A Study of The Book of Revelation, Part #51

Earl Gillespie
The Bible Study Network

A Study of The Book of Revelation
A Verse by Verse Study
A Summary

Let me sum up here what we have studied thus far: John was on the Isle of Patmos for his testimony. He was instructed to write in a book the things he had seen, the things he was looking upon, and the things which should be in the future. He did just that. He wrote concerning the vision he had seen; he wrote concerning the Church period in which he lived and the church throughout the church age.  Revelation is one of the most overlooked books of the Bible because it paints an apocalyptic view of humanity and the earth.  

A great number of Christians leaders and world leaders cannot accept the book of Revelation as a vision of the final disposition of things, therefore they look for other ways to interpret the scripture. Words such as spiritualization, premillennial, postmillennialism and Amillennialism  come to the forefront whenever a discussion of Revelation is presented.  The uses of those phrases are used to present a polluted form of the book that sedate or satisfies the listener.  Even wars has been fought in the attempt to change the prophecies of the book.

I am often described as an infidel bible student because my method of Bible study, a verse by verse study of the scriptures often causes denominational barriers to become blurred.  Many denominations spiritualize the Jews and the church become the spiritual Israel, the Bible is not supportive of this conclusion.  I made this statement once in a bible study group once and I was upbraided and told that the bible says, we are no longer Jews nor Gentiles, but one body."   The scripture that was referenced was, 1 Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." True, Paul is addressing the division in the church as pertaining to the Jews and the gentiles.  In the church a called out body, there is but one body, baptized into one spirit and it is neither Jews or gentiles.   Paul went on to say, 1 Corinthians 10:32  Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:  We should not take scriptures out of the context in which they were spoken. 

 In Chapter 4:1-3 John moves from earth to Heaven as the Rapture takes place and again we realize that the church, the Jews and the gentiles are separate entities.  The church is caught up, but there are those who remain to go through the tribulation.  Revelation  present scripture proof that the Jews, the Gentiles and the church play a separate but important role in the judgment that is to come upon the earth.   See "The Five Judgements."

The common opinion that the Millennium is to be ushered in by the preaching of the Gospel, and after the Millennium there is to be a "General Resurrection" Followed by a "General Judgment," and then the earth is to be destroyed by fire. This is what most have been taught but this  is not  all scriptural.  

There can be no "General" Judgment because the Scriptures speak of one judgment as being in the "Air" (1Th 4:16-17; 2Co 5:6-10); another on the "Earth" (Mt 25:31-46); and a third in "Heaven," the earth and its atmosphere, having fled away. Re 20:11-15. And to make sure that these three separate judgments should not and can not be combined in one General judgment scene, three different Thrones are mentioned.

These lessons also bring to light the deadly sins of selective reading the scripture for the purpose of making a point.  We should be careful not to misinterpret, mis-locate or misapply the word of God.  The context must always be recognized and the interpretation must be based upon who is talking, who is being spoken to and what is being talked about.  It is called rightly dividing the word of truth.  Satan masterminded and manipulated an apostate religion that began to masquerade as Christianity as far back as the days of the apostles.  The message to the seven churches seems to imply that this counterfeit Christianity would be one of Satan's main instruments of deception until the end of time.

in chapter four we see the redeemed around the rainbow-circled throne - the judgment seat for believers, where we will be rewarded for our stewardship (I Corinthians 3:11-15). Chapter five speaks of the seven-sealed book containing the terms of earth’s redemption. John wept because no one was found worthy to open the book, but the Lamb prevailed . . . the Lion of the Tribe of Judah opened the book. 

In chapter six we have the beginning of the removal of the seals. The Antichrist rides out on a white horse a symbol of peace. He is a counterfeit; he has a bow and no arrow, but his white horse soon turns red. Chapter seven gives the sealing of the 144,000 missionaries, and in the last of the chapter has revealed a great multitude of people saved through the ministry of the 144,000.

In chapter eight the seventh seal is opened, and the horrors under that seal were so terrible that all Heaven stood speechless for the space of half an hour. Four of the seven trumpets are recorded here. 

Chapter nine opens with the fifth trumpet and the first woe. The last part of that chapter reveals the sounding of the sixth trumpet.

Chapter ten gives us the picture of the Angel (Jesus) with the little book . . . the same book as in chapter five, except that the seals have been removed and the book is now open.

In chapter eleven we saw the two witnesses of God - Moses and Elijah. They prophesied during the last half of the Tribulation; they cannot be destroyed until their ministry is finished, at which time they are put to death and their dead bodies lie in the street for three-and-one-half days. Their bodies are then resurrected and caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord. The last of chapter eleven resumes the trumpets, and the seventh and final trumpet is sounded.

In chapter twelve we have the judgment continued under the seventh trumpet. There is war in Heaven, and in this chapter we see seven personages.  In Revelation 12:1 John saw a great sign in Heaven . a woman. In Revelation 12:3 he saw  another sign . . . a red dragon. As we study Revelation 15:1 John sees another sign . . . this one being  “great and marvellous.” What makes this third sign so great and marvelous is that the “full  wrath of God” is about to be poured out upon the persecutors of the woman (Israel).  Where is the church?  The church is in heaven with Jesus, the church will no go through the tribulation. 

In chapter thirteen the two Beasts appear - one a political dictator, the other a religious dictator. 

In chapter fourteen we see the Lamb, sitting upon a white cloud, and the coming of the Lord Jesus in power and great glory, to pour out His fury upon earth’s inhabitants. The doom of the Beast-worshippers is given in this chapter. Out of the seventh trumpet come the seven vials of the wrath of God, which is God’s final judgment upon this earth. At the end of the seven vials, the Antichrist and his systems will be put down forever, completely destroyed, and the Beast and False Prophet will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.

Modernists preachers will not preach about a God of judgment, today the message is mostly about a God of love.  There is entirely too much blood in Revelation to fit the modern Sunday morning sermon. But whether it is preached  or not, whether you believe it or not, God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). God deals in blood and fire, and if you are not covered by the Blood, then you will be engulfed in the fire. If you fail to receive His mercy and  grace, then you will suffer His wrath and fury, and you will be judged when God performs “HIS STRANGE WORK” (Isaiah 28:21). 

It makes no difference what you have heard, what you have read, what preachers have said, nor what seminaries have taught: The Bible is God’ s Word, and that Word is forever settled in Heaven. There are bookks being written and called the "New Bible" but all hell cannot change  the Word of God.  There is a hell . . . a hell of fire and brimstone. There is a judgment day for all, and all will be there. My advice to you, precious friend, is that if you are not as sure you are saved as you are sure you are breathing, then bow on your knees this moment and stay there until you can say, Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!” 

You can know you are saved! And if you do not know it, you are not saved. Read Timothy 1:12, I John 3:14, Romans 8:16. 

Next

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Seven Angels With the Seven Last Plagues

Revelation 15:1-8: