REVELATION 6-22 JOHN BARNETT REVELATION 6-22 LIVING HOPE FOR THE END DAYS Dr. John Barnett REVELATION 6 - 22 2 SYLLABUS OUR SCOPE Ten hours will be spent studying Chapters 6-22. Revelation is the only book in the Bible that has a promise of blessing for those who read it!! Revelation breaks nicely into two sections: the “prophecy” of Revelation 6-22 and the “practice” of Revelation 1-5. OUR PURPOSE The Book of Revelation is God’s final written communication to man. More than just the future and destiny of mankind, this book is the final revelation of the beauty, character, and wonders of our Lord Jesus Christ. For us as believers, the Person of Jesus Christ and how to worship Him will dominate our study. Knowing Him should motivate us to personal holiness and evangelism. COURSE GOALS In exams and assignments, the students are expected: 1. To KNOW the general outline of Revelation. 2. To SEE the key Old Testament quotations used in the book. 3. To UNDERSTAND reasons for the dispensational interpretation of the book. 4. To RECOGNIZE the symbols in the book. 5. To APPLY God’s Word to our daily lives. ASSIGNMENTS 1. Read the entire Book of Revelation once 2. Do a Project. A typed 3-part Devotional Method study for each chapter of Revelation 6-22 3. Learn Two Verses (3:20; 20:15) 4. Take Two Quizzes 5. Take Exam OUR PROJECT Study and type out a three-part analysis of Rev. 6-22 using the Devotional Method as described on the next page. Each chapter’s study consists of 3 parts: a Summary; a list of Lessons, Truths, or Principles you saw; and a personal Application of one or more of those truths you found. I will explain this Project clearly in class. A sample copy of a chapter I just did is also attached. Each student will send this Project to me for grading by Thursday night of class week to my email address: [email protected]. No late work accepted. REVELATION 6 - 22 3 GUIDE TO DEVOTIONAL BIBLE STUDY & JOURNALING What I suggest is that you invest some time in using a method called the “Devotional Method of Bible Study” and follows these steps: 1. Read the assigned verse, paragraph or chapter; 2. Summarize the section you read, note any lessons, truths, or doctrines that you find; 3. Write out a personal prayer from you to the Lord, asking Him to change you, or work in you, or impact your life: as a personal prayer that makes application of the truths you found in that passage. Here is a typical way I would do that below. You don’t have to do this method after this class, but I have been using and teaching this to students of the Word for 30 plus years and I can vouch for the immense response they give that the Word comes alive, sticks to their hearts; and they have grown deeply through this devotional pattern! This gives you a very basic illustration of what I mean by using the Devotional Bible Study method, and recording your summary, lessons, and a personal prayer of application. This would be the minimum amount of work needed for EACH chapter. REVELATION 6 - 22 4 REVELATION 6-22 CHRIST’S FINAL WORDS TO HIS CHURCH John Barnett Hour One Meet Your Professor My Prayer For Each of You Revelation Connects & Completes God’s Word Two Ways of Approaching God’s Word Revelation’s Seven Clear Events Christ’s Church on Earth (Rev. 1-3) Christ’s Church in Heaven (Rev. 4-5 & 19:1-10) Tribulation events in Heaven & on Earth (Rev. 6-18) Christ’s Second Coming (Rev. 19:11-21) Christ’s Earthly Millennial Rule (Rev. 20:1-6) Final Rebellion & Great White Throne (Rev. 20:7-15) Eternity & Heaven (Rev. 21-22). The Most Complete Answers to the Most Important Questions Origin: Where did I come from? Purpose: Why am I here? Destiny: Where am I going? Syllabus & Assignment Sheet Panorama of History Prophetic Scriptures 8,362 predictive verses 1,817 predictions 737 separate matters J. Barton Payne, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy Alternative “Tribulation” Views REVELATION 6 - 22 5 CHRIST’S FINAL WORDS TO HIS CHURCH My prayer for each of you today is that: God would stir in you a deep & abiding love for Jesus Christ that can ONLY be satisfied by time spent with HIM in His Word. WHY STUDY REVELATION? Because it is so Christ-Centered “He Shall Glorify Me” John 16:14 Old Testament: Christ in Prophecy Gospels: Christ in History Acts: Christ in the Church Epistles: Christ in Experience Apocalypse: Christ in coming Glory Because it is Super-Relevant THE CHALLENGE OF PROPHECY We are being plunged into a period of time about which the Bible says more than about any other period in history …including the time when Jesus walked the shores of Galilee and climbed the mountains of Judea. IN REVELATION GOD GIVES US THE MOST COMPLETE ANSWERS TO THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS OF LIFE Origin How did I get here? Creator Purpose Why am I here? Redeemer Destiny Where am I going? Judge THE PANORAMA OF HISTORY THE RETURN OF CHRIST TO RULE 1,845 references in the Old Testament 17 books give prominence to the event 318 references in the New Testament 216 chapters 23 of 27 books give prominence to the event For every prophecy of Christ’s 1st Coming there are 8 of His 2nd Coming! REVELATION 6 - 22 6 INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION John the Apostle is the of 5 New Testament books with 50 chapters, only surpassed by the 87 chapters of Paul’s 13 Epistles; and Luke’s 52 chapters of his two books. The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ was in the AD 90’s, during the reign of Emperor Domitian (8196 AD), who had exiled John to the Isle of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, roughly 60 mi. SW of Ephesus, off the coast of Roman Asia, or modern day Turkey. The of this final book is also the title contained in the opening words of the first verse:The Revelation of Jesus Christ. All Scriptures point to Him (Luke 24:27,44), and this book is the capstone of revealing the character of Christ. Revelation is a self-outlined (Acts is another), as we can see the three clear divisions of this book in Rev. 1:19: “the things that you have seen”, this is chapter 1; and “the things that are”, these are chapters 2 & 3; and “the things which shall be”, these are chapters 422. Revelation is a challenging book, because of: There are many symbols both explained and unexplained. There are historic disagreements among the four main avenues of interpretation: preterists believe Revelation’s events already happened; historists believe the Book just explains history from then to the end; idealists believe the Book is just principles not historic events; and futurists (that’s where we are) believe that from chapter 4 onward shows Heaven and the future on Earth. There is an amazing abundance of numeric references in Revelation. There are hundreds of quotations and allusions to the Old Testament in Revelation. The grammar John uses reflects what may easily be seen as excitement at what he saw. Revelation is the Book that comes with God’s promised blessing for reading and responding to the truths God communicates in these 22 chapters. REVELATION 6 - 22 7 OUTLINE THE DIVINE OVERVIEW – REV. 1:19 The Things Which You Have Seen (Rev.1) The Things Which Are (Rev. 2-3) The Things Which Will Take Place After This (Rev. 4-22) The Worship Scene in Heaven (4:1–5:14) The Great Tribulation on Earth (6:1–18:24) The Return of the King (19:1–21) The Millennium (20:1–10) The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11–15) The Eternal State (21:1–22:21) REVELATION 6 - 22 8 CHARTS BY TOM DAVIS THE SEVEN BEATITUDES IN REVELATION Beatitude: A Declaration of Blessedness Reference Scripture Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart Rev. 1:3 what is written in it, because the time is near. Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” Rev. 14:13 says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may Rev. 16:15 not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” Rev. 19:9 And he added, “These are the true words of God.” Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, Rev. 20:6 but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Rev. 22:7 “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through Rev. 22:14 the gates into the city.” REVELATION 6 - 22 9 SUMMARY OF THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES Church Christ Commendation Rebuke Exhortation Promise Strictly Orthodox.