Revelation Answers

Exiled to the isle of Patmos, John was a “fellow-participant” in the tribulation and endurance with the churches of Asia  –  Revelation 1:9 .  At the start of the first vision,  Revelation  introduces John, who was exiled to the isle of Patmos for the “ testimony of Jesus .” Rather than point to his apostolic credentials, he identified himself with the plight of the “ seven churches of Asia .” Although isolated on the small island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, he was a “ fellow-participant ” with  the “ churches ” in the “ tribulation and endurance in Jesus .”

After his expulsion from heaven, Satan wages war against the seed of the Woman, those who hold the testimony of Jesus .  Having failed to destroy the messianic “ son ,” and now, thoroughly enraged, the “ Dragon ” vents his rage by pursuing the “ woman ” into the “ wilderness ,” not by waging war against the " inhabitants of the earth .” But he is thwarted in this effort, so instead, he turns his rage on her offspring – the men and women who “ have the testimony of Jesus. ”

If anyone fails to keep the words of the book, he will be excluded from citizenship in the city of New Jerusalem  – Revelation 22:6-21.  The book of   concludes with an epilogue that recalls the earlier promises to “ overcoming saints ,” reiterates warnings against faithlessness, summons believers to render homage to God alone, and calls for Jesus to “ come quickly .” Testimony from uncontestable sources attests to the trustworthiness of the “ words of the book .”

New Jerusalem is populated fully in fulfillment of the covenant promise to Abraham to bless all the nations  – Revelation 21:24-22:5.  The city of “ New Jerusalem ” with its massive dimensions has been  unveiled, and it will take far more than a tiny remnant of surviving “ saints ” to populate it. John next sees the “ city ” inhabited by the “ innumerable multitude ” of men and women redeemed from every nation -and ethnic group by the “ Lamb ,” including some if not many of the “ kings of the earth .”

The physical dimensions and shape of New Jerusalem are presented demonstrating it is ready to be populated  – Revelation 21:9-23.  At the start of chapter 21, John saw a  glimpse  of “ New Jerusalem descending from heaven .” But now, he sees it unveiled in all its glory. This next section concentrates on the city’s physical dimensions and shape.  Its enormous size staggers the human imagination, but the sufficient room necessary to contain the  innumerable multitude  destined to inhabit the “ holy city .”

The next paragraph presents “ New Jerusalem ” to the book’s audience and concludes its third literary division. Having witnessed the destruction of “ Babylon ,” the “ False Prophet ,” the “ Beast from the Sea ,” and the “ Dragon ,” John receives a vision of what awaits the faithful, a portraited of the holy city, “ New Jerusalem, descending from heaven to the earth .”

Following the defeat of the “Dragon,” the final judgment unfolds before a Great White Throne – Revelation 20:11-15 .  Now, the “ Dragon ,” the “ False Prophet ,” the “ Beast from the Sea ,” and “ Babylon ” have all been judged. Their conspiracy against the “ Lamb ” and his followers only ended in their own demise. What they intended for evil the “ One Who Sits on the Throne ” employed to achieve His purposes - [ Photo by Chris Rhoads on Unsplash ].

The Rider on the White Horse destroys the beasts from the sea and the earth at the last battle, Armageddon  – Revelation 19:17-21.  In chapter 19 of  Revelation , John sees the destruction of the “ Beast from the sea ” and the “ false prophet ” as the final battle when the “ rider on the white horse ” overthrows the forces of “ Gog and Magog .” The passage does not state where this occurs other than on the planet earth. The focus is on the destruction of the two beasts and their subsequent consignment to the “ Lake of Fire. ”

The Messiah “shepherds” the nations by the “word” that proceeds out of his mouth in preparation for the final battle  -  Revelation 19:11-16 .  The vision now anticipates the destruction of the “ beast ” and the “ False Prophet ” by introducing the warrior figure riding a “ white horse .” The groundwork for the coming “battle” was laid with the announcement of the victory of the “ Lamb ” over the “ beast ” and the “ kings of the earth ” in chapter 17 (For he is “ Lord of lords and King of kings ”).

