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Revelation

The Unveiling of Jesus Christ

2015 Cindy Brown. All Rights Reserved


This study was written using the ESV.

Revelation 1
Day 1: Background
Written by John, one of the sons of Zebedee, and a disciple of Jesus,
Revelation gives us one of the most awesome pictures of Christ as the final
Victor and Conqueror. Written during the end of the reign of the Emperor
Domitian in about AD 95, the church was being persecuted and feeling the
heat of tribulation. The message of hope and victory must have been an
encouragement to the churches in those days. Revelation promises that we
will be blessed if we read, hear and keep the words of this prophecy so it is
well worth our time to study it.
Read Revelation 1-3 today to get an overall feel for this section.

Day 2: Overview
As you read chapter 1, mark the following words:
Jesus Christ (and all pronouns or references)
God
Spirit (seven spirits)
write
see (seen, saw)
churches
After reading chapter one, answer the following questions.
Who is the book of Revelation about?
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According to verse 1, why was the book given to us? What is it going to tell
us about?
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Who wrote the book of Revelation?
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How was the message delivered to him? Note the progression laid out in
verses 1-2.
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What benefits are associated with hearing and studying Revelation? Note
the verse that mentions them and who will benefit.
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According to verse 3, what type of writing is the book of Revelation?
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What does verse 2 tell us about John?


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In the Greek, the word for witness is martureo, where we get the English
word for martyr. According to tradition, John died a martyrs death when he
was submerged in a pot of hot oil. To be a witness simply means to tell about
what you have seen, but because his witness was about Jesus, John paid the
ultimate price with his life.
According to verses 4 and 11, who is the book written to?
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How does John describe himself in the first part of verse 9?
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Where was John when he wrote the book?
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Why was he here?
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Patmos is a small island (10 miles by six miles) in the Aegean Sea. The
Romans used to send political exiles here. Johns mention of the island in
verse 9 probably means that he was a prisoner here, but he was sent here for
preaching about Jesus. Eusebius (an early church father) wrote that John was
sent to Patmos by Emperor Domitian in AD 95 and released after a year and a
half.
Verse 19 gives us a basic outline for the book of Revelation. What three
things was John to write about?
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After reading chapter 1, which of those three does this chapter fall into?
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5

Day 3: Revelation 1:1-11


Read chapter 1 again.
Yesterday you should have marked every occurrence of God in chapter one.
So now lets first take note of what we learn about God.
How is God the Father described in verse 4?
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This description of God is used three times in the book of Revelation (also 1:8
and 4:8). It is the name of God that shows He is eternal and self-existent.
The book of Revelation is going to describe some pretty terrifying and
amazing acts of God. Only a God who needs nothing else to exist could
showcase this kind of power.
What four names are used to describe God the Father in verse 8?
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Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet. When God describes himself
in this way, it not only means that he is the first and the beginner of all things,
but it also carries with it the idea that he is the most important.
Omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet. This word refers to the last in
an inclusive series and when used in reference to God it also signifies an allinclusive sphere of authority and high status. Also, as we will see in the study
of this book, it is God who brings all things to completion.
Lord is a term used to show that God is the supernatural authority over
mankind. The term God highlights him as the Creator and Sustainer of the
universe. Finally God is referred to as the Almighty, literally the All-Powerful
one.
Clearly from these names of God, we see that He is above all in authority and
importance, he controls everything and He alone is the Almighty. We will
see all these attributes of God as we study the book of Revelation. And the
awesome thing is, this is the God who is extending grace and peace to us!
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Who do you think the words seven spirits refers to in verse 4?


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This term is not used anywhere else in the Bible except in the book of
Revelation, where it is used four times. Given the fact that God and Jesus are
mentioned as givers of grace and peace and the seven spirits are mentioned
with them, it probably refers to the Holy Spirit in all his fullness, as seven is a
number signifying completion.
Record everything you learn about Jesus in verses 5-7.
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Jesus is described as the faithful witness. Read John 18:37. What has
Jesus been faithful to witness or give us testimony about?
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Ten times in the book of Revelation Jesus is described as being true. We can
trust what he says and what he does.
Next he is described as the firstborn from the dead. Read Acts 26:23 to
help you understand what this phrase means.
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There were others before Jesus who were raised from the dead, but Jesus was
the first and only to raise himself from the dead. The others who were raised,
would die again. Jesus died once for all and now lives eternally having
defeated the power of death.
Jesus is the ruler of kings on earth. In Revelation 17 and 19, Jesus is called
the King of Kings and Lord of lords. He is above even the most important
king here on earth and He alone will be worshipped and adored.

