For those who have read Revelation but who do not have the time to complete the detailed study in Appendix B, the following overview may be of use.
The Powerpoint summary version (click for PDF’s as below)
- For a brief revelation refresher, click 1a – SUMMARY of REVELATION
- Jesus’ words and Pauls teachings, and Revelation 1-6: Summary – HM1a
- Revelation 6b-11:the 144000, 7 trumpets, witnesses. Summary – HM2a
- Revelation 12-16: The Woman, Dragon, Beast, 7 vials Summary – HM3a
- Revelation 17-22: Babylon, Armageddon, millennium Summary – HM4a
Refer to the summary tables by clicking on rev overview and Xchart
OVERVIEW OF THE END TIME EVENTS IN REVELATION:
| Rev 1 -5 | Rev 6 – 11 | Rev 17 – 22 | ||
| Rev 12- 16 |
- Sequential/parallel events in Revelation:
Background: The example of the book of Daniel: Read Dan 12:4 & Dan 12:8-9. Do you agree that Daniel is an Old Testament Prophetic book that was written for “the time of the end”?
Read Matt 24:15. Jesus specifically mentioned the book of Daniel when He was referring to the signs of His coming and the end of the world. Can we therefore conclude that Jesus gave us a ‘hint’ to the importance of the book of Daniel?
- The book of Daniel is divided into two sections as follows:
- Daniel 1 to 6 are stories (chronological order) in Daniel’s life with some prophetic content.
- Daniel 7 to 12 are all prophetic chapters (chronological order).
- Could it be possible that God intentionally gave us the book of Daniel in this format i.e dividing it up in 2 sections, with “parallel topics” linking the two?
- If the book of Daniel is divided into two sections, do you think it could be that the Revelation’s “time of the end” is also divided into two sections, with “parallel events” linking the two?
Read Rev 12:1-5
- “The woman brought forth a man child who will rule all nations with a rod of iron”
- Who is this man child? (Ps 2:7-9, Is 9:6-7, Rev 19:15)
- “her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.”
- Is this where Jesus is now? (Mark 16:19, Luke 22:66-70, 1 Pet 3:22)
- If Rev 12:1-5 represent Jesus’ birth, does this perhaps imply that Revelation 12 re-starts the end time chronology i.e breaks the previous sequential events?
- Signs before the Tribulation begins
- Read Matt 24:4, 5, 11, 24. When Jesus talks about the signs of His coming He warns twice “not to be deceived” and twice that “many shall be deceived”. What do you think is the reason why Jesus is repeating this warning (deception) 4 times?
- Read 2 Thess 2:1-4. Before Jesus’ 2nd coming and us gathered unto Him, there will be a falling away. Do you agree that this “falling away” could be a consequence of many being deceived?
- The Tribulation and the Great Tribulation -> Rev 6 & Matt 24 (Mark 13, Luke 21)
Do you think the saved or elect will experience tribulation/trouble/persecution? (John 16:33, Acts 14:22, Rom 5:3, Rom 8:35-37, Rom 12:12, 2Cor 1:4, 2 Tim 3:11-12, Phil 1:29)
- Who are the elect? (Col 3:11-12, 1 Pet 1:1-2)
- Compare the first 6 Seals in Rev 6 (for completeness 7th seal is added) with the appropriate verses in Matt 24:3-32 in the table below. Do you agree that they match?
Click on Rev table 1 for complete table
The Abomination of Desolation -> Rev 13
Read Matt 24:15. What is the “abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet”? (Dan 9:27, Dan 11:31,36, Rev 13:14-15, 2 Thess 2:1-4)
- Will we know when the “abomination of desolation” is set up?
- What do you think should be our reaction or response when we see the “abomination of desolation”?
- after the abomination….
- Jesus comes in the clouds and gathers the elect (the Rapture) -> Rev 6, 14
Read Matt 24:30-31 and 1 Thess 4:15-17.
Compare Jesus’ words with Paul’s words:
| Matt 24:30-31 | 1 Thess 4:15-17 |
| Son of man coming | Coming of the Lord |
| Shout | |
| Clouds | Clouds |
| Angels | Voice of archangel |
| Trumpet | Trump of God |
| Gather together His elect | Caught up together in the clouds |
- Is Jesus coming down to earth when the above event occurs?