The celebration of heaven over the “wedding” of the “Lamb” follows the destruction of “Babylon, the Great Harlot”  –  Revelation 19:1-10 .  Next,  Revelation  presents the celebration of “ heaven ” over the demise of the “ Great City, Babylon .” A “ great voice ” of many people rings out in praise to God because He judged the “ Great Harlot ” that had seduced the “ nations ” and persecuted the “ saints ,” the “ servants ” of God. It is also the hour for the “ marriage ” of the “ Lamb ” to his bride, “ New Jerusalem. ”

Next, the Book of Revelation presents a detailed description of the destruction of the “ Great City ,” and the justification for it. Her demise is caused, in part, by the hatred of the “ Ten Kings ” who are allied with the “ Beast from the Sea .” They are driven by God to desolate and “ burn her utterly with fire ” for her dominance of world commerce, “ sorcery ,” and especially her persecution of the “ saints .”

The fall of mystery Babylon is pronounced, and her ritual impurity is exposed and denounced by an angel  –  Revelation 18:1-8 .  Next, John saw an angel descending from heaven, one who had “ great authority ” with which he pronounced the “ fall of Babylon ” and described her ritual pollution by demonic spirits. This was followed by a voice summoning the saints to separate themselves from the “ Harlot ,” otherwise, they would participate in her “ plagues ” - [ Photo by  Christoph Schmid  on Unsplash ].

John saw a vision of a female figure identified as “ Babylon, the Great Harlot .” She was carried by the “ Beast with Ten Horns and Seven Heads .” She deceived the “ Kings of the Earth ” along with its “ Inhabitants ” with her “ fornications ,” and she was “ drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus .” She was (and remains) the “ Mother of the Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth .” Her powers of seduction were so great that even John found himself momentarily “ marveling ” after her.

End-Time “ Babylon ” sits on the same beastly entity that John saw “ ascending from the Sea ” in Chapter 13, but it combines the four “ Beasts ” of  Daniel  into one final malignant creature bent on destroying the saints. In Chapter 17, its “lineage” and inevitable destruction are described with language from Daniel’s vision of the “ Little Horn ” and the “ Fourth Beast .”

Babylon is revealed as a bejeweled harlot dripping with the shed blood of martyred saints  –  Revelation 17:1-6 .  In chapter 17,  Revelation  presents the impressive figure of “ Babylon .” She is labeled “ harlot ” and identified as the “ great city ,” and she is responsible for the deaths of the martyrs. “ Babylon ” is also closely associated with the deceptions and economic power of the “ Beast .” In her, the book’s first audience would see the city of Rome.

Revelation identifies Gog and Magog as the nations from the four corners of the Earth that attack the saints .  The prophet Ezekiel received a vision of an invading army composed of regional nations that attacked Israel from the north. The force was led by “ Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal ” - ( KJV ). But before it succeeded, this army was destroyed by Yahweh “ on the mountains of Israel .”

The tenth chapter of  Daniel  introduces the final vision received from one with the “ appearance of a man .” The vision is described in detail in chapter 11, and it includes verbal links to the book’s preceding visions. It begins by expanding on the vision of the “ Goat ” with a  “ prominent horn ”  that overthrew the  “ Ram ”  and the division of the Greek empire into four “ lesser kingdoms .”

The sixth trumpet unleashes the demonic horde from beyond the “Euphrates” to afflict the “inhabitants of the earth”  - Revelation 9:13-21.  The blowing of the “ sixth trumpet ” also marks the commencement of the “ second woe .” While the description of the “ plague ” unleashed by the trumpet only continues until the end of chapter 9, the “ second woe ” does not end until the sounding of the “ seventh trumpet ” that will culminate in the final judgment. Presumably, the “ sixth trumpet ” will conclude when the seventh angel blows his trumpet.

