Rev 22 (Introduction)— 

     Revelation 22 is the final chapter of the book. It falls into two main parts. The first five verses (Rev 22:1-5) are a continuation of the New Jerusalem vision of 21:9-27. Previously, John was viewing the New Jerusalem as if approaching from a distance. In 22:1-5, he has entered the city (in the vision) and is viewing things from inside. As he continues moving closer and closer to the center of the city, his attention is focused first on the street and river at the center, then on the Tree of Life, and finally then on God and the redeemed in intimate relationship.

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Rev 21 (Introduction)—

       Chapter 21 marks a major turning point in the book of Revelation. The great earthly conflict that began in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) is now ended. There will be no more suffering and death in the New Jerusalem. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Rev 21:4. The Bible is like a gigantic cycle: it opens with the creation of a beautiful new world including a place of safety and security (Genesis 1-2). Then sin, doubt, and disobedience come in (Genesis 3). The story of sin and salvation runs from its beginning in the garden (Gen 3:15) to end of the Millennium (Revelation 20). It ends, in a sense, where it began, in a place of peace, security, and safety with sin fully and finally eradicated (Revelation 21:1 – 22:5). The Bible offers a comprehensive picture of the great conflict, but that picture would not be complete without the book of Revelation, nor would the book of Revelation be complete without its two last important chapters.

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Rev 20 (Introduction and Structure)

         In Revelation 19 history as we know it seems to come to an end as the earth's various religious and political powers have disintegrated and Jesus has come to rescue His saints. But only three of the four great enemy powers (Babylon, the beast and the false prophet) have come to an End. The dragon has not yet been dealt with, so time must continue for a while. Instead of ushering in eternity, the Second Coming of Jesus (symbolically portrayed in Rev 19:11-21) sets the stage for a thousand-year period leading up to the ultimate end of suffering and sin (Rev 20:1-15). Why is such a period needed and what is its purpose? Stay tuned.

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Rev 19-20 (Introduction)— 

          We have seen in Revelation 12-18 a glimpse of God’s vision for the last days of earth’s history. Events will bring two great gospel messages to world attention. One will be the everlasting gospel, grounded in the life and death of Jesus Christ, but uniquely fitted for the situation of the world at the end of time (Rev 10:6-7; 14:6-13). The other will be a counterfeit of the genuine gospel, grounded in Satan’s ambition to exalt himself to the very throne of God (Rev 12:7-8; 16:13-14). There will be an end-time, worldwide, Mount Carmel experience for the world (Rev 16:16; 13:13-14), in which all come to a decision between the true Trinity and the demonic trinity. The result will be three world-wide confederacies--the saints (Rev 14:12; 17:6), the religious alliance (Rev 13:15; 17:4-5), and the secular-political alliance (Rev 17:8-14). As the religious and secular-political alliances unite with each other, the people of the world are brought to a decision on who they will follow so that the whole world is found on one side or the other. As human probation closes, “Babylon” and “the beast” seek to destroy the saints wherever they can be found (Rev 13:15). Christ's intervention prevents that destruction and the confederacy ends up destroying itself (Rev 17:16-17), with lamentable consequences (Rev 18:9-19). Soon after, the Second Coming of Jesus brings evil to an end and rescues the saints, followed by a period of a thousand years. It is at this point in time that the descriptions of Revelation 19 and 20 take place. Revelation 19 focuses on the events surrounding the Second Coming itself.

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Rev 18 (Introduction)—

            In Revelation 11:18 John gave a duodirectional outline of the second half of the book. The anger of the nations finds its counterpart in the anger of the dragon (Rev 12:17, cf. chapter 12-14). The wrath of God (Rev 11:18) is God's response (Rev 15:1, cf. chapters 15-18) to the anger of the nations. See Rev 15-18 (The Wrath of God)—for an excursis on the meaning of the phrase. The end result of God's wrath is the fall of Babylon (Revelation 18). That fall is described now for the third time in the book: 1) End-time Babylon falls in chapter sixteen with the drying up of the Euphrates River; 2) end-time Babylon ends with the execution of the prostitute with fire; and, 3) the fall of Babylon is described in this chapter in terms of the sacking of a city that had grown wealthy through economic alliances. This chapter also includes more details about Babylon's burning (Revelation 18). So in some ways this chapter is the climax of an end-time battle that was introduced in 11:18 and is finalized in chapters 16-18.

