Lesson 9: The Book of Revelation (Part 2)

Review the importance of Revelation.

The seven seals seem to provide a view of the entire period of the apocalypse. The order of events seems to correspond to the one Jesus gave in Matthew 24.

Persecution is emphasized after the fifth seal, which fits with what we know about the second half of the tribulation. The cosmic signs given after the sixth seal fit with other passages that describe such signs at the end (Matthew 24, Acts 2).

As each of the first four seals are opened, a horseman comes. The identities of the riders are not revealed and are not important to the description. The riders and horses represent the progression of events.

The first seal shows a white horse. The rider has a bow and a crown. He spreads his kingdom by conquest.

The second seal shows a red horse. Peace ends. He has a great sword, which could represent an advanced weapon or great military power.

The third seal shows a black horse. The rider has scales like those that are used for selling food. Severe famine comes.

The fourth seal shows a pale horse. The rider is called death. 1/4 of earth’s population die.

The fifth seal shows a vision of people who have died as martyrs. Severe persecution has begun.

At the sixth seal is an earthquake, the sun is dark, the moon looks like blood, stars fall, heaven is opened, sinners hide from God, and the wrath of God is coming. This description occurs elsewhere in the Bible to refer to the end, when the wrath of God comes on the earth. Examples include Matthew 24:29-30, Mark 13:24-26, and Luke 21:25-28.

Chapter 7 is a description inserted between the sixth seal and the seventh seal. Events are paused, symbolized by the wind being stopped (7:1). The pause is so that the servants of God, twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel, can be sealed. The seal is a mark of God’s ownership, so that they will be protected from the wrath of God (compare to Ezekiel 9:4-6). This group can be called the “remnant.” The remnant are those of Israel who truly follow God. They will be saved from destruction and become the new, purged nation. Romans 11:26 says that all Israel will be saved. That does not mean that every Jew will be saved, but that those who survive of the nation will be believers, which will make Israel a Christian nation.

Then an innumerable crowd from all over the earth is seen in heaven. It is not the same group, for the first group was numbered. They are from all the ethnic groups of the earth. They have endured great tribulation. It is the worldwide church. Verses 15-17 are very much like 21:1-4. These Christians are in heaven, and their suffering is over.

At the seventh seal there was silence for half an hour. Nothing happened immediately, except that John saw seven angels with trumpets. Apparently the seven trumpets announce the events of the seventh seal.

Note to class leader: It is not necessary for the group to read this complete passage together. Sections may be selected for examination and discussion as the group studies the information below.

The seven trumpets announce the events of the seventh seal.

Before the trumpets, a censer containing the prayers of the saints is thrown into the earth. The prayers for the coming of God’s kingdom are about to be fulfilled.

The trumpets announce acts of God. God is in control of everything that happens in the apocalypse, but throughout the period, the actions of wicked men also cause conditions on the earth. The trumpets announce events that are obviously powerful acts of God.

First Trumpet: Hail, fire, and blood fall on the earth, destroying much of the vegetation.

Second Trumpet: A burning mountain falls into the sea. 1/3 of sea becomes blood. 1/3 of sea creatures and ships are destroyed.

Third Trumpet: A burning star falls on the rivers. 1/3 of waters are poisoned.

Fourth Trumpet: 1/3 of the light from the sun and stars is darkened.

Fifth Trumpet: Creatures come from the bottomless pit that look like locusts and sting like scorpions. They torment the people of the earth for five months. They are led by Apollyon, an evil angel. People try to kill themselves but cannot.

Sixth Trumpet: Four angels are released from the Euphrates River which cause an army of 200 million to attack the people of the earth. 1/3 of the population of earth is killed. The survivors do not repent.

Chapter 10 is an inserted description of an angel that announces the end of time. The passage says that in the events of the seventh angel, final prophecies will be fulfilled (10:7).

Chapter 11:1-13 is another inserted description. The Gentiles take Jerusalem for 42 months, and two witnesses preach in Jerusalem for the same period. This does not mean that this period of time occurs between the sixth trumpet and the seventh trumpet. It is an inserted description of the second half of the seven-year tribulation period.

The witnesses are miraculously protected by God until their ministry is finished, then they are killed, but are resurrected and taken to heaven. Their names are not given. Some people believe that they are Moses and Elijah because of the kind of miracles they do (11:6). The simplest explanation is that they are two believers living on the earth at that time, chosen by God for this special ministry.

