Readings : O.T. Micah 4-1/5; Zech. 14-16/21; N.T. Rev.20.
The word Revelation comes from the Gk. “apokalupsis” meaning “the appearing, coming, manifestation, revelation. In JESUS’ discourses on the End of the Age, He says “Beware of false prophets.” We need to know the difference between false and true. Great trials and tribulation are forecast.. “Pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape the things coming on the Earth, and to stand before the Son of Man”. In spite of this being a book of judgement, it is remarkable that of the 32 refs. to JESUS as the Lamb or Lamb of GOD in the N.T., 28 of them are in Revelation. (study)- Even in the day of wrath, GOD’S judgements are tempered with mercy!
In Rev.1 John writes “Blessed is he that readeth , and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep
those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand” = 3 important things we need to do!
First we see JESUS in all His Glory, standing in the midst of His 7 Churches, proclaiming “I was dead and behold, I AM alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and of death”!, He has conquered sin, death and Satan for us.
In Ch.2 & 3 messages to the 7 Churches, each with a statement of Who the LORD is, to each “I know thy works”!!!, to 5 churches commendation, to 5 a rebuke, to all 7 wonderful promises to the Overcomers ! Note that works have nothing whatever to do with salvation; we are saved by grace alone thru’ faith, but our rewards are based on our good works, not on our doctrine, and the greatest work of all is to Love GOD with all our hearts ! Notice ch.3/17
In Ch. 4 & 5 John is called up to Heaven, and sees the Throne of Majesty, 4 Living Ones with faces of a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle; the same 4 faces on the 4 standards of the Children of Israel, on the cherubim in Ezek. 1, and of JESUS in the 4 Gospels; note 4 winds, 4 corners of the Earth, There are 24 Elders seated around the Throne; these (+ the 4) are not 28 individuals but represent a great company of the redeemed out of all nations, Rev. 5-8/10.
A Book, (of Man’s forfeited inheritance) sealed with 7 seals; only the Lion of the Tribe of Judah can open it, but when John looks he sees a Lamb as it had been slain. Only thru’ the blood of the slain Lamb can we be redeemed !
In ch.6 The Lamb opens 4 seals, 4 horsemen go forth, the first with a bow, a symbol of GOD’S Covenant of mercy to Noah; The next 3 pouring out the wrath of the Lamb by which ¼ of earth’s population is destroyed. 5th seal reveals martyrs under the Altar, crying out for vengeance; 6th seal brings a great earthquake and shakes the heavens; all the great & wicked on the Earth fear the wrath of the Lamb and call on the Earth to swallow them up.
In ch. 7, 144,000 of the tribes of Israel are sealed for special service; Seiss in “The Apocalypse” from the names & order of the tribes, defines them thus : “Worshippers of GOD, looking upon the Son, a band of blessed ones, wrestling with forgetfulness, hearing & obeying the Word, cleaving unto the reward of a shelter and home, an addition, sons of the day of GOD’S right hand, begotten in the extremity of the age.”
Then we see a great multitude unnumbered stand on the sea of glass before the Throne, having come out of great tribulation, washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Ch 8 & 9; 7th seal brings an awesome silence! 6 of 7 Trumpets are blown bringing further great judgments by which half Earth’s population is now destroyed, yet men repent not of their 5 grievous sins, ch.9-20/21.
Ch.10; JESUS as the Lion of Judah reclaims the Earth sounding out Seven Thunders, 7 mighty proclamations of Who GOD is and What HE is, (“The case for the Prosecution before the final Day of Vengeance of our GOD”)? thus condemning all unbelievers, followed by the most solemn oath in the Bible, that there will be no more delay, for when the 7th Trumpet begins to sound, the mystery of GOD will be revealed.
Ch.11; Now begins the final 3-1/2 years of Daniel’s 70th week, JESUS’ 3-1/2 yr. “Day of Vengeance of our GOD” from Heaven, His first 3-1/2 yr. ministry of Salvation was whilst on Earth. Luke 4-17/21, Isa.61-1/3, Dan.9-27.
Ch.11/13; 4 great events all occur in this period, of 42 months, 1260 days, or time, times & half a time.
1. The Temple & those who worship therein are assessed but those in the Outer Court suffer for the 3-1/2 years..
2. GOD’S 2 Witnesses (mainly to the Jews?) appear with power to stop rain and administer plagues. Moses/Elijah?
(In between the 7th Trumpet is blown with a great proclamation from Heaven of the coming Kingdom)
3. (ch.12) The Woman, after giving birth to a Manchild, (not Christ) is preserved in the Wilderness for 1260 days.
4. In chs.12/13 the Satanic trio arise, the false trinity; 1. the great dragon, that old serpent, called the devil and satan, is cast out of heaven. 2. A beast with 7 heads and 10 horns, arises out of the sea = all Earths’ kingdoms headed up by one man, the antichrist, who is given power for 42 months. 3. Another beast out of the earth, a lying (unholy) spirit with demonic powers, enforces a mark on all the wicked, or the No. 666, which seals their doom. Once the “mark of the Beast” is taken, the seal of the Devil, there is no possible hope of redemption. Ch. 14 The 144,000. having completed their work, rejoice before the Throne. An angel, probably Enoch (Jude 14) preaches “the Everlasting Gospel” from Heaven to all nations. (GOD’S mercy shown) 3 more angels proclaim (1) the fall of Babylon, (2) the reaping of Earth’s good harvest (Jas.5-7), (3) the harvest of the wicked. Ps.75-8.
