Unlocking the Book of Revelation

An Introduction to Bible
Prophecy

 

The Lesson:

The Revelation has been a book that has fascinated the minds of millions since it has been written. Many have sought to understand the meaning and message of its symbols and have been blessed. Others have attempted, but have been left in doubt and confusion. Through this study we want to place the keys in your hand for you to understand Bible prophecy. Prophecy is not just for the Bible scholar! Certainly there are depths and intricacies that require deep and serious thought, but you will see that it is not that hard after all. The Bible is self-explanatory!

During this series we are going to highlight the prophecies with special focus on the books Daniel and Revelation. There has never been such a great amount of interest in Bible prophecy as now.

Prophecy is Given for Us to Understand

The symbolic imagery of Revelation is fascinating and may even at times appear frightening, but it all has a meaning.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” 2 Peter 1:20

The Scriptures are of no private interpretation. The Bible interprets itself. Some people have been confused by all the signs and symbols in Revelation. The symbols find their meanings in the same Book. We do not need to go outside the Bible to find the interpretation. 

In our last study we talked about the hieroglyphics, the ancient Egyptian language that nobody could read until Jean Fransis Champolion decoded it. He could speak 12 languages when he was 16 years old, and was able to decipher the Rosetta stone so that today we can understand hieroglyphics. Revelation is a little like this! It took him 22 years to decode the language, but don’t worry – it will not take so long with the symbols in Revelation! We have a guide and helper that is familiar with all languages and codes. It is none other than Jesus Christ who guides us into an understanding of Bible Prophecy!

Maybe you have heard somebody say that the book of Revelation cannot be understood, but just think about this for a moment. Why would God write 65 books which can be understood and then give one more book that cannot be understood and give it the title: The Revelation. That would not make sense! Revelation can be understood, but not without the rest of the Bible. The reason why it is at the end of the Book, is because you need the rest of the Book to understand it! There are two keys that make it easier to understand:

1. Revelation rests upon the broad foundation of the Old Testament. Of the 404 verses, 276 are references from the Old Testament. The Old Testament lays the foundation for an understanding of the Revelation. By the way it is not the newspaper. We can not just make current events fit in as we like. We need to responsibly interpret Bible prophecy. We cannot base our understanding of Revelation upon current news events that change all the time. This is sensationalism that does not lead to a correct understanding. But with the entire Bible as our guide we will not fail to arrive at a correct understanding.

2. The second key is just as important as the first. The focus of Revelation is Jesus Christ! Through prophecy many have found Jesus as their Saviour. The focus of the book of  Revelation is Jesus Christ. You can’t really study this book without studying about Jesus. We will be defining some of the primary roles in the book of Revelation later in this study.

Prophecy is Given in Symbols

People have often asked me why prophecy is given in symbols. I can think of at least two very important reasons. Gold is appreciated more when you dig for it, than when it just falls on your lap. The Bible says: “Search and ye shall find!” But secondly God protected His prophetic message through symbols. The apocalyptic prophets, such as Daniel and John, wrote as captives under a foreign power. Many of these prophecies addressed the destruction of those powers. Revelation talks about the fall of Rome, and Daniel details the fall of Babylon and Persia. The more we understand what these symbols represent, the easier it becomes to unlock the prophecies. God enfolded some prophetic truths in symbols to hide the messages from the enemy, but still the honest searcher can discover the greater message.

Jesus said: “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables.” Mark 4:11

Are you ready to unlock prophecy? There are two classifications of prophecy in the Bible. There is Classical prophecy – such as Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Amos, etc – and apocalyptic prophecy. Daniel and Revelation are entirely apocalyptic books. Apocalyptic comes from the Greek word: Apocalypses: To unveil or uncover.

Classical prophecy was primarily directed to the nation of ancient Israel. The vast majority of the Biblical prophets would fall into this majority. Only two books are entirely apocalyptic and these are Daniel and Revelation. These books are really for our time as we will see, and our focus will be on these.

An Introduction to the Book of Revelation

The book of Revelation was written by John. This is the very same John that was a disciple of Jesus during his 3½ year ministry on earth. From the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, John, together with the other disciples and apostles, preached to the then known world the message of a risen Saviour. Many received this message with joy and hope, while others were bitterly opposed to this new movement. The disciples were persecuted and often hunted down like wild animals by the religious leaders of those days. John was one of them, and he was taken captive and shortly thereafter exiled to the Island of Patmos, where he was to spend his last days.

John was an old man at this time and had lived a life of service to the One he loved most. While this lonely figure is on the island, away from home, friends and family, he suddenly hears the sound of a trumpet behind him. Christ appears in vision and communicates many amazing things to the beloved disciple. The revelations given to John are reaching from his day right down to the end of time. Perhaps no book has more fascinated different cultures and people than the book of Revelation. The fantastic imagery inspires and intrigues the mind! The title Revelation is indicating that it reveals or makes things plain. Revelation is a prophetic book dealing with last day events.