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Rev 17 (Introduction)— 

          Like Daniel 2 and 7, Revelation 17 contains a clearly defined contrast between vision and explanation. The first two verses of the chapter are an extension of the vision in chapter 16. They serve duodirectionally, looking back to the bowl-plagues and looking forward to the vision of the women riding on the beast (Rev 17:3-6a). The rest of the chapter (Rev 17:7-18) involves an angel interpreting the visions of the first six verses to John. In the vision, John is carried to the time of the seven last plagues. In the explanation, he is addressed in terms of his own time and place.

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 Rev 16 (Introduction)— 

             This chapter is the third in a series of three, numbered plague sequences. The first was the seven seals of Revelation 6:1-17 and 8:1. They portray multiple disasters that afflict the earth, even though the actual word for “plague” (Greek: plȇgȇ—two syllables) is not mentioned. The second in the series is the seven trumpets of 8:7 – 9:22 and 11:15-18. Again, these portray multiple disasters on the earth, although the Greek word for “plague” is not used. The term “plague”, on the other hand, is in the very title of this sequence (Rev 15:1, 6), “the seven last plagues” (Greek: plȇgas hepta tas eschatas—Rev 15:1). All of these plagues bring suffering on the earth, in the seals that suffering falls on the righteous (Rev 6:9-11) and well as the unrighteous. In the trumpets and the bowl-plagues, the victims are exclusively the unrighteous (Rev 9:4, 20-21; 16:2, 6, 9, 11).

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Rev 15-18 (Introduction)—

           Revelation 15 serves as a major transition in the book of Revelation. It is preceded by chapter 14, which elaborates the remnant’s role in the final conflict of the end-time (Rev 14). It precedes chapter 16, which describes the seven last plagues after the close of probation (Rev 16). In the outline of Revelation I have developed, Revelation 15 contains a sanctuary introduction to the seven last bowl-plagues and the fall of Babylon (Rev 15-18), which forms the unit of Revelation that comes after the central unit, the great conflict of chapter 12-14. Revelation 15-18, especially chapter 16, has major parallels to the seven trumpets of chapters 8-11. If Revelation 12-14 portrays the anger of the dragon against God’s remnant (building on Rev 11:18 and 12:17), Revelation 15-18 represents the wrath of God, holding the dragon (Satan) in check and bringing history to a close before the second coming of Jesus (based on Rev 11:18 and 15:1).

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Rev 14 (Introduction)–

         Like many turning points in Revelation, this chapter opens a new vision with “and I saw” (Rev 5:1; 6:1; 8:2; 10:1; 13:1; 14:6; 15:1, etc.). Like chapter 13, this chapter is an elaboration on the foundational, basic, nut-shell passage of Revelation 12:17. The last verse of chapter 12 comes at the climax of Christian history, after the birth and ascension of the male child (12:5), after the war in heaven (12:7-12) and after the 1260 days/years (12:6, 13-16). According to 12:17, at the close of history there will be a final battle between two sides, the dragon and the remnant. The dragon was the main character of chapter 12, appearing in every scene, including the last 

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Rev 13 Introduction–

         Revelation 12 offers a comprehensive view of human history going all the way back to the beginning of the cosmic conflict in heaven, which spilled out onto the earth and climaxes in an end-time battle. Centering on the impact of the cross (Rev 12:10-11) the chapter follows human history all the way to the final events, which are summarized in 12:17. But Revelation 12:17 is not just the climax of the chapter, it is a summary in advance of chapters 13 and 14. As such it is a duodirectional passage, much like 1:19, 3:21 and 6:9-10 before it. In duodirectional passages John embeds the introduction of the following portion of the book into the climax of the preceding portion.

