Bible Questions and Answers

A visitor writes,

"Where are we right now in the timeline of Revelation?"

Sorry for the delay.

Below is an analysis of Revelation.

Chapter 1 V.1-3 Title, scope, and design of the book, and the blessing on those who read and pay attention to it. V.4-8 Dedication to the seven churches of Asia and preface to show the divine authority. V.9-20. Place, time, and manner of the first vision. The place - Patmos - where the apostle John was banished (most probably in the reign of emperor Domitian AD 81-96). John in the vision on the Lord’s day (most likely the day of Christ’s return - he turns around to receive the vision).

Chapter 2 & 3 Seven letters to the seven churches of Asia Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

Chapter 4. Vision of a door open in heaven to reveal a representation of God seated on a throne in front of which was a sea of glass and around it four living creatures (Cherubim) with six wings full of eyes, having the face of a lion, calf, man, and eagle respectively. Also twenty-four elders, who along with the living creatures praise God for his creation.

Chapter 5 A little book with Seven Seals signifying seven periods of prophecy. A slain Lamb representing the son of God is alone qualified to take the book and open the seals whereupon angels, elders, and the living creatures worship and praise God and the Lamb.

Chapter 6 V.1-2 First Seal -- white horse and rider with a bow – Period commences with emperor Vespasian, includes the conquest of Judea and continues during the reigns of the Flavian family and the short reign of Nerva. V.3-4 Second Seal -- Red horse and rider with a large knife – Period begins with emperor Trajan and his successors by blood or adoption. V.5,6 Third Seal -- Black horse and rider with scales - Commences with Septimus Severus and continues during the reigns of the Septimian family. V.7-8 Fourth Seal – Pale horse ridden by death - Commences with emperor Maximin through to Diocletian. V. 9-11: Fifth Seal – Souls under the altar representing Christians slain during the 10th and final persecution by Diocletian. V.12-17 Sixth Seal – Great earthquake – the wrath of the Lamb - Commences with emperor Constantine legalizing the Christian religion, followed by emperor Theodosius outlawing pagan idolatry. This has been fulfilled.

Chapter 7 Continuation of the Sixth Seal period. Sealing of 144,000 out of tribulation. An innumerable multitude from all nations clothed in white. All of whom along with the angels, twenty-four elders, and four living creatures praise God and the Lamb.

Chapter 8 V.1-5 Seventh Seal begins with a half-hour silence in heaven. Seven angels with Seven trumpets introduced. As the seals foretold the state of the Roman Empire before and until it became Christian, so the trumpets foreshow the fate of it afterwards. The trumpets rouse the nations against the Roman Empire. An angel with a censer offers incense with the prayers of saints. He throws the censer to the earth. V.7 First Trumpet – Hail and fire mixed with blood - Alaric and his Goths invade the Roman Empire, twice to besiege Rome and set fire to it in several places. V.8-9 Second Trumpet- a burning mountain is cast into the sea - Attila and his Huns waste the Roman provinces and compel the eastern emperor Theodosius II and the western emperor Valentinian III to submit to shameful terms. V.10-11 Third Trumpet – A burning star called wormwood falls into the rivers - Genseric and his Vandals arrive from Africa, spoil and plunder Rome and set sail again with immense wealth and innumerable captives V.12 Fourth Trumpet – a third part of the sun moon and stars are darkened - Odoacer and the Heruli put an end to the Western Roman Empire. Theodoric founds the Kingdom of the Ostrogoths in Italy 480 Italy made a province of the eastern empire and Rome governed by a Duke under the exarch of Ravenna. The three following trumpets are denoted Woe-trumpets and the two following relate chiefly to the downfall of the eastern empire as the foregoing did to that of the western empire. This has been fulfilled.

Chapter 9 V.1-12 Fifth Trumpet - A star falls from heaven and releases locusts from the bottomless pit. Muhammed and the Arabians torment the Greek and Latin churches but are unable to extirpate either V.12-21 Sixth Trumpet – four angels loosed from the Euphrates - The rise of the Turks and Ottomans against the Eastern Roman Empire. This has been fulfilled.

