Bible Commentaries
Revelation

Rev THE REVELATION. THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK AS A WHOLE. Revelation 1:0; Revelation 1:0 . INTRODUCTION. Rev 2-3. THE PEOPLE ON THE EARTH. Rev 4-5 IN HEAVEN. (The Throne, the Book, and the Lamb.) Revelation 6:1 - Revelation 7:8 ON EARTH. (The Six Seals and 144,000.) Revelation 7:9 - Revelation 8:6 IN HEAVEN. (The Great Multitude and the Seventh Seal.) Revelation 8:7 - Revelation 11:14 ON EARTH. (The Six Trumpets.) Revelation 11:15-19 IN HEAVEN. (The Seventh Trumpet.) Revelation 11:19 ON EARTH. (The Earthquake, &c.) Revelation 12:1-12 . IN HEAVEN. (Woman, Child, and Dragon.) [Satan''s First Rebellion. 4 ] Revelation 12:13 - Revelation 13:18 ON EARTH. (The Dragon and Two Beasts.) Revelation 14:1-5 IN HEAVEN. (The Lamb and 144,000.) Revelation 14:6-20 ON EARTH. (The Six Angels.) Revelation 15:1-8 . IN HEAVEN. (The Seven Vial Angels.) Revelation 16:1 - Revelation 18:24 . ON EARTH. (The Seven Vials.) Revelation 19:1-16 . IN HEAVEN. (The Marriage of the Lamb, &c.) Revelation 19:17 - Revelation 20:15 ON EARTH. (The Final Five Judgments.) Revelation 21:1 - Revelation 22:5 . THE PEOPLE ON THE NEW EARTH. Revelation 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" (Revelation 1:2 ), in the sense in which the term occurs in the Old Testament (Cp. 1 Chronicles 17:3 .Jeremiah 1:4 , Jeremiah 1:13 .Ezekiel 1:3 .Joel 1:1 ; &c.):(b) "This prophecy" (Revelation 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" (Revelation 1:2 , Revelation 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, 1 Peter 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. Revelation 4:1 - Revelation 5:14 . THE FIRST VISION IN HEAVEN. Revelation 4:1-8 -. The throne, the elders, and the zoa . Revelation 4:8-11 . The utterances of the zoa and the elders. Theme: creation . Revelation 5:1-7 . The throne and the book:the Lion and the Lamb. Revelation 5:8-14 . The new Song of the zoe and the elders. Other heavenly utterances. Theme: redemption . Revelation 6:1 - Revelation 7:8 . THE SIX SEALS AND THE SEALING. Revelation 6:1-2 . The false Christ going forth to make war on the saints. (1st seal.) Matthew 24:4 , Matthew 24:5 . Matthew 6:3-8 . Judgments on him and his followers. (2nd, 3rd, and 4th seals.) Matthew 24:6-7 . Matthew 6:9-11 . The effects of the war with the saints. Their martyrdom. (5th seal.) Matthew 24:8-28 . Matthew 6:12-17 . Judgments on him and his followers. (6th seal.) Matthew 24:29 , Matthew 24:30 . Question, "Who will be able to stand?" Revelation 7:1-8 . Answer to question, by the sealing of 144, 000, enabling them to stand in judgment. Matthew 24:31 . Revelation 7:9 - Revelation 8:6 . THE SECOND VISION IN HEAVEN. Revelation 7:9-12 . The heavenly voices and utterances. Revelation 7:13-14 . The great multitude. Whence they came. Revelation 7:15-17 . The great multitude. Where they are. Revelation 8:1-6 . The heavenly silence and activities (seventh seal). Revelation 8:7 - Revelation 11:14 . THE SECOND VISION ON EARTH. The first six trumpets . Revelation 8:7 -. The FIRST trumpet. Revelation 8:7 -. The earth smitten (hail and fire, &c.). Revelation 8:7 . The third part of trees. Revelation 8:8 -. The SECOND trumpet. Revelation 8:8 -. The sea smitten (burning mountains, &c.). Revelation 8:8 . Third part of sea blood. Revelation 8:9 . Death of living creatures in sea. The four trumpets. Revelation 8:10 -. The THIRD trumpet. Revelation 8:10-11 -. The waters smitten (star falling, &c.). Revelation 8:11 -. Third part of waters wormwood. Revelation 8:11 . Death of men. Revelation 8:12 -. The FOURTH trumpet. Revelation 8:12 -. The heaven smitten (sun, moon, and stars). Revelation 8:12 . Third part darkened. Revelation 8:13 . Three woes yet to come. Revelation 9:1-11 . The FIFTH trumpet. (The first woe). Revelation 9:12 . The termination of first woe ("The first woe is past"). The first two Revelation 9:13 - Revelation 11:13 The SIXTH trumpet. (The second woe.) woe trumpets. Revelation 11:14 -. The termination of second woe ("The second woe is past"). Revelation 11:14 . "The third woe cometh quickly. Revelation 11:15-19 -. THE THIRD VISION IN HEAVEN. Revelation 11:15 -. The sounding of the seventh trumpet in heaven. - Revelation 11:15 -. Great voices in heaven. - Revelation 11:15 . Their utterance. Revelation 11:16 . The twenty-four elders. Revelation 11:17-18 . Their utterance. Revelation 11:19 -. The opening of God''s Temple in heaven. Revelation 12:13 - Revelation 13:18 . THE FOURTH VISION "ON EARTH". Revelation 12:13-17 . The effect as regards Israel. Revelation 13:1-18 . The effect as regards the earth. Revelation 14:6-20 . THE FIFTH VISION "ON EARTH". The Six Angels and the Son of Man. Revelation 14:6 . The first Angel Revelation 14:7 . His proclamation. Revelation 14:8 -. The second Angel. - Revelation 14:8 . His declaration. Revelation 14:9 -. The third Angel. - Revelation 14:9-13 . His denunciation (- Revelation 14:9-11 ). His consolation (Revelation 14:12-13 ). Revelation 14:14 -. The Son of Man. - Revelation 14:14 . What He had. A sharp sickle. Revelation 14:15 -. The forth Angel. - Revelation 14:15-16 . His command to the Son of Man (-15). Its execution (16). Revelation 14:17 -. The fifth Angel. - Revelation 14:17 . What he had. The sharp sickle. Revelation 14:18 -. The sixth Angel. - Revelation 14:18-20 . His command to the fifth angel (- Revelation 14:18 ). Its execution (Revelation 14:19-20 ). Revelation 15:1-8 . THE SIXTH VISION "IN HEAVEN". Revelation 15:1 . The seven angels. Revelation 15:2-4 . Worship offered. Revelation 15:5-7 . The seven angels. Revelation 15:8 . Worship no longer possible. Revelation 18:1-24 . THE JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT CITY. Revelation 18:1-2 . Babylon''s judgment. Announcement of it. Revelation 18:3 . Babylon''s associates. Their sin. Revelation 18:4 . God''s people. Call to "Come out of her". Revelation 18:5-8 . Babylon''s judgment. Reason for it. Revelation 18:9-19 . Babylon''s inhabitants. Their lamentation. Revelation 18:20 . God''s people. Call to "Rejoice over her". Revelation 18:21 . Babylon''s judgment. Manner of it. Revelation 18:22-23 . Babylon''s inhabitants. Their silence. Revelation 18:24 . God''s people. Their blood "found in her". Revelation 19:1-10 . THE FINAL HEAVENLY UTTERANCES. Revelation 19:1 -. The voice of the great multitude. - Revelation 19:1 . Hallelujah. 1st Revelation 19:2-3 -. Reason. utterance. - Revelation 19:3 . The smoke and destruction of the harlot. Revelation 19:4 . Prostration of the elders (2nd utterance). Revelation 19:5 . Exhortation from the throne (3rd utterance) to the servants of God (Pos.). Revelation 19:6 -. The voice of the great multitude. - Revelation 19:6-7 -. Hallelujah. 4th - Revelation 19:7 . Reason. utterance. Revelation 19:8-9 -. The array and blessedness of the wife. - Revelation 19:9-10 -. Prostration of John. - Revelation 19:10 . Exhortation of angel to John, his fellow servant (Neg.). Revelation 19:17 - Revelation 20:15 . THE SEVENTH (AND LAST) VISION "ON EARTH". Revelation 19:17-21 . Men. The judgment of the beast and the false prophet. Revelation 20:1-3 . Satan. The judgment of Satan (before the millennium). Revelation 20:4-6 . Men. The judgment of the over-comers. The "rest of the dead" left for judgment. Revelation 20:7-10 . Satan. The judgment of Satan. (After the millennium). Revelation 20:11-15 . Men. The judgment of the great white throne. Revelation 21:1 - Revelation 22:5 . THE PEOPLE ON THE NEW EARTH. Revelation 21:1-2 . Visions (heavens and earth, &c.). Revelation 21:3-8 . Voices. Revelation 21:9 - Revelation 22:5 . Visions (the bride).