1 Bible: Revelation Syllabus Introductory Remarks 1. God gives prophecy not to _______________ idle _____________ but to teach practical ____________ 2. Futurist approach 3. Theme: God’s _____________ __________________ through __________ ________ a. His name appears in the _______________ and _____________ verses b. He ____________________ the content of the book c. His coming will set in motion the ______________ of the book d. The Book should ____________ us to worship Him as the saints in Heaven do e. _______________ to displease Him, ______________ to make salvation sure, evangelize the lost 4. Puts life into ______________, it teaches about _______________, __________ and the depraved nature of man Outline: I. Ch. 1-3 Description of Christ and His comments about the 7 churches in Asia Minor II. Ch. 4-5 Vision of Heaven and Lamb’s decision to bring judgement upon the world III. Ch. 6 The Seal judgements IV. Ch. 8-9, 11:15-19, 15 The trumpet judgements V. Ch. 16 The Vial judgements VI. Ch. 19 Christ’s victory at Armageddon VII. Ch. 20 The Millennium VIII. Ch. 21-22 The New Heaven and New Earth *the intervening chapters deal with the tribulation in both Heaven and on earth 2 Christ in the Revelation: o Doctrines: . Bibliology: Inspiration (revelation through men and angels) . Christology: Christ’s names and titles . Christ’s deity (claimed by Christ) . Christ’s work (sustain, redeem, judge) . Soteriology: Atonement (the work of the Lamb) . Ecclesiology: Head of the church (Christ’s rule over the seven churches) Key verse: Revelation 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Theme: Near the end of the Revelation an angelic messenger told John the main point of prophecy--to give information about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rev. 19:10) The book of Revelation presents the majesty of our Lord and Savior. No other book in the Bible presents such a remarkable array of descriptions and titles of Christ. He is the central person of all the ages, both now and for eternity. Background: Revelation 1:1-20 is introductory in four ways: 1. Introduces prophecy in _________________________. 2. It introduces the main _____________________ of this prophetic work--Christ. 3. Organizational overview of the entire book (Rev 1:19) 4. Lays the ground work for the next section on the 7 churches of Asia Minor. Facts: Revelation -was written by ______________ the apostle (John the elder) on the Isle of _____________ -written about _______________ to ___________________ A.D. -Revelation means “Apocalypse: the unveiling or unfolding” -Revelation has over 400 allusions to the Old Testament, and not one direct quote -every passage of the coming of Christ sees Him in the clouds v. 7. -chapters 1-3: historical, chapters 4-22: post-rapture of the church. 3 I. Christ, the Giver of the Revelation A. God’s Part (v. 1) 1. The book is the Revelation of ____________ _____________ a. About Christ? b. By Christ? c. Both are appropriate: a disclosure given by Christ. 2. The Father gave the information to the _________ 3. The ________ gave the information to an __________________ being. 4. The ____________ being gave the information to John 5. God wanted to give to his servants “things which must shortly come to pass.” (v. 1) B. John’s Part (v. 2) 1. John viewed all that he received as the _________ ___ ______ (v. 2) a. Included the direct words b. Included that which he saw. 2. John was chosen C. Man’s blessing (v. 3) *note to practical piety: devotion and urgency to live like and for Christ. 1. Rev 1:3 is the first of _________ blessings found in the book. (14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14) 2. Blessing to the _____________, ______________, and ____________. 3. Obedience is ____________ because “the time is at hand” (the end is near). II. Christ, the Focus of the Future A. The Sustainer: (v. 4): eternality of Christ B. The Redeemer: (v.5): Three truths about Christ’s redemptive work 1. Christ is a _________________ _____________ 4 2. Christ was _________ begotten of the dead (first of a kind)-His resurrection is first because of what it accomplished. 3. He is _________ of ________ and _________ of __________. He is absolute ___________ over all other ______________. 