Vista Ridge Bible Fellowship
  • Home
  • What We Believe
  • Our Purpose
  • Staff
  • Calendar
  • Map
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Resources

Revelation Survey

10/2/2020

0 Comments

 
SURVEY OF REVELATION
Jesus — Judge of All and King of Kings
 
Introduction
 
The Book of Revelation concludes the canon of Scripture.  John presents Jesus in His role as Judge and invites the unsaved to believe in Him for eternal life and encourages believers to overcome in life so as to rule with Him over a new heaven and a new earth.
 
Literary Structure and Content
 
The Book of Revelation has multiple facets of structure that are temporal, thematic, telescopic, and transpositional.  Revelation 1:19 sets out the temporal facet where Jesus instructs John to write the things he has seen, the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.  The thematic facet is developed throughout the book revealing Jesus as the Judge of all and the Lord of the new heaven and the new earth.  The telescopic facet is seen in the progression of the seven seals in which the seventh seal introduces the seven trumpets, the seven trumpets in which the seventh trumpet introduces the seven bowls, and the seven bowls which are the culmination of the judgments.   The transpositional aspect is an ascending and descending mirror structure with repeated themes in variation and development.
 
Prologue: Read, Hear, and Heed the Message of the Glorified Christ 1:1-20
 
    A   Jesus and the Church: The Present Struggle of the Church 2:1—3:22
         Seven Letters to the Seven Churches – Promises Made to Overcomers
 
         B   Commission: Authority to Reclaim the Earth Extended 4:1—8:5
              The Scroll with the Seven Seals
 
              C   Prosecution of War: The Warning Judgments 8:6—11:19
                    Seven Trumpets
 
                     D   The Lamb at War with the Dragon and the Beasts 12:1—14:20
                            Figures and Angelic Messages
 
               C’ Prosecution of War: The Wrathful Judgments 15:1—16:21
                   Seven Bowls of Wrath
 
         B’ Elimination: Authority to Reclaim the Earth Exercised 17:1—20:15
              Final Removals – Ejection of the Rebels from the Earth
 
    A’ The Lamb and the Bride: The Future Residence of the Bride 21:1—22:5
        New Heaven and New Earth and New Jerusalem – Promises Fulfilled
 
Epilogue: Come and Overcome 22:6-21
 
I.   Jesus is unveiled as the Judge of all (1:1-20). 

     A.  The book of Revelation will be a blessing to those who read and obey the message from Jesus, the Judge of
          all (1:1-3). 
     B.  Jesus is the eternal World-King and Judge who is to come (1:4-8). 
     C.  Jesus is unveiled as the glorious sovereign Lord who is Judge of all (1:9-20). 

II.  The Lord of the Church judges the seven churches of Asia which represent the possible state of churches of
     any time (2:1–3:22). 

     A.  The Lord Jesus judges the church at Ephesus that left its first love (2:1-7). 
     B.  The Lord Jesus judges the church at Smyrna that suffers persecution (2:8-11). 
     C.  The Lord Jesus judges the church at Pergamum that compromises in doctrine (2:12-17). 
     D.  The Lord Jesus judges the church at Thyatira that tolerates immoral behavior (2:18-29). 
     E.  The Lord Jesus judges the church at Sardis that is asleep (3:1-6). 
     F.  The Lord Jesus judges the church at Philadelphia that is faithful (3:7-13). 
     G.  The Lord Jesus judges the church at Laodicea that is materialistic (3:14-22).
 
III. The Lord Jesus receives the title-deed to judge and reclaim the earth (4:1–5:14). 

     A.  The Eternal Father sits on the throne in heaven and receives the adoration of the four living creatures and
          the enthroned elders (4:1-11). 
     B.  The Eternal Father offers the title-deed of the earth to Jesus, the worthy redeemer (5:1-6). 
     C.  Jesus, the worthy Lamb takes the title-deed to the earth (5:7). 
     D.  The angels and the elders worship Jesus the rightful King of the earth and Judge of all (5:8-14). 