Seventh Trumpet: There is an announcement that the kingdoms of the world now belong to Christ and that the time of judgment has come.

A student should read Revelation 12 for the group.

The symbols in verse 1, compared to Joseph's dream, indicate that the woman represents Israel. The child she delivered was Jesus. The dragon (identified as Satan later) wanted to eat the child but could not. Then the woman was taken to a place where she was protected for 3 ½ years, the second half of the tribulation. The woman protected could be the remnant of Israel, called the 144 thousand.

After the woman is taken to the protected place, the dragon persecutes those who follow Christ (17). This indicates that believers are still on the earth into the second half of the tribulation.

John saw a beast which was a combination of several animals (compare to Daniel 7:7). This beast represents a kingdom, similar to the way that beasts represent kingdoms in the book of Daniel. The dragon, Satan, puts his power into this kingdom. The people who serve this kingdom worship the dragon. The kingdom lasts 42 months. The kingdom is worldwide. He makes war with the “saints and overcomes them,” which means persecution of believers.

A second beast leads the world in worship of the first beast. The first beast was cured of a deadly wound, an imitation of the resurrection of Jesus. All worship him, whose names are not in the Book of Life. That statement implies that believers are still on the earth and refuse to worship him.

An image is built which is used for worship. Those who refuse to worship are killed.

The mark has commercial use, yet is connected to worship (14:9-10).

The number of his name is 666. There have been many theories about the meaning of this number. We may not know for sure what the number means in advance; however, we can expect to recognize the fulfillment of the prophecy when it appears.

A student should read Revelation 14:1-5 for the group.

The sealed Israelites are now at the throne of God; their time on the earth is finished.

We know that they were not saved by the Old Testament law or Jewish religious customs, because they are redeemed and are followers of the Lamb, who is Jesus. They are holy and righteous.

This vision describes a time before believers are taken from the earth.

The first angel preaches the gospel to every ethnic group on the earth and calls upon everyone to worship the true God. This implies that people can still repent and be converted at that time.

The second angel announces the fall of Babylon. Babylon is described extensively in chapter 18. Babylon is used symbolically in Scripture to refer to a powerful and developed institution of evil. There are various theories about what Babylon represents in the book of Revelation.

The third angel warns of the eternal damnation of those who worship the beast and take his mark.

The faith and patience of the believers is seen in their refusal to submit to the beast (12). This shows that believers are still on the earth, and there will still be martyrs after this point (13).

A student should read Revelation 14:14-20 for the group.

Neither harvest has many details or explanation included within the passage.

The first harvest (verses 14-16) is done by Jesus, wearing a gold crown. Clouds are mentioned (as in Revelation 1:7, Daniel 7:13) to emphasize that his kingdom is heavenly and not earth-based.

The second harvest is done by an angel. The harvest is thrown into the wrath of God.

It seems that the first harvest is the removal of believers before the wrath of God. (Compare to the parable of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.)

This series of seven bowls is clearly identified as the wrath of God (15:1, 7).

Those who were victorious over the beast are in heaven before the wrath of God is poured out onto the earth.

1st bowl: A disease on those who had the mark of the beast.

2nd bowl: The sea is turned to blood, and all sea creatures die.

3rd bowl: The rivers are turned to blood.

4th bowl: The sun scorches the earth. People blaspheme and do not repent.

5th bowl: Poured at the throne of the beast. There is darkness and pain, but men do not repent.

6th bowl: The river Euphrates is dried to prepare for the passage of armies, and evil spirits gather the armies of the world for the battle of Armageddon.

7th bowl: The announcement is made, “It is done.” The greatest earthquake of all time occurs, along with thunder, lightning, and extremely large hail.

A woman in this vision is called Babylon. She is called a prostitute. She is drunk on the blood of Christians. She represents the city that rules over the kings of the earth (17:18). At the time of the writing of Revelation, the city that ruled the earth was Rome.

The woman sits on an animal with seven heads and ten horns. The animal represents a kingdom that existed before, ceased to exist, then arises again (17:8). The seven heads represent seven mountains where the city is built, which is Rome. The ten horns represent kings. The kings will eventually turn against the woman and destroy her (17:16).

Chapter 18 describes the wealth and influence of Babylon. The rulers of the earth had a relationship with her compared to fornication (18:3). Her business was so great that it made kings and businessmen wealthy in many nations. She was guilty of all kinds of established evil, and leaders everywhere participated in her evil for profit.

She will be destroyed in one day, and the rest of the world will be amazed and grieved (18:8).

