Book of Revelation

The Revelation of Jesus Christ. (Text never says "Revelation of John"

God gave the revelation to Christ, and it is correct to say that It is the Revelation given by Christ. This is a subjective genitive (1:1).

Symbolism

1. Called prophecy more than once
2. Emphasizes morality (Rev 2:5, 16, 21-22; 3:3).
3. Normally apocalyptic material is under a pseudonym.
4. Large parts are interpreted by an angel.
5. In Revelation, it speaks of Messiah as having come and will come; other apocalyptic books says Messiah will come
6. 7 pastoral letters are without parallel

1. His name is John 1:1, 4, 9, 22:8
2. He must have been a well-known John
3. Unanimous early tradition
4. Writer well-versed in OT
5. John was probably over churches in Asia, strong emphasis on Ephesus
6. Only Gospel of John and Revelation speak of Jesus as the "Word"
7. Both use similar imagery (ie. "pierced

1. Only the gospel of John and Revelation refer to Jesus as the logos
2. both use similar imagery (water of life, he who overcomes, wrath of the Lamb, keeping the commandments)
3. The use of Zech 12:10 (John 19:37 and Rev 1:7).

Assuming date of 95 during the rule of Domition

1. Rome was at height of prosperity
2. Large gap b/w rich and poor

1. Government was totalitarian
2. 3 Flavian emperors
(1) Vespasian -
(2) Titus - Vespasian's son (79-81)
(3) Domitian - Borders made secure; new territories

The prophecies in the book are already fulfilled. What are the two preteriest views?
1. Fulfilled by the time of Constantine (312) - Say ch 5-11 indicate victory over Judaism
12-19 - Victory over Roman paganism; Sees the book in first century setting; Requires the book to be allegorized wildly, Where is the church after 312 AD?
(2) Contemporary Preterist View: Prophecies fulfilled by AD 70. Say Rev 4-20 and Matt 24 describe Jerusalem destroyed AD 70, therefore, Revelation written before AD 70.
Iraneus, Jerome take book to be written after AD 70. Internal evidence is that the 7 churches have considerable history behind them. (ex. Ephesus: 2 Timothy shows nothing of problems listed here; makes all references to Israel symbolic.

What are the two preteriest views?
1. Fulfilled by the time of Constantine (312) - Say ch 5-11 indicate victory over Judaism
12-19 - Victory over Roman paganism; Sees the book in first century setting; Requires the book to be allegorized wildly, Where is the church after 312 AD?
(2) Contemporary Preterist View: Prophecies fulfilled by AD 70. Say Rev 4-20 and Matt 24 describe Jerusalem destroyed AD 70, therefore, Revelation written before AD 70.
Iraneus, Jerome take book to be written after AD 70. Internal evidence is that the 7 churches have considerable history behind them. (ex. Ephesus: 2 Timothy shows nothing of problems listed here; makes all references to Israel symbolic.

Sees Rev 4-20 as future.
1. Sees Israel as Israel
2. Fits with the OT prophets
3. Takes text as literally as possible.

Shows conflicting principles in history

The book is being fulfilled during the entire Christian dispensation.

1. time of Vespasian
2. Dr. T's view - Time of Domician because 1. Persecution was more universal 2. Worship of emperors happened during time of Domician

Rev 1:19
Ch 1 - "What you have seen"
Ch 2-3 - "Things which are"
Ch 4-22 - "things which take place after these things"

What are the two objections:
1. The emphasis of the book is prophecy
2. It makes the book irrelevant to the seven churches and to us because the rapture takes place before chapter 4.

Here the basic question revolves around the relationship of the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls to each other. This class will discuss the book assuming a telescopic arrangement.