IV. The Lord Jesus judges the earth (6:1–19:6).
 
     A.  The Wrath of the Lamb: Jesus opens six of the seven seals of the title-deed to the earth and unleashes
          His beginning judgments (6:1-7). 
     B.  In the midst of wrath, God provides an opportunity for people to believe (7:1-17). 
     C.  Jesus opens the seventh seal and the six trumpets sound judgment on the earth (8:1–9:21). 
     D.  Jesus prepares to take possession of the earth and clear it of unrepentant rebels (10:1-11). 
     E.  The two witnesses carry out a ministry of warning and judgment (11:1-14). 
     F.  The seventh trumpet sounds and Jesus is triumphant in the cosmic conflict of the ages involving men and
          angels (11:15–14:20). 
     G.  The seven bowls of the wrath of God are poured out on the earth (15:1–16:28). 
     H.  Babylon is judged and falls and all those in heaven give praise (17:1–19:6). 

V.  The Lord Jesus returns to the earth (19:7-21). 

     A.  Jesus and His bride will soon celebrate with a great wedding feast (19:7-10). 
     B.  Jesus returns to rule the earth (19:11-16). 
     C.  Jesus rids the earth of rebels (19:17-21). 

VI. The Lord Jesus reigns on the present earth for 1,000 years (20:1-10). 

     A.  The Millennium begins with the banishment of Satan (20:1-3). 
     B.  Jesus reigns for a thousand years with those who take part in the resurrection of believers while the
           resurrection of unbelievers will take place after the completion of the Millennium (20:4-6). 
     C.  When the thousand years are completed Satan will be released to lead the nations in a final rebellion which
          will be met with fiery judgment (20:7-10). 

VII. The Lord Jesus judges the unsaved of all ages (20:11-15). 

     A.  The unbelieving dead of all ages are raised and judged according to their deeds and thrown into the lake of
          fire (20:11-14). 
     B.  Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire (20:15). 
 
VIII. Jesus is the Lord of the new heaven and new earth (21:1–22:5). 

     A.  John sees a new heaven and a new earth (21:1). 
     B.  John sees the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven (21:2). 
     C.  God will dwell among His people and establish a new order (21:3-4). 
     D.  He who overcomes will inherit these things while the part of the unbelieving in their myriad states of sin will be
          in the lake of fire (21:5-8). 
     E.  The New Jerusalem in all her beauty will be the abode of the bride, the wife of the Lamb, while the nations
          and their kings live by its light and bring their glory into it (21:9-27). 
     F.  God’s bondservants will serve Him in a new paradise with the river of life and the tree of life whose leaves are
          for the well-being of the nations (22:1-5). 

IX.  You are invited to come and to overcome (22:6-21). 
​
The final words of Revelation provide the theological and practical applications for the book and all of Scripture:
 
  • These words are faithful and true and will soon take place (22:6).
  • Jesus is coming soon (22:7a, 12, and 20).
  • We who heed are blessed (22:7b-10, 14).
  • Whatever our future state, it is permanent (22:11, 15).  The time to believe is now, before our final state is fixed for all time.
  • Jesus is coming with rewards (22:12).
  • Jesus is God (22:13).
  • Jesus is the Messiah (22:16).
  • Come to Christ and get the water of life freely (22:17).
  • Don’t mess with the book (22:18-19).  Don’t add to it.  Don’t take away from it.
  • The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all (22:21).  Amen.
 
If we have believed in Christ for eternal life, we will live with Him forever.  That issue is settled.  A question now to ask is “Will I be a part of that future group of believers who will rule with Him forever?”  The answer is: if you overcome and keep His deeds to the end you will (Rev 2:26).  Come and overcome.
0 Comments

    Author

    Philippe R. Sterling

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photo used under Creative Commons from Bryn Pinzgauer