Revelation Seminar - Completed Handout

REVELATION

Goals

1) That you feel like you can study Revelation and apply it

2) That you’d develop a better understanding of what the Bible says about ‘end times’

3) That you’d get the theme of the book and apply it.

Theme: Jesus’ death and resurrection has saved a people for God from every nation and secured his position as King and Judge of the world. Therefore, persevere in your witness to Jesus Christ. Be comforted, Jesus is coming soon. And beware, lest you compromise and not inherit the Kingdom of God. (Rev. 12:12-21)

Principles for Interpreting Revelation

1) Humility (distinguishing major issues from minor; forest and trees)

2) It’s a book of symbols (1:1)

3) The visions aren’t in ‘order’. (The world ends 7 times; ‘I saw’; ‘after this’)

4) Clear passages interpret unclear passages.

5) The NT interprets the OT.

6) Our present world situation does not interpret Scripture;

7) The book is about the whole period of the end. Rev. 1:1, 19, etc. and Dan 7:28-29, 44-45.

New Testament Eschatology

1) Two ages. Matt. 12:32; 1 Cor. 2:6-10; Luke 18:29-30; Heb. 9:6-12; Gal 1:3-4

2) God’s Kingdom. Matt 4:15-17; Matt. 7:21; Matt 12:28; Matt. 13; Heb. 12:22-29; Gal 5:21; Col. 1:13

3) Flesh-Spirit - 1 Peter 3:18; John 3; Rom. 1:1-4

4) New Creation – 2 Cor. 5:17; Is. 65:17; Rom. 8:21-22

5) Resurrection – Dan 12:2; John 5:24-25; Eph. 2; 1 Thess 4:13-18

6) Latter Days – Dan. 2:28-29; Heb. 1:1-2

7) Redemption – Rom. 3:24-26; Rom. 8:23

8) Jesus, and thus all in him, are Israel, recipients of the OT blessings – Gal. 3:16-29; Rom. 4; Rom. 11

Revelation

Introduction (1:1-8)

This is about the age of the Church/latter days (1:1)

It is revealed through symbols (1:1)

It is meant to be obeyed (1:3)

We are described as freed from sins, a kingdom, and priests (1:4-5)

God reigns over all history; Jesus is returning (1:7-8)

Jesus introduces the visions (1:9-20)

The letter is for the whole Church (1:11)

Jesus is pictured as God in Daniel 7 (1:12-16)

Jesus is pictured as a King/Judge/Priest among the churches (1:13)

He’s with us – good if we’re obedient; bad if we’re not

The Church exists to offer Spirit-empowered worship (Zech. 4)

Letters to the seven churches (2:1-3:22)

Openings - about Jesus’ reign over the churches, including judgment

Commendations

Not tolerating heresy or being licentious

Enduring persecution

Rebuke – Compromising works/witness with the culture

Promises pending repentance – eternal life, fellowship with God in the new creation; authority over the nations; vindicated/clothed

Warnings – removal of the church. “He who has ears to hear…” (Matt 13: Is. 6)

God’s Throne Room (4)

The image is from Ezekiel ch’s 1, 9, and 10; and Daniel 7

God is seen as glorious and worthy of worship from all creation (4:11)

All creation (hence the beasts)

The whole Church (24 elders)

God is sovereign over evil (4:6)

Jesus on God’s throne earned the right to be King and Judge (5)

The scroll is a reference to the books in Dan 7/12, referring to redemption of God’s people and judgment of enemies; hence John being sad (5:3-4)

The Lion (Gen. 49) conquered by dying (5:5-12) for his people, from every nation

The first vision of Jesus’ judgment of the world (7 seals) (6:1-8:5)

Jesus’ opening of the seals reflects his sovereignty over suffering

Saints in heaven pray for vindication, and have it given (6:9-11)

The vision of seals doesn’t end until we see a vision of how God has set aside a people for himself from every nation for entry into the Kingdom (7)

