A Short Cut to Understanding the Book of Revelation

THIS MATERIAL HAS NOT BEEN EDITED FOR

SCRIPTURAL ACCURACY, SPELLING, OR GRAMMAR

A SHORT CUT TO UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT.

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ…” Jesus said that ‘the scriptures testify of me’ so let’s look at them.

1. CHAPTER ONE.THE ANCIENT OF DAYS

Rev 1:9-18Daniel 7:9-10Matthew 17:2

1. His head and hair white.1. The hair of His head like wool.1. His face as the sun.

2. His eyes like fire.

3. His feet like fine brass.

4. His countenance as the sun.4. His garment as snow.4. His raiment as the light.

17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. NKJV

This is the same one that Daniel 7:13, 14 speaks of the ‘Son of man’ [Jesus] who as the Ancient of days [the Word of God who as the ‘beginning of the creation of God then created all things according to John 1:3; Colossians 1:16 and Hebrews 1:2]. And this same Jesus manifested himself to His disciples in Matthew 17:2 in His transfiguration. So the first manifestation of Jesus we will call The Ancient of days.

Dan 7:9-10

9 Vision of the Ancient of Days

"I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; 10A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books wereopened. NKJV

His Purpose:Dealing with the church that He established through all the ages until He come back for it.

Note:

(1) Smyrna – 10 days of tribulation [10 Roman rulers persecuted the church].Rev. 2:10

(2) Philadelphia – The church of the Rapture ‘I will keep thee from the hour of temptation…’ Rev. 3:10

(3) Laodice’ – The church that is neither hot nor cold but lukewarm [tribulation judgment]. Rev. 3:15

1. CHAPTER FOUR.THE LORD GOD

Ezek 4:2

4 For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' NKJV

OT: 3069Yahwehor translated Yahweh

Jehovah (Yahweh), used primarily in the combination `Lord Jehovah (Yahweh)' equal to (OT: 3068Yehoovâh the self-existent or Eternal; Jehovah) but pointed with the vowels of (OT:430Elohiym the supreme God).

(From the Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright © 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.)

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Jesus said that when you see Him you see the Father, and it says that the fullness of the Godhead bodily was in Him. And in this chapter we find-

Rev 4:1-3

4:1 The Throne Room of Heaven

(Isa 6:1-3)

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. NKJV

No name is mentioned, and no figure is described only jewels:

1. Jasper is crystalline, and purple in hue. = speaks of Royalty.
2. Sardius or Sardine is beautiful bright, red, carnation color, = Flames, without their smokiness.

So what we see is a pure, purple, fiery, red, crystalline flashing light. And this was the appearance of the unnamable and indescribable occupant of this equally indescribable throne.

1. The rainbow with a color of emerald, which according to Ezekiel 2:27-28 is ‘the glory of the Lord

And as we see that in the breast plate of judgment on the High Priest breast was the emerald which represented the ‘House of Judah’ and this is the house of our Lord Jesus.

This is important because the church of Jesus Christ has been raptured and now stands before the Lord and King of all who is Jesus the Christ of God, to answer for the deeds done in our bodies. This is not the time of judgment for hell only the time of rewards for the faithful.

(A)Being persecuted for the name of Jesus will bring a reward Matthew 5:11, 12.

(B)Those who do things for God for their own glory will receive nothing Matthew 6:1

(C)There is an award for receiving a prophet, or a righteous man Matthew 10:41

(D)We will be rewarded for our works Matthew 16:27

(E)If your work abides then you will receive a reward 1 Corinthians 3:14

(F)If you labor for God you will receive a reward 1 Timothy 5:18

(G)Look to yourself in your walk with Christ to receive a full reward 2 John 8

Note: In case you are thinking about Revelation 7:9 being the church raptured either in the middle of the tribulation period or at the end, forget it because this group is ‘These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’ Revelation 7:14. These are the ones who do not take the ‘mark of the beast’ and so loose there lives for Christ. Remember what Jesus said, ‘He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.’ Luke 9:24

Remember the one who is showing John around heaven and all that is happening on the earth and in heaven and John falls down to worship him and listen to what he says,

“…And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10 The church is no longer on the earth, nor spoken of as being there, it has been removed and taken to heaven. Paul the Learner

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3. CHAPTER FIVE.THE LION, AND ROOT OF DAVED THE LAMB.

Rev 5:1-6

5:1 the Lamb Takes the Scroll

5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root ofDavid, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." 6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. NKJV

SYMBOLISM

The art of practice of using symbols especially by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means or invention that is a method of revealing or suggesting immaterial, ideal, or otherwise intangible truth or states. Webster’s Dictionary

Now from this we see the following:

Opening of six seals in Revelation 6.

1. The anti-Christ in 6:2 – first seal.White horse.
2. War in the earth 6:3, 4 – second seal.Red horse.
3. Famine in the earth 6:5, 6 – third seal.Black horse.
4. Death on the fourth part of earth 6:7, 8 – fourth seal.Pale horse.
5. The martyrs past and future Rev. 13:17 & Rev. 7:13-17 -5th seal.
6. The great earthquake and signs in the sky Rev. 6:12-17 – 6th seal.

4. CHAPTER SEVEN.THE MIGHTY ANGEL.

Rev 7:1-3

7:1 The Sealed of Israel

After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." NKJV

The office of this sealing is in the hands of an Angel, who comes forth from the sun-rising. ‘…I will send him unto you.’ John 16:7 He is a high officer of God. He carries a seal of the miracle-working God, and He gives commands to the angels of judgment. Many take Him to be the Lord Jesus himself. There is much to sustain this view. The star which heralded His nativity came from the East. He is himself called “the bright and morning star.”

