App. H: Revelation Short Study.

Acknowledging that many of us may not have the time to work through the detailed study (App. B), the PowerPoint study (App J) or even the summary study (App. C), this short Two Page Study outlines the key points which you should be familiar with, should your interest in the events around the second coming of Jesus have been stirred. For a brief Revelation refresher, click 1a – SUMMARY of REVELATION. For a quick reference guide of the revelation and end-time study, see the links at the end of this short study.

But before we start, please get out your bible and read eight verses, from two passages. They are a vital starting point. Revelation REVEALS Jesus, and what He said. Hence we MUST line up Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 24 with Revelation.

Jesus tells us, in Luke 17:28-29, that His coming will be like the day when Lot was removed from Sodom. Lot was removed by angels on the SAME day that God’s wrath was poured down on this city. Fire rained down on Sodom, from heaven on that same day. In Luke 17v29 Jesus says: “EVEN THUS shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed”

A very simple, very clear analogy… We are resurrected on the same day (but slightly before) God pours out his wrath on this world. Just as Lot was rescued a few minutes before God’s wrath was poured out, so will we be rescued by Jesus! In addition, Jesus also mentions the flood. On the same day that God closes the door of the ark, the flood comes. Its therefore very important that our timeline reflects this.

God plucks out his people at the last moment. We have to endure everything before that. We have to endure man’s wrath, and Satan’s wrath on believers and a great persecution, but thankfully we will not be exposed to God’s wrath.

Please also read Matt 24:29-31 and Rev 6:12-16 carefully, word for word. Not many Christians understand that the second coming of Jesus will be before Gods wrath is poured out, i.e.  ‘pre-wrath’. ‘Pre-wrath’ means we are resurrected on the same day (but slightly before) God pours out his wrath on this world. This is clearly what Jesus is teaching in Matt 24:29-31, where verse 29 lines up with Rev 6:12-16, both outlining the same events, including the sun and moon darkening. Recognizing that the Matt24 and Rev 6 passages are describing the same event,  we conclude that our resurrection (gathering of the elect, as per Mt 24v31) is AFTER the great tribulation (Mt 24v29) but on the SAME day that …’the great day of his wrath is come’…(Rev 6v17 KJV)’. Many O.T. prophets confirm that the great day of His wrath, the ‘terrible day of the Lord’ is AFTER these cosmic signs:  e.g. Joel 2:31  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE the great and terrible day of the Lord come.” (refer Appendix G,G1 & G2)

The Parallel Sequence

When listing the chapters of Revelation, and colour coding a summary of events, we discover a pattern. This pattern seems to indicate that there is a parallel sequence: After the first five chapters, we discover that the contents of chapters 6-11 have similarities to chapters 12-16. It seems as if chapters 12-16 fill in the detail of the sequence already set in chapters 6-11. Subsequently, in chapters 17 & 18 there are two chapters of in-depth focus on the antichrist system; ‘Babylon’. After that the narrative continues from chapters 19-22. This may be represented visually as follows:

Thus, by listing the chapters of Revelation and a summary of their contents, a parallel sequence is evident. The first five chapters are the run-up to the end-time events. In chapter 6 to 11 we notice words like ‘when’, ‘then’ and ‘after’,which occur frequently throughout this section. By these words we recognize that this is a sequential  narrative. But after chapter 11 there is a clear break in the sequence. In the first verses of Revelation 12, there is a dramatic re-set in the narrative. We are taken back to the birth of Christ. This is an obvious clue that the reader is to re-focus all the way back to the time of Jesus’s first coming.

By aligning the parallel sequence, we can now visualize how Revelation chapters 12 to 16 inform chapters 6-11. What we have already been made aware of in chapters 6-11 is now enhanced by chapters 12-16.

The charts

The 3 charts are all about the same Rev 6-22 and Matt 24 events, but in different formats: (Refer links)

  1. Overall chart: Note the 2nd coming, placed between the ‘signs of end times’ and the New Jerusalem. (click Xchart-c)
  2. The Chronological summary: Revelation in table format, with the most detail information. Chart 3 – Chronological Table
  3. The Daniel’s 70th week chart. Daniel’s week (Also refer to to post 3.4).

The Overall chart: This chart lines up the Matt 24 verses with Rev 6 (view the text in Matt-Rev align ) and covers:

The Timeline: The horizontal line represents a seven year period, denoted “Daniel’s 70th week”, plus a period on either side called ‘signs’, Millennium and New Jerusalem.  Based on Daniel 9:27 there is a 3.5 year period before the ‘Abomination of desolation’ (Matt 24:15), and then afterwards a 1290 day period (~3.5 years) up to Armageddon. The 2nd 3.5 year period is mentioned eight times in Revelation/ Daniel. (Refer chart 4). Note the timelines are not to scale.

The Signs: Deception, false prophets, falling away/apostasy, the knowledge increase, globalism.

The Tribulation: Rev 6:1-8

  • White horse: 1st seal: ‘Peaceful’ Conquests:(6: v 1-2)
  • Red horse: 2nd seal :‘peace removed from the earth’ (6: v 3-4)
  • Black horse: 3rd seal: Lack and famine (6: v 5-6)
  • Pale horse: 4th seal: Pestilence, plagues and death (6: v 7-8a). Also some initial persecution.