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 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.” Revelation 1:1-3

Revelation is dealing with things which must shortly take place and there is an urgency. It describes events leading up to the second coming of Christ.

The book of Revelation is given in signs. We have already seen why. It is important to note that the book of Revelation is a revelation of Jesus.

A blessing is pronounced on those that read and understand the book of Revelation. Jesus implicitly tells us to understand this book. But again it cannot be understood without the rest of the Bible – especially its twin book Daniel.

Defining the Key Role Players in the Book of Revelation

There are many characters of interest in this book but really two stand out among the rest. There are only two leading figures that create a dividing line in Revelation. As we scroll through the sacred pages, I believe the two leaders will stand out with clarity. Christ the Lamb and Satan the dragon! Revelation is picturing the Battle between the Lamb and a dragon. If you just imagine a dragon fighting a lamb in your mind most of us would place our bets on the dragon. Yet Revelation is a book of surprises.

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14

The outcome of the battle is given. The lamb wins! But how do we know the Lamb is Jesus?

“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” Revelation 5:6

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29

John sees a Lamb that had been slain. This Lamb is no other than Jesus. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the Lamb. The whole sacrificial service of the Old Testament tabernacle pointed to Jesus as the Lamb that would be sacrificed for the sins of the world. Remember that we have to have the Old Testament as the foundation to understand the book of Revelation. In the very first chapter Jesus appears to John on the Island of Patmos - this time not as a lamb, but His appearance has much significance.

“I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.” Revelation 1:9-13

“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” Revelation 1:14-16

John beholds His Lord and Master now glorified. The picture is full of deep symbolic meaning. Let’s just quickly look at one of the symbols.

“And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” Revelation 1:16

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

A sharp two-edged sword is coming out of the mouth of Jesus. What is it? It is a symbol of the Word of God! Jesus Himself appears to John to inform him about things to come upon the world. The Revelation is a book covering the history and future of this earth from John’s time all the way into eternity. The book begins with Jesus appearing to John and ends with the promise that He will soon come!

“And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book… And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand… And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be… He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:6-7, 10, 12, 20

There is an urgency to the book of Revelation. As we will study this book we will see that we are indeed living just before His coming. Revelation also reveals an enemy that is at work to hinder a preparation for the coming of Jesus.

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” Revelation 12:3

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:9 

Who is this great red dragon? We could pass around a hat and let everybody throw in an answer, but remember that prophecy is of no private interpretation. The Bible gives us the answer and this is how we interpret prophecy. Immediately the question arises: Who created this dragon? Did God create a dragon? The answer is no. God creates good and not evil. If Satan is the cause of evil, then how did he become evil? Let us look at an amazing statement by Jesus while He was on earth.

“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Luke 10:17-18

The disciples of Jesus witnessed how demons fell at the name of Jesus. Jesus was reminded of the great fall of Satan long back in time. Where did Satan fall from? According to this text he fell from Heaven. If you fall from somewhere it means you have been there!

The Bible Pulls Back the Curtain and Gives Us a View of a Great Battle

Many believe that there is no devil, but if there is a devil he will be the last to let you know. Many think of him as an ugly little creature, but the Bible tells us he was once in heaven. What happened?

The prophet Ezekiel portrays the picture of Satan and his fall.

“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” Ezekiel 28:13-14

The angel Lucifer is described in these verses. This anointed Cherub had a high position. God is telling Ezekiel that Satan once dwelt in His immediate presence as an angel by the name of Lucifer which means ‘light bearer’. But what happened to this exalted angel?

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” Ezekiel 28:15

Iniquity was found in Lucifer. How can iniquity be found in a perfect created being? One aspect of this perfect creation of God was the free will of this being. It is vital, essential, and imperative that you don’t miss this very point! Love, in order to be true love, must have the right to say no. What makes love so special? It is voluntary.

What is it that makes you really you? What is it that makes me really me? It’s not the colour of our skin or the colour of our eyes, how tall or short we are, or the colour of our hair. That which makes us really us is the ability to make rational choices. To take that away denies our humanness. It denies who we are.

So God was willing to take the risk of enabling us to make bad choices. He was willing to give us that freedom of choice knowing, that there was a possibility that we would make bad choices. He knew that to take this away, would destroy the essence of human personality.

Think about it from God’s perspective: God wants a real relationship with real beings. God has given us this thing called free will. This is essential to have true love! Lucifer was created with the free gift to choose. Lucifer choose to uplift himself and reject the love and longsuffering of God.

“By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.” Ezekiel 28:16-17

The covering cherub Lucifer became Satan. God created Lucifer and not Satan. Lucifer chose to become Satan! How did it happen? Lucifer, as a created being, wanted to be like God.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the mostHigh.” Isaiah 14:12-14

The prophet asks the same question: How? The Bible reveals the innermost workings of the mind of Satan. One word pops up all the time – the word “I”.

The Battle for the Throne

Lucifer is in heaven, and he wants an exalted position. He wants to exalt his throne above the stars of God.

