Home

Introduction

Message

Interpretation

Authorship

Structure

Historical

References

Comparison

Links

Chap 1

Chap 2

Chap 3

Chap 4

Chap 5

Chap 6

Chap 7

Chap 8

Chap 9

Chap 10

Chap 11

Chap 12

Chap 13

Chap 14

Chap 15

Chap 16

Chap 17

Chap 18

Chap 19

Chap 20

Chap 21

Chap 22

2. The message of Revelation:

Contents:

• Introduction
• God is sovereign:
• Persecution
• Compromise with the world
• Rewards
• Worship
• Second Coming
• The beast and the Church
• A book of contrasts
• Overcomers

Introduction

Revelation reveals to us the spiritual world, spiritual truth using pictures from our earthly world but from the viewpoint of heaven (xxxx). It shows us the grand scheme of history from the garden of Eden to the new heaven and new earth. The purpose of the book is to encourage Christians in difficult times, to show them that God is in control, despite the appearance of tyrannical regimes being in control, who can persecute Christians and even kill them at will. It is not intended to show us the future of history in terms of specific events, or to allow us to predict the future, but it does show that world history will follow general principles. For example, there will continue to be wars, famines, pestilences and other disasters; the church will be persecuted by world powers who will martyr Christians. Revelation also shows us that natural disasters are God's warning to the world. The symbolism of the book enables it to be interpreted in the light of circumstances throughout the gospel age. The beast may be Rome in John's time; at other times it could be the Roman Catholic church, or Russia or China. Throughout church history there have always been those who persecute God's church, it is to such persecuted Christians the book is written. It may be viewed as parallel sections each one concentrating on a particular aspect of the gospel age starting from Jesus birth to his second coming and the end of the age. The book concentrates on the beginning at first but as the book progresses it concentrates more and more on the end rather than the beginning.

God is sovereign:

Revelation is written to show who is in control. It shows God seated upon the throne (ch 4), which symbolises his kingship and sovereignty. It shows Jesus as Lord of Lords and King of Kings. It shows him defeating his enemies with the armies of heaven (the church) following him (19:14). The issue is who is Lord, is it Christ or is it the state?

Persecution

Revelation is written at the start of a period of persecution lasting over 200 years and in particular to a church when the Roman empire was in control and emperor worship was demanded under pain of death. An easy life could be gained by simply following the crowd and compromising with God's standards, a little bit of Emperor worship would make life so much easier. Clearly all around evil was attacking everything that was good; licentiousness abounded; evil people controlled society. It looks as if God is nowhere to be found, he isn't doing anything about it; Christians are being persecuted some are even being martyred and the faith of Christians was under intense attack. Christians were expecting Christ's return, but he had not come yet. The book is written to show the saints in such perplexing times that God the Creator is in control of world events and responsible for the judgements on mankind, he permits evil in the world, but He will win in the end over the forces of evil together with the Saints. It shows that the saints must follow the example of Jesus and lay down their lives for their faith and as a testimony to Jesus. The enemies of the saints will be defeated in the end: the devil; the political powers; the false religious powers; the persecutors of the church; the seduction of the world and its philosophies. God's judgements upon mankind are His answer to the prayers of the saints. The believers must patiently endure until the end and remain faithful even unto death, through which lies victory over the enemy; just as Jesus Himself had to die in order to be victorious over Satan. God will in the end vindicate his elect and justice will be seen to be done, but this may not occur during the lifetime of most of the saints. Satan is the great deceiver, who deceives the world into bowing down to his allies the beast and the false prophet, only those who know their God and His word will resist them. Jesus will return and his enemies will be defeated, judged and eternally punished, the believers will go to be with their Lord for ever and He will dwell with them. Revelation concerns the entire world history since the ascension of Christ to the end of time. The indictment on man is that he fails to glorify God as Creator and Lord, persecutes the Church and fails to repent of his sins. Revelation is the last book in the bible and the keys to its interpretation are rooted in the rest of the bible both NT and OT and in understanding the contemporary events of the day.

The main message of Revelation is summarised by the letter to the church in Smyrna (2:10):

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. -

Here we find John's first warning concerning the persecution of the Church. The church is warned to be faithful even to death and they will receive the crown of life pictured by the New Jerusalem and the river of life flowing from the throne. There is nothing to fear in death because after death they will go to be with the Lord and reign with him for ever. There is a death to fear and that is the second death which is the lake of fire and those who worship the beast will go to it. The picture of the saints given to us shows that they are persecuted because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God, and the two witnesses show that their testimony is part of God's plan for without it the seventh trumpet which ushers in God's kingdom cannot be sounded.

Compromise with the world

If warnings about persecution is one purpose of Revelation another is to warn about compromise with the world. This is spelt out in the letters to Pergamum and Thyatira. Jesus warns his servants not to compromise with the world so that it will not share in its sins and in its consequent plagues (18:4), His church, as His bride, must be spotless 14:4 ff. The book is about two sets of people on the earth, firstly those who worship the beast and his image and receive the mark of the beast's name, they will be tormented for ever. Secondly those who do not worship the beast but keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus, these will reign with Him for ever in the paradise of God. It is also a warning to sleepy, content, Christians to wake up.