Seven seals: 123456-7 (Rev 8:1- Indicates the seventh seal is the seven trumpets.)
Seven trumpets:123456-7 (Rev 11:19 and 16:18 are tied together and indicate the 7th trumpet introduces the seven bowls); the seven bowls 123456-7 are the last 7 plagues (1. There is a rapid pace-final plagues; 2. Seventh bowl is introduced with "it is done" 16:17)

Father
Christ
Angel
7 Churches

God the Father

Rev 1:19
"Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this."

The 7 churches was a panorama of 7 developments of churches in the Present Age. (Dr. T does not believe this because of the rapture)

We don't know. They were heretics.

Everyone who is born of God.

1. Everyone who is born of God
(1 John 5:4-5...)
2. Rewards are for all believers.
(Rev 2:7; 22:14; 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:7-8)

1. Huge altar of Zeus on Acropolis
2. Worship of Aesclepius
3. Emperor worship - Domitian required emperor worship; foreshadowed worship of satan.

Jezebel is a personification of sexual immorality...

No.
1. It does not have the article.
2. Tribulation is used for suffering in general in Revelation; 1:9; 2:9-10;
3. Penalties in 20-23 are immediate, not in future.
4. "All the churches will know" - but the church will not be in the tribulation

Recognizing who Christ is.

No... It was living on a past good reputation, but in reality it was dead.

1. Judgment in history (past)
2. Judgment at second coming (future)

1. Names of people who will be physically killed.
2. Book of life is all who are born until they come to age of accountability
3. Mark of security "By no means I will erase your name from the Book of Life" Rev 2:11

The Great Tribulation

1.
2. Promise of deliverance from wrath

1. Sardis
2. Laodicea

Cold and hot Christians. Both references refer to Christians.

1. the Tribulation (4-19)
2. the Millennium (20)
3. The Eternal State (21-22)

1. Worship because of who God is
2. Worship because God created us
3. Worship because God redeemed us.

1. Some say this is Christ cf. 19:11
2. Better to say it is the man of sin (portrays the anti-christ's temporary triumph at beginning of tribulation

Seventh seal (Rev 8:1)
"¶ When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour."

1. Probably prayers for the coming kingdom
2. For justice on the earth

They are called three woes.

5 months - Rev 9:2

A star (wormwood?) that falls from heaven - seems to be satan (9:1)

After the sixth trumpet - before the seventh trumpet. (10:1-11:13) - The angel and the little book 10:1-11.

The antichrist breaks the treaty and rebuilds the temple. (Rev 11:1-13)

Revelation 11 -

Either control or favor

It looks at something future as present.

Rev 12:9-12 - "the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God." (12:10)

The seventh trumpet contains the seven bowls.

A kingdom headed by a man Dan 7:17

Rev 13
False prophet will promote antichrist. Antichrist will die and be resurrected. same language as Rev 5:6.

John performed no miracles. (John 10:41)

Jerusalem in the millennium.

Judgment of the lost at the end of the Tribulation (Probably on test) (Luke 19:27; Rev 19:15-21; Joel 3:12-14)

Ex 15; Deut 32; Ps 90

Rev 15:3
"And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!"

It is the seven bowls

1. To rebel against the Man of Sin
2. To fight against Christ because they can see His sign in the sky
3. A combination of 1 and 2
4. To fight converted Jews in Israel cf. Rev. 11:13

At the end of the Tribulation (Seventh bowl)

A false religious system which controls the 10 kings.

Seven kings

Seven kingdoms (17:10) Five are past. Probably these are kings which oppressed Israel--Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece

Man of sin who is closely related to satan.

Dr. T says it is probably the same city.

Destruction genre is used of Judah and Jerusalem. Jer 6:8

2 Destructions:
1. Religious Babylon (Rev 17) - Middle of Tribulation
2. Literal Babylon (Rev 18) - End of Tribulation

Marriage Supper - The dinner is the Millennium.

Mal 2:14 - Marriage is a covenant/contract

Marriage feast

The man of sin and beast; (who are the false prophet and the antichrist)

Mentioned in six sequential verses - 20::2,3,4,5,6,7