Satan is saying, I don’t want to obey, but I want to be the one that gives the law. And so there is a conflict over the throne, a conflict over the law of God. God had given him freedom of choice. The reason God chose not to destroy Lucifer at once is because the whole universe would have thought that Lucifer was right when he charged God as being unfair and unjust and that His laws were restrictive.

God wanted to demonstrate, by allowing sin to run it’s course, that sin brings disaster. Lucifer began to sow lies in heaven and he said that God was unfair and unjust. This being, that God created, corrupted his wisdom by his own choices. He was created perfect, but made a choice to rebel. The consequences of your own decisions lead to who you are.

Satan, pictured as a dragon in Revelation, fought against Christ:

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:7-9

Prophecy pictures the fall of Satan. But how did our world become involved? When talking to Eve in Eden, Satan projected his own desires upon mankind and mankind accepted the same desire for self exaltation.

“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5

The world is now under the selfish influence of Satan. Evil, suffering, pain and sin has entered this world; it mars the beauty of God’s very good planet. The selfish heart of man desires to be uplifted and this lies at the very root of the whole issue. This world has come under the influence of Satan.

The very fact that humanity has come under the control of the fallen Lucifer, answers our question of why we see so much suffering in the world. The minds of mankind are running in the same track as Satan: The ‘I’ problem! And yet the blame of calamities often ends up with God. Many people say they don’t believe in God, but blame Him for their troubles. Some insurance policies tell you they will cover you for everything except “acts of God”. If God creates a disaster then they’re not going to cover you. But do calamities come from God? Why do they call it an act of God?

They do not understand the great battle revealed in the Bible – the battle revealed in the Revelation. Otherwise they would call it an act of the devil! God does not create natural disasters to destroy us. These natural disasters are the result of a world that is separated from God. So when you have a world that is separated from God, human beings are affected. The environment is affected, and nature suffers. All of life is affected in what we would call a planet in rebellion. So the natural disasters that we see are certainly not acts of God, but they are the result of a planet that is separated from God, and the result of the activity of the evil one, Satan, who wants to sweep people into premature death. This planet is hijacked by a fallen foe that intends to destroy lives.

This small planet in the vast universe has become the stage upon which a great controversy has unfolded. There are two powers in the world: The power of love and the power of hate. Hate leads to separation from God. The power of love is the power of life. When Adam and Eve were separated from God, they were separated from the source of life and love. They had the seeds of death in their body and there was no possibility they could live forever. The Bible says, “The wages (that is, the natural result of the consequence of life independent, separated from God) is death.”

If God is the Creator and sustainer of all things, and you cut yourself off from that which sustains life, what do you have? It’s like breaking a branch off an apple tree. The branch is not going to live for very long.

We were made and created to live forever, but living forever was conditional upon our relationship with God. And when Adam sinned, Jesus and the Father and the councils of eternity said, “We’ll not push Earth out into space.” Jesus decided to live the perfect life that we should have lived. It was as if He said: “I will live the life they should have lived. I will walk over the same territory, and I will face the same temptations of all humanity.”

That’s why our Saviour is near to us. That’s why our Saviour is like us. He took on human flesh and He faced all the struggles and temptations of human flesh. He defeated Satan in the human flesh. He went to the cross and He died the death that you and I should have died. God did not just let Satan have this planet! He loved this world, but the price of sin was death. Man had sinned and deserved to die. God could not oversee this fact as it would violate His character! God is mercy and love, but also a God of justice. The solution was found in the willingness of God to send His Son, and Jesus’ willingness to come and die in behalf of man.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

We are all very familiar with this verse, but have you really thought about it? Some one came up to me after a meeting I had in Holland. He said this is the greatest verse in the Bible.

He explained it the following way: “For God” – the greatest giver, “so loved” – the greatest quality, “the world” – the greatest company, “that he gave” – the greatest deed, “his only begotten Son” – the greatest gift, “that whosoever” – the greatest possibility, “believeth” – the greatest simplicity, “in him” – the greatest affection, “should not perish” – the greatest punishment, “but have everlasting life” – the greatest reward.

All that God and Christ did for this world stand in contrast to Satan. Remember that Lucifer wanted to go up, up, up! What did Christ do to save a self-centred, sin stricken world?

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Phil 2:5-8

Christ humbled himself. Christ gave His life for you. What will you do for Him? Who will you give Him your heart? The sacrifice of Jesus was a great victory. Through Christ we are promised eternal life even though we deserve eternal death. When we look unto Jesus and His death for humanity we see a loving God. Not a God of chaos. Not a God that does not care. God is right there to impart hope for the future.

When Jesus returns, He will make an end to all suffering and chaos in this world. But to be part of his everlasting kingdom, we must accept his offer of Calvary. His death has taken the place of ours. When we accept Christ in our hearts, we experience peace – a peace and assurance that this world cannot offer.

Certainly we see that God is not the cause of chaos, but the very solution for it! We can accept this solution by accepting the wonderful gift of Jesus and His death on behalf of our sins.

Let Jesus come into your heart, and He will be the solution of your life!