Chapter 10 V.1-7 An angel descends from heaven with a little open book and stands with his right foot on the sea and right foot on the earth. At his cry, Seven Thunders speak, but their words are sealed up. The angel swears that when the Seventh Trumpet sounds the mystery of God will be finished. V.8 John is told to eat the little open book – it was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. John is told he must prophesy again. This has been fulfilled.

Chapter 11. V.1-2: John is given a rod and told to measure the temple and altar, excluding the court. V.3-13Two witnesses are given power to prophesy 1,260 days, at the end of which they will be killed, and their bodies will lie in the street of the city for 3.1/2 days. After this they will be restored to life and ascend in a cloud to heaven. A great earthquake causes a tenth of the city to fall and men to give glory to God. V.14 this is the end of the second woe (Sixth Trumpet). V.15 Seventh Trumpet (third woe) Great rejoicing – the kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of God. Christ will reign forever. The time of judgment has come. This has not yet been fulfilled.

Chapter 12 V.1-6: A wonder (sign) in heaven – a woman clothed with the sun in labour with a manchild. A great red dragon in heaven intends to devour the child when it is born. We go back in time to the time The woman represents the Church. Heaven represents the political heaven of the Roman Empire. The dragon represents the pagan authorities, the manchild was Constantine. The Church championed by Constantine fell away from the true gospel, so those who held to the true gospel found themselves excluded for a period of 1,260 years. V.7-11 - War in heaven – the contest between Christians and the pagan Roman authorities. The battle was won by preaching and martyrdom. V.12-17 Paganism in decline persecutes Christians. This has been fulfilled.

Chapter 13 V.1-10 A beast arises from the sea with seven heads and ten crowned horns and receives authority from the Dragon. The beast is to continue for 42 months blaspheming God and persecuting (true) Christians. The saints are warned. The beast is the fourth beast described by Daniel and represents the Christianised Roman Empire. One of its heads (the 6th⁾ is wounded and is healed. V.11-18: a two horned beast arises out of the earth, exercises the authority of the ten-horned beast, makes an image to it, kills those who won’t worship the image. The sum of the (Greek) letters which make up the beast’s name is 666. The ten-horned beast was the Roman state in general, the two-horned beast the Roman clergy in particular. Allied with the Franks it became the Holy Roman Empire. This has been fulfilled.

Chapter 14 V.1-5: A lamb stands on mount Zion with 144,000 redeemed from the earth, having God’s name in their foreheads, who sing a new song before the throne, living creatures and elders. These are the first-fruits of the redeemed. V.6-12 An angel with the everlasting gospel to preach to all people flies in heaven. A second angel follows proclaiming the fall of Babylon. A third angel warns all not to receive the mark of Babylon. V.13 A voice from heaven tells John to write that those who die in the Lord are blessed. V.14-20 The reaping of the harvest and vintage of the earth. This has yet to be fulfilled.

Chapter 15 V.1-4 Seven angels having the seven last plagues which complete God’s anger. Those who gained victory over the beast stand on a sea of glass mingled with fire. They have harps and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. God’s judgments made manifest. V.5-8 The Temple in heaven is opened and Seven angels with Seven Vials containing the Seven last Plagues come out. None can enter the Temple until the plagues are finished. These seven last plagues belong to the Seventh Trumpet, and consequently are not yet fulfilled.

Chapter 16 V.1 A voice from the Temple authorises the Seven angels to pour out the seven vials which are so many steps of the ruin of the Roman church, as the trumpets were of the ruin of the Roman empire, V.2 First Vial poured on the earth causing grievous sore on those with the mark of the beast. V. 3-7: Second Vial poured on the sea turning it to blood. V.4-7 Third Vial poured on the rivers turning the water to blood – those who have shed blood are given blood to drink V.8-11 Fourth vial poured on the sun, causing scorching. Men blaspheme and do not repent. V.10-11 Fifth vial poured on the seat of the beast causing darkness and sores, but men do not repent. V.12 Sixth Vial poured on the Euphrates which is dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the east. This has been fulfilled.