Ezekiel beheld the Shechinah returning to the deserted temple from the East. His second coming is referred to as the lightning which shines from the East even unto the West. The promise to the Jews with reference to the judgment time is: “Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise” (Mal. 4:2); which involves a going up from the East. And Jesus is the sender of the Holy Spirit.

Now from this we see the sealing of the 144,000 and the rapture of the slain saints by the beast.

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5. CHAPTER EIGHT.OUR HIGH PRIEST.

Rev 8:3-5

3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. NKJV

1. The silence in heaven for half an hour – Rev. 8:1 – seventh seal.

This angel has a censer of gold, an implement belonging to the Holy of holies, and used only by the high priest; who would seem to indicate our great high priest that has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God as Hebrews 5:10 a high priest after the order of Melchisedec.The angel cast fire into the earth; and Jesus says of Himself: “I came to cast fire into the earth; and what could I wish if it were already kindled...Suppose ye that I came to give peace in the earth? I tell you nay, but rather division.” Luke 12:49-52This angel offers the prayers of all the saints, and renders them savory before God. Such an office is nowhere in the Scriptures assigned to angels proper, but is everywhere assigned to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now from this we see the seventh seal opened, and great plagues and the sounding of the fifth angel.

The trumpet judgments:

1. First – Hail and fire mingled with blood – third part of trees and grass burned up. Rev. 8:7

2. Second – The great mountain cast into the sea –third part of sea becomes blood, death follows. Rev. 8:8, 9

3. Third – The star falls from heaven –falls upon third part of rivers. Wormwood brings death to men. Rev. 8:10-11

4. Fourth – The third part of sun, moon and stars smitten. Rev. 8:12

5. Fifth – A star fall from heaven [Satan]. A key is given to the bottomless pit. The locusts appear and torment man for five months. Rev. 9:1-11 [One woe is past and two more remain].

6. Sixth – The loosed four angels to slay the third part of men. Rev. 9:13-21 [200,000,000].

6. CHAPTER TEN.THE OWNER OF THE EARTH.

Rev 10:1-3

10:1 The Mighty Angel with the Little Book

I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head; his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. NKJV

The description of the angel (vv. 1-4). This angel amazes us, for he has some of the characteristics that belong especially to the Lord Jesus Christ. John had seen and heard a “strong angel” (Rev. 5:2), and the same Greek word is also here translated “mighty.”We first saw the rainbow around the throne of God (Rev. 4:3); now it sits like a crown on the head of this messenger. The rainbow was God’s sign to mankind that He would never again destroy the world with a flood. Even in wrath, God remembers His mercy (Hab. 3:2).

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Whoever this angel is, he has the authority of God’s throne given to him.The fact that the angel’s face is “as the sun” corresponds to the description of Jesus Christ in Matthew 17; Rev. 1:16 and his feet correspond to the Lord’s description in Rev. 1:15. His voice like a lion suggests Rev. 5:5. Jesus often appeared in the Old Testament as “the Angel of the Lord” (Ex. 3:2; Judges 2:4; 6:11-12, 21-22; 2 Samuel 24:16).The angel’s posture is that of a conqueror taking possession of His territory. He Jesus is claiming the whole world. Of course only the victorious Saviour could make such a claim.

Now we see from this the story of the two witnesses and the seventh angel sounding. They are:

1. Enoch and Elijah = never died.

2. Moses and Elijah = appeared with Jesus in Matthew 17.

3.?

7. CHAPTER TWELVE.THE MAN CHILD OF ISRAEL.

Rev 12:1-5

12:1 The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. NKJV

1. The first is a woman giving birth to a son. Since this child is identified as Jesus Christ (compare Rev. 12:5 with Rev. 19:15 and Psalms 2:9), this symbolic woman can be none other than the nation of Israel. It was through Israel that Jesus came into the world (Romans 1:3; 9:4-5). By further comparing the description of the nation of Israel in Revelation 12:1 with Jacob’s interpretation of the dream of Joseph in Genesis 37:9-10, the identification seems certain.
2. The son is born and is then ‘caught up to the throne of God (Rev. 12:5). We have symbolized here the birth of Jesus and His victorious ascension, but nothing is said about either His life or His death. The colon in the middle of the verse represents thirty-three years of history!

Now we see from this how the earth helped the 144,000 Jews escape the anger of Satan in the man of sin. Next (ch. 13) we also see the beast with seven heads and ten horns and his war with the saints [those who were not raptured in chapter four]. We find his number is 666. [Jesus number is 888].

8. CHAPTER FOURTEEN.THE LAMB ON MOUNTZION/ THE WARRIOR

Rev 14:1Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on MountZion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads.

Rev 14:14-16. 14 Reaping the Earth's Harvest Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. NKJV

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As the Lamb of God He is with the 144,000 chosen ones, and as the Warrior He is the destroyer of the works of the Devil, and as the Judge of the quick and the dead, it belongs to Jesus Christ to reap the earth and to clear it of the hellish seed of the great enemy. The man of sin is to be destroyed only by the manifestation of the Savior’s presence (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

Now we see the fall of Babylon [14] and the seven last plagues [15], the angels pouring out their vials,

1. The first vial – a noisome and grievous sore upon those with the mark. Rev. 16:2
2. The second vial –sea become blood, everything died. Rev. 16:3
3. The third vial – rivers and fountains of waters became blood. Rev. 16:4-6
4. The fourth vial – the sun scorches men with fire. Rev. 16:8-9
5. The fifth vial – the darkness of pain and sores. Rev. 16:10-11
6. The sixth vial – Euphrates dried up and the kings of the east prepare for battle [Armageddon see Ezekiel 38, 39]. Rev. 16:12-16
7. The seventh vial – It is done, voice, thunders, lightnings and a great earthquake and hail. Rev. 16:17-21

In chapter 17 we find the judgment of the great whore. Rev. 17:1-18