(Chapter 1)
The Preface
(Chap. 1:1-3)
The Apostle John begins by stating that this book is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” It is the inspired title. It is noteworthy that in giving this prophecy to John, the Lord “signified” it (vs. 1). This means that the means of communication is symbolic. To attempt to interpret the book literally will leave us hopelessly bereft of its meaning and application. Even though the book is written in symbolism, the symbols themselves represent literal things, and in this sense, we believe in a literal interpretation of Scripture. John tells us that there is a special blessing of those who simply “read,” “hear,” and “keep” (but not necessarily understand) the words in this book.
The Greeting
(Chap. 1:4-6)
The book of Revelation was written “to the seven churches which are in Asia” (vs. 4). These churches can be read for their practical value and much can be gleaned from it in this way. But the primary interpretation of these churches present a prophetic history of the Church on earth—from Pentecost to the Lord’s coming (the Rapture). Since it was given to the Church as a whole, it means that the Lord gave this book of prophecy to the Church for its profit. Some think that prophecy is not for the Church, but these verses clearly remove that false idea. The Lord wants Christians to know about future events that lead up to His eventual reign in His millennial kingdom.
The proper effect of reading this book of prophecy will lead to worship, praise, and thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is illustrated in John’s doxology of praise (vs. 6b). While we are on earth, and we know in part, our praise of Him is limited. This is illustrated in the fact that the praise mentioned here has but two notes—“glory and dominion.” In heaven we find that the praise of the Lamb will be complete as denoted in the seven notes of praise in chapter 5.
The Twofold Purpose of the Book
(Chap. 1:7-8)
Vs. 7—The purpose of the book is two-fold:
• The first is to show that all mankind will be held accountable for the way in which they have lived in this world and will be judged accordingly when Christ intervenes at His Appearing to set this world right.
• The second is to show how God will work to reach His ultimate end of exalting and glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ in the very scene in which He was dishonoured and rejected by men.
The Lord’s Coming
The announcement is made: “Behold, He cometh.” This is the first mention of the Lord’s coming in the book. Scripture indicates that there are two distinct phases to His coming, which the prophetic student must take note of, if he wishes to understand the scheme of prophetic events in the Bible. The main difference is:
• The first phase of His coming has to do with the Lord taking His saints to heaven in a glorified state. This will involve raising the New and Old Testament saints from the dead in a glorified state, and transforming the living saints into a glorified state, and then taking them all to heaven together (Matt. 25:6, 10-136And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. (Matthew 25:6)
10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:10‑13); John 14:2-32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2‑3); 1 Cor. 15:23, 51-5623But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:23)
51Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:51‑56); Phil. 3:20-2120For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20‑21); 1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18); 2 Thess. 2:1; 3:51Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (2 Thessalonians 2:1)
5And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. (2 Thessalonians 3:5); Titus 2:1313Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13)a; Heb. 9:28; 10:37; 11:4028So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)
37For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37)
40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:40); Rev. 1:7; 3:10-11; 22:207Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:10‑11)
20He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)). This has been called the Rapture––a word taken from the Latin, meaning “caught up.”
• The second phase has to do with the Lord bringing the glorified saints out of heaven with Him when He appears to judge the world in righteousness and to establish His millennial kingdom (Matt. 24:27, 30, 36-41; 25:31; 26:6427For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:27)
30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
36But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. (Matthew 24:36‑41)
31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: (Matthew 25:31)
64Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64); 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:1413To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14); 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8-97And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑10)
8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (2 Thessalonians 2:8‑9); Jude 14-1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15); Rev. 11:15; 14:14-16; 16:15; 19:10-2115And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)
14And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. (Revelation 14:14‑16)
15Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (Revelation 16:15)
10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:10‑21)). This is called “the revelation of Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:77And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (2 Thessalonians 1:7); 1 Peter 1:13; 4:1313Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:13)
13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (1 Peter 4:13)) or “the appearing” of Christ (2 Thess. 2:88And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2 Thessalonians 2:8); Matt. 24:3030And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30); Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4); Titus 2:1313Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13); 2 Tim. 4:1, 81I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2 Timothy 4:1)
8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8); 1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)).