Read John 14:1-3. Do you think Jesus is referring to the event in the above verses when He says “I will come again, and receive you unto myself”?
- Read Rev 6:12-16 and Matt 24:29-31:
The cosmic events in the 6th seal resemble the cosmic event in Matt 24:29-31 as follows:
| Rev 6:12-16 (6th Seal) | Matt 24:29-31 | |
| Great earthquake | ||
| Sun became black as sackcloth of hair | <-> | The sun shall be darkened |
| Moon became as blood | <-> | Moon shall not give her light |
| Stars of heaven fell unto the earth | <-> | Stars shall fall from heaven |
| Heaven departed as a scroll, rolled together | <-> | Powers of the heavens shall be shaken |
| Every mountain and island moved out of their places | ||
| Men hid themselves, said rocks fall on them and hide from One who sat on throne | <-> | Tribes of earth mourn, Son of Man appears in power and glory |
| Send angels with sound of a trumpet | ||
| Gather together the elect |
- Can we therefore conclude that the 6th Seal sequence of events match the sequence of events of Jesus’ coming in the clouds?
- Are the elect gathered/raptured just after the cosmic events (sun, moon and stars) and Jesus’ coming in the clouds?
Read Rev 14:14-16.
- What does John see?
- Why does the Son of Man have a sharp sickle in His hand?
Read Matt 13:37-43. Do you agree that believers are raptured when “the earth is reaped” by the first angel?
- The Multitude in Heaven -> Rev 7, 15
- Read Rev 7:9. Who is the great multitude before the throne?
- Read Rev 7:13-14. Where did they come from?
- Read Rev 15:2. Who is standing on the “sea of glass”?
- Read Rev 4:6a. Where is the “sea of glass”?
- Do you agree that “the multitude before the throne” in Rev 7:9 can be those standing on “the sea of glass” in Rev 15:2?
- The 2 Witnesses -> Rev 11
- Read Rev 11:2-3. What will the 2 witnesses do and for how long?
- Read Rev 11:7-8. In what holy city do you think will they prophesy?
- The 144,000 -> Rev 7, 14
- Read Rev 7:4-8. Who are the 144,000?
- Read Rev 14:3-5. What are the characteristics/features of these 144,000?
- The Day of the Lord
- Read Is 13:6-13. What is the “day of the Lord”?
- Read Joel 2:31. What event will occur just before the “day of the Lord” begins?
- The Wrath of God -> Rev 8, 9, 10, 15, 16
Read Rev 8:1-6 (7 Trumpets -> Rev 8, 9, 10)
- What seal is opened? (v1)
- Why do you think there is a half an hour silence in heaven when the 7th seal is opened? (Rev 6:17)
- John sees 7 angels. Where are the angels? What do they have with them? (v2)
- Read 2 Pet 3:7 and 2 Thess 1:6-10. In Rev 8:5 it says “Fire is cast into the earth”. Do you think that Peter and Paul are speaking about this “fire” in these verses?
- What do you think does it mean that seven angels prepared themselves to sound the trumpets? (v6)
Read Rev 10:3-4 (7 Thunders -> Rev 10)
- Was John allowed to write down the 7 thunder events? (v4)
- After what trumpet are the 7 thunders? (Rev 9:13)
Read Rev 15:1,6-7 and Rev 16:1 (7 Vials -> Rev 15, 16)
- What is in the 7 vials that the 4 beasts gave these 7 angels?
- What are the 7 angels instructed to do?
Click on Rev table 2 for complete table below:
Examine the following two events:
- At the sound of the 7th trumpet in Rev 11:15 there are great voices saying: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”
- The 5th vial is poured out upon the seat of the beast and his kingdom was full of darkness. (therefore antichrist still reigning)
- Does the 7th trumpet occur before or after the 5th vial?
Read Rev 8:5b, Rev 11:19b and Rev 16:18-21.
Compare the similarities between the verses in the table below:
| Rev 11:19b (End of the 7th Trumpet | Rev 16:18-21 (End of the 7th Vial |
| Voices | Voices |
| Thunderings | Thunders |
| Lightnings | Lightnings |
| Earthquake | Earthquake |
| Great hail | Great hail |
- Do you think it is possible that Rev 11:19b and Rev 16:18-21 could be the same event?
- Can we therefore possibly conclude that the end of the 7th Trumpet and the end of the 7th vial are linked?