God answers the saints’ prayers and judges the world (8:1-5)

The second vision of Jesus’ judgment of the world (7 trumpets) (8:2-11:19)

The seven trumpets reflect the battle of Jericho and prophesy regarding the end (1 Cor. 15:52)

Jesus uses the economy to judge the world (8:5-12)

An eagle (a sign of judgment) declares that judgment is coming (8:13)

Demons are allowed to cause severe depression (9:1-11)

Demons are allowed to kill (9:12-21)

John gets a vision of Jesus reigning over all things, and must again prophesy judgment AND blessing (10)

God promises to protect his people spiritually (ref Ez 40-48) (11:1-2)

The Church imitates Christ through witness, suffers, and is vindicated (11:3-13)

After the final assault of the world on the Church, God judges (11:15-19)

Satan, already conquered, uses the state and false religion to attack God’s people (12-14)

The woman (12:1) represents the people of God (both OT/NT) (Gen. 37; Is. 60:19-20; Rev. 12:14)

The baby goes to heaven to reign, and God protects his people spiritually (12:5-6)

New scene: Satan thrown down because of Jesus’ death, as in Zech. 3; see also Luke 10:18 and Rom. 8:34 (12:7-10)

The saints conquer by dying! (12:11-12)

Satan uses political and religious systems to attack God’s people (Job 40-41)

Satan uses the whole world polticial system, reflecting Egypt and the 4 beasts of Dan 7, to do his work against the Church (13:1-10) – God protects his own

A second beast (like Dan 8) represents false teaching, persecuting God’s people, reflecting the practices of the trade guilds in Rome (13:11-18)

The Lamb keeps a people for himself, who haven’t been spiritual whores (14:1-5)

Angels declare God’s judgment and call the saints to endure (14:6-13)

Jesus pours out his wrath on the world (14:14-20)

The last vision of Jesus’ judgment of the world (15-16)

Those God has sealed worship; God having defeated their enemies and rescued them (15:2-4)

The pictures of the wrath of God are completed with these (15:1)

These plagues mimic the plagues against Egypt, judging idolatry

God decrees that Satan will instigate the world to final battle against the Church- but God will pour out his wrath on the world (16:12-21)

The political, economic, and religious systems of the world are judged (17-19)

The religious system of the world is seen to be something to ‘marvel’ at; but which causes idolatry, and with whom the political powers work (17:1-6)

The political system is close to ending; and will be ended after a final assault against the Church (17:8-14)

The religious system will be brought down by the political system (17:15-18)

Celebration that God has judged the world’s religious systems (18-19:10)

This is the basis for God calling his people to be separate from her (18:4)

It is also basis for rejoicing (18:20)

It is also the basis for worship (19:5)

It is also the vindication of the Bride (19:7-9)

Jesus is shown to judge the world systems and every non Christian (19:10-21)

God re-creates his world (20-22)

Satan/the beasts’ persecutions have no effect, since through those persecutions, God raises people to life to reign with him (20:1-6)

Satan will seek to instigate a final battle against God, but he will be defeated, and everyone whose name isn’t written in the Book of Life will be cast into hell with him (20:7-15)

The New Creation, which is the New Jerusalem, which is the Bride of Christ, appears, in which our relationship with God is fulfilled (21:1-8)

The Bride is also seen as the glorious Holy of Holies, united to Jesus forever (20:9-27)

The New Creation is also a Garden, with the tree of life for the healing of the nations, in which the saints are identified perfectly with God (22:1-5)

Jesus reminds us that he’s coming soon to judge; so we need to obey his commands (22:6-21)

For Further Study

The Triumph of the Lamb – Dennis Johnson

The Bible and the Future – Anthony Hoekema

http://www.enjoyinggodministries.com/studies/eschatology/

http://kimriddlebarger.squarespace.com/

You may email me short questions - derekrjoseph@gmail.com - and you can check my blog for this completed handout – derekjoseph.blogpost.com