Ch.15/16. On the sea of glass stands another great multitude who have got the victory over antichrist and sing the song of Moses & the Lamb, perhaps Jews?. Another great sign as 7 angels come out of the Temple of GOD, having 7 golden bowls full of the wrath of GOD, which are poured out as plagues on the earth, the sea, the rivers, the sun, the throne of antichrist, the river Euphrates and into the air, bringing great torment upon those who have received the mark of the Beast. To the remnant of believers (perhaps saved during the tribulation), it is said “Behold I come as a thief”! – A warning which all need to heed !
Ch.17. Religious Babylon. the harlot church, is destroyed by political Babylon, represented by the 10 horns of the antichristian kingdom, (the 10 toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s image, Dan.ch.2), 10 Kings who receive power one hour with the Beast, who rule over Commercial Babylon, and vainly make war against the Lamb.
Ch.18. The complete collapse of commercial Babylon, – “in one hour is thy judgment come”, bringing utter desolation on the earth. Yet there is a final call to any late converts to “come out of Babylon” v.4, for whosoever calls on the Name of the LORD shall be saved! Acts 2-21, e.g. the thief dying on a cross called out and was saved. The Mercy of GOD in the midst of Judgment !
Ch. 19. Great rejoicing and thunderous acclamations to the LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT for His judgments and because the Marriage of the LAMB has come! Blessed are they who are called unto the Marriage of the LAMB. The greatest Wedding of Time & Eternity takes place, followed by a 1000 year Honeymoon! But first Heaven is opened and JESUS in His Majestic Glory as KING OF KINGS & LORD OF LORDS descends with His righteous army of saints on white horses to slay the armies of the wicked and cast the antichrist and false prophet into the lake of fire to be tormented day and night for ever and ever..
Ch.20. The Glory of the Millennium! First that old serpent, the devil and Satan is cast into the bottomless pit and bound for 1000 years. (after 1000 years he is loosed) The first resurrection is now complete, the redeemed on thrones and the martyrs who came out of the great tribulation, live with Christ 1000 years. “Blessed & Holy are those in the first resurrection, who reign as priests with Christ 1000 years”. The curse is lifted from the Earth. Rom.8-21/22. The rest of the dead live not again until the 1000 years are over. After the 1000 years, GOD, in His final test of mankind, looses Satan to try those who lived and were born in the Millennium, see Zech. ch.14, some of whom even under a perfect rule of righteousness yielded only a feigned submission. Ps.66-3, 81-15. Fire comes down from Heaven & destroys them and Satan is cast into the lake of fire where the Beast and the False Prophet are.
Then the 2nd resurrection takes place and all in it are judged before a Great White Throne according to their works, and whoever is not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. Thus sin will finally be banished from the Universe for ever, and the Holiness, Love, Wisdom & Goodness of GOD will reign eternally.
For conditions on the Earth during the Millennium, the 1000 year Honeymoon of Christ & His Bride, we must go to the prophets; I list some of the appropriate scriptures I pray you will read and study for yourselves:-
Dan.2-44/45; Ps.149; Zech.14-16/21; 2 Tim.2-12; JESUS will reign from Zion over all the nations left on Earth
Isa.2-2/ 4; Mic.4-1/3, they will come to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and there will be no more war. In the Resurrection the saints will have a new body like unto JESUS’ Glorious Body. 1Cor.15 & Phil.3-20/21;
They shall be heirs of GOD, & joint heirs with Christ, and shall rule and reign with Him over the nations left on Earth; Rom.8-16/22, Zech.14, Isa.11-5/9; Isa.65-19/25; Mic.4-4; Hab.2-14 & Num.14-21; The curse will be lifted and the Earth restored to its former glory as in the days of Adam; all animals will be herbivorous and eat grass like the ox, little children will love and play with them and none shall hurt or destroy in all GOD’S Holy Mountain; love, joy, peace and righteousness will prevail, for the Earth shall be filled with the Glory of the LORD,
These scriptures have never been fulfilled, but will be fulfilled during the Millennium!
Chs.21 & 22 These tell of the New Heavens & the New Earth, the Holy City, New Jerusalem, and some of the glories which the redeemed will experience in increasing measure throughout eternity, vast realms of the Universe to explore and be involved with as GOD “plants the Heavens” (Isa. 51-16) and continues His Eternal Plan in Divine Wisdom for the Blessing of His Own Beloved Family and pours out upon them the fullness of His Great Love.
“In His Presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand there are pleasures for evermore”. Ps.16-11
The magnificence of this Glory is largely hidden from us now, (1Cor.2-9) perhaps GOD is keeping it as a great surprise for when JESUS brings His Bride Home to that Eternal City, the New Jerusalem Here we also find the most wonderful promise “He that overcometh will inherit all things, and I will be his GOD and he shall be My son.” Rev. 21-7. Amen. Blessed be the Name of the LORD.!
Study by Alfred Curtis, Aug, 2012
100 Bible Studies - Alfred Emmerson Curtis 