Next John reminds us of what Jesus has done for us. He loves us! He proved
it when he freed us from our sins by shedding his own blood. We are free!
Sin has no power over us because the of the victory that Jesus has won for us.
Jesus also gave us the awesome privilege to be a kingdom of priests to God.
In the Old Testament, the priests were the only one who could come in
before God. They would speak and make sacrifices on behalf of the people.
The ordinary people were excluded from this type of relationship. But when
Jesus died, he tore the veil and opened the way for those who come to him in
faith, to have open access to him as priests.
Look up Revelation 5:10 and 20:6. What wonderful privilege will also be
ours because we now hold the title of priests?
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Revelation really is a book telling us how to worship. We will look at several
places in the book where people are one their faces worshipping the King of
Kings. Because of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, John says that
glory and dominion should be his forever and ever!
Glory is where Gods attributes and works are made very apparent for all to
see so that the result is people honor, worship and praise him. Dominion is
the power to rule or control. None other has the authority or the ability to
rule like Jesus. John says Jesus glory and dominion will be forever. Amen!
May it be so!
Compare verse 7 with Daniel 7:13-14. Write down everything you learn
about when Jesus comes in the clouds from these verses.
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This is the picture that we will see of Jesus in the book of Revelation. He is
portrayed as the exalted and glorified Christ. What a wonderful day it will be
when Jesus is revealed and recognized as the King of kings and Lord of lords.
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Again verses 5-7 tie back in to verse 4. This is the Savior who has extended
grace and peace to us! He deserves our complete worship and adoration
forever!

Day 4: Revelation 1:10-16


Read Revelation 1 again.
Today we will take a look at the vision that John is given of Jesus.
Sometimes God has to remove all other distractions and voices so we can
clearly hear and see him. This is what he did for John. When John was
exiled, it might not have seemed like a good thing, but what resulted was an
incredible picture of the things to come, more complete than anything else
we have in Scripture.
John was in the Spirit so we know these were not his own words. He
received this message from God.
What did John hear to get his attention?
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How would you describe the sound of a trumpet? What does this tell you
about the message?
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From verse 12, what did John see?
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What does verse 20 say they represent?
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What was in the middle of the lampstands?
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I love that Jesus was in the middle of the churches. They were undergoing
persecution for their faith and Jesus was right there with them! He did not
leave them in their time of trial. Does Jesus seem distant during your
suffering? He is there my friend! He will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5).

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John saw one like the son of man. Daniel used this term in the visions he
saw as well (Daniel 7:13). And Jesus referred to himself in this way in the
gospels.
There is no way that John can describe a glorified vision of Jesus so he uses
imagery.
How was he dressed?
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The robe he was wearing could signify his position as Judge or High Priest.
Isaiah 11 is a prophecy about Jesus. What does Isaiah 11:5 say that his belt
represents?
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In verse 14, what significance do you think is the emphasis on his white
hair? Compare Daniel 7:9.
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In Daniel, God is described as the Ancient of Days. His white hair perhaps is
a reference to the dignity and respect he should receive.
How are his eyes described? The same description is also used in Revelation
2:18 and 19:12.
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Perhaps this refers to inescapable scrutiny. None can hide from his gaze or
escape his examination.
What description is given regarding his feet?
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Jesus voice is described like the roar of many waters. Read Psalm 29:3-9.
What attributes would you ascribe to His voice after reading these verses?
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What is he holding in his right hand? See verse 20 for an explanation of


what this means.
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Angel simply means a messenger. The fact that Jesus held the angels in his
hand speaks of his possession, authority and control over them.
What is coming out of his mouth?
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Read Ephesians 6:17 and Hebrews 4:12. What does the sword represent in
these verses?
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Read Revelation 19:15. What does this verse say about the sword of his
mouth?
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This speaks of the power of His Word. He created the world simply by
speaking, and He will defeat his enemies and rule over them only by His
Word! We serve a mighty Savior!
How is Jesus face described?
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This must have reminded John of when he saw Jesus at the transfiguration in
Matthew 17:2. Jesus face was described the same way there. When the sun
is shining, you cannot look straight at it because it is too bright. John was
trying to help us visualize Jesus glory. He is too wonderful for us take in.
Remember that John had seen Jesus face to face and walked and talked with
him while he was here on earth. But now, John sees a glorified Christ and his
response is much different. Tomorrow we will look at Johns response to what
he saw.

