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Rev
THE REVELATION.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK AS A WHOLE.
Rev 1. INTRODUCTION.
Rev 2-3. THE PEOPLE ON THE EARTH.
Rev 4-5 IN HEAVEN. (The Throne, the Book, and the Lamb.)
Rev_6:1 - Rev_7:8 ON EARTH. (The Six Seals and 144,000.)
Rev_7:9 - Rev_8:6 IN HEAVEN. (The Great Multitude and the Seventh Seal.)
Rev_8:7 - Rev_11:14 ON EARTH. (The Six Trumpets.)
Rev_11:15-19 IN HEAVEN. (The Seventh Trumpet.)
Rev_11:19 ON EARTH. (The Earthquake, &c.)
Rev_12:1-12. IN HEAVEN. (Woman, Child, and Dragon.) [Satan''s First Rebellion. 4 ]
Rev_12:13 - Rev_13:18 ON EARTH. (The Dragon and Two Beasts.)
Rev_14:1-5 IN HEAVEN. (The Lamb and 144,000.)
Rev_14:6-20 ON EARTH. (The Six Angels.)
Rev_15:1-8. IN HEAVEN. (The Seven Vial Angels.)
Rev_16:1 - Rev_18:24. ON EARTH. (The Seven Vials.)
Rev_19:1-16. IN HEAVEN. (The Marriage of the Lamb, &c.)
Rev_19:17 - Rev_20:15 ON EARTH. (The Final Five Judgments.)
Rev_21:1 - Rev_22:5. THE PEOPLE ON THE NEW EARTH.
Rev_22:6-21. CONCLUSION.
( Note . The Structures in the Notes are taken from Dr. E.W. Bullinger''s comprehensive work, The Apocalypse , but as not all in that volume are here given, the lettering is not consecutive throughout. This, however, does not interfere with the study of the Structures presented.)
INTRODUCTORY NOTES.
1 . TITLE OF THE BOOK. Man calls it "The Revelation of St. John the Divine". But its God-given title is in the first verse, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ", that is, the Unveiling, Revealing, and Presentation to earth and heaven of the Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah) as "KING of Kings and LORD of Lords". It is spoken of as:(a) "The word of God" (Rev_1:2), in the sense in which the term occurs in the Old Testament (Cp. 1Ch_17:3. Jer_1:4, Jer_1:13. Eze_1:3. Joe_1:1; &c.):(b) "This prophecy" (Rev_1:3):therefore a prophetic message. The "blessing" here promised makes it clear that from this verse (and not 4:1, as many suppose) to the end the Book concerns things yet future:(c) "The testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev_1:2, Rev_1:9). Either as testimony to Him as the Coming One (Genitive of the Object):or, the testimony He bore on earth (Gen. of the Subject; Appdx-17 ); probably both.
2 . AUTHORSHIP. The testimony of Melito , bishop of Sardis (c. 170), quoted by Eusebius ; Irenaeus (c. 180); the Mutatorian Cannon fragment (c. 200);
Clement of Alexandria (c. 200); Tertullian (c. 200); Origen (c. 233); Hippolytus , bishop of Pontus (c. 240); &c., may fairly be accepted as to the writer being John the "beloved disciple" and apostle, as against the claims of a supposed John, "an Elder (cp. Peter''s eldership, 1Pe_5:1) resident in Asia", who is hailed by "the majority of modern critics" as being the author of the Johannine letters (see Introductory Notes to 1 John) and the Revelation (Appdx-197 ).
3 . DATE WRITTEN. This by almost unanimous consent if the early Church writers is ascribed to the close of the reign of the Emperor Domitian, about A.D. 96. At the time of the so-called:Second General Persecution" of the "Christians".
4 . To Whom it was originally sent is unknown. We have no clue, and therefore all speculations on the subject are valueless. (For Characteristics, Scope, Symbolism, &c., of Revelation , see Appdx-197 .)
STRUCTURE OF THE SEVEN EPISTLES TO THE CHURCHES, AS A WHOLE.
Correspondent to Israel in the Wilderness.
1. EPHESUS. Israel''s espousals.
2. SMYRNA. Israel''s testing.
3. PERGAMOS. Israel''s failure.
In the Land. Churches that Jesus found no fault with.
4. THYATIRA. The day of Israel''s kings.
5. SARDIS. Israel''s removal.
6. PHILADELPHIA. The day of Judah''s kings.
7. LAODICEA. Judah''s removal.
Rev_4:1 - Rev_5:14. THE FIRST VISION IN HEAVEN.
Rev_4:1-8 -. The throne, the elders, and the zoa .
Rev_4:8-11. The utterances of the zoa and the elders. Theme: creation .
Rev_5:1-7. The throne and the book:the Lion and the Lamb.
Rev_5:8-14. The new Song of the zoe and the elders. Other heavenly utterances. Theme: redemption .
Rev_6:1 - Rev_7:8. THE SIX SEALS AND THE SEALING.
Rev_6:1-2. The false Christ going forth to make war on the saints. (1st seal.) Mat_24:4, Mat_24:5.
Mat_6:3-8. Judgments on him and his followers. (2nd, 3rd, and 4th seals.) Mat_24:6-7.
Mat_6:9-11. The effects of the war with the saints. Their martyrdom. (5th seal.) Mat_24:8-28.
Mat_6:12-17. Judgments on him and his followers. (6th seal.) Mat_24:29, Mat_24:30. Question, "Who will be able to stand?"
Rev_7:1-8. Answer to question, by the sealing of 144, 000, enabling them to stand in judgment. Mat_24:31.
