A SUMMARY OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Rev. Derek Thomas

Introduction
    It is true generally that in order to understand the parts it always necessary to have an appreciation of the whole. The flow of the Book of Revelation as a whole is determinative in our understanding of the various parts of the Book. Getting a handle on the principle message of the book will prevent us from sinking into the quagmire of its intricate visions.  What is the Book of Revelation about?  Several answers suggest themselves.  First, the great text of Romans 8:39 is appropriate: "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." That just about summarizes everything that this great book, the last thing the Bible says, is all about ¾ the complete security of God’s suffering people. No matter what may come, or when it comes, the believer is safe.

    But that, in the end, fails to capture the real message of Revelation, not because that message isn’t true, but because it fails to ask the right question. We must always be careful to read the Bible theologically. That is, rather than ask, What does this book have to say to me? We ought instead to ask, What does this Book teach me about my Lord?  It is not the first question is inappropriate; it isn’t.  But, it is not the first question to be asked of the Bible. The practice of truth is always a response to a more ultimate issue: the nature of the truth. Calvin once wrote, introducing his greatest literary achievement, The Institutes of the Christian Religion, that all true and sound wisdom consists in knowing God and knowing ourselves. The knowledge of self can be achieved as we know God. To suffering Christians in the first century, John has a profound message about God: that Jesus Christ (who is God!) rules and reigns and will ultimately triumph gloriously. The Book of Revelation is principally about the triumph of Jesus Christ over every force of evil arraigned against the church. It is the signal given in the opening verses: "Jesus Christ… the ruler of the kings of the earth" (1:5). Jesus reigns! That’s the message of Revelation!

    As many have recognized, the basic structure of Revelation follows the form of recapitulation in a progressive and parallel form. That is, the book is constantly covering the same general ground, returning to survey it on several occasions, on each of which further insight is provided. In general we could divide the Book into two equal halves:
Revelation 1-11 is viewed from the perspective of the conflict of the church, whilst
Revelation 12-22 covers this ground against the background of the ultimate, heavenly conflict.

Chapters 1-3
The Book begins in chapter 1 with an Introduction which leads into a description of Jesus Christ, the principal character in this Book.  Letters to seven churches (geographically forming a circle) follow. The number seven is important in Revelation and is often symbolic of completeness (think of creation followed by rest in seven days).   Whilst the recipients of these letters were real churches at the time John wrote, the number seven probably means, however, that we are meant to take these letters as coming from the Savior to the church in every age. They are letters from the Senior Pastor of the church.

    A series of visions follow of seven ‘seals,’ seven ‘trumpets,’ seven ‘bowls’ (and possibly seven ‘thunders’ which come between the trumpets and the bowls).  Each series of seven seems to follow God's purposes to their historical consummation on the Day of Judgment (8:1; 11:19; 16:17-21).

Interpretation/language/style
    From this point onwards, it is immediately apparent that we reading a style of literature that is different from that we have thus far encountered: it is a genre in which colors and numbers and images (sometimes bizarre and even grotesque) are brought before us.  Other parts of the Bible have employed this kind of writing style (the latter half of Daniel, for example). Just as we employ different rules for understanding historical narratives (like the life of Abraham in Genesis) from, say, the poetry of the Book of Psalms (so that whenever the Psalmist says, "He lifted me out of the slimy pit" (Psa. 40:2) we immediately understand him to be speaking metaphorically), so, in reading apocalyptic literature, we are careful to appreciate the form of the material.  Thus, in apocalyptic literature, vivid pictures are painted designed to make an impression. The parts of the picture are less important than the whole.  We are constantly looking for the main point rather than chasing after the details. What, after all, are to imagine Revelation to mean whenever it describes a great prostitute sitting on seven hills, other than a representation of the evil rule of the city of Rome?  It is the language and genre of the cartoon rather than the Rembrandt or Turner. Appreciating that point alone can rescue us from the mine-fields of literalist interpretations.

Chapters 4-5
These chapters picture the Throne of God and the scroll which only the Lion-Lamb is able to open. It affirms the sovereignty of Christ which is the theme of this book.

Chapters 6:1-8:1
These chapters introduce the seven seals of judgment which flow as a consequence of the opening of the book by the Lion-lamb.  As he breaks its seals and the plan of God is unraveled, the judgment of God falls on mankind on the Day of wrath (6:15-17), and the people of God are gathered in worship in his presence.  These are not meant to be understood in chronological fashion as though one scene depicted something that follows sequentially in order of time thereby giving us some historical program by which to measure the unfolding of history in detail.  Rather, each seal represents issues and circumstances common to every age since the ascension of Christ, and will remain true until his coming again at the end of the age. No details of particular wars, or rulers are intended.

Chapters 8:2-11:19
These chapters unfold the sounding of the trumpets, the last of which announces the coming of the kingdom of God and Christ, the last judgment and the opening of the temple of God.   These parallel the judgments announced in the seven seals of 6:1-8:1.

    [Interestingly in these visions, very little is said about the role of Christ. He has opened the seals which leads to the sounding of the trumpets as the Lamb Slain.  It is only in the second half of the Book that the significance of his work with respect to the spiritual conflict will be made clear.]

Chapters 12-14
Significantly, the scene in 12:1ff does not flow out of the previous sections, and it seems evident that here we begin a new cycle of visions. This one is of the Male Child, the Christ, who is pursued by the dragon, identified as the devil. It is the narrative of the great antithesis between the city of God and the city of this world in which the Devil enlists in his help the two beasts.  In this conflict, however, the elect are saved and the city of Babylon falls (14:8). God's enemies are overcome.

Chapters 15-16
Seven angels now appear with seven bowls containing judgment plagues.  They emerge from the temple of God in which his people sing his praises and the angels pour out these righteous judgments leading to the last great earthquake in which the city of this world, Babylon is destroyed.

Chapters 17-19
Describes the Destruction of Babylon and with it the destruction of the Beast and the False Prophet (presumably to be identified with the second beast of 13:11ff).

Chapters 20-22
Describes God's dealing with the Dragon and his final judgment in the lake of burning sulfur, and the emergence of the final city of God the new heavens and earth and the New Jerusalem in which eternal fellowship with God is to be enjoyed. The Book ends, as it has begun, with a glimpse of sovereignty of Christ and the assurance of that which awaits the believer: the prospect of the new heavens and new earth ushered in by the coming of the Saviour at the end of the age. It is to this hope, rather than the destruction of the Wicked One, that Revelation is eager to point us.  Its final call, "Come, Lord Jesus," (Rev. 22:20) is the anticipation of every believer, particularly the one ravaged by the onslaughts of Satan. Heaven is certain! Amidst the losses and crosses of life in this world, there is held out before us the assurance of eternal life in the presence of our King and Savior Jesus Christ. And nothing and no-one can rob us of that prospect.