The Old Testament saints knew something about the REVELATION (the Appearing – Isa. 30:27-2827Behold, the name of the Lord cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: 28And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err. (Isaiah 30:27‑28); Jude 14-1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15); Zech. 14:55And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:5)), but they didn’t know about the RAPTURE and the glorification of the saints. This latter thing is something that was not revealed until the New Testament times (1 Cor. 15:51-5651Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:51‑56); Phil. 3:20-2120For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20‑21); 1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)). Although the Lord comes out of heaven on both occasions, these two phases are vastly different. Some of these differences are:
The Rapture will occur when the Lord comes for His saints (John 14:2-32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2‑3)); the Appearing of Christ will occur when He comes with His saints which had been taken to heaven at the Rapture (1 Thess. 3:13; 4:1413To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14); Jude 1414And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (Jude 14); Zech. 14:55And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:5)).
At the Rapture, the Lord will come secretly, in “a twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor. 15:5252In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52)); at His Appearing, He will come publicly and every eye shall see Him (Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)).
At the Rapture, He will come to deliver the Church (1 Thess. 1:1010And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10)); at His Appearing, He will come to deliver Israel (Psa. 6:1-41<<To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.>> O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed. 3My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long? 4Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake. (Psalm 6:1‑4)). The Church will be delivered from going into the Tribulation (Rev. 3:1010Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)), whereas the Jews will go through it but will be delivered from it in the end, by the Lord’s bringing the Tribulation to a close.
At the Rapture, He will come in the air for His Church because they are His heavenly people (1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)); at His Appearing, He will come back to the earth (the Mount of Olives) for Israel because they are His earthly people (Zech. 14:4-54And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:4‑5)).
At the Rapture, He will take the believers out of this world and leave the wicked behind (John 14:2-32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2‑3)); at His Appearing, the wicked will be taken out of the kingdom of the heavens for judgment and the believers (those who have been converted through the gospel of the kingdom that will be preached during the Tribulation) will be left to enjoy blessing on earth (Matt. 13:41-43; 25:4141The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:41‑43)
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41)).
At the Rapture, the Lord will come as “the Bridegroom” (Matt. 25:1010And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. (Matthew 25:10)), but at the Appearing, He will come as “the Son of Man” (Matt. 24:30, 37, 39, 44,30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:37)
39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:39)
44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:44) etc.)
At the Rapture, He will come without any signs, because the Christian walks by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:77(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (2 Corinthians 5:7)); at the Appearing, His coming will be surrounded by signs, because the Jews seek a sign (Luke 21:11, 25-2711And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. (Luke 21:11)
25And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Luke 21:25‑27); 1 Cor. 1:2222For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: (1 Corinthians 1:22)).
Reformed Theology sees the Rapture and the Revelation (Appearing) as one event, and it has brought in nothing but confusion regarding Israel and the Church. These two events couldn’t possibly happen at the same time because there are several things that Scripture indicates which occur between them that make it unfeasible. For example, when the Lord comes and calls us away from the earth, He takes us into “the Father’s house” and formally introduces us to that heavenly scene (John 14:2-32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2‑3)). Shortly after that, the “judgment seat” review will take place (2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)). After that, there will be a time of worship “round about the throne” in heaven (Rev. 4-5). Then, after that, there will be “the marriage of the Lamb” and “the supper” that ensues it (Rev. 19:6-106And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:6‑10)). It is only after these things have occurred that the Lord comes out of heaven with us at His Appearing (Rev. 19:11-2111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21)). If you make the Rapture and the Appearing into one event, it leaves no room for these things to happen.
The Land, the Earth, and the World
Three great sectors in the human race are distinguished in verse 7 in connection with the Lord’s coming. These three spheres on earth have varying responsibilities according to the degree of light that they have had from God. They are:
• “Every eye shall see Him”—The Christianized nations (vs. 7a).
• “They also which pierced Him”—The nation of Israel (the Jews particularly) (vs. 7b).
• “All kindreds of the earth”—The nations outside the prophetic earth (vs. 7c).