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Day 5: Revelation 1:17-20


Read chapter 1 again.
What was Johns response when he saw this vision?
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In the last few years several books have come out about near death
experiences and trips to heaven. But I have noticed these peoples casual
responses differ greatly from the responses in Scripture where people saw the
Lord.
Read Matthew 17:1-7, Daniel 10:5-10,15 and Ezekiel 1:26-28. What did
these people do when they saw the glory of God?
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Falling on our faces in reverent worship is the only appropriate response
when we see the glorified Christ.
What is Jesus response to John?
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Jesus did the same thing in Matthew 17:7 at the transfiguration. We are to
respect and honor the Lord, but He does not want us to be afraid.
What does Jesus say about himself in verses 17-18?
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Because Jesus arose from the dead, what do these verses say about Him?
Romans 6:9
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Romans 14:9
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The fact that Jesus has the keys to Death and Hades shows that he has control
and authority over them.
Read Revelation 20:1-3 and note what will happen because Jesus holds the
keys.
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John has just seen a vision of the glorified Christ. He has seen the Righteous
Judge of all the earth that sees all and knows all. His voice is powerful and
His Word has authority. He has defeated death and now lives forever and He
is standing in the midst of the persecuted churches. John is overcome and
falls down on his face in worship.
Every time in the Bible where people see a vision of the Lord it is because
God has a something He wants them to do. The disciples were to be his
witnesses, and Ezekiel and Isaiah were told to go speak to rebellious Israel.
After seeing Christ in all his glory, all of them obeyed!
What was John told to do?
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Again, verse 19 is a key verse in the book of Revelation and gives us a helpful
breakdown of the book.
Chapter 1 talks about the things you (John) have seen
Chapters 2-3 talk about those that are
Chapters 4-22 will talk about those that are to take place after this.
John understood what he was seeing, but certain aspects of the vision might
have been confusing to him, so Jesus clarifies what he saw.
In verse 20, what do the seven stars in Jesus right hand represent?
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What do the seven golden lampstands represent?
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14

After reading chapter 1, what description of Jesus has been the most
encouraging to you? Why?
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What do you think is the theme of chapter 1?
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15

Revelation 2
Day 6: EPHESUS: Revelation 2:1-7
Now we come to the second section of the book of Revelation - things that
are. John is told to write to the seven churches in Asia Minor. The map
below shows their location and they are numbered in the order they are
listed in Revelation. Also, this could possibly have been the order and the
route the carrier of the book took when he delivered Johns message to them.
They are relatively close in proximity to one another (not much more than 50
to 60 miles apart), but each church had their own victories and struggles. The
island of Patmos is just off the coast from the church of Ephesus.

The church of Ephesus was founded by Paul about 45-50 years before this
was written. Paul wrote his letter to them in about AD 60 and the book of
Revelation was written somewhere around AD 95.
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As you read chapter 2, mark the following words and phrases:


to the angel of the church in ____write
any references to Jesus
repent
conquers
Spirit
churches
hold fast
Lets take a quick look at the background of the church at Ephesus.
Read Acts 19:1-20. What type of city was Ephesus when Paul visited it?
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What happened when people believed the gospel message?
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In Ephesians 1:15, what does Paul commend the church for?
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Now we jump ahead 35 years or so and see the condition of the church
when John writes to them.
In verse 1, angel just means messenger. Some think that the messenger or
angel could be the pastors or elders of these churches.
From everything you learned in chapter 1, who is it that holds the seven
starts in his right hand and walks among the lampstands? These are his
words!
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17

What commendation does he give the church at Ephesus?