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Rev 12 Introduction–

         From this point on in Revelation, things are going to be different. For the first time, there is a detailed description of a strange beast that is unlike anything in nature. It has seven heads and ten horns. This is going to be an animal story, but an animal story that is not really about animals. It is a cartoon-like parable that uses animals to describe major turns in the course of human history.

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Rev 11:1-13 Introduction–

          The chapter divisions of the Bible are not original, but were added a long time after the Bible was written. They sometimes hinder rather than help our understanding. The division between chapters 10 and 11 is a good example. In Rev 11:1 John continues interacting with the angel of Reveltion 10, but that connection can be lost if one focused on the chapter division instead of the continuing nature of the story. Most who have studied this chapter carefully consider it one of the most difficult to understand in the entire Bible.

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Rev 10 Introduction–

                With the close of Revelation 9:13-21, the forces of evil are fully gathered for the battle of Armageddon. The reader is primed to expect the sounding of the seventh trumpet in due order. Instead comes a passage of a very different character between the sixth and the seventh trumpets (9:13-21; 11:15-18).

          For me, Revelation 10:1-11:13 has been as difficult to interpret as any other part of Revelation. This passage seems at first to separate the sixth from the seventh trumpets and is of a different character than that of the trumpets. Instead of horrific judgments and natural catastrophies, there is prophecy, preaching, and the experience of God's people.  As a result, this passage is often called an “interlude” or change of pace in the midst of the seven trumpets. Whereas the trumpets express judgments on the opponents of God’s people, the interlude focuses on the people of God themselves.

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Rev 9 (Introduction)—

       Chapter 9 of Revelation contains trumpets five (9:1-11) and six (9:13-22) along with a transition passage (9:12). The imagery of the first four trumpets has to do with the natural world, the earth, the sea, the springs of water and the heavenly bodies. In trumpets five and six the focus switches to human beings, along with images of the demonic. The first four trumpets are fairly brief, the fifth and sixth are quite extensive. Since the last three trumpets are designated as “woes” (Rev 8:13), there is the sense that the judgments in these trumpets are escalating. As the world approaches the end of time, a loving God raises His voice to get the attention of those in rebellion against Him before it is too late. Even though they have oppressed God’s people (Rev 6:9-10; 8:13), God’s “vengeance” within history is designed to redeem rather than destroy. Satan is the destroyer, not God (Rev 9:11).

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Rev 8 (Introduction)—

               As mentioned at the close of chapter seven, chapter eight opens with the seventh seal, which one would have expected at the end of chapter six or chapter seven. So it is unfortunate that the chapter divisions were made the way they were (later human error—not part of the originals). Additionally, an interlude is placed between the sixth and seventh seals to answer the question asked at the end of chapter six, “Who will be able to stand” in the last day? The question is, of course, answered in the 144,000 and the Great Multitude. Only when the reader is assured that the people of God will be kept safe in the final events, are the seals brought to completion and the seven trumpets brought into view (Rev 8:2). So chapter eight begins with a look at the seventh seal, essentially one brief verse (Rev 8:1), and then moves on to the major section of the seven trumpets. They are preceded by a sanctuary introduction (Rev 8:2-6) which sets the stage for the judgments that follow when the seven trumpets are sounded.

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Rev 7 (Introduction)

              Chapter seven ends the description of immediate cataclysmic events surrounding the Second Coming of Christ. The rebellious portion of the human race acknowledges its hopeless condition, but without repentance. In hopelessness all cry out, “the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” But there is a corresponding reality that the people of God experience in chapter seven, well expressed in Psalm 46, NIV: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. . . . Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” What Psalm 46 describes in poetry, the sixth seal describes in apocalyptic vision.