Prophecy is laid out in the Scriptures in relation to these three spheres. They are distinguished as: “the land,” “the earth,” and “the world” (Isa. 18:2-3; 24:3-6; 26:9-102That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! 3All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. (Isaiah 18:2‑3)
3The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word. 4The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. (Isaiah 24:3‑6)
9With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 10Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord. (Isaiah 26:9‑10)). These are concentric circles—each being broader than the previous one. “The land” is the smallest sphere and refers to the land of Israel, not the little bit that they possess today but what was promised to Abraham. “The earth” is a broader sphere; it includes Israel’s promised inheritance but also takes in the nations in which the old Roman Empire conquered in Western Europe. The students of prophecy call this “the prophetic earth.” Prophetically, it refers to the Western nations. Since those who populate the Americas today have mostly come from the nations of Western Europe, most prophetic students see them as included in the prophetic earth (Dan. 2:4343And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. (Daniel 2:43) – “ ... shall mingle themselves with the seed of men”). “The world” is a broader sphere yet; it includes the land and the earth, but also takes in the remaining parts of the globe—i.e. the nations outside the prophetic earth.
God knows that we would never be able to grasp the details of prophecy if He were to give us what pertains to each of these spheres all at one time. Therefore, in the prophetic Scriptures, God wisely deals with these spheres one at a time. He gives us details that begin at some point in the Tribulation period and takes us through to the Appearing of Christ, which introduces the Millennium. Then He goes back and covers that ground again from another perspective, again taking us along to the Appearing of Christ and the Millennium. It is important to see this; all Bible prophecy is given in this way. It occurs over and over again throughout the prophetic Scriptures. This is the way in which events are presented in the Prophets, the Psalms, and in the Lord’s prophetic discourses in Matthew 24-25—and it is no different in the book of Revelation. It is the God-appointed way of teaching us prophetic truth. We will see in chapters 6-16, that the Spirit of God takes the reader through the Tribulation period on to the Appearing of Christ three times, each in relation to one of these three spheres.
Vs. 8—As mentioned, the second purpose of the book is to show how God will work all things to His ultimate end of exalting and glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the “Alpha and Omega” (the beginning and ending) of all prophecy (vs. 8). He is the source and goal of all God’s ways in creation, grace, and judgment. Being the central figure of prophecy, God will bring Him into view for all to see at His appearing.
At the Appearing of Christ two things will commence. One is “the day of the Lord” (1 Thess. 5:2; 2:22For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2)
2But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. (1 Thessalonians 2:2); Isa. 2:10-2210Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty. 11The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. 12For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: 13And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, 14And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, 15And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, 16And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. 17And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. 18And the idols he shall utterly abolish. 19And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. 20In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; 21To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. 22Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? (Isaiah 2:10‑22); Joel 1:1515Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. (Joel 1:15); Zeph. 2:2-32Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you. 3Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. (Zephaniah 2:2‑3); Mal. 4:55Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: (Malachi 4:5)), which is when His Lordship authority will be established in the earth by judgment. It will extend for 1000 years—the duration of the Millennium (2 Peter 3:8-108But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:8‑10)). The other is “the day of Christ” (2 Thess. 1:1010When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians 1:10); 1 Cor. 1:8; 3:13; 5:58Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:8)
13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (1 Corinthians 3:13)
5To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 5:5); 2 Cor. 1:1414As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus. (2 Corinthians 1:14); Phil. 1:6, 10; 2:166Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6)
10That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; (Philippians 1:10)
16Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. (Philippians 2:16)), which is the day of His display in glory through the Church during that same time—the Millennium. These two days present two sides of Christ’s reign in that coming day.
The book of Revelation is, therefore, a book of judgment but also a book of blessing. (There are seven blessings mentioned—chap. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14.)
The State of Soul Necessary to Apprehend the Prophecies of the Book
(Chap. 1:9-11)
John speaks of being “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” when he got this revelation from the Lord. This points to the necessity of being in a right state of soul to take in these prophetic subjects. The book was written by a man “in the Spirit” and will only be understood by men and women who are in the Spirit.
John “turned” and saw Christ as the Son of Man, not in the way that the Spirit would normally set Christ before the believer (as the Son of God in all His grace and love and beauty), but in His judicial character. He had to turn to see Christ in this way because it was not the normal occupation for a child of God. Judgment is “His strange work” in which man’s sin has forced Him to act (Isa. 28:2121For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. (Isaiah 28:21)).
The Vision of Jesus Christ as a Judge
(Chap. 1:12-20)
In this book of many visions, it is fitting that the first should be of Christ in His judicial character. It is significant that He acts as a Judge in connection with the seven churches before He judges the world; “judgment must begin at the house of God”—with those who are most responsible (1 Peter 4:1717For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)).