A student should read Revelation 19 for the group.

The chapter begins with praise to God for his justice, demonstrated in his judgment of Babylon and avenging of his servants. Remember this is a primary theme of prophetic Scripture.

Then a feast of celebration is announced, called a marriage feast.

Christ returns on a white horse, followed by the armies of heaven on white horses. A white horse represented conquest (see 6:2).

► Are the armies of heaven angels or Christians?

An enormous army is gathered on earth to fight against Christ, but they are killed by his word.

► Are the horses figurative or literal? Why do you think so?

A student should read Revelation 20:1-10 for the group.

During a 1000-year period, Satan is confined, and the earth is ruled by those who were killed by the beast for their faithfulness to Christ.

At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan is released and gathers the nations again to rebel against God.

There is much debate over whether this passage refers to a literal period of 1,000 years and whether or not it is future or present. One indication that it is future is that it follows a resurrection of those who died for their faith.

We will study the millennium more thoroughly elsewhere in this course.

A student should read Revelation 20:11-15 for the group.

Every person will stand before God to be judged for his works. Whoever is not in the Book of Life will be judged for his sins recorded in the other books.[1]

Other references to the final judgment are 2 Corinthians 5:10 and Hebrews 9:27.

Those who are condemned are thrown into the lake of fire.

[1]“...at whose [Christ’s] coming all men shall rise again with their bodies and shall give account of their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.”
- Athanasian Creed

This passage describes eternal conditions when all sin has been removed and God’s will for the universe is fully accomplished.

A new Jerusalem descended from the sky, showing that God’s kingdom in its fullness comes from God above and is not created on the earth by human effort.

The curse that began with the first sin will be over for those who are saved. There will be no more sorrow, aging, pain, or death. Everything will be new.

Sinners who did not find salvation are excluded and are condemned to the lake of fire.

The city is square, with three gates on each side. It is of enormous measurements. It is as high as it is wide and long. It is made of jewels, showing the beauty of God’s design and also showing that his resources have no limits.

The glory of God is present throughout the city, lighting it so that no other light source is needed.

All nations will be subject to this city.

No sin will ever enter the city.

There is a river of the water of life and a tree of life. This shows a restoration of the life that was lost when Adam and Eve sinned.

The most important fact about the city is that it is the place where God’s people live with him (21:3, 22:4).

The apostle found out that the messenger speaking to him was a human prophet like himself.

Verse 10 says that the fulfillment of the predictions will be soon. The prophecies were written 2,000 years ago, and some of them are not yet fulfilled. In what sense was the fulfillment soon? There are at least two possible explanations.

(1) The message had immediate application to the hearers.

They were enduring persecution already, and would see God’s deliverance, though not the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecies. The book was not just for the people who live in the last days, but for the people who first read it. The age of the church had begun, persecution had begun, and the processes of history described in the book had already begun. They were in the last age, in which the prophecies would be fulfilled, but they lived early in the period.

(2) There would be soon fulfillments of the prophecies that were not the ultimate fulfillment.

For example, when Jerusalem was surrounded and destroyed by armies, many of the prophecies were at least partially fulfilled. Many Christian Jews at that time probably thought they were seeing the fulfillment of Revelation. So the time was soon, though there will be ultimate, more complete fulfillments in the final days.

Verses 11-12 speak of the suddenness of the Lord’s coming. The person who is holy at that time will be found holy; the person who is unclean will be found unclean – there will be no time for someone to change when he sees the Lord returning.

Verse 13 mentions the title of Alpha and Omega that belongs to Jesus, first mentioned in 1:8. These terms refer to the first and last letters of the alphabet, meaning that Jesus is the beginning and end of human history, from creation to the apocalypse.

Verses 14-15 say that people have the choice of being one of God’s rewarded people or a judged sinner. Those who obey God enter the city and have access to the tree of life; sinners are excluded.

Verse 17 gives an invitation. Grace is offered freely.

Verses 18-19 are a warning against changing God’s words revealed in the book. Though the warning speaks specifically of the book of Revelation, it could be extended to all of Scripture, because nobody has the authority to change the Word of God.

(1) Passage Study: Make a chart of the seals, trumpets, and bowls, listing what happens with each one.

(2) Writing Assignment: Revelation describes the actions of wicked people, yet also describes the control of God. How does Revelation show that the Apocalypse is God’s action? Look for the centrality of God and the signs of his control. How is the control of God central to eschatology?