Chapter-by-Chapter Review

the book of Revelation

 

In any in-depth study of an entire book of the Bible, it’s helpful to review the important points in each chapter. In The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness, our study of the book of Revelation, such review is essential. Because it can become unwieldy, we’re providing our review of key points in the book of Revelation with a page of its own. You can access this review at the top of each online study page.

Revelation review, chapter 1 (Lessons 1 & 2)
John has a vision of Jesus, who is described in terms usually reserved for God.
John falls to the ground because he thinks he’s a dead man.
Jesus reassures him: “I died, and behold I am alive for evermore.”
Death is no big deal.
John is told to write what he sees in his vision, which is of the present and the future.

Revelation review, chapters 2 & 3 (Lessons 3 & 4)
The Spirit dictates letters to the seven churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
In the letters, Jesus tells the churches how they’re doing—the good and the not-so-good.
The messages are different, but each offers a reward to those who conquer.
Each letter expresses a sense of urgency and exhorts readers to hear what the Spirit is saying.

Revelation review, chapter 4 (Lesson 5)
John sees an open door and is told to enter.
He finds himself in heaven, and it’s similar to Old Testament prophets’ visions of heaven.
A throne is at the center of heaven, and closest to it are 24 thrones with 24 elders.
The sea of glass before the throne recalls the connection between the sacrament of Baptism and the Exodus out of Egypt.

Revelation review, chapter 5 (Lesson 6)
The one seated on the throne in heaven is holding a scroll with seven seals.
No one in heaven, on earth, under the earth, or in the sea is worthy to open the scroll.
But the Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered and is worthy to open the scroll.
Instead of a Lion, however, an unusual Lamb appears, whom all in heaven begin worshiping.
The Lamb is standing as though slain and has seven eyes and seven horns.

Revelation review, chapter 6 (Lesson 7)
The Lamb begins opening the seals on the scroll.
The first four seals unleash four horsemen.
The rider on the first horse has a bow, a crown, and is going out to conquer.
The second rider has a sword to take peace from the earth.
The third rider has a balance and his mission is to destroy the earth’s economic system.
The fourth rider is Death who is followed by Hades and who has power to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence.
Opening the fifth seal discloses an altar with souls under it who have been slain for bearing witness to the word of God.
Opening the sixth seal unleashes an earthquake, the sun becomes black, the moon becomes like blood, and stars fall to the earth.

Revelation review, chapter 7  (Lesson 8)
Four angels at the four corners of the earth hold back the four winds.
Another angel announces no harm will occur until 144,000 servants of God have been sealed.
They are from the 12 tribes of Israel, but the listing doesn’t match other such lists in Scripture—Joseph and Levi are included while Dan and Ephraim are left out.
In addition, a great multitude appears before the throne and the Lamb.
The author asks the identity of the multitude.
He’s told they’ve come through the great tribulation and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation review, chapter 8  (Lesson 9)
When the Lamb opens the seventh seal, heaven is surprisingly silent.
Then seven angels are given seven trumpets.
Another angel fills a censor with fire from a golden altar and throws the fire onto the earth.
When the first trumpet sounds, hail, fire, and blood fall on the earth, burning a third of the earth and trees and all of the grass.
When the second trumpet sounds, a mountain is thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea becomes blood.
When the third trumpet sounds, a star named Wormwood falls to earth, and a third of the fresh waters on earth become bitter and poison many people.
When the fourth trumpet sounds, a third of the heavenly bodies are darkened.
An eagle flying in midheaven warns that three woes are about to occur on earth when the final three trumpets sound.

Revelation review, chapter 9  (Lesson 10)
When the fifth trumpet sounds the first woe is unleashed.
The author of the book of Revelation sees a star that has fallen from heaven to earth.
This star has the key to the bottomless pit, which he opens.
Locusts and smoke come from the pit to torture anyone not marked with the seal of God.
The king of the bottomless pit is an angel named Abaddon or Apollyon.
When the sixth trumpet sounds, the four angels bound at the river Euphrates are released to kill a third of humanity.
Those not killed in the destruction unleashed by the six trumpets refuse to repent of their deeds or to give up worshiping idols.