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So this sounds pretty good. Their works and their teaching are sound and
they hadn't tired in their service for the Lord.
But was the reproof to this church?
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Somewhere along the way, this church abandoned what they had first loved.
Read Mark 12:28-34. What did Jesus say was the most important thing?
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Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. What does Paul say about good works without
love?
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So even though this church was doing good works, because they were not
done in love, they were works of the flesh and worthless.
In the book of 1 John, John has a lot to say about love. Read 1 John 2:15-16.
According to these verses, what three things cause us to love the world
instead of the Father?
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Read James 4:4-5. What does this verse tell us that friendship with the
world is?
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So there is no middle ground. We cannot love God and the world at the
same time. They are mutually exclusive. So because the church at Ephesus
had lost its love for God, I think it is safe to say they were loving the world
now instead. They looked good on the outside, but God saw their heart and
knew their works were not motivated by love for Him.
How it grieves God when we turn away from him and choose the world
instead. Here we see Jesus calling the church of Ephesus back to himself.
What instructions does he give the church in verse 5?
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The remedy for their loveless state was to remember and repent! Jesus tells
them to remember from where they have fallen. The command to remember
is a verb of continuous repeated action. They were to keep remembering
how they used to love the Lord and had fallen away from him. Then they
were to repent (change their mind about their sin).
When they repented and changed their mind about their sin, what would
follow according to verse 5?
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What works were they doing at first that they were not doing now?
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God is not fooled by our good works. He sees our heart. We may impress
people by the things we do or say, but when not fueled by our love for the
Lord, it is meaningless. Jesus is graciously extending open arms to this
adulterous church. If they will repent and come back to Him, He is eager to
receive them.
What is the warning given to Ephesus if they do not repent?
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Since Revelation 1:20 told us that the lampstands represent the churches,
Jesus is warning that if the church does not repent, he will remove the church.
This does not mean they will lose their salvation. They will still be his church
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but they will no longer have the opportunity to shine for Him since they have
abandoned their love for him.
In verse 7, write the admonition that is repeated to all seven churches.
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Jesus is begging this church to listen to Him! Revelation 1:3 promises
blessing to those who hear and put into practice the words in this book.
What promise is given to the overcomer?
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The overcomer or conqueror would be the one who had an ear to obey what
Jesus said. Our actions always spring from our faith, so if we are obeying
Christ it is because we are believing His Word. Those who dont overcome
are those who dont believe and therefore their actions reflect that.
According to Genesis 3:22, what will the result be for those who eat of the
tree of life?
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Read 1 John 5:4-5. What makes someone an overcomer?
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What do you think is the main point that Jesus wants this church to know?
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Go to the page 49-51 and fill in the chart for the church of Ephesus. When
you finish your study of the seven churches, it will be a helpful reference for
you to compare the churches side by side.
What about you? Do your works look good on the outside but inwardly they
are not motivated by Gods love? Examine your heart before the Lord. Look
back at your life a few years ago. Are you more in love with Jesus now than
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you were then? If so, praise God and keep following hard after Him. If not,
the remedy is as simple as to remember and repent. Jesus is waiting for us
with open arms!
Fill in the information for this church on the chart on p. 53-55.

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Day 7: SMYRNA: Revelation 2:8-11


Read Revelation 2 again.
Smyrna is now the modern day city of Izmir, Turkey. Located thirty-five miles
north of Ephesus, it was was an impressive harbor city that was known for its
great beauty, sometimes referred to as the ornament of Asia. The city was
laid out along wide, beautifully paved streets and was adorned with temples,
baths, gymnasia, a theater, a stadium, and a library. It is estimated that over
one hundred thousand people lived there. A temple was built there for the
worship of Roman gods and was dedicated to the emperor Tiberius. The
aged bishop Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle John, was martyred in the
stadium at Smyrna in AD 156. When he was arrested, the captain repeatedly
tried to convince Polycarp to deny Christ, but he refused. Eighty-six years
have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong; how then can I
blaspheme my Saviour and King? Polycarp replied. As a result, he was
burned at the stake, but his death bore fruit and gave credibility to remaining
Christians. After seeing Polycarps courage, some began to look into how this
sect called Christianity could produce such courageous men of conviction
and commitment.
How is Jesus described in verse 8?
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A very similar description of Jesus is mentioned in Revelation 1:17-18. Jesus
is first, not just in time, but also in position. He is the most important.
Revelation 1:5 also mentions that he is the firstborn of the dead. Because He
was the first one to defeat death, he has prominence over all others who are
raised from the dead.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-26. What do these verses say is the order of those
resurrected?
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Because Jesus has defeated death, what will he do according to verses


24-26?
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The fact that Jesus describes himself in this way to the church at Smyrna is
significant. He is the victor over death and it is important for this church to
remember that during the hardships they are facing.
Since Jesus was in the middle of the churches, he was aware of what they
were going through. What was the church at Smyrna facing?
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From what group in particular where they being mistreated?
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Slander is never a pleasant thing to endure, but it is especially hurtful when it
comes from those who do it in the name of religion. This persecution is
Jewish in origin, but Jesus actually calls them a synagogue of Satan because
they were not following Him.
Jesus says these people claim to be Jews, but are not. What makes someone
a real Jew? Read Romans 2:28-29 and Romans 4:16.
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Jesus told this church not to fear what they were about to suffer. Read the
following verses and note what the Bible tells us about suffering as a
Christian.
2 Timothy 3:1,12
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23

