Revelation
INTRODUCTION
Revelation reports a vision seen by the Apostle John while exiled to the island of Patmos, in the mid A.D. 90s. At the time the church was undergoing persecution, and the book was intended to encourage believers suffering for their faith. A variety of schemes for interpreting Revelation have been developed. It has been treated as pure prophecy, but also as a book whose symbols deal primarily with the situation in John’s own lifetime. In any interpretive framework, however, it is clear that John presents us with an exalted vision of Jesus, and unmistakable images of the divine judgments to be executed on rebellious mankind. Even when the symbolism is most difficult to understand, we are shown with overpowering clarity a God who is in sovereign control of history and of His universe. And we are assured that this God will deal with evil, and one day rule a cleansed and purified new world, populated by His saints.
OUTLINE OF CONTENTS
| I. | The Glorified Jesus | Rev. 1 |
| II. | Letters to Seven Churches | Rev. 2–3 |
| III. | Visions from the Unsealed Scroll | Rev. 4:1–19:10 |
| IV. | Visions of Christ’s Return | Rev. 19:11–20:15 |
| V. | Visions of the New Earth | Rev. 21–22 |
