in a vision on the Island of Patmos. John was a prisoner because he preached about Jesus and Him crucified and that He rose from the dead.

The book was written between AD90-AD95. There are 66 books or scrolls that make up the Bible and this scroll is the last one.

It is sometimes called the Apocrypha because of the style of writing that John used.

The Introductions and Greetings which are found in the first six verses of Revelation (Revelation 1:1-6) show us to whom John was writing.

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

John writes the book of Revelation as one long prophecy, containing many, sometimes overlapping, images.

The next two verses cover the return and eternal being [eternity] of Jesus Revelation 1:7-8.

The same way he went to heaven as in  Acts 1:9-11 and  Luke 23:50-53  He will be coming back.

Jesus went back to heaven so he could send the Holy Spirit who would help us.

The Holy Spirit is a person and is the third person of the trinity.

John was a prisoner on Patmos because he was preaching about Jesus and that He had been raised from the dead. John had the visions described in Revelation about AD95.

The Island of Patmos is a volcanic, treeless, rocky island about 9km by 50 km or 6 by 30 miles. It is about 30km or 20 miles off the western coast of modern Turkey.

From here John writes to the seven churches. It was where the Romans put the criminals they did not want to escape.  It was a lonely, isolated place.  However, far from dying (as probably expected) of loneliness, John had the company of millions of angels and other beings!

7 Churches

John had to write seven letters to Seven churches. To see letters to these Seven churches, see links below.

These seven churches existed in local towns and today the towns can still be found. Today the towns are found in modern Turkey.

8 characteristics of the Son of Man

Eight-fold description of Jesus:

• 1. His body
• 2. His Hair
• 3. His Eyes
• 4. His Feet
• 5. His Voice
• 6. His Right Hand
• 7. His Mouth
• 8. His Countenance.

Son of Man is one of the 34 titles given to Jesus in the book of Revelation.

What does each description of the body depict? e.g. body, hair etc.

Jesus alone holds the keys and control of Death and Hades, and He lives for ever and ever.

Keys denote authority and power.  In this instance God does not entrust the power over hell to men, but holds it Himself, as He alone can be trusted.

Hades is the Greek word for hell.

To the overcomers the right to eat from the Tree of Life.

The tree of life reminds us about the Garden of Eden.

The first tree of life was found in the Garden of Eden. See Genesis 2:9, Genesis 3:22-24, or see Revelation 22:2, Proverbs 3:18, 11:30 or Ezekiel 47:7-12.

Jesus sends a message to the second of Seven Churches on Western Coast of modern Turkey.

Smyrna, now called Ismir, is on the shore of the Aegean Sea and it is a rich city. About eighty kilometers or fifty miles, south-east is the famous City of Ephesus which is also near the coast.

The deceptions of Satan, the being first mentioned in Genesis 3:1, and his persecution of the true children of God, are acknowledged by God to this church, and it is commended for its works despite its difficulties with tribulation and poverty. To those who overcome is given the promise of a crown of life.

The third church Jesus has message for. He commends the church for holding fast some truths, despite dwelling among great evil.

The promise to those in Pergamus who overcome is that he will give them some hidden manna (Rev 2:17), and also a white stone with their name on it.

Manna means - What is it. Read Exodus 16:1-36. God sent manna from heaven.

However, Pergamum as a church had some areas of compromise.
Jesus asks us not to compromise our faith.

The 4^th church for which Jesus has a message is commended for its works, love, service, faith and patience.

However, he warns against its tolerance of a Jezebel spirit seducing God's servants.

To those who overcome, He promises the morning star – one of Jesus' names (see Numbers 24:17).

Thyatira is near the river Lycus and is one of a number of cities of the kingdom of Lydia. The city is now called Ark-Hissar which means White Castle.

Thyatira was famous for purple cloth. Lydia one of Paul's converts, Acts 16:14-40 came from Thyatira.

Fifth church - Sardis.

White robes of the righteous ones whose names are in the book of life, Revelation 3:5.

Mostly a dead church, although there was a remnant who had undefiled garments and were still worthy in God's sight. God promises to put the names of those who overcame in the Book of Life.

Sardis was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia on the river Pactolus. Sardis is now called Sest-Kalessi or Sart. The Kingdom of Lydia's other cites included Smyrna, Thyatira and Philadelphia.

Now read Jesus' report card to this group of believers in Sardis.

Sixth church - Philadelphia

In Philadelphia the sixth church (Revelation 3:11) you will find mention of the Holy City or New Jerusalem, the faithful church.

Philadelphia name means Love of the Brethren.  Philadelphia is another city in the area of Lydia, which is part of Modern Turkey.

The door to your heart - notice that there is no handle on the outside; the handle is on the inside:  Revelation 3:20.

This statement is aimed at individuals.   The invitation to eat a meal meant fellowship and friendship offered by God.

