The Book of Revelation: Introduction/Background

The Book of Revelation: Introduction/Background

The Book of Revelation: Introduction/Background

Author:

  • The earliest Fathers attest to this understanding:

Date:

Canonicity: Revelation was considered spurious by a number of Fathers, particularly in the East. It was included in the canon at the Council of Rome in 382AD and in St Augustine’s canon (5th century). Reaffirmed at the Council of Trent (1546).

Genre:

Theme Verse/Theme/Interpretive Challenges:

  • Theme:
  • Four Interpretive Paradigms:
  • Preterist-
  • Historicist-
  • Idealist-
  • Futurist-

Symbols/Symbolism:

Outline

  1. “What you have seen…” (1:1-20)
  2. Introduction (1:1-8)
  3. Inaugural Vision (1:9-20)
  1. “…what is…” (2:1-3:22)
  2. To the Churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyratira (2:1-29)
  3. To the Churches in Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (3:1-22)
  1. “…what is to take place after this.” (4:1-22:21)
  2. The Worship in Heaven of Creation and Redemption (4:1-5:14)
  3. The Seven Seal Judgments (6:1-8:5)
  4. The first six seals (6:1-17)
  5. The first parenthetical break: sealing the 144,00 (7:1-17)
  6. The Seventh Seal (8:1-5)
  7. The Seven Trumpet Judgments (8:6-11:19)
  8. The first six trumpets (8:6-9:21)
  9. The second parenthetical break: a mighty angel and Two Witnesses (10:1-11:14)
  10. The Seventh Trumpet (11:15-19)
  11. Parenthetical Prelude to the Last (Bowl) Judgments (12:1-15:8)
  12. The Woman and the Dragon (12:1-18)
  13. The Two Beasts (13:1-18)
  14. The Beast from the Sea (13:1-10)
  15. The Beast from the Earth (13:11-18)
  16. The Lamb, 144,000, Three Angels and “Grapes of Wrath” (14:1-20)
  17. The preparation for the last seven judgments (15:1-8)
  18. The Seven Bowl Judgments (16:1-21)
  19. The first six bowls (16:1-12)
  20. The third parenthetical break: Satanic Trinity prepares for Armageddon (16:13-16)
  21. The Seventh Bowl (16:17-21)
  22. The Whore of Babylon, part 1: Identity (17:1-18)
  23. The Whore of Babylon, part 2: Demise (18:1-24)
  24. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb (19:1-10)
  25. The Great White Throne Judgment of All (19:11-20:15)
  26. The judgment on the Beast and False Prophet (19:11-21)
  27. The 1000 year reign and the first resurrection (20:1-6)
  28. Satan’s final demise (20:7-10)
  29. The Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)
  30. A New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem (21:1-22:5)
  31. The New Heaven & Earth (21:1-8)
  32. The New Jerusalem (21:9-22:5)
  1. Epilogue (22:6-21)

Study Questions

1. Read all of Revelation in one sitting, if you can. What do you think is the “big picture”? What questions arise? What ‘a-ha’ moments did you receive?

2. Revelation is truly a book of recapitulation of salvation history. Identify those elements that recap salvation history (and bring it to a close).

3. How does knowing the author and date of when the book was written affect how one interprets the book of Revelation? After all, who really cares/what difference does it make?

4. Why do you think there is so much mystery and misunderstanding about the book of Revelation?

5. What do you hope to learn (get out of) from this study of Revelation? What have you learned so far?

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