Rev_7:9 - Rev_8:6. THE SECOND VISION IN HEAVEN.
Rev_7:9-12. The heavenly voices and utterances.
Rev_7:13-14. The great multitude. Whence they came.
Rev_7:15-17. The great multitude. Where they are.
Rev_8:1-6. The heavenly silence and activities (seventh seal).
Rev_8:7 - Rev_11:14. THE SECOND VISION ON EARTH.
The first six trumpets .
Rev_8:7 -. The FIRST trumpet.
Rev_8:7 -. The earth smitten (hail and fire, &c.).
Rev_8:7. The third part of trees.
Rev_8:8 -. The SECOND trumpet.
Rev_8:8 -. The sea smitten (burning mountains, &c.).
Rev_8:8. Third part of sea blood.
Rev_8:9. Death of living creatures in sea. The four trumpets.
Rev_8:10 -. The THIRD trumpet.
Rev_8:10-11 -. The waters smitten (star falling, &c.).
Rev_8:11 -. Third part of waters wormwood.
Rev_8:11. Death of men.
Rev_8:12 -. The FOURTH trumpet.
Rev_8:12 -. The heaven smitten (sun, moon, and stars).
Rev_8:12. Third part darkened.
Rev_8:13. Three woes yet to come.
Rev_9:1-11. The FIFTH trumpet. (The first woe).
Rev_9:12. The termination of first woe ("The first woe is past"). The first two
Rev_9:13 - Rev_11:13 The SIXTH trumpet. (The second woe.) woe trumpets.
Rev_11:14 -. The termination of second woe ("The second woe is past").
Rev_11:14. "The third woe cometh quickly.
Rev_11:15-19 -. THE THIRD VISION IN HEAVEN.
Rev_11:15 -. The sounding of the seventh trumpet in heaven.
- Rev_11:15 -. Great voices in heaven.
- Rev_11:15. Their utterance.
Rev_11:16. The twenty-four elders.
Rev_11:17-18. Their utterance.
Rev_11:19 -. The opening of God''s Temple in heaven.
Rev_12:13 - Rev_13:18. THE FOURTH VISION "ON EARTH".
Rev_12:13-17. The effect as regards Israel.
Rev_13:1-18. The effect as regards the earth.
Rev_14:6-20. THE FIFTH VISION "ON EARTH".
The Six Angels and the Son of Man.
Rev_14:6. The first Angel
Rev_14:7. His proclamation.
Rev_14:8 -. The second Angel.
- Rev_14:8. His declaration.
Rev_14:9 -. The third Angel.
- Rev_14:9-13. His denunciation (- Rev_14:9-11). His consolation (Rev_14:12-13).
Rev_14:14 -. The Son of Man.
- Rev_14:14. What He had. A sharp sickle.
Rev_14:15 -. The forth Angel.
- Rev_14:15-16. His command to the Son of Man (-15). Its execution (16).
Rev_14:17 -. The fifth Angel.
- Rev_14:17. What he had. The sharp sickle.
Rev_14:18 -. The sixth Angel.
- Rev_14:18-20. His command to the fifth angel (- Rev_14:18). Its execution (Rev_14:19-20).
Rev_15:1-8. THE SIXTH VISION "IN HEAVEN".
Rev_15:1. The seven angels.
Rev_15:2-4. Worship offered.
Rev_15:5-7. The seven angels.
Rev_15:8. Worship no longer possible.
Rev_18:1-24. THE JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT CITY.
Rev_18:1-2. Babylon''s judgment. Announcement of it.
Rev_18:3. Babylon''s associates. Their sin.
Rev_18:4. God''s people. Call to "Come out of her".
Rev_18:5-8. Babylon''s judgment. Reason for it.
Rev_18:9-19. Babylon''s inhabitants. Their lamentation.
Rev_18:20. God''s people. Call to "Rejoice over her".
Rev_18:21. Babylon''s judgment. Manner of it.
Rev_18:22-23. Babylon''s inhabitants. Their silence.
Rev_18:24. God''s people. Their blood "found in her".
Rev_19:1-10. THE FINAL HEAVENLY UTTERANCES.
Rev_19:1 -. The voice of the great multitude.
- Rev_19:1. Hallelujah. 1st
Rev_19:2-3 -. Reason. utterance.
- Rev_19:3. The smoke and destruction of the harlot.
Rev_19:4. Prostration of the elders (2nd utterance).
Rev_19:5. Exhortation from the throne (3rd utterance) to the servants of God (Pos.).
Rev_19:6 -. The voice of the great multitude.
- Rev_19:6-7 -. Hallelujah. 4th
- Rev_19:7. Reason. utterance.
Rev_19:8-9 -. The array and blessedness of the wife.
- Rev_19:9-10 -. Prostration of John.
- Rev_19:10. Exhortation of angel to John, his fellow servant (Neg.).
Rev_19:17 - Rev_20:15. THE SEVENTH (AND LAST) VISION
"ON EARTH".
Rev_19:17-21. Men. The judgment of the beast and the false prophet.
Rev_20:1-3. Satan. The judgment of Satan (before the millennium).
Rev_20:4-6. Men. The judgment of the over-comers. The "rest of the dead" left for judgment.
Rev_20:7-10. Satan. The judgment of Satan. (After the millennium).
Rev_20:11-15. Men. The judgment of the great white throne.
Rev_21:1 - Rev_22:5. THE PEOPLE ON THE NEW EARTH.
Rev_21:1-2. Visions (heavens and earth, &c.).
Rev_21:3-8. Voices.
Rev_21:9 - Rev_22:5. Visions (the bride).