Revelation review, chapter 10  (Lesson 11)
A mighty angel comes down from heaven, with one foot on the earth and one on the sea, indicating rule over all three realms.
He has in his hand a little scroll
The angel is described in terms that suggest he is divine.
Seven thunders respond to the angel’s voice.
The author of the book of Revelation is told not to write down what the seven thunders say.
A voice from heaven instructs the author to take the little scroll and eat.
The words on the little scroll are bitter.
The author’s role changes from that of scribe to that of prophet.

Revelation review, chapter 11  (Lesson 12)
The author is given a measuring rod and told to measure the temple, the altar, and those who worship there.
He’s told that the nations will trample over the holy city for 42 months.
Two witnesses are given power to prophesy for 1,260 days.
The witnesses have great power during the time they are prophesying.
When they have finished, a beast will ascend from the bottomless pit and kill them.
Their bodies will lie in the streets and people on earth will rejoice at their death.
After three and half days, they will be restored to life and go up to heaven in a cloud.
Then there will be a great earthquake and many will die; completing the second woe.
Finally the seventh trumpet sounds, announcing that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.
The elders in heaven worship God.
God’s temple in heaven is opened and the ark of the covenant is seen within it.
There is lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

Revelation review, chapter 12  (Lesson 13)
A great sign appears in heaven—a woman clothed with the sun, moon, and a crown of stars.
She’s pregnant.
Another sign appears—a great red dragon waiting to devour her child.
The child is born and caught up to heaven.
The woman escapes into a place prepared for her in the wilderness where she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
In heaven, Michael and his angels fight the dragon.
The dragon loses and is cast down to earth with his angels, and heaven rejoices.
The dragon being expelled from heaven represents the third woe for those on earth and in the sea.
The dragon pursues the woman on earth, but she has been given wings of an eagle to escape to the wilderness for a time, and times, and half a time.
The dragon (also called the serpent and the devil) pours water from his mouth in an attempt to sweep the woman away in a flood, but the earth swallows the flood.
The dragon goes off to make war on the rest of the woman’s offspring, who bear testimony to Jesus.
The dragon is left standing on the sand of the sea.

Revelation review, chapter 13  (Lesson 14)
A beast rises from the sea with 10 horns and seven heads, 10 diadems on its horns and a blasphemous name on its heads.
One head appears to have a mortal wound that is healed.
Men worship the beast, who is allowed to exercise authority for 42 months.
Another beast rises from the earth, with two horns like a lamb.
This beast speaks like a dragon and has the authority of the first beast.
It bids humanity to make an image of the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
The beast from the earth is allowed to give breath to the image of the beast from the sea.
Much of humanity worships the image of the beast from the sea and is marked with the name of the beast or the number of its name, 666.
Interpreting the number, which is called a human number, calls for wisdom and understanding.

Revelation review, chapter 14  (Lesson 15)
The Lamb appears on Mount Zion, with the 144,000, who are singing a new song.
An angel in mid-heaven proclaims that the hour of God’s judgment has come, and urges all people to worship God
A second angel follows, proclaiming that Babylon the Great is fallen.
A third angel proclaims that worshipers of the beast or its image will drink the wine of God’s wrath.
A voice from heaven announces that those who die in the Lord from now on are blessed.
One like a son of man appears seated on a cloud, wearing a crown and holding a sharp sickle.
An angel emerges from the temple in heaven announcing it’s time to harvest the earth.
The one seated on the cloud swings his sickle and the earth is reaped.
Another angel appears with a sharp sickle and gathers the grapes of earth, throwing them in the wine press of the wrath of God.
Blood flows from the wine press, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

Revelation review, chapter 15  (Lesson 16)
Yet a third sign appears in heaven, this time seven angels with seven plagues, which represent the end of the wrath of God.
Those who conquered the beast are seen standing on the sea of glass, which now has become mingled with fire.
They’re singing the new song of Moses.
The tent of witness in heaven is opened and the final seven angels emerge in priestly attire.
They are given seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God.
The temple in heaven is filled with smoke from the glory of God.