1 Peter 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:12-13


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Why would Jesus say the church as Smyrna was rich even though they were
suffering poverty? See Ephesians 1:17-18 and Colossians 1:27.
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Is there any reproof or correction given to the church of Smyrna?
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We dont like trials or persecution, but this church had been refined by it and
Jesus had nothing negative to say about them! Wow!
What were Jesus instructions to them in verse 10?
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Things were not going to get better or easier. In verse 10, it says that the
devil is going to throw some of them into prison. Given the fact that in verse
9 he mentions Jews who were of the synagogue of Satan, it seems likely that
the persecution would be Jewish in origin.
We dont know if their suffering is a literal 10 days or simply a period of time.
But we do see that at some point, there will be an end to it.
Why does Jesus encourage them not to be afraid of suffering and death?
Refer back to verse 8.
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Some of them would die for their faith, but what two things does Jesus
promise to give them?
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As followers of Jesus, we are promised to have tribulation in this life and Jesus
himself told us that we will be hated by the world because it hated Him. But
we have nothing to fear! Death has been defeated and even if at some point
we are called to die for our faith, we have the promise of eternal life and
wont be hurt by the second death. Ask God to give you courage so that
whatever happens, you will always be faithful to stand for your Savior.
What do you think is the main point that Jesus wants this church to know?
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Fill in the information for this church on the chart on p. 53-55.

25

Day 8: PERGAMUM: Revelation 2:12-17


Read Revelation 2 again.
Pergamum was 55 miles north of Smyrna. The modern village of Bergama,
Turkey, now sits there. Pergamum was a beautiful Greek city, but in 133 BC
the last king to reign in Pergamum died, and in in his will he gave Pergamum
to the Romans. During the Roman period, a shrine of Asclepius, the Greek
god of healing, was built in the city and it was well-known for its worship of
Zeus and several other gods. Pergamum also became a prominent center for
the imperial cult, where the Emperor was worshiped and recognized as a
divine being.
How is Jesus described in verse 12? Note the similarity with Revelation
1:16.
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We looked in chapter one at the description of the two-edged sword being
the Word of God. Again, it is significant that Jesus describes himself in this
way to this church.
Where does it say this church is living?
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Because Pergamum had such a strong emphasis on idol worship, perhaps that
is why it says this church lives where Satans throne is and where he dwells.
What an encouragement for this church to know that even though Satan had
a stronghold here, the Word of God was more powerful!
Look up 2 Thessalonians 2:8. What does this verse say about Jesus power
over the enemy?
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Read Revelation 12:9-11. How is Satan defeated in these verses?
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When we are covered in the the blood of the Lamb, his Word gives us power
over the enemy. How important it is for us to read, understand and believe
the Word of God. It is our only offensive weapon.
What is this church commended for?
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What does it mean to hold fast to Jesus name? A name represents a
persons character. Look up the following verses and note what we learn
about Jesus name.
Psalm 124:8
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Proverbs 18:10
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Isaiah 9:6
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Matthew 1:23
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How would remembering these things about Jesus help us to hold fast in
difficult times?
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This church was also commended for not denying the faith. Faith is simply
being fully convinced of what God has said even though we cant see it.
Suffering can easily cloud our view of God and in times of hardship, we can
begin to question what we once believed.
In verse 13, who is given as an example of not denying the faith? What did
he do?
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This church was living out what they believed even though some of them had
been killed for it. That truly is commendable.
But what does he have against them?
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The fact that they held to the teaching of Balaam shows that it was a
continual thing. They continued to give audience to this false teaching.
In Numbers 23-24 we read the story of Balaam. Balak was the king of Moab
who became fearful when the people of Israel were camped near his area.
Everyone had heard stories of what God had done for Israel at the Red Sea
and he was afraid that any encounter he had with Israel would not end well
for him and his people. So he hired Balaam to curse Israel. But God spoke
to Balaam and told him not to curse Israel. So instead, much to Balaks
alarm, the prophet he had hired, pronounced blessings on Israel. When
Balak confronted Balaam about it, he said, Did I not tell you, All that the
Lord says I must do? (Numbers 23:26). But Balaam was corrupted by his
desire for gain.
Read Numbers 25:1-9. Balaam is not mentioned in these verse, but in a
moment, we will see how he had a hand in what happened here. Note what
takes place in these verses.
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Now read Numbers 31:16. What does it say about Balaam and the incident
at Peor?
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Read 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 1:11. What else do we learn about Balaam from
these verses?
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Apparently, Balaam advised Balak on how to invite Israel to the festivals of