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Rev 6 (General Introduction)– 

        The seven seals of Revelation 6 are a natural extension of chapters four and five. In chapter five the Lamb takes the scroll from the right side of the One sitting on the throne and is acclaimed worthy to break its seals and open the book. Chapter six continues the story begun in chapter five, but the location moves from heaven to earth. The Lamb breaks the seals one by one and the accompanying events take place on earth. In a sense, heaven and earth are linked together in this chapter so that nothing happens on earth that is not triggered by something in heaven first. The events are not a glimpse into the contents of the scroll, they are simply events that accompany the breaking of each seal. The scroll itself is not opened until all seven seals are broken. So the seven seals are grounded directly on the vision of Revelation 5. But before we get into the details of chapter six we need to explore a number of aspects of the relationship between chapters five and six. Once we have looked at the larger picture, we will be in a position to take up chapter six verse by verse and detail by detail.

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Rev 5 (Introduction)- 

       Revelation chapter five is closely linked to the vision of chapter four. Revelation 4 is a general description of heavenly worship. There is no specific event in view there. The throne “was there“ before the vision began and remains in place (Rev 4:2). The four living creatures say “holy, holy, holy” day and night (4:8). And “whenever“ the four living creatures offer their three-fold “holy“ the twenty-four elders join them in worship (4:9). This is a general description rather than a specific event. It does, however, set the stage for a specific event in chapter five.

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Rev 4:1-8:1 (Introductory Overview)

        I now come to the portion of the book of Revelation that my Facebook readers have probably been waiting for. We are getting into the symbolic prophecies that offer interpreters more difficulty than any other part of the Apocalypse, namely the seals and the trumpets. Before we get into the details of chapter 4, it would be helpful to explore the larger picture of the seven seals vision as a whole. So I will briefly go chapter by chapter through Revelation 8:1, noting significant structural clues that have often been missed by interpreters. It will be helpful for readers to read the above passage at least once as we begin our exploration. After completing this introductory overview, we will go through chapter 4 verse by verse, as we have done in chapter 3. That will set the foundation for chapter 5, which is the crucial foundation for the seven seals of chapters 6 and 7.

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Revelation 3 (Introduction)

         The ruins of Sardis today surround the tiny Turkish village of Sart, about 60 kilometers (a little more than 35 miles) south/southeast of ancient Thyatira. Yet what is now a tiny village was once one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. It was the capitol of a kingdom (the kingdom of Lydia), and the home of Croesus, one of the richest people of his time.  In fact, both the Greeks and Persians had a saying after his time, “rich as Croesus.” He is credited with issuing the first gold coins with a standardized purity for use in general circulation. But by John’s time, the glory of Sardis was largely a thing of the past. The history of Sardis was reflected in the condition of the church that gathered in that city.

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Revelation 2 (Introduction)

         Chapter 2 is the first of two chapters in which Jesus presents a message to each of seven churches in Asia Minor. We will begin by noting some general characteristics of these seven churches that can help us in our interpretation.

         First, these letters seem to be in a chiastic structure (an A-B-A pyramid-style outline). Two of the seven churches are described in completely positive terms, Smyrna and Philadelphia (the second and sixth churches). Two other churches seem to be losing their way, Pergamos and Sardis. These just happen to be the third and fifth in the series. The first and last churches, Ephesus and Laodicea, seem to have similar problems. So it is not surprising that the church in the middle, Thyatira, seems to have two phases, one negative and the other positive, and what is written about Thyatira is twice as long as the messages to the other six churches. The triple pairs with a double-length center message gives the strong impression of a chiasm beginning with Ephesus and ending with Laodicea.

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Revelation 1 (Introduction)

         Today we begin studying the book of Revelation chapter by chapter and verse by verse from the very beginning of the book. It is helpful in understanding any book of the Bible to respect the author’s original intention in ordering the content of the book in the way he or she has chosen to do. In this case the order of the content is determined by the visionary experience the author has had prior to writing. While there are many points in the book where it is helpful to scan back and forth and see how various images and themes are paralleled in other places, there is no substitute for a first reading in which each symbol and context receives weight as if reading for the first time. So there is no substitute for a verse-by-verse approach to the book.

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