Overview of the Revelation

February 11

Once God introduces the subject matter in chapter 1, there are six themes in the book of Revelation that one must deal with if he is to have a clear understanding of its content: the Church; the tribulation; the rapture; the second coming of Christ; the millennium; and finally, the new heavens and earth. Chapter 1 introduces the book. In chapters 2 and 3 God denounces the church’s ungodly activities throughout Asia Minor and praises her for those things she is doing right. Chapters 4-9 deal directly and chronologically with the seven years of tribulation (the seal and trumpet judgments). In chapter 10, God reveals to John the Peals of Thunder judgments. He tells him to seal those judgments up until it is time for their fulfillment when he will return and prophesy again (cf. 10:4 with 10:11). Chapters 11-19 also deal with events that occur during the tribulation; but they are out of chronological order. Chapter 20 deals with the millennial reign of Christ on earth; and finally chapters 21 and 22 deal with the new heavens and new earth into which all true believers will be ushered for eternity. One of the things that make it difficult to understand the Revelation is that the tribulation actually lasts seven years and forty-five days, a fact most expositors of the book miss. Daniel 12:11, 12 tells us there are 45 days added to the end of the period of time we call the tribulation when God’s final wrath is poured out on planet earth, “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be1290 days. How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1335 days!”

The key phrase that clearly indicates the first phase of the tribulation (seven years) has ended is found in chapter 11:15, “Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” By contrasting that verse with I Thessalonians 4:16, I Cor. 15:50-53, and Revelation 14:14-20 we find significant support for the post phase one of the tribulation rapture viewpoint. I realize that for some, this use of terminology is extremely confusing, but bear with me; I will explain it thoroughly at the appropriate time. For now, I will simply point out that the tribulation will consist of three time periods; 1. two 3 ½ year periods of time which will consist of cataclysmic events imposed from heaven and manmade devastation imposed by the anti-Christ; 2. a 45 day period of time when the final judgments of God will be poured out on the planet (the bowl judgments). During the first two 3 ½ year periods it will appear the anti-Christ is ruling the earth; and from the perspective of those who worship him, he will be. During the final 45 days of the tribulation, most inhabitants will clearly understand that Satan has lost control, and that the earth is under the final judgment of God for over six thousands of years of rebellion against His revealed will. It will consist of seven bowls of God’s wrath being poured out on those who remain on the earth after the rapture of the church.

These judgments are by far the most devastating. They will burn up most of what remains on the planet. They will only last 45 days, but it will be the most devastating 45 days the planet and its inhabitants have ever experienced. God swore to Noah He would never again destroy the earth by flood (Gen. 9:11). However, He is currently preparing it to undergo a baptism of fire (II Peter 3:7). “But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”

Chapter 11 introduces the two witnesses who are the olive trees of Zechariah 4:11-14 who stand before the Lord of all the earth. They prophesy for 3 ½ years, which brings us to the middle of the tribulation. This infers they began their prophesying chronologically when the tribulation began, i.e., Revelation 6.

The first few verses of Revelation 12 (1-6) give us a historical overview of the relationship between Satan and Israel. Verses 13-17 cover the same time period with additional details. The end of chapter 12 reverts back to the beginning of the second half of the tribulation (3 ½ years; see verse 14). Chapters 6-11 only give us one indication of how it is to be divided chronologically. There are two series of judgments, the seal and the trumpet judgments. The major difference in the two is one of magnitude. Both describe the outpouring of God’s judgments on earth using plagues, wars, and, what we often call, natural catastrophes of all kinds including floods, famine, drought, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. The seal judgments kill ¼ of the earth’s population while the trumpet judgments kill 1/3 of what is left. The magnitude of these two judgments seem to indicate they divide the tribulation into two periods of 3 ½ years each. If that is true, the abomination of desolation of Daniel 9:27 coincides with Revelation 8, the end of the period of the Seal Judgments and the beginning of the Trumpet Judgments. That would clarify, or at least help us picture the reason for the half hour of silence in heaven when the seven trumpets were given to the seven angels who were to usher in the Trumpet Judgments.

At the end of the seven years, the church is supernaturally taken up into heaven (aka the rapture, see I Cor. 15:50-53 and I Thes. 4:15-17), to be with the Lord (Rev. 14:14-20). The bowl judgments are unleashed against the remaining inhabitants of the earth, killing most remaining humans, and annihilating all remaining vestiges of man’s pomp, pride, and arrogance. At the end of these judgments, the anti-Christ will gather what is left of the world’s nations together at Har-Magedon, just outside of Jerusalem in the valley of decision where Jesus will slay him and his forces with the breath of His mouth (Rev. 19:17-21; cf. with Ez. 38:1-6).