Rewards

It also warns that our deeds done on earth determine our destiny after death whether for punishment or reward. The rewards to those who overcome are outlined at the end of each of the letters to the seven churches while punishment for the cowardly is depicted in 21:8. Before the great white throne the dead are judged according to what they had done. In 22:12 Jesus announces that He is coming soon 'My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done'. In the introduction to most of the letters to the seven churches he announces that 'I know your deeds'. In 2:23 he announces to the church in Thyatira that he will repay each of them according to their deeds. In 14:13 those who die in the Lord will rest from their labours because their deeds follow them, the only thing we can take into the next life are our deeds done while in the body. In 14:9 those who worship the beast and his image will be tormented with burning sulphur for ever and ever, while those who are victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb (15:2, 3) and God's servants will reign for ever and ever (22:5).

Worship

It is also a book about those who worship God and those who worship idols, John is clear that only God is to worshipped, see comments on 9:20. Those who worship the beast and his image are guilty of idolatry and are punished with eternal torment. In 13:4 John makes clear that men worship the dragon, that is Satan, who gives his authority to the beast. Chapters 4 and 5 depict both the worship of God and the Lamb. The angel in 14:7 commands those who live on the earth to 'Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water' and in 14:9-12 we see the punishment of those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark on the forehead or on the hand. Twice John is rebuked because he worships an angel instead of God. Idolaters are consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur and excluded from the New Jerusalem. The first bowl is poured out on those who worship the beast and his image. Those who do not worship the beast and his image reign with Christ for a thousand years.

Second Coming

It is sometimes said that Revelation is not relevant to today but we should see a close connection between what is described in the book and the second coming which certainly is relevant today. The book describes 'what must soon take place' (1:1) i.e. the events preceding the second coming, the book is replete with warnings about his unexpected second coming ending with 'Yes, I am coming soon' (22:20). In every generation Christ could return and the church should be expecting and ready for His return in their generation. The book is designed to prepare God's people both for the events preceding his return and for His return. In this respect its message speaks to every generation because every generation could be the last. Consider the blessing to those who read and hear and take to heart the words of this prophecy because the time is near (1:3) and the blessing to those who keep the words of this prophecy, spoken in connection with the second coming (22:7). Any interpretation should make it meaningful now so that God's people are prepared for the events preceding the return and are ready for the return because the time is near. The letters to the seven churches and the promises to those who overcome should be seen in this light especially the letter to the church in Sardis (3:1 ff.) where the church is warned to wake up or Christ will come to them unexpectedly. The church is also warned that the beast will make war against the saints and conquer them, in the light of this inevitability it calls for the saints to have patient endurance and be faithful (13:7, 10). The torment of those who worship the beast also calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus (14:12). In 16:15 Jesus warns us of his unexpected second coming and blesses those who stay awake and keep their cloths with them. 18:4 warns us to come out of Babylon so that we will not share in her sins and in her plagues. 19:7 indicates that the bride must make herself ready for the groom. Rev 21-22 shows the heavenly reward for those who overcome and the punishment for those who worship the beast. In the light of this any interpretation of this book should seek to make it relevant to God's people now.

The beast and the Church

In regard to the beast the church is warned that it will silence her witness (11:7) and that it will wage war against God's people and overcome them (13:7) and that they will be imprisoned and killed (13:10). We are also warned about a false Christ, the beast out of the earth, who will be the propaganda machine for the first beast and who will demand that everyone worship the first beast and will exercise economic control. We are warned not to worship the first beast or his image, this would have implications for the church. As an example take the church in Germany before the second world war when Hitler was on the ascendancy, the church for the most part went along with him, few where prepared to denounce him. [For an account read 'The Body' by Charles Colson published by Word Publishing]. As another example, take China where there is persecution, should they join the 'state' church (Three-Self Patriotic Movement) or the underground church? For the Germans, the Chinese and for us a proper understanding of the symbolism of Revelation will allow us to interpret the events around us and prepare our hearts for what takes place. Who can say that persecution will not arise in the West? But for us, perhaps it is the seductive gold cup of the prostitute that is the greatest threat to the church in the West.

A book of contrasts

It is also a book of contrasts

• Consider the bride and the whore.
• Consider the fate of those who worship the beast who are tormented for ever and ever, and those who worship God who will reign for ever and ever.
• Contrast the beast with the Lamb.
• There are the counterfeit miracles of the false prophet and the authentic miracles of the two witnesses.
• There is the heavenly city of the New Jerusalem and the earthly city of Babylon the great.
• There is Jesus who is, and who was, and who is to come, and the beast who once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction.
• There is the second death contrasted with the crown of life.
• There are those with the mark of the beast on their forehead and those with the names of the Lamb and the Father on their foreheads.
• Compare Babylon which will never have the music of the harp in it and the redeemed who have harps in heaven. Babylon will never have the light of a lamp in it again but in the New Jerusalem the Lamb is its Lamp.
• Babylon will never have the voice of bride and bridegroom in it again while in the New Jerusalem the bride will forever sing Hallelujah to the Lamb.
• There is the great supper of God and the wedding supper of the Lamb.
• There are the cowardly who go to the lake of fire and those who overcome who have the water of life.
• There are God's servants who serve him day and night and the Devil who accuses them day and night.
• Compare the Lamb looking as if it had been slain and the beast with a fatal wound.
• There are those who have no rest day or night with those who rest from their labours.