idol worship. He taught Balak how to put a stumbling block before Israel that
led them into the deliberate sin of idol worship and immorality. It seems he
was motivated to do this by the promise of financial gain.
Pergamum was also accepting teaching that would lead them into sin.
Perhaps this person, like Balaam was motivated by financial gain and was
leading them astray.
We do not have any information on the Nicolatians. But unlike the church at
Ephesus that rejected the teaching of the Nicolatians, the church at
Pergamum accepted it.
What is Jesus instruction to this church in verse 16?
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To repent simply means to change your mind. They were to change their
mind about this false teaching and reject it instead.
What is the warning in verse 16? What will happen if they do not repent?
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Here we see God coming against them with his Word to judge them for their
sin.
Have you noticed what the focus of Jesus message is to this church? Look
at the description of Jesus, the commendation, the reproof and the warning?
What do they all have in common?
__________________________________________________________________
Gods Word is vital to our survival as a Christian. Do you know how to
recognize the accurate teaching of Gods Word? The church at Pergamum
was weak in this area.
Read Hebrews 5:12-14. After reading this section, why were these people
immature, still drinking milk instead of eating meat?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
29

What does it say about the one who is still drinking milk?
__________________________________________________________________
What determines if someone is mature from these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
Someone who is mature is able to distinguish good from evil. The only way
we can do this is by comparing things to Gods Word. If we are unskilled in
Gods Word, we will be easily led astray into false teaching like those in
Pergamum were.
The most important thing you can do as a Christian is to become skilled in
using your sword, the Word of God. Read it, memorize it, pray it, study it
and put it into practice! The more familiar we become with the Word, the
stronger our faith will be and we will not easily be led astray by error. Stay in
the Word!
What is the promise to the one who conquers?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In Exodus 16, we read the account of the children of Israel receiving manna
in the wilderness. The first time they saw it, they said, What is it?
Read John 6:31-35; 47-51. Based on what these verses tell us that manna
represents, what is the church of Pergamum being promised from these
verses?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
There are several ideas about what the white stone represents. Sometimes
stones were used like an entrance ticket to special social events. Also, jurors
used black stones to vote for a persons guilt while white ones were used to
vote for innocence. Whatever the meaning, it seems the point is that those
who have white stones will be accepted and welcomed by Jesus. The fact
that those who have white stones have a new name speaks of a change of
identity. Our new name will identify us with Jesus.
30

What do you think is the main point that Jesus wants this church to know?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Again, John closes with the repeated admonition to hear what the Spirit says
to the seven churches. God is speaking. We would do well to listen closely.
Fill in the information for this church on the chart on p. 53-55.

31

Day 9: THYATIRA: Revelation 2:18-29


Read chapter 2 again.
The letter to Thyatira is the longest of all the letters to the churches. Thyatira
was a city about 40 miles southeast of Pergamum. It was known for its trade
guilds, one of which was manufacturing purple dye. In Acts 16:14, we meet
Lydia who was a seller of purple from the town of Thyatira. She believed the
gospel message when Paul preached the good news in Philippi. Tyrimnos,
an ancient sun god, and Apollos were worshipped in Thyatira.
How is Jesus described in verse 18?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The fact that Jesus is described in this way might be related to the fact that a
sun god was worshipped in this city. Brilliance is highlighted in this
description of Jesus, showing he is greater than any false deity.
List all the things that this church is commended for.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What reproof does Jesus give this church?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab. She was not an Israelite, but was the
daughter of the King of Sidon (1 Kings 16:30-31).
Read 1 Kings 18:13. What wicked thing did Jezebel do?
__________________________________________________________________
See 1 Kings 21:25-26. What does this verse say about Jezebel? What did
she incite her husband to do?
__________________________________________________________________

32

Because of the severity of her sin, what did God say would happen to her?
Read 1 Kings 21:23. Read the fulfillment of this in 2 Kings 9:29-37.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Compare the Jezebel in the Old Testament with the Jezebel mentioned in
Thyatira. What things was the Jezebel mentioned here in Revelation doing?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
False teaching always leads to immorality and idolatry and that is exactly
what was taking place in this church. It seems like her teaching was
pervasive and many were following after her.
Read the following verses and note the dangers and the consequences of
immorality.
Hebrews 13:4
__________________________________________________________________
1 Corinthians 6:18
__________________________________________________________________
Proverbs 6:27-35
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Proverbs 7:21-24
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What should this church have done with this woman? See 1 Corinthians
5:1-13
__________________________________________________________________
Sin in the church cannot be tolerated. It has to be cleansed. This church was
tolerating Jezebel and her teaching and they were being led into sin.
33

What does Jesus say about this Jezebel in verse 21?