Christ is seen clothed in His judicial garments and “girt about the paps with a golden girdle.” This refers to the fact that His affections are restrained as He acts in this judicial capacity. Seven features of the Judge are mentioned:
• “His eyes were as a flame of fire”—the piercing character of His discernment. Nothing escapes His eye.
• “His feet were like unto fine brass”—His firmness in righteous judgment. He will not compromise holiness.
• “His voice as the sound of many waters”—His many facets of speaking governmentally to people.
• “His right hand seven stars”—His authority is vested in responsible persons in the Church.
• “His mouth” had “a two-edged sword” in it—His ability to execute judgment against every wrong.
• “His countenance was as the sun”—He is the supreme authority in the universe. Hence, there can be no appeal to any person higher than Him.
The Judge Speaks
Vss. 17-20—Upon seeing the Lord in the character of a mighty Judge, John falls “at His feet.” It is from this posture that he learns about the state of the Church—its failure in public testimony, as found in chapters 2-3. This is the proper place for us to learn of the true state of the Church—on our faces before the Lord. The Christian testimony is in ruins, and we have all contributed to its sad state, and cannot rightly point a condemning finger at anyone in history or in this present day without condemning ourselves. Therefore, we are to view the failure of the Church in testimony in the spirit of self-judgment.
To dispel John’s fear and trepidation the Lord laid His “right hand” on John and spoke to him, saying, “Fear not.” It is divine consolation and strengthening for the work that John was about to be given—namely, to “write” the prophetic messages to the seven churches (Compare Matthew 17:6-76And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. (Matthew 17:6‑7)).
The Lord said, “I am He that liveth, and was [became] dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [Hades] and of death.” In this, the Lord showed John that He had the right to act as the Judge of all the earth (Gen. 18:2525That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis 18:25)). The Lord has gone into death and Hades and has conquered both. He now has “the keys” of these two conditions. “Death” is what claims the human body; “Hades” is what claims the soul and spirit. Having paid the price for sin in going into death, He has the right and the power to exercise judgment against sinners, and thus consign whom He would to death and Hades. He also has the power to raise them out of death and consign them to a lost eternity, as seen at the end of the book.
John is told to “write” of the prophetic subjects he will see in three great sections (vs. 19):
1. “The things which thou hast seen”—Chapter 1.
2. “The things which are”—Chapters 2-3.
3. “The things which shall be hereafter”—Chapters 4-22.
This shows that these prophecies were given to John in an orderly way and he has written them by the Spirit in an orderly way. Some people look at the book of Revelation as a tangled web of information that only an astute prophetic student could unravel and explain. However, the book only appears confusing; it is really very orderly. If we understand the way in which the Spirit of God presents prophecy throughout Scripture and also recognize that there are parentheses in certain places in this book, the confusion will disappear. One also needs a basic understanding of the meaning of the symbols used in prophecy. Since the book of Revelation has been placed at the end of our Bibles, the Spirit of God assumes that we are familiar with these symbols, having seen them used elsewhere in Scripture. The object of this outline of Revelation that we are about to embark on is to provide the reader with a basic understanding of these things.
Vs. 20—The Lord explains to John the hidden meaning of “the seven stars” which were in His right hand and “the seven golden candlesticks [lamps].” The “stars” are the “angels” of the seven churches. This refers to the double responsibility that the leaders in the churches have. As “stars” they are to be light bearers of the principles of God’s Word. They are to provide light for the saints from God’s Word in matters that concern the local assembly. This means that they must be well grounded in the truth (Titus 1:99Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. (Titus 1:9)). As “angels” they are to be God’s messengers, taking the lead in the assembly and seeing to it that those principles are carried out in the fear of God (Eccl. 5:66Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? (Ecclesiastes 5:6); Mal. 2:77For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 2:7) – J. N. Darby Trans. footnote). It is significant that the Lord holds the angel of each church responsible for the state that the church in that locality was in (chaps. 2-3). He is seen walking in the midst of the seven churches, assessing their condition and counseling those who are in the place of responsibility as to what they can do to help the particular condition that that local church was in (chap. 2:1).
The seven “golden candlesticks [lamps]” are the seven churches. They speak of the local assembly being a responsible witness in the community where they are situated.