- Can you imagine that this could be like a huge, loud and scary ‘fireworks’ display?
- Babylon is fallen -> Rev 17, 18
Read Rev 16:17-19 & Rev 18:10. What city came in remembrance to God? (v19)
- Jesus comes to establish His kingdom/reign on earth
Read Rev 19:11-16. Compare the table below with the Matt 24:30 coming of Jesus in the clouds as discussed in question 5a.
| Rev 19:11-16 |
| White Horse |
| Faithful & True, the Word of God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords |
| Eyes as flame of fire, head many crowns, clothed in vesture of blood |
| Armies from heaven followed him upon white horses |
| Sharp sword out of mouth to smite nations |
| He shall rule with a rod of iron |
- Do you agree that Jesus’ coming on the white horse to rule with a rod of iron is a different event than Jesus’ coming in the clouds?
Read Rev 10:6b-7, Rev 11:15 and Rev 16:17.
| Rev 10:6b (7 Thunders mighty angel) | ……. that there should be time no longer: |
| Rev 10:7 (7th Trumpet voice) | But in the days of the voice of the sound of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets. |
| Rev 11:15 (7th Trumpet sound) | And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. |
| Rev 16:17 (7th Vial) | And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. |
- What do you think is the significance of “time no longer”, “be finished”, “it is done”?
- Are these 4 verses referring to the same pivotal climax?
- Is this perhaps like a grand finale?
- Rev 11:15 “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.” What does this verse mean?
- Read Eph 1:9-11.
- What is the ‘mystery of His will’ in Eph 1:9-10?
- Do you agree that “He might gather together in one all things in Christ” comes to pass in Rev 11:15?
- Is it therefore possible that ‘the mystery of God’ in Rev 10:7 resembles the ‘mystery of His will’ in Eph 1:9-10?
- Armageddon -> Rev 16, 19
- Read Rev 16:16. What is Armageddon?
- Read Rev 19:11-16 and Rev 19:19. Who will fight in the battle of Armageddon?
- Read Rev 19:15, 21. How do you think will the nations be defeated?
- The Marriage supper of the Lamb -> Rev 19
- The Millennial reign of Jesus on the earth -> Rev 20
Read Rev 20:1-6
- Who is bound and thrown in the bottomless pit? For how long? (v1-2)
- Who lived and reigned with Christ for 1,000 years? (v4, v6)
- Read Is 11:6-8. Describe the state of animals in the millennium.
- The Judgement of believers already in heaven(Rewards) -> Rev 20
- When will be the judgement of believers? (Rev 20:4, Rev 11:15, 18)
- Read Rev 22:12, 1 Cor 3:8-15, Rom 14:7-12, 2 Cor 5:10. For what will believers be judged?
- Read Ps 103:12, 1 John 1:9. Will believers be judged for their sins?
- The Battle of ‘Gog and Magog’ -> Rev 20
Read Rev 20:7-10
- Who goes to deceive the nations? (v7-8)
- The “four quarters of the earth” are here referred to as …… ? (v8)
- How many are gathered to the battle? (v8)
- The nations surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. What city is this? (v9)
- How does God destroy them? (v9)
- Who is cast in the lake of fire? (v10)
- The Great White Throne Judgement (Unbelievers) -> Rev 20
Read Rev 20:11-15
- The “dead, small and great, are standing before God” and the “dead were judged” (v12) . What do you think does it mean when it says the “dead”?
- For what were they judged? (v12-13)
- Who were thrown in the lake of fire? (v15)
- What is the book of life?
- Jesus delivers up the kingdom to God.
- Read 1 Cor 15:22-26. When will Jesus deliver up the kingdom to Father God?
- Read Rev 20:14 ‘death and hell are cast into the lake of fire’. Do you think at this point “the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” in 1 Cor 15:26 comes to pass?
- The New Heaven and the New Earth & The New Jerusalem -> Rev 21, 22
Read Rev 21:1-2
- What did John see? (v1)
- What city was coming out of heaven? (v2)
- Read Rev 21:7 & Rev 21:24. Who will live in the New Jerusalem?
Click on rev overview for full table below, or Rev table 3
| Rev 1 -5 | Rev 6 – 11 | Rev 17 – 22 | ||
| Rev 12- 16 |