1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to show to His servants things which must soon take place. He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bears record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it, for the time is near. Rev.1:1-3
The book of Revelation is the last book of the Bible. It’s also the only prophetic book in the New Testament. This book is consider difficult or complicated by many but God wants to speak to us through His Word & the objective of this book is to alert us about things that will happen in the future to the world, to the believers in Jesus Christ, and also to those who reject Him.
The author of this book, is the apostle John, the Son of Zebedee & brother of James, who received from God these prophetic visions during his exile on the Island of Patmos. Four times in Revelation the author identifies himself as John (Rev. 1:1; Rev. 1:4; Rev. 1:9; Rev. 22:8).
The first sentence serves as the title of the book, & it can refer to both the revelation “about Jesus Christ,” & the revelation that comes “from Jesus Christ.” Regarding “From Jesus Christ” we can point to Jesus as the author who gave the revelation to John, through His angel (see. Rev 22:16). And “about Jesus Christ” because it reveals His work in the church, events concerning the person of Christ , His return and activities about His second coming. (See Rev.1:5, 13, 5:5-6, 6:14, 19:10 etc.).
The Greek word “apokalupsis” (G602), translated as “the revelation”, means disclosure, unveiling, to remove the veil from something that remains hidden so that it can be seen, “to expose to full view what was before unknown, hidden, and secret.” The book of Revelation is a prophetic disclosure from God to allow us to know things about the future of human history, that we would otherwise be completely unaware of. Therefore, we find ourselves before a book that is not the fruit of human wisdom, but of divine inspiration.
In Rev.1:19 we have the chronological order & the division of this book into its three tenses: Past (Chap.1), present (Chap.2 & 3) and future (Chap.4-22). “Write the things that you have seen, and those that are, and those that will be after these“. (Rev 1:19).
Verse 3 is a promise of blessing to the persons that read, hear & keep the things written in this book, that isn’t found in any other book of the Bible. But also at the end (Rev. 22: 18-21) there is a warning for those that add or remove from the words of the book of this prophecy.
Revelation Outline:
1. Opening & promise of blessing ( 1:1–20 )
2. The Letters to the Seven Churches ( 2:1–3:22 )
3. The Throne and the Lamb ( 4:1–5:14 )
4. Three Sets of Seven Divine Judgments ( 6:1–16:21 )
a. The Seven Seals ( 6:1–8:5 )
b. The Seven Trumpets ( 8:6–11:19 )
– The Great Conflict ( 12:1–14:20 )
c. The Seven Bowls of Wrath ( 15:1–16:21 )
5. The Fall of Babylon ( 17:1–19:10 )
6. The Future & Beyond ( 19:11–22:5 )
a. The Return of Jesus ( 19:11–21 )
b. The Millennial Reign ( 20:1–15 )
c. The World to Come ( 21:1–22:5 )
– A New Heaven and a New Earth ( 21:1–8 )
– The New Jerusalem ( 21:9–27 )
– The River of Life ( 22:1–5 )
7. Conclusion ( 22:6–21 )
a. Jesus is Coming ( 22:6–17 )
b. Nothing May Be Added or Removed ( 22:18–21 )
Bible Study verse by verse
Revelation Chapter 1: Reading & Listening
Teachings about the Book of Revelation, chapters 1 through 5, from Pastor Larry Sarver in Florida & Pastor Paul LeBoutillier, Ontario (Calvary Chapels are non-denominational, not every pastor teach these days the sound doctrine, Calvary Chapels included, but these pastors here still do, but is up to us to be good Bereans & check everything we hear or learn from any teacher with the Word of God ):
Chapter 1, verses 1-8 – Introduction and Salutation– Video
Greeting the Seven Churches
4 John, To the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Look! He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Rev. 1:4-8.
Chapter 1, verses 9-14 – A Vision of Jesus Christ – Video
Chapter 1, Verses 15-20 – Jesus the First & the Last – Video
Revelation Chapter 2: A Letter to the 7 Churches- Reading & Listening
The apostle John addresses his letter to the seven churches in Asia (today Western Turkey): “Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea”
Chapter 2, verses 1-7 – The Message to Ephesus, by Pastor Josh Luecht – Video
Chapter 2, verses 8-11 – The Message to Smyrna, Pastor Larry Sarver – Video
Chapter 2, verses 12- 17, The Message to Pergamum, Pastor Larry Sarver – Video
Chapter 2, verses 18-29, The Message to Thyatira, Pastor Larry Sarver – Video
Revelation Chapter 3: A Letter to the 7 Churches- Reading & Listening
Chapter 3, verses 1- 6, The Message to Sardis, Pastor Larry Sarver – Video
Chapter 3, verses 7-13, The Message to Philadelphia, Pastor Larry Sarver –Video
Chapter 3, verses 14-22, The Message to Laodicea, Pastor Paul LeBoutillier, Ontario –Video
Revelation Chapter 4: Reading & Listening
Chapter 4, verses 1-11, A throne & Heavenly Worship, Pastor Paul LeBoutillier, Ontario –Video
Revelation Chapter 5: Reading & Listening
Chapter 5, verses 1-14, The Scroll and the Lamb, Pastor Paul LeBoutillier, Ontario- Video