*Teacher reads, as class follows. Lesson 1

Teacher Preparation 1. Study lesson.

Scripture Rev. 1–10 2. Visuals • Key Verse 1 I Thess. 4: 17

• Rev. Outline 1.1 • Future Events 1.2

3. Objectives: To learn about—• Revelation outline / overview.• Ch.1Past—GlorifiedChrist• Ch. 2, 3 Present—Church Age• Ch. 4–10 Future—Rapture / Tribulation

Revelation OverviewThe Christian who believes and knows the Bible has great hope. He has

something to live for, and his life is not centered on planet Earth.

God chose to reveal in scripture His future plans for this world. The

book of Revelation is about the future of planet Earth. God chose not

to tell the world, for they would not believe it.

Just as jets fly across the USA and passengers see large cities and many

land formations, we will take a jet flight over God’s future plans for

planetEarthinthesefirst2lessonsinRevelation.Author / Purpose

*Teacher reads, as class follows.Rev. 1:1 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.

“To shew unto his servants”; these are the believers who actively

serve the Lord. Those who do not serve the Lord are usually not

interested in hearing about future things in God’s word.

Vs. 3 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.

“Blessed is he that readeth” means the book of Revelation is an open

6 Revelation Overview Part I 7

1book with great blessings for those who read it. It is not a closed

book that causes confusion, as some claim. For that would

discourage Christians from reading the book of Revelation.Church age

*Teacher reads, as class follows.Vs. 4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you,

and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne.

John the beloved, about 90 yrs. old and exiled on the Isle of Patmos,

wrote the book of Revelation to 7 churches in Asia (now Turkey).

In Ch. 1, John sees and describes the glorified Christ, who visibly

communicates with John.Outline

Vs. 19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.

This gives the outline of the book—

Past — Rev. Ch. 1 is the glorified Christ,

Present — Ch. 2 and 3 is the Church Age,

Future — Ch. 4 to 22 is the rapture, tribulation, 2nd coming,

Millennium, and eternity.

Rev. 2 & 3 are letters to 7 churches. As we lay each letter alongside

Church History, each letter describes a period in Church History.Ch. 4—Church raptured

*Teacher reads, as class follows.Rev. 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:

and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

The voice said, “Come up hither.” The “hereafter” is after the Church

Age, when the Church is gone. This reminds us of—

Revelation Outline 1.1

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A Key VerseI Thess. 4:17 Then we which are alive and

remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

(repeat verse)

At the end of the Church Age, all born-again

believers will be raptured (caught up) to

heaven. All believers will disappear from

Earth. The next event on God’s calendar

is the Rapture. (go over Visual)

4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

What happened to John happens to all believers at the Rapture.

Vs. 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

The 24 elders represent OT and NT saints in heaven.Ch. 5 / sealed book

Rev. Ch. 5 is about a book in heaven. Its contents are sealed with 7 seals.

No man was found worthy (had the right) to break the seals and open

the book, which is like the title deed to Earth.

5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

The Lion and Root of David is Jesus. Only He can open the 7-sealed

book, for only He has that right. As landlord of this planet, Jesus

has the right to evict any tenant, even Satan.

Key Verse 1

Future Events 1.2

Revelation Overview Part I 9

1Before Christ reigns on Earth, He will crush and purge the world of evil.

Vs. 6 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.

He’s worthyJesus Christ, the “Lamb”, is worthy and has the right, as Creator and

Redeemer, to take the book (title deed) and reclaim Earth for Himself.

Vs. 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.

Heaven enthusiastically responds—Jesus is worthy. He was slain and

paid the price for Earth’s “title deed.” Seals 1–3

In Rev. 6,thefirst6 seals of the title deed are opened. Following the

opening of each seal—tribulation and judgment occur on Earth.

6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

The 1st seal is broken and a man on a white horse represents a

false peace. It is probably the Antichrist promising world peace.

Vs. 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

The 2nd seal—a red horse represents war; rider has a great sword.

Vs. 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

The 3rd seal is opened; the rider is on a black horse and has a

pair of balances—indicating a great economic collapse.

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Seals 4 and 56:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him

was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

The 4th seal—Death sits on a pale horse. With his sword, he kills

a fourth part of the Earth.

Vs. 9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held.

The 5th seal—John saw under the altar, souls slain for the word of God.

Evidently, they are saved as a result of Earth’s tribulation and are

martyred. In heaven, they cry, “How long, O Lord?. . . avenge our

blood.” Thisoccurredduringthefirsthalf(3½ yrs.) of the Tribulation.Seal 6

Vs. 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

The 6th seal is a great earthquake, which has the effect of a

nuclear explosion, which mankind has feared for years.Great Tribulation / 3½ yrs

Vs. 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

People realize that horrendous trouble is coming on Earth. This probably

begins what is called the Great Tribulation, the last 3½ yrs. Daniel

prophesied the time of trouble would be 7 yrs. (Daniel 9:27).Rev. 7—parenthesis

Rev. 7 is a parenthesis chapter. Before the 7th seal is opened, an

Revelation Overview Part I 11

1explanation is given about the events. God’s principal players in

the Tribulation are not the Church, for the Church was raptured.

An angel cried with a loud voice—

7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

God’s servants are 144,000 Jewish evangelists, who are sealed in

their foreheads to do God’s work on Earth. The seal makes them

immune to Earth’s judgments. Their converts are then martyred and

are in heaven.Rev. 8 / Earth’s judgment

Rev. 8 When the 7th and last seal is opened, those in heaven see Earth’s

great, horrible judgments and respond in silence.

Vs. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

Vs. 7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

In Vs. 8—1/3 of seas become blood, and 1/3 of creatures in the sea die.

Vs. 10, 11—1/3 of water in rivers and fountains become bitter.

Vs. 12—1/3 of sun, moon, stars do not shine. One third of the world

is affected by these terrible judgments.

Vs. 13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound !

Rev. 9The fifthangel sounds, and all those without God’s seal are tormented

5 months. 6th angel sounds—a third of the men are slain (vs. 15, 18).

9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet

12 Lesson 1

repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.

And those not killed by the plagues do not repent.Rev. 10

Rev. 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth.

A mighty angel (Christ) has a little book (title deed to Earth) in His hand.

He stands on the Earth and sea—to claim planet Earth. The plagues

start slow, but increase in severity and frequency—like a woman in

birth pangs.

Vs. 6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer.

“Time no longer” means time is up. The landlord, Earth’s owner, is

ready to evict Satan and his evil tenants.

Vs. 7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

When the “seventh angel begins to sound”, all is brought to a finish.

It is the beginning of the end—like the last bell in a boxing match.

Vs. 9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

Vs. 11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

John takes and eats the little book, which is sweet to his taste, but

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13Scripture to read before next study

Revelation Ch. 11– 22

bitter to his belly. It is sweet to know God will overcome in the

end, but bitter to see God’s judgments on Earth. John, therefore,

grieves over those not saved.

That is also true for us—it’s sweet to know God’s judgments. But it’s bitter

for us when we tell God’s judgments to unsaved people. Therefore,

God’s judgments must always be spoken with tender, loving

compassion to those who are not saved. This is good for us to

remember when we witness to others about Christ.

Our next lesson, Ch. 11 to 22, continues this overview of Revelation.

Review Key Verse I Thess. 4: 17

Let’s say it together.

Announce—Scripture for each lesson is on back of Compass.

Prayer

As class exits, Asst. gives out Compass #1.

Key Verse 1