The Great Tribulation : Starts with the Abomination of Desolation, standing in the Temple.(Mt24:15)

  • Martyrs: 5th seal, great persecution of believers (Rev 6: 9-11) by antichrist and false religion.

Jesus’s Second Coming

  • 6th seal: Cosmic events, all men will see Jesus appear in the clouds with the sound of a great trumpet,  followed by the resurrection of believers & the rapture. Rev 6:12-17, Matt 24:29-31, Rev 1:7 “Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

The Wrath Of God : Rev 8:7-9:21

Trumpets 1 to 6: (Rev 8v5-9v21)

  • 1st trumpet: Hail with fire & blood.
  • 2nd trumpet: Mountain of fire falling in sea
  • 3rd trumpet: Star like lamp, wormwood
  • 4th trumpet: Sun moon & stars darkened by 1/3rd.
  • 5th trumpet: Locusts tormenting man.
  • 6th trumpet: Horsemen at river Euphrates.

Seven Vials and Seven Thunders: The vials seem interspersed within the trumpets, but the Seven Thunders are after the blowing of the sixth trumpet but before the 7th trumpet.

Seventh Trumpet: Babylon is fallen, Lightings, voices, earthquake & hail, Armageddon. (Rev 11,18,19) Note that Rev 12 is a ‘reset’, and re-starts the chronology starting from the birth of Christ. It then continues with end-times till Rev 17. Rev 12-17 runs parallel with Rev 6-11, but fills in further detail from a different perspective.

The Millenium: (Rev 20:1-6, and also a multitude of old testament prophesies, especially Joel & Zechariah (refer to appendix E and G)).

Jesus establishes his 1000 year reign, with his resurrected saints, rules with a rod of iron over the ‘wrath of God’ survivors, still in their mortal bodies. Peace, prosperity, order, abundance, earth restored to much like Eden.

At the end of the 1000 years, Satan is loosened (20:7-10), deceives the nations (Gog & Magog), whom God destroys with fire from heaven. Thereafter the great white throne judgement of unbelievers takes place and the current heaven and earth is destroyed.

The New Jerusalem. God creates a new eternal heaven and earth, with the city of God, the New Jerusalem, descending down from heaven.

The other charts should be self-explanatory, once the overall chart is understood. you may have to go through this a couple of times to get a good feel for it. Also view Matt-Rev align to view how the remainder of Matt 24 (abbreviated) and Revelation (abbreviated) lines up.

Quick reference guide in 8 sessions:

  1. Session 1 – Draft documentation – notes
  2. Session 2 – Draft documentation – notes
  3. Session 3 – Draft documentation – notes 17-02
  4. TBA

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For background of where we are at, you can view a brief description of what we believe as listed below. Please refer to the dot points, which in line with Baptist teaching. The only difference between us and the general Baptist teaching is about the resurrection (i.e. rapture), which we believe is ‘pre-wrath’, not pre-tribulation. Our beliefs are based on scripture only and line up with Baptist teachings. They are as follows:

  • We believe that we are saved from eternal death by the merciful grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ only and not by any good works a person may do. Jesus Christ died in our place on the cross, was buried and was resurrected the third day. He has already done all the work required to save us and offers eternal life with Him as a gift to all men. To trust in Jesus Christ and to believe in His finished work on the cross is the only ‘work’ any person has to do to be saved. This is the only requirement for our salvation and for receiving His gift of eternal life.  Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
  • We believe in one God existing in three distinct persons (the trinity): the Father, the Word (Jesus Christ, the Son), and the Holy Ghost.1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
  • We believe that Jesus is God manifested in the flesh. Therefore, when he walked this earth, he was 100% man and 100% God at the same time. 100% God because only He could live a sinless life and qualify as a pure sacrifice for our sin, and 100% man to qualify as our representative before the Father. 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death,to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
  • We believe that salvation cannot be lost. Being saved is a one time event that can never be reversed by a failure on our part. We are kept saved by Jesus and not by any efforts (good works) on our part.John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
  • We believe that repentance, in regards to being saved, is when a person turns from their unbelief or stops trusting whatever else it was before they put their full trust and hope on Jesus Christ alone. “Turning from your sins” is a good work believers should strive to do but it is not a requirement to be saved. Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • We believe that those who are not saved will spend eternity in a literal lake of fire. Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
  • We believe that God has preserved his word exactly like he wants it communicated to us. For English speaking people, the King James Version is considered as the authoritative translation of the word of God into English. Psalm 12:6-7 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
  • We believe that water baptism is by immersion and is only for born-again believers.Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
  • We believe that life begins at conception and any process that intentionally terminates a pregnancy after conception is murder. Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
  • We believe that marriage is a life-long, monogamous relationship between a man and a woman and any sexual act outside of this institution is a sin. Matthew 19:5-6 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
  • We believe that God created the world in 6 literal 24 hour days approximately 6000 years ago. Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
  • We believe that the resurrection of the deceased believers together with the rapture will take place after the tribulation but before God pours out his wrath on this earth. Revelation 1:7 Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
  • We believe that Jesus is coming back to establish his millennial kingdom on the earth. This will be followed by the creation of a new heaven and a new earth, the eternal state with his saints. 2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.

 

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