Revelation of Jesus Christ

Do not fear, only believe.  Even though Jesus says this to His people, many are fearful about the coming events of the end-times.  They don't even want to think about it, yet alone read the book of Revelation.

Would you allow the Holy Spirit to change your mind?  First, God promises a special blessing to those who read or even hear the words of this prophecy.  Second, and most important, in verse one, this book is "The revelation of Jesus Christ" rather than just a description of the "terrible" things to come that it is feared to be.  The book of Revelation reveals Jesus' heart, power, and leadership in preparing the nations for God's glory.  The main theme is Jesus' return to earth as king to rule all the nations (Rev. 1:7) and to remove all that resists His kingdom of absolute love.  God is love. 

God deliberately chose to give us this revelation of Jesus to prepare us for the end-time drama that will transition the earth to the age-to-come, and to equip us to endure persecution and temptation so as to overcome in victory (Rev 12:11, Rev 15:2).  Rather than instill fear, God promises these words will give grace and peace to His believing church (Rev 1:4). 

"Behold, He is coming in the clouds, and every eye shall see Him" (Rev. 1:7) so every person will see His royal procession back to earth.  If we humbly open our hearts to read Revelation correctly, it causes us to love Jesus and trust His leadership and dramatic plan to transition the earth to where "the kingdoms of the earth have become the kingdoms of our Lord."  His wise and loving plans combine God's sovereignty, human free will, and overcoming the arrogant Satanic rage, which produce an awesome end-time harvest of souls and a victorious Church, without violating justice or man's free will.  Both love and wickedness will come to full expression and receive their reward.  God is not mocked, what a person sows he will reap. 

Jesus will judge wickedness and oppression to remove all that hinders love (Rev. 19:2). The Antichrist and the kings of the earth will declare war against Jesus (Rev. 17:14; 19:19; cf. Ps. 2:2). Jesus will war against them (Rev. 19:11).  Jesus’ judgments in the Great Tribulation do not happen to God’s people as helpless victims of Satan, but are released through them as they partner with His sovereign leadership. As the book of Acts describes the power of the Spirit released through the early church, so the book of Revelation describes the power of the Spirit to be released through the end-time church.  The type of miracles and judgments seen in the books of Exodus and Acts will be multiplied and released worldwide through prayer in the Tribulation. The greatest demonstrations of power in history will be released by the praying Church operating in unity under Jesus’ leadership. 

Let's look at an overview of Revelation that will help us grasp the understanding of the message through seeing the way the events unfold.  There are 4 parts in the structure of the book of Revelation with the fourth part being the largest consisting of 5 chronological sections in which the events occur in sequential order.  

Part 1: John’s calling to prophesy about the end times (Rev. 1). John gave truths about Jesus’ majesty that formed the way he prophesied about the end times. These revelations of Jesus' character are necessary to give knowledge of His nature and also to equip us for this time. 

Part 2: Jesus gave 7 letters to the churches (Rev. 2-3). The instructions Jesus gave to these churches about overcoming sin also give insight into what the end-time church must overcome. 

Part 3: Jesus takes the scroll (Rev. 4-5). Contains the earth’s title deed and His plan to cleanse it. Jesus takes a 7-sealed scroll from the Father. The scroll represents the title deed of the earth and the battle plan to judge, cleanse, and prepare the nations for Jesus’ rule over all the earth, while bringing the Church to a mature Bride who partners with Him in the plan (Rev 6-22). 

Part 4: Jesus’ battle plan (Rev. 6-22). Includes Great Tribulation judgments against the Antichrist. Jesus reveals His main storyline of love to cleanse the earth of evil. His battle plan is seen in 5 chronological sections describing the main storyline of the 21 judgment events (7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls) that are released on the Antichrist’s empire in sequential order. 

After each chronological section, an angel explains to John why the events just described are necessary. The angelic explanations function as a parenthesis that puts the storyline on “pause.” They answer questions arising from the chronological sections: Why is God’s wrath so severe? What will happen to the saints? Angels explain to John what happens to God’s people including what Jesus will do to help them, and what the Antichrist will do to persecute them.   

Chronological Section #1 (Rev. 6). The seal judgments against the kingdom of darkness. Angelic Explanation #1 (Rev. 7). We receive protection from judgments and falling away. 

Chronological Section #2 (Rev. 8-9). The trumpet judgments against the Antichrist’s empire. Angelic Explanation #2 (Rev. 10-11). We receive direction by increased prophetic ministry. 

Chronological Section #3 (Rev. 11:15-19). Jesus’ second coming royal procession and the rapture leading to Jesus replacing all the kings and top governmental leaders on earth. Angelic Explanation #3 (Rev. 12-14)—the Antichrist’s violent confrontation with the saints deserves Jesus’ judgment and the replacement of all his evil governments. 1. At the 7th and last trumpet (1 Thes. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52; Rev. 10:7), Jesus will rapture the Church and travel across the sky in a royal procession so that every eye will see Him (Rev. 1:7). 7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. (Rev. 1:7) 2. After this, Jesus will enter Jerusalem and stand on the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4). 

Chronological Section #4 (Rev. 15-16). Bowl judgments destroy evil infrastructures in society. Angelic Explanation #4 (Rev. 17-18). The seduction of Babylon’s evil religion will permeate and infiltrate all the structures of society, requiring that Babylon be totally destroyed. 

Chronological Section #5 (Rev. 19-20). Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Rev. 19:11-21:8). Angelic Explanation #5 (Rev. 21-22). The restoration of all things, Acts 3:21, (Rev. 21:9-22:5). 11 I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns…15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them…16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS…19 I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him… 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet…these two were cast alive into the lake of fire…21 The rest were killed with the sword… 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of…Satan, and bound him for a thousand years …3 so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished…4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them…they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Rev. 19:11-20:4)  

We will proceed step by step in coming posts to help us understand the powerful truths of this revelation of Jesus that God chose to provide for our benefit. 

The Holy Spirit bears witness to Jesus in the book of Revelation, and will use this revelation to lead us into all truth which prepares us for the events coming.  Fear not, avoid not, excuse not, and read this crucial book for the time is at hand.  Be blessed as you read and hear the words of this Revelation!