The fifth trumpet unleashes the first of “three woes,” and malevolent creatures began to ascend from the Abyss  – Revelation 8:13-9:12.  When the fifth angel blows his trumpet, John sees smoke “ ascending ” from the “ Abyss ,” a place ruled by an “ angel ” associated with “ destruction ,” and the “ Abyss ” becomes prominent in several of subsequent visions. It is the source of entities hostile to the “ Lamb ” and his people, creatures that “ ascend ” to wreak havoc, sometimes on the “ inhabitants of the earth ,” but more often on the “ saints. ”

The kings and the inhabitants of the earth refuse to follow the Lamb. Instead, they give homage to the beast .  In  Revelation , there are no geographic restrictions on the reign of the “ beast .”  ALL  the “ inhabitants of the earth ” take its “ mark ” and bow to its “ image .” Not a single government resists the final incarnation of the “ ancient serpent ,” for it is granted “ authority over every tribe, people, tongue and nation .”

At the end of the seventh seal, seven angels prepare to sound their trumpets, unleashing judgment on the “inhabitants of the earth”  – Revelation 8:1-6.  The saints have been “ sealed ,” washed “ in the blood of the Lamb ,” and brought safely through the “ great tribulation .” The full complement of “ witnesses ” has been assembled, and the time has arrived for judgment to be rendered against the “ inhabitants of the earth ” that persecuted the martyrs. Their plea for “ vengeance ” is about to be answered.

The first four seal openings occur under the watchful eyes of the “Lamb” and the “four living creatures” around the “throne”  –  Revelation 6:8 .  Collectively, the four “ riders ” are authorized to kill “ a fourth of the earth .” Each seal is “ opened ” by the “ Lamb ,” and each respective “ rider ” is commanded to ride by one of the “ four living creatures ” that surrounded the “ throne .” The forces unleashed by the first four seals result from the “ Lamb ” breaking open the seven “ seals ” of the scroll.

SYNOPSIS :   God’s servants are now sealed, numbered, and assembled for their journey to the Promised Land, New Jerusalem  - Revelation 7:1-8 .  The seventh chapter of the book of Revelation appears to interrupt the sequence of seal openings between the sixth and seventh seals. However, this “interlude” or interruption is an integral part of the series of seven seal openings; moreover, it follows a literary pattern established in Chapter 5.

The sixth seal ushers in the Day of the Lord, the time of wrath upon the inhabitants of the earth and all the Lamb’s enemies  –  Revelation 6:12-17 .  The opening of the sixth seal causes celestial and terrestrial trauma as the “ day of wrath ” dawns. It is nothing less than the “ great day of the wrath of God and of the Lamb .” Men of every rank panic in terror, but their every attempt to hide from the impending “ wrath ” is in vain. There is no escape, for no one can “ stand ” before the “ Lamb and the throne. ”

In Revelation, the period known as the last days began following the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth .  The last book of the New Testament is called   the “ revelation of Jesus Christ ,” and it is a message for his “ servants ,” namely, the “ seven churches of Asia .” It concerns “ what things must come to pass soon ,” information that is vital since the “ SEASON IS AT HAND .”

Revelation places Ezekiel’s vision of the ideal Temple in the middle of the city of New Jerusalem .  The book of Revelation  places Ezekiel’s vision of the ideal Temple in the city of New Jerusalem. What the ancient prophet envisioned is at the center of the perfectly squared city. Language from his prophecy is applied in  Revelation  to paint a portrait of the glorious city that will encompass the entire New Creation.

In Chapter 12, John sees a new “ sign ” in the heavens, the Woman “ clothed with the sun, and the moon beneath her feet .” She is wearing a “ crown of twelve stars ,” and she is pregnant and about to give birth to one identified as a “ son .” He appears in fulfillment of the messianic promise in the Second Psalm, the King and Son of Yahweh who is destined to “ rule the nations .”

