Reading the Bible together – Revelation

September 2020

– The book we are reading this month is the book of Revelation, which is the last book of the New Testament.

This will be the 66th book of the Bible we will have read together, since commencing this initiative five years ago in October 2015. (We have actually read Matthew and Joshua twice!) . There are a total of 66 books in the Bible, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.

If you started with us at the beginning of this initiative five years ago in October 2015, and have read the book selected each month, you will now have read through the whole Bible, WELL DONE!

We may not be able to review this book in the usual way during the coronavirus lockdown.  However, this does not stop us from continuing to read the Bible together and to benefit from our own personal study of this book.

Introduction to the book of Revelation

Revelation 1:9-11 – I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send [it] unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Revelation 19:11-16 – And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Revelation 22:18-20For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

A Brief Overview

Author. Revelation is traditionally attributed to the apostle John, who also wrote a Gospel and three New Testament letters. He was a leader in the early church, and he probably wrote his documents after most of the other New Testament books were already written. John the apostle names himself as the one who wrote down what the Lord said through the angel. The earliest writers in the church like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and the Muritorian all credit John the apostle as author of the book of Revelation.

Date. John indicates that he was on the Island of Patmos when he received the prophecy (Revelation 1:9). According to tradition John wrote during the reign of the Emperor Domitian which would have been around 95 AD. Tradition also states that John was released the next year and was allowed to return to Ephesus. Domitian was perhaps the cruelest Emperor toward the Christians, demanding that he was to be worshipped as deity, or be put to death.

Summary of The Book of Revelation

Overview

• Chapter 1:1-8 – John’s greeting and introduction
• Chapters 1:9 to 3:22 – Jesus’ messages to seven churches
• Chapters 4 to 22:9 – Visions of what comes “after these things”
  • 4 to 7 – The Lamb who was slain breaks seven seals 
  • 8 to 11 – Seven angels sound their trumpets
  • 12 to 14 – The dragon, the beast, and the saints
  • 15 to 16 – Seven bowls of God’s wrath
  • 17 to 20 – The Lamb overcomes Babylon and judges the earth
  • 21:1 to 22:9 – The new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem
• Chapter 22:10-21 – How to respond to John’s vision

What is Revelation about?

John is an exile on the isle of Patmos. His crime: bearing witness of Jesus (Rev 1:9). Somebody didn’t want John spreading this gospel message, and so they’d shipped him off to an island. He’s contained.

But now John has received even more news to share.

It all starts one Sunday, when John hears a voice behind him: “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches (Rev 1:11).” John turns around to see seven golden lampstands, and among them, the risen Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Jesus gives John a message for seven churches in Asia (modern-day Turkey). Of the seven, one is about to undergo intense suffering (Rev 2:10), one has kept His word (Rev 3:8), and the other five were faltering in their loyalty to Jesus. The Lord warns the churches that He is the righteous judge, and He knows their deeds. He calls the faltering churches to repentance, and makes seven encouraging promises to those who overcome.

Then, John is whisked into heaven to witness “what must take place after these things” (Rev 4:1). So begins a long series of prophetic visions for the churches, including:

• A Lamb (who represents Jesus) breaks seven seals holding an old book shut. Each time a seal is broken, it triggers an event on earth, some of which are catastrophic (Rev 4–7).
• Seven angels blow seven trumpets, and each trumpet blast brings a plague on the earth (Rev 8–11).
• A great dragon (Satan) and two beasts make war against a certain woman and the saints (Rev 12–14).
• Seven angels pour out seven bowls, and each bowl brings another plague on the earth (Rev 15–16).
• The Lamb overcomes the wicked city of Babylon, the dragon, and the beasts, then brings about a final judgment day (Rev 17–20).
• A new heaven and new earth appear, where God and the Lamb dwell with people in harmony forever (Rev 21–22).

John faithfully writes everything down as a prophetic letter to the seven churches, with a closing message from Jesus: “I am coming quickly.”

Revelation is the resolution of all things: the kingdom of God is once again physically and literally restored to earth. The dead are raised. The final judgments are rendered. And all things are made new.

Two characteristics of Revelation set it apart from the rest of the New Testament:

1. It’s the only book of its genre. Most of the New Testament is history or a letter. Revelation is indeed sent as a letter with a traditional greeting (Rev 1:1–8), direct messages to the recipients (Rev 2–3), and a send-off (Rev 22:18–21), but the bulk of the letter is a record of John’s vivid symbolic visions. No other book of the New Testament feels like Revelation.
2. Jesus directly addresses the readers. You’ll have to flip back to the Old Testament to see someone write down a message from God for someone else. The Gospels record Jesus’ teachings, and the letters draw application from His teachings, but only in Revelation does Jesus Himself speak directly to the churches (Rev 2–3; 22:16).

Revelation may be distinct from the New Testament, but its style and theology are right at home in the Bible. Revelation’s symbolic visions are similar to what you’d see in the Old Testament prophecies of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah.

Of course, even after going over the book’s content, it can still be difficult to know what Revelation is all about. Some of the visions are explained for us: the Lamb is Jesus (Rev 17:14) and the dragon is the devil (Rev 12:9). Most others really aren’t so directly explained.

Some say all (or most) of John’s visions are about the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.; others say the prophecies haven’t been fulfilled yet. As you read and study Revelation, keep a few things in mind:

• This message is written to churches in Asia, which had both Jewish and Gentile members.
• Jesus begins everything with messages to the churches who were dealing with distraction, persecution, false teaching, immorality, laziness, and stagnation.
• The correct response to this letter is to come to Jesus and invite others (Rev 22:17).

Revelation is the last book of the New Testament and the Bible – what a finish!

More information can be found HERE

SHORT ILLUSTRATED SUMMARY OF REVELATION

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