__________________________________________________________________
What will the consequences be for her and those who follow after her if
they do not repent?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Sin always results in death. Just as it resulted in death for Queen Jezebel in
the Old Testament, the same will be true for this woman.
As a result of Gods judgment in this church, what will the other churches
learn about Jesus?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jesus searches the mind and hearts of everyone and nothing can escape his
gaze. His eyes are like a flame of fire (v.18). He can see through our
facades and we cannot fool him. He also will not turn a blind eye to sin.
Our works will be judged and we will be given according to what we have
done, whether good or bad.
In verses 24-25, what is said to the righteous in the church at Thyatira?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The false teaching and the sin in the church were enough burden for them to
bear. They are simply encouraged to hold fast until Jesus comes.
What promise is given to the one who conquers?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Psalm 2:7-9, where this is referenced from. Because they were not
overcome by evil, the conquerers would be able to rule effectively. Jesus
received authority from his father, and in turn, he gives authority to the
overcomers to rule.
34

They also would be given the morning star. Read Revelation 22:16 to see
what this refers to.
__________________________________________________________________
Not only are the overcomers given the authority to reign, they get to enjoy
Jesus himself. The church in Pergamum was given manna which also
represents Jesus. Of all the promises given to the overcomers , Jesus is our
greatest reward!
What do you think is the main point that Jesus wants this church to know?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Fill in the information about this church on the chart on p. 53-55.

35

Revelation 3
Day 10: SARDIS: Revelation 3:1-6
Read chapter three today.
As you read, mark the following words and phrases:
to the angel of the church in _______ write
any references to Jesus
Spirit/seven spirits
conquers
hold fast
repent
throne
How is Jesus described in verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
Do you remember what the seven stars represents? If not, see Revelation
1:20.
__________________________________________________________________
Lets look at everything we find about the seven spirits. Look up the
following verses and note what they tell us. When we have compiled all of
our information, well try to discern what it is saying.
Revelation 1:4
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 4:5
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 5:6
__________________________________________________________________
Now Read Zechariah 4:1-14. Dont worry about understanding everything
in this passage. We are just looking for clues and trying to compare
Scripture with Scripture. What does verse 6 say is the meaning of

36

Zechariahs vision in verses 1-3?


__________________________________________________________________
What does verse 10 say the seven lamps represent? Compare this
explanation with Revelation 4:5 and 5:6.
__________________________________________________________________
The passage in Zechariah tells us the vision of the seven lamps refers to the
Lords Spirit. Since seven is a number of completion and Revelation is a book
of prophecy and symbolism, it seems likely that the Holy Spirit could be the
seven spirits in Revelation, too. If this is so, the Trinity is seen before the
throne in Revelation 1:4. The Holy Spirit is portrayed as seven lamps which
signify illumination and understanding, and the Spirit is also represented as
seven eyes that see all that is going on around the world.
What is the first thing that Jesus says to this church in verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Sardis was a dead church. There was almost no life at all in this church.
According to verse 4, there were only a few who were righteous.
Look up the following verses and answer the following questions about
spiritual life.
Read John 5:24. How do we receive life?
__________________________________________________________________
See Romans 8:9-11. What is the one indication that we have life from these
verses?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
I find it very interesting that Jesus introduces himself as one who has the
seven spirits. If we have the Spirit, we have eternal life. Jesus is introducing
himself as the one who can give life to this church. Since the church at Sardis
is dead, so the indication is that many in the church are not even believers!

37

What instruction does he give them in verses 2-3?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The instruction to wake up is a call for them to understand that they are dead
and need to get saved. They are also told to strengthen what remains.
From the immediate context in verse 2, what do you think they should
strengthen?
__________________________________________________________________
Complete works are works that are fulfilled or carried through to the end.
Their works were not complete because the didnt have the Spirit and were
not done in his power.
What does Titus 3:8 say about those who have believed?
__________________________________________________________________
Read James 2:14-26. (Especially note verse 22). What do we learn about
faith and works in this section?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
James tells us that faith is completed by our works. This church did not have
complete works because they did not have faith.
They were to remember what they had heard. Read 2 Timothy 2:8. What
should this church remember?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
They were to also to keep it. Read John 8:51. Based on what we have
learned about how we receive life, what do you think it means to keep
Jesus words from this verse?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

38

And they were to repent. The call to repent is repeated often in the messages
to these churches. They were to change their mind about what they believed.
Basically, this was a call for some in the church to get saved. They had a
reputation for being alive, but God could see the heart and knew that they
were spiritually dead.
What is the warning given to them if they do not wake up?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Compare this with Matthew 24:36-51 and Mark 13:32-37. What will
happen to the servant who is not ready for his masters return?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does Revelation 16:15 say? This is a very similar warning as the one
given to the church at Sardis.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does Jesus commend this church for in verse 4?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
There were only a few in this church who were saved and were worthy to
walk with Jesus.
What does Jesus say will be given to the one who conquers?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
White garments refer to righteousness. Those in white garments have had
their sins forgiven and they are clean.
The book of life is only mentioned in Revelation and once in Philippians 4:3,
but there are a few references in the Old Testament to peoples names being