4. His motive: ___________ 5. His means: _______________________ 6. The results: _________________________________ 7. His redemption transformed us from __________ to ____________ (v. 6) **Note: 27 times the book of Revelation calls Christ the Lamb. No other title is used more frequently than this one word which emphasizes His redemptive work for mankind. Christ was first called the Lamb by John the Baptist who said A Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world@ (John 1:29). The teaching of Christ as the Lamb of God finds its completion in the book of Revelation. Revelation gives several descriptions of the Lamb: 1. Rev. 5:6 -the _______________ of someone _________ 2. Rev. 5: 9-10 -worthy of __________ 3. Rev. 7:14 -saved in the tribulation; will wash their_____________ 4. Rev. 12:11 -saints over come the Devil by the _________ of the Lamb 5. Rev. 13:8 -slain from the _________ of the _______ In Heaven: 6. Rev. 15:2,3 -song of the Lamb 7. Rev. 19:7 -Lamb’s wedding 8. Rev. 21:27 -Lamb’s book of Life resided. C. The Coming Judge (v. 7) the redeemer of the righteous is the judge of the ungodly 1. v. 7 foreshadows the judgements in the rest of the book. 2. Christ is presented throughout the book as a judge. (6:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12) D. The Eternal God: (v. 8) Christ declares His own deity III. Christ, the Exalted Lord of His People A. John’s Condition 5 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. B. Christ’s Commandment 1. Voice of ________________ 2. Voice of ________________ *note: all churches were with in 125 miles of each other C. Christ’s Appearance: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11 6 D. Christ’s Comfort (v. 17-20) 1. John fell at Christ’s feet. 2. The Lord touched him. 3. John was as one dead. 4. Christ introduced a chronological outline of the revelation 5. Seven stars (angels), seven lampstands (churches themselves) **Notes: Symbolism and the Interpretation of Revelation -written words are to be taken literally -no double meanings -to interpret literally does not rule out the probability of figurative intent. -John was forced to describe unfamiliar things in everyday language. -some things John described literal (i.e. Angels or the New Jerusalem) some were symbolic (i.e. Scarlet with seven heads and ten horns) -Three rules regarding the use of symbols: 1. Look for a ______________________ passage that explains the image as a symbol. 2. Knowledge of history and the culture of the first century helps in discovering symbols. 3. Pay careful attention to what precedes and follows a passage. Identity of the Seven Spirits (1:4) -facts suggest however that they are literal angels 1. Plural form of the word spirt. 2. Location of the spirits “before the throne” 3. Sending of the spirits to all the earth: 4. Scripture teach that it is the duty of angels to minister to the church at large (Heb 1:14) some see this as reference to the Holy Spirit - Promise/ for Reward Overcomers Seven Churches Seven Exhortation (Rev. 2 (Rev. - 3) Condemnation Commendations Description Description Jesus of Lord) (The Recipient of of Recipient Letter Destination Sardis Church Smyrna Ephesus Thyatira Laodicea Pergamum Philadelphia 7 8 Revelation 4: God is Just: he rewards the doer of good and punishes the evildoer! • What attributes of God insure that His judgements are just? • And __________________________ • What if God did not punish the iniquity? • He would be . The record of His coming wrath in the Revelation is record of His . God is Fair: He is always equitable in His dealings with man. At times His justice may mean: • ________________________ for the believer and • ________________________ for the unbeliever Introduction: • One of the primary arguments for a pretribulation rapture of the church is the of the Book of Revelation: • Christ sends ____________________ to the church (ch. 2-3) • John is called “up” into Heaven (ch.4) • God’s ______________________ is poured out on unbelievers while the saints stand before God’s throne during the tribulation period • Rev. 4 begins the 3rd section of the book (see Rev. 1:19) “…things which were, things which are, and the things to come…” • The rest of the book is divided into 3 ___________________________l sections: *Ch. 4-5 Prologue (scene in Heaven) 1. Ch. 6-19 ___________________________ period 2. Ch. 20:1-5 ___________________________ 3. Ch. 21-22 The __________________________ State Chapters 4-5 -5et the ________________________________________________ for the rest of the book! OVERVIEW: The Scene in Heaven: • God’s wrath is not ____________________________ or __________________________ • Jesus had lovingly gone to earth to die for sinners 9 • Now His Father hands Him a scroll, it is time to judge the world that had rejected His _________________________________ • The prospect of a just judgement causes the saints to fall down before God to ________________________ and _______________________ Him They understand that God is a righteous worthy judge of mankind I. THE THRONE: 4:1-2 JOHN IS INVITED BY CHRIST (VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET) TO COME “UP” THROUGH A DOOR IN HEAVEN! (“DOOR” IS USED 4X IN REVELATION) • 3:8 DOOR OF O______________________________ • 3:20 DOOR OF S______________________________ • 3:20 DOOR OF F______________________________ • 4:1 DOOR OF I______________________________—SEEING AS GOD SEES! A.