Revelation looks forward to the reign of Jesus in the New Creation, a reality inaugurated by his Death and Resurrection .  In his letter to Laodicea, Jesus is declared the “ beginning of the creation of God .” In his death and resurrection, he inaugurated the New Creation. In the same sentence, and in the present tense, he also is called the “ Amen ,  the faithful and true witness ,” appellations applied to him previously in the book’s prologue.

The seventh “ bowl of wrath ” anticipates the fuller description of the destruction of “ Babylon ” in chapters 17 and 18. It echoes the Old Testament story of the plague of hail inflicted on Egypt at the word of Moses. Emptying the bowl “ on the air ” prepares for the “ great hail ” that will conclude this last “ plague ” and seal Babylon’s doom.

The first four bowls target the economic infrastructure necessary for commerce and the economic health of the  World Empire . Since the “ Beast from the sea ” caused the followers of the “ Lamb ” economic deprivation, so, now, the “ Beast ” and the “ inhabitants of the earth ” suffer economic loss.

The book of Revelation is comprised of a prologue, the vision proper, and an epilogue. The vision falls into four recognizable divisions, and each commences when John finds himself “ in the spirit ” and is transported to a specific location. For example, the first vision begins with John on Patmos where he “ comes to be in spirit ” and sees a vision of the one “ like a son of man .”

An analysis of the final week of the “Seventy Weeks” prophecy – Daniel 9:26-27. We now reach the end of the “Seventy Weeks” prophecy, its final or so-called seventieth “ week ” ( Daniel 9:26-27 ). This passage describes a set of events for which the preceding sixty-nine “weeks” have prepared. The text says  nothing about the destruction  of the city or the Temple. Instead, in this final “ week ,” the people of the city are “ corrupted ,” and the Sanctuary is defiled by the “ abomination that desolates .

The first sixty-nine “weeks” lay the groundwork for the tumultuous events of the final or “seventieth week”  –  Daniel 9:25 .  Next, the angel described the first sixty-nine “ weeks ” of the  prophecy, but only briefly. As he declared at the start, “ seventy weeks are  divided  upon your people and upon your holy city .” After presenting the  redemption  that would be realized by the end of the prophecy, he described its three subdivisions of “ seven weeks ,” “ sixty-two weeks ,” and “ one week ,” presumably, consecutive periods of 49, 434, and 7 years.

After contemplating  Jeremiah’s prophecy , Daniel began to pray and repent for the nation’s sins. He did not seek revelation into the meaning of the prophecy since he understood its prediction (“ I understood by the writings the number of the years ”). Instead, he confessed Israel’s sins as Jeremiah had instructed.

In the 13th chapter of  Revelation , the single “ Beast from the Sea ” displays the same animal characteristics of the four creatures that Daniel saw ascending from the sea. John’s “ beast ” is from the same lineage, but it is also something more. It certainly is not identical to the “ fourth beast ” with the “ little horn ,” though it incorporates many of its attributes.

In the second half of Chapter 8, Daniel receives the interpretation of his vision of the “ Ram and the Goat .” In Chapter 7, only the first “ Beast from the Sea ,” the lion-like creature, could be identified with certainty, namely, the Neo-Babylonian Empire. In contrast, in the interpretation in Chapter 8, two of the four kingdoms are identified by name, the “ Kingdom of the Medes and Persians ” and “ Greece .”

Next, Daniel received a vision of a “ Ram ” and a “ Goat ” with a prominent horn. The Ram represented the “ Kingdom of the Medes and Persians ,” the Goat symbolized the kingdom of Greece, and its large horn represented its first great king who overthrew the “ Ram .” The vision is followed by an interpretation provided by an angelic figure. The Goat’s single horn was broken and replaced by four smaller horns.

SYNOPSIS  –  The commencement of the “seventy weeks” is linked to the prophecy of Jeremiah about the Babylonian Captivity  –  Daniel 9:1-2 .  The prophecy of the “ seventy weeks ” in  Daniel  is one of the most perplexing and disputed passages in the Hebrew Bible. One of the few aspects on which there is a general agreement is the length of the prophetic period – That the “ seventy-sevens ” equates to a period of 490 years. Beyond this, interpretations diverge on every aspect of the prophecy - ( Daniel 9:24-27 ).