The lukewarm church is a clear warning for Christians not to be lukewarm.

Laodicea is on the river Lycus.

The throne is the center of activities in Revelation, is mentioned 40 times and means a literal seat.

A throne is a symbol of power.

A literal throne and is mentioned over 40 times in Revelation.

No one could open this scroll until Jesus was pointed out as the Lamb of God that was slain.

Jesus now opens the seven seals.

This rider of this white horse has a bow, which represents weapons of war. A crown is a symbol of a king.

The bow is symbolic of evil intentions. The horse's rider is the first of four riders who each mark the beginning of a sequence of awful times.

White horses were used by victorious Roman Generals in parades called Triumphs. They were an emblem of triumph and power by Rome over a foreign enemy.

Red = Bloody power and violence. The word is purrhos in Greek which means fiery, red.

The 3rd seal The Black Horse - Revelation 6:5-6

The third Seal: famines caused by the first two seals - Matthew 24:7

⁵ When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was ^aa black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "^bA liter of wheat for a ^cday's wages, and ^dthree liters of barley for a day's wages, and ^edo not damage the oil and the wine!"  

a. This is a symbol of famine which is the result of the conquest and wars of the first two seals.
   Cf Lamentations 4:4-8; Matthew 24:7

b. Bread by measure and weight signify scarcity of food (Ezekiel 4:10-17)

c. 17c. the daily wage (Matthew 20:1-16)

d. A measure was about 1 liter, a slave's daily ration, an amount usually purchased for about two cents.
    One could usually buy 8 measures of wheat or 24 measures of barley for two cents, but during this future famine
    only 1 measure of wheat or 3 measures of barley can be purchased for two cents.
    This will make food 8 times higher than in normal times.

e. The olives and grapes need no cultivation; hence their ruthless destruction is forbidden.

Dead people often have green tinge to them.

All the four horse riders only control one quarter of the earth.

White Robes of the righteous saints who had been killed, and who had been told to rest until the rest of the saints that are to be killed are killed.

White robes are a symbol of purity.

Great multitude in WHITE ROBES holding palm branches

Believers in Jesus who are now with Jesus in heaven. They have died in the great tribulation.

White robes are a symbol of purity.

Palm branches were used in feasts and the feast of booths. See Leviticus 23:34-44.

The Lamb is one of the names of Jesus.

Remember Exodus 9:22-26 the 7th plague.

The trumpet referred to here was a shofar which is a ram's horn which was used by the Israelites for religious purposes and for warfare.

The trumpet referred to here was a shofar which is a ram's horn which the Israelites used for religious purposes and for warfare.

Star called wormwood. A Meteorite, or by pollution or by both. Remember Egypt. Exodus 15:26-27, Exodus 10:21-23.

A third of the drinking waters turned bitter and many people died from the bitter water.

The trumpet referred to here was a shofar which is a ram's horn used by the Jews for religious purposes and for warfare.

1/3 of the Sun, of the moon and of the Stars became dark and that caused. 1/3 of the day to be without light, 1/3 of the night also to be without light.

Take a look at the order of Creation in Genesis 1:1-2:3

5th trumpet blast brought:

A Star fell to earth, this Star was given key to the shaft hell.
This Star tortured those of mankind that did not have the seal of God for five months.

The trumpet referred to here was a shofar which is a ram's horn, used by the Jews for religious purposes and for warfare.

The five months in Revelation 9:5 and 9:10 may be the five winter months between The Feast of Tabernacles and The Feast of Passover. Remember in Matthew 24:3 about the flight taking place in winter or the Sabbath.

Revelation 11:4 The second horror (calamity, terror, woe) is over, but look! The third horror (calamity, terror, woe) will come soon.

The sixth Trumpet released 200 million soldiers for war.

The trumpet referred to here was a shofar which is a ram's horn, which the Jews used for religious purposes and for warfare.

John now eats the scroll that has the SEVEN seals that were removed by Jesus.

The little scroll was sweet to eat but it turned sour in his stomach.

For 1260 Days or 42 months the two witnesses prophesy in the city of their God.

Remember Days are also used elsewhere in the Bible (cf Daniel) to symbolize years.

Two Witnesses who preached about Jesus for 1260 days in Jerusalem were then killed and came back to life.

While they preached if any one tried to harm them they got burnt and they had the power to stop the rain, turn water to blood and strike the earth with plagues.

At the end they died for three and half days and were raised by God's power and then terror struck the people who saw them alive again.

3rd Horror

THIRD HORROR covers the events in Revelation 11:15-13:18 which include the casting out of Satan under the 7th Trumpet Revelation 12:12.

With the seventh Trumpet came the words that the kingdoms of this world have become those of our Lord and of His Son Jesus the Messiah.

God has started to reign by His great power.

The trumpet referred to here was a shofar which is a ram's horn, which the Jews used for religious purposes and for warfare.