Island Glades Gospel Centre

Reading RevelationPart 2

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I. Understanding Prophecy.II. Unveiling of the Book of Revelation.

Rev. 1:19A. THE PROLOGUE:

The Book of Revelation is the only book…1. with a Promise of Blessing... 1:3a "Blessed“ (7 Beatitudes) 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14•To the Reader - Blessed is he that readeth,•To the Listener - they that hear the words of this

prophecy,•To the Doer - keep those things which are written therein:2. of Prophecy in the New Testament. 1:3b3. with a Portrait of the Risen Jesus . 1:12-16

II. Unveiling of the Book of Revelation. Rev. 1:1

A. THE PROLOGUE:B. THE PROPHECY:1. It is a Revelation. 1:1 Of Jesus • (Gk. apokalupsis = the unveiling/disclosure of that

which was previously hidden or unknown.)

2. It is by Representation - "signified it". 1:1…

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by his angel

unto his servant John:

II. Unveiling of the Book of Revelation. Rev. 1:1

2. It is by Representation - "signified it".1:1

How to interpret the symbols and numbers:They have their own…

a. interpretation. 1:12, 13, 16c & 1:20

b. comparisons. 1:13-15 cf. Dan. 7:9, 10

c. characteristics 6:1-8 - colours of the horses.

d. numbers which are representative or real.

5:6 "seven" = Representative of perfection.

1:11, 20 "seven churches" = Real churches.

f. What about 1000 years (Rev. 20:1-7)?f. What about 1000 years (Rev. 20:1-7)?

e. What about the 1260 days?Rev. 11:3 (12:6, 14) cf.11: 2; (13:5) And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth… Cf. …and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

The Principal Schools in interpreting Prophecy re: The Second Coming of Christ

• Based on the interpretation of the Millennium. Rev. 20:2-7 (6 occ.)

1.The A-millennial School.

2.The Post-Millennial School.

3.The Pre-millennial School.

• The Post-tribulational Premillennialism• The Mid-tribulational Premillennialism• The Pre-tribulational Premillennialism

I saw an angel…laid hold on…Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit…till the thousand years should be fulfilled…and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus…and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection …they …shall reign with Him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison…

C. THE PROBLEMS IN INTERPRETING REVELATION – The Different Approaches:

1. The Allegorist or idealist approach - Events are allegorical and metaphorical.

2. The Preterist Approach - History of events in John's day;

3. The Historicist Approach - A History of the Church

4. The Futurist Approach - Regards Revelation as futuristic. Pre-millennial in character.

The Golden Rule of Interpretation :

When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual,

literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate text, studied in the light of related

passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, clearly indicate otherwise.

-- Dr. David. L. Cooper

D. The Panorama of the Book.1. The Three-fold Plan in the Book.

Ch.1:19

a. The Past - "things which thou hast seen." 1:11 cf. 1:19 Ch. 1 - John's Vision of the Exalted Christ.

b. The Present - “things which are" Chs. 2, 3 - Messages to the Seven Churches.•Rapture of the Church between 3:22 and 4:1 Cf. 19 occ. of "church/churches" in chs. 1-3 and 22:16

c. The Prospect - "things which shall be hereafter." Chs. 4-22 cp. 4:1 the future events. 4:1-22:5

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things

which shall be hereafter.

2. The Two-fold Prophecy in the Book

a. The Things which are.

b. The Things which shall be Hereafter.

i. The Seven Seals -7th Seal =>

ii. The Seven Trumpets – 7th Trumpet =>

iii. The Seven Bowls.

iv. The Sovereign and His Kingdom.

v. The State of Things to come.

Chs. 2-3

Chs. 4-22

•Chs. 4-6; 8:1

•Chs. 8, 9; 11:15 – 19

•15:1 - ch. 16

•19:7 - ch. 20

•Chs. 21, 22

Outline of the Dispensation of the Church:

Outline from Rapture to the Eternal State

3. The Seven Parentheses in the Book.a. Ch. 7 -

b. Ch. 10 -

c. Ch.11 -

d. Ch. 12 -

e. Ch. 13 -

f. Ch. 14 -

g. Ch. 17:1-19:6

The Tribulation Saints - Jewish and Gentile

The Thunders, the Mighty Angel and the Little Book.

The Two Witnesses.

The Travail of Israel and the Dragon.

The Two Beasts.

The Triumph of the Lamb.

The Termination (Destruction) of Babylon

i. Political Babylon. 17:8-17ii. Ecclesiastical Babylon 17:1-7, 18; 18:1-24

Conclusion:Rev. 1:3

• Do Read Revelation for yourself:

• Blessed is he that readeth, • and they that hear the words of this

prophecy, • and keep those things which are

written therein: • for the time is at hand.