I believe the anti-Christ will be present and recognizable by true, born-again, bible toting, conservative, evangelical, God loving, card carrying Christians during the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation, but he will not rise to world power until he breaks his covenant with the false church and the Jews (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 17 and 18), sets himself up in the temple as God, and demands the worship of the entire world. Chapters 17 and 18 deal with the destruction of the false church and coincide chronologically with Revelation 8, the beginning of the Trumpet Judgments.

I won’t spend a great deal of time here defending the post phase one rapture theory. I will, however, explain it. What most bible expositors miss is the little known verse in Daniel 12 where Daniel refers to a 45 day period of time after the tribulation that will be so devastating that he makes the statement, “How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1335 days.” At the end of the first phase (seven years), God will take the church off the planet. It will be a rapture of both the true church and the false church (see Rev. 14:14-20). God has a special judgment for those who entered his body of believers, faked their conversion, and became stumbling blocks to the true flock (Matt.18:7).

At this point, God will pour out the most devastating of His judgments, the bowl judgments (Rev. 15 and 16), and those who survive those judgments will be blessed because they will be ushered into the millennial reign of Christ, during which time they will have the opportunity to submit to His lordship over their lives. They will be part of a huge contingent of people who refused to receive the mark of the beast, but never submitted themselves to Jesus’ lordship either. I have already spoken to hundreds in the past 30 plus years who at least claim that will be their position. Some of those will realize Jesus is God and will submit to His rule during His millennial reign. Many will not (Zech. 14:9-21).

At the end of the thousand year millennial reign of Christ, Satan will be released for a short time (Rev. 20:7-10). He will gather everyone from the nations of the earth who refused to submit themselves to the authority of the King of kings during the millennium. Fire will come down from heaven and devour this army of miscreants instantly. Satan will be returned to the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet have been awaiting his return (20:10), to be tormented day and night for all of eternity.

The Great White Throne Judgment of the unrighteous will be held. All who have ever lived will be told why they will be spending eternity in hell and then they will be sent there. The first earth will be incinerated by fire (II Pet. 3:7-10; Rev. 21:1; cf. with the Bowl Judgments). A new heavens and earth will be ushered in. We know several things about the kingdom of God I will quickly mention in closing: it has no end (that is what is meant by eternal kingdom); there will no longer be any night (Rev. 22:5); there will be no one in it who did not submit themselves to the lordship of Jesus during his (the unbeliever’s) earthly life (Rev. 21:8, 26; 22:15); there will no longer be any curse (Rev. 22:3), the implications of which would fill a book; there will be no mourning, crying, or pain for anyone living in it (Rev. 21:4); the water of life will flow continually from beneath the throne of God to the east and the west; twelve trees will line both sides of this river; the fruit of these trees will be for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:1, 2); God the Father and God the Son will reign over the earth from Jerusalem (Rev 22:3); everyone’s position in the kingdom will be a direct reflection of what they did with the talents (all of their resources, personal skills, and gifts imposed upon them at spiritual birth), given to them by God, during this lifetime (Matt. 25:14-30, 34-40; Luke 6:38; Rev. 22:12, I Pet. 4:10), and those in hell will be able to see what is going on in the kingdom of God (Luke 16:22, 23).

To avoid verbosity and straying from the important information at hand, I will not say anything about the great multitude of implications the information in this overview have presented. It is much like the proverbial can of worms for which there is no cover. It is sufficient for us to know there are detailed biblical instructions in the prophecies of the Revelation about the end times, the millennial reign of Christ, and the eternal kingdom of God; and it is not God’s fault if we don’t thoroughly understand this phenomenal period we call The Tribulation. It’s my humble opinion the reason so many who call themselves Christians today continue to live comfortable, complacent lives is because they do not, nor do they want to, understand this prophecy.

I urge you to spend the time necessary to process the information in this overview of the Revelation, apply it as you read my complete study on the book, (available upon request) and use the knowledge you acquire to help others understand how they can enter through the narrow gate into the kingdom of God. I am reminded of the words of a song I heard the other day that went something like, “I’m determined not to enter the kingdom of God alone.” Jesus came to seek and save the lost and that must be our primary mission.

If you are not sure of your eternal status, or if you’re sure at this point you will not be spending it in the kingdom of God, I urge you to correct that problem immediately. You can choose, right now, to repent of your sins, confess Jesus as Lord, believe God raised Him from the dead, be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, and take up your cross daily to follow Jesus (Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:9; Luke 9:23). You only have this life to decide. There are no second chances in any place like purgatory, as the Pope would have you believe (Heb. 9:27). I encourage you to contact me for any one of the long list of studies I have written on living the Christian life. And join a local church of Christians who are studying God’s word and obeying it as they learn what He expects of them. Getting saved from spending eternity in hell is just the beginning of the road to the kingdom of heaven. My study called Conversion versus Discipleship deals thoroughly with that subject.

"Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you with every good thing that you may do his will , working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen." (Heb. 13:20)

God Bless,
Brother David L. Purkey
Pastor/Teacher
http://www.dlpurkey.blogspot.com/
dspurkey@midrivers.com