Revelation review, chapter 16  (Lesson 17)
The angels pour out their bowls of the wrath of God.
The first angel pours out foul and evil sores on those who worshiped the beast or its image.
The second angel pours out his bowl and the sea becomes like blood, killing everything in the sea.
The third angel pours out his bowl and the rivers and fountains of water become blood.
The fourth angel pours out his bowl on the sun, which scorches men with fire.
The fifth angel pours out his bowl on the throne of the beast, whose kingdom is darkened.
The sixth angel pours out his bowl on the river Euphrates, preparing the way for Armageddon.
The seventh angel pours out his bowl into the air, and a voice from the throne in heaven announces: “It is done!”
Through all of this devastation, humanity curses God and refuses to repent.

Revelation review, chapter 17  (Lesson 18)
One of the angels shows the author the judgment of the great harlot seated on many waters.
A woman clothed in scarlet and purple and adorned with jewels is seated on a scarlet beast.
Her name of mystery is Babylon the great, mother of harlots and of earth’s abominations.
She is drunk with the blood of saints and martyrs.
The beast was, is not, and is to ascend from the bottomless pit and go to perdition.
Dwellers on earth marvel at the beast because it was and is not and is to come.
Its seven heads are seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the one has not yet come.
The beast that was and is not is an eighth but belongs to the seven and goes to perdition.
The 10 horns are ten kings who have not yet received royal power; they will make war on the Lamb.
The Lamb will conquer them.
The waters on which the harlot is seated are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
The beast and horns will hate the harlot and destroy her.

Revelation review, chapter 18  (Lesson 19)
Another angel appears from heaven announcing that Babylon the great has fallen.
A voice from heaven urges all people to come out of the city.
Kings of the earth stand afar off and weep and wail when they see Babylon burning.
Merchants of the earth stand afar off and weep and mourn aloud.
Ships’ masters, sailors, and seafaring men stand afar off and weep and mourn.
A mighty angel throws a great stone into the sea and announces that Babylon shall be no more.

Revelation review, chapter 19  (Lesson 20)
The great multitude in heaven cries Hallelujah, a type of praise associated with major Jewish liturgical festivals.
A voice from the throne announces that the marriage of the Lamb has come.
The author is told to write that those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb are blessed.
Heaven is opened and a rider appears on a white horse; he is the Word of God. Instead of going to his wedding however, he appears to be riding out to do battle.
After much buildup, this battle with evil is anticlimactic: The Word of God easily defeats his enemies.
The beast and the false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire.
Their followers are slain by the sword that issues from the mouth of the Word of God.

Revelation review, chapter 20  (Lesson 21)
An angel from heaven appears with the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.
He seizes the dragon and seals him in the pit for a thousand years, after which he must be let out for a little while.
Thrones of judgment appear for those who were beheaded for their testimony to Jesus.
They come to life and reign with Christ a thousand years, after which the remaining dead come to life.
This is the first resurrection, over whom second death has no power.
After the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released to deceive the nations for a short time, after which he will be permanently defeated and thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone with the beast and the false prophet.
God appears on his throne, and the earth and sky flee from his presence.
The dead are judged by what is written in the book of life, by what they had done when alive.
After judgment is finished, Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death.

Revelation review, chapter 21  (Lesson 22)
The author sees a new heaven and a new earth.
The first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.
The holy city, new Jerusalem, comes down from heaven adorned as bride.
A voice from the throne announces that the dwelling of God is with men.
An angel shows the author the new Jerusalem, which is described in terms indicating how precious it is.
There is no temple in the city, or any need for sun or moon. Its gates are never shut.
Nothing unclean is allowed to enter, only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation review, chapter 22  (Lesson 23)
The river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and the Lamb in the middle of the city.
The author assures us that his vision is true and that Jesus is coming soon.
The author is admonished when he attempts to worship the angel showing him the new Jerusalem.
The angel tells the author they are fellow servants.
A warning is issued that no one should add or subtract from the words written in the book of Revelation.
The final book of the New Testament closes with this prayer:
“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.”