V.13-15 Three unclean spirits like frogs come from the mouth of the Dragon, beast and false prophet to gather the kings to Armageddon. Behold I come as a thief. V.17-21. Seventh Vial poured into the air. Great voice from the Temple ‘It is done’. Voices, thunders, lightning, great earthquake. The great city split into three. Babylon given the cup of wrath. Great hail from heaven causing men to blaspheme. This has not yet been fulfilled.

Chapter 17. V.1-6 One of the angels with the vials takes John into the wilderness to show him the great whore who sits on many waters and with whom the kings of the earth have committed (spiritual) fornication. He sees a woman, drunk with the blood of saints, riding a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. She has a golden cup full of abomination. Her title is ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth’. V.7-17 The angel explains the mystery. The beast, having previously ceased to exist, has ascended from the bottomless pit. It’s seven heads represent seven mountains upon which the woman sits. The seven heads also represent seven kings, five of which have fallen, one is, and the other is yet to come. The beast itself is the eighth king. All heads (kings) are destined for perdition. The ten horns are ten kings (kingdoms) which will give their sovereignty to the beast. These will fight the Lamb and be overcome. The waters where the whore sits are many peoples and languages. The ten kings will (at some point) burn the whore but give their sovereignty to the beast. The woman represents the city which reigns over kingdoms. This has not yet been fulfilled.

Chapter 18. V.1-8. Another angel descends from heaven to describe the fall of spiritual Babylon, to become the habitation of foul spirits and unclean birds, all nations had been intoxicated with her. A warning to forsake her communion. To be utterly burnt with fire. V.9-20 the consequences of her fall, the lamentations of some, and rejoicings of others. V.21-24: her utter desolation foretold. She was responsible for the death of prophets and saints. This has not yet been fulfilled.

Chapter 19. V.1-6: God is praised for his judgments upon her. The smoke of her burning to rise for ever. The twenty-four elders and four living creatures worship God. Alleluia: God reigns.V.7-9 The marriage of the Lamb. His bride is dressed in fine white linen representing righteousness. Blessed are those called to the marriage.V.10 John is forbidden to worship the angel. V.11-21 the victory and triumph of Christ over the beast and the false prophet and the kings of the earth. The beast and false prophet are thrown into the Lake of fire. This has not yet been fulfilled.

Chapter 20. V.1-6: Satan is bound in the bottomless pit, and the millennial reign of Christ over the mortal population of the earth commences, after which Satan will be loosed for a short time. The first resurrection and judgment of the saints and their reign as kings and priests upon earth for a thousand years. V.7-10: Satan loosed again, a final rebellion, headed by Gog and Magog is destroyed by fire. Satan joins the beast and false prophet in the Lake of fire, which represents complete destruction. V.11-15: the second resurrection and final judgment at the end of the millennium. Death and hades (the grave) thrown into the lake of fire (All who live on will be immortal). This has not yet been fulfilled.

Chapter 21. V.1-8: the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem. God will live with his people. Tears death, sorrow and pain will be no more. These words are true and faithful. Those who overcome inherit all things, but the unbelieving will suffer the second death represented by the lake of fire. V.9-27 The Lamb’s bride represented by new Jerusalem descending from heaven. The city described. This has not yet been fulfilled.

Chapter 22. V.1-5: a continuation of the description of the city. V.6-7 A confirmation of the truth of John’s vision, with a blessing upon those who keep the sayings of this book. V.8-21: John again forbidden to worship the angel. The prophecy not to be sealed. At his coming Jesus – the alpha and omega of God’s purpose – will reward the faithful with the right to the tree of life. The prophecies in the book not to be added to or taken away from. Jesus will come quickly. John’s concluding salutation. This has not yet been fulfilled.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,

Glenn