In a dream, Daniel saw “ four beasts ascending ” from a chaotic sea. Each corresponded to one of the four parts of the “ great image ” that Nebuchadnezzar saw previously in his dream of a great image with a head of gold, a torso of silver, brass thighs, and legs of iron and clay. Daniel’s vision of four creatures utilizes that same fourfold structure.

After the overthrow of the Babylonian kingdom, the new ruler appointed Daniel as his chief officer over the other civil servants of the city. This caused resentment among the other officials, so a conspiracy was hatched to destroy by trapping Daniel with his own words, even ensnaring the unwitting king in the plot.

The events recorded in the fifth chapter occurred on the eve of the city’s conquest by the “ Medes and Persians .” That night, the king hosted a feast “ for a thousand of his lords ” who “ tasted wine ” from the vessels looted from the Jerusalem Temple by Nebuchadnezzar, all while praising the false gods of the empire.

Nebuchadnezzar has another dream, and as before, one that only Daniel can interpret. Yahweh will remove the king from power until he learns that the “ Most-High God ” is sovereign over the affairs of men. Chapter 4 begins and ends with the Babylonian ruler acknowledging the sovereignty of the God of Israel.

The  Book of Daniel  is a well-structured literary work, not a collection of folk stories or random and unrelated visions. At its beginning, the key themes of the Book are presented in brief, then worked out in detail in its subsequent chapters, and each new vision builds on the preceding ones.

The 144,000 males on Mount Zion comprise the first fruit of the final harvest, the priestly company that follows the Lamb  – Revelation 14:1-5.  Previously, John saw the 144,000 “ males ” from the tribes of Israel encamped in the wilderness. Now, they appear together on “ Mount Zion ” as a priestly company, the “ first fruits ” of the greater harvest to come. They stand with the “ Lamb ” in contrast to the “ inhabitants of the earth ” who bow and give total allegiance to the “ Beast from the Sea .”

The King invested great effort to make his dream into reality. First, he “ set up ” an enormous image covered in gold to represent his majesty and the irresistible power of the Empire. Then, he commanded all the “ peoples and nations and tongues ” of his realm to pay homage to his image or face a horrific and certain death in the “ burning fiery furnace .”

All men who refuse to follow the Lamb will render homage to the Beast and take its mark  – Revelation 13:16-18.  The “ False Prophet ” uses the power of the first “ Beast ” against anyone who refuses to give full allegiance to it. Its “ mark ” is an economic tool. Commerce is the lifeblood of the  World Empire , and leveling sanctions against nations and peoples is its enforcement mechanism. Economic restrictions mean deprivation and suffering for their victims.

Wrath refers to the final judicial sentence of God on His enemies. Tribulation is what the church endures .  The “ wrath of God ” is  NOT  synonymous with “ tribulation ,” and it is identical with the “ plagues ” unleashed by the three series of “ seals ,” “ trumpets ,” and “ bowls of fury .” And despite the devastation of these plagues, impenitent men do not repent. “ Wrath ” refers to the sentence of God on His enemies.

The relevance of Revelation for today is lost if we ignore its historical context and read it with incorrect presuppositions . The  Book of Revelation  presents a sweeping picture of the church age that highlights the cosmic “ war ” that is being waged behind the scenes of History with individual “battles” that manifest in the daily struggles of the Assembly. Its visions show God working through the “ Lamb ” to implement His Kingdom, and it begins in the first century with the “ Seven Assemblies of Asia .”

The Book of Revelation communicates symbolically, and it  provides several interpretations of its images. For example, it states that the “ Seven Golden Lampstands ” represent seven congregations. Likewise, the “ Seven Stars ” held by the “ one like a Son of Man ” symbolize angels or “ Seven Messengers .” Pictures of the smoke of “ incense ” rising to heaven represent the “ prayers of the saints .” And so on.