Overcomers

To overcome or conquer is a keyword in the book, at the end of each of the letters to the seven churches its members are urged to overcome so that they will receive their heavenly reward just as Christ overcame and sat down with his Father on His throne (3:21). In 21:7 'He who overcomes will inherit all this' referring to John's vision of heaven. In 12:11 the saints overcame the devil by 'by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony'. In 6:3 we see a white horse whose rider 'rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest'. In 13:7 the beast 'was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them'. In 17:14 The ten kings make war against the Lamb, 'but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers'. Revelation can be considered an expansion or commentary of Rom 8:35-39 in which we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Rom 8:37)

(Rom 8:35-39) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? {36} As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." {37} No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. {38} For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, {39} neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Another key phrase is 'patient endurance' which occurs four times in the book (1:9, 3:10, 13:10, 14:12) which refers to patient endurance under persecution.

Revelation is written to God's servants in order to show them what must soon take place. There is a blessing for all those who read, hear and heed the things written in it. This includes all God's servants from John's generation to the generation when Christ returns. It urges all who hear to overcome so that he can eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God. The book features the second coming of Christ prominently, while the futurist telescopes most of the book to immediately prior to Christ coming, Christ does come again to all those who die before his second coming. To some death will bring rejoicing and praise to others mourning. This book is written to martyrs to tell them that in death they become overcomers, who 'overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death' 12:1.

The Christians who live between the first and second coming of our Lord live in a state of tension between the spiritual realities which are perceived by faith and the life of the senses lived on the earth (xxxx). Revelation shows us the heavenly reality of God on his throne governing the universe (Ch 4). It declares to us that Jesus is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth (1:5). That Jesus rose from the dead guarantees that we too will rise from the dead; Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth even though this does not appear to be so. When Jesus returns all the dead saints will rise from the dead and God's enemies will be defeated, thus our faith in the heavenly realities depicted in Revelation and the rest of the bible will be vindicated. This tension is further illustrated in 1 John 3:2, we are now children of God, but we do not know what our future bodies will be like except that when Christ returns we 'shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is'. Paul also speaks about the Christian hope of the redemption of our bodies, Rom 8:23-25, which will occur at His return 1 Cor 15:12 ff., 1 Thess 4:13-18. Note that Christ has already risen from the dead, but the dead in Christ will not rise from the dead until he comes again. Until then we live by faith in the Son of God, who died for us and rose for us, we live now by faith not by sight (1 John 5:4-5, 2 Cor 5:1-7)

Just as Genesis tells us the beginning of history, Revelation tells us how it will end. In a sense Revelation tells us nothing new, but it emphasises and repeats in a new and vivid way, in images, what the rest of scripture says to the church. It is God's last message to the church telling her that she will be persecuted, but that He, God, is in control, and that she will in the end be victorious over her enemies. At the end of the first century God knew that centuries of persecution lay ahead for the church and this is His way of preparing the church and comforting the church in her troubles. It shows her that there is a happy ending for those who overcome.

For those who don't know the Lord, who do not know his love and have not been freed of their sins (1:5) its message is given by Psalm 2:

(Psa 2:10-12) Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. {11} Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. {12} Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

And also by the angel in 14:7:

(Rev 14:7) He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgement has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."

Revelation depicts the fearful image of the Lake of fire for those who are not in the Lamb's book of life. Revelation declares God as Creator and Jesus as redeemer and it is to Jesus we must come for salvation. The picture of the Lamb who was slain shows the same Jesus who died on the cross for our sins now exalted at the right hand of God. The use of the term Lamb in Revelation is a constant reminder that Jesus died for our sins. It is also a reminder amongst much woe for the world of the grace of God which is available to all those who turn from their sins to Jesus.

Rev 5:9 indicates that Jesus died for everyone from every people group on the earth and therefore His salvation is freely available to everyone. See also 7:9 that indicates that people from every people group will be represented in heaven and 14:6 in which an angel proclaims the gospel to every people group on earth.

(Rev 5:9) And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

In 21:6 and 22:17 God, the Spirit and the church invite those who are thirsty, who desire, to take the free gift of the water of life.

(Rev 21:6) He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.

(Rev 22:17) The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

He stands at the door of our hearts and knocks and we need to invite Him in and fellowship with Him (3:20).

Revelation assumes the rest of the bible which is why it does not give a detailed plan of salvation. The following scriptures may help those who want to discover God and Jesus for themselves: Isa 53, Luke 5:31-32, Heb 11:6, John 3:16-17, 6:44, 20:31, 1 Tim 2:3-6, Acts 3:19, 17:30-31, 20:21.