39

blotted out of Gods book. Look up the following verses and note who is
blotted out of the book.
Exodus 32:31-33 (This took place after the Israelites worshipped the golden
calf).
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Psalm 69:22-28
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In both of these instances it appears Gods book is a register of those who are
living. Those who sin will be blotted out of this book, in other words, they
die. In Exodus 32:26-28, 3,000 men were killed by the Levites for
worshipping the golden calf. And in Psalm 69, David asks God that his
enemies be blotted out of the book of the living.
In Revelation we see another book called the book of life or the Lambs book
of life. Look up the references below and then answer the questions.
Read Revelation 13:5-8 and 17:7-8. What do people do in these verses who
do not have their names written in the book of life?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
For those who do have their names in this book, when are their names
recorded in it? Read Revelation 13:8 and 17:8.
__________________________________________________________________
Now read Revelation 20:12-15. What happens to those whose names are
not in the book of life?
__________________________________________________________________
Who will be allowed into the new Jerusalem? Read Revelation 21:22-27.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

40

So the book of life, is a book of the names of all those who have trusted
Christ as their Savior. Your name is written there before the foundation of the
world. If your name is not in the book, you go to the lake of fire, and if your
name is found in the book, you can enter the new Jerusalem, the holy city.
Unlike in the Old Testament, where people could die and have their names
blotted out of Gods book, in Revelation 3:5, God promises that their names
will never be blotted out of the book of life.
Jesus also promises that he will confess their name before the Father and his
angels.
Read Matthew 10:32-33 and Luke 12:8-9. What do these verses say?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Based on salvation being by faith alone, do you think those who deny Christ
before men are believers or unbelievers?
__________________________________________________________________
Those who are overcomers are also confessers! Because of all that Jesus has
won for us, making us overcomers, the natural result should be that we
become confessers and tell others about Him.
What do you think is the main point Jesus wants to communicate to the
church at Sardis?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Fill in the information for the church of Sardis on the chart on p. 53-55

41

Day 11: PHILADELPHIA: Revelation 3:7-13


Read chapter 3 again.
Philadelphia is known as the city of brotherly love. In the Greek, the word
phileo refers to the type of love one would have for a brother. Philadelphia
was 74 miles east of Smyrna. It was founded by Attalus II Philadelphus of
Pergamum (159-138 BC). Philadelphia was often frequented by earthquakes
and in 17 AD an earthquake almost leveled the city. Continuing tremors
drove much of the population to safer locations. After the Emperor Tiberius
rebuilt the city, it took on the name Neocaesarea.
How is Jesus described in verse 7?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Holy means separated or set apart. Jesus is unlike any other. Because he is
perfect and sinless and because He is God, he is set apart from us.
Jesus is the true one. Contrast that description with what is said in verse 9.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18 tell us that God never lies and that it is
impossible for him to lie. Jesus is the truth.
Jesus has the key of David, meaning he is a direct descendent of David.
Read Revelation 5:5 and 22:16. How do these two verses describe Jesus
relationship with David?
__________________________________________________________________
Because Jesus is God, He is the root of David, meaning that he came before
David, but he is also a descendent of Davids family, and came after him.
A person who has a key has authority and control. Read the following verses
and note what Jesus has authority to do because he holds the key of David.

42

Jeremiah 23:5-6
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Luke 1:30-33
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Isaiah 22:22. Revelation 3:7 is almost a direct quote from this verse.
Based on what you have learned about Jesus key and his authority, what do
you think the open door refers to in Philadelphia (v. 8)?
__________________________________________________________________
Before David died, God promised him that he would have a descendent who
would rule and reign forever. (1 Chronicles 17:11-14). Jesus is the only one
who fits this description. He holds the keys to the kingdom and has authority
over who is allowed to come in.
The church in Philadelphia was a bit weak; they had but little power. But
what does Jesus commend them for in verses 8 and 10?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Two times it is mentioned that this church has kept Jesus word. They are
commended for their faithfulness.
In verse 9, what group are they facing some opposition from?
__________________________________________________________________
The Jews felt like they were Gods special people because of his covenant
promises to Israel. They considered the Gentiles beneath them. They thought
simply because they were Jews they had favor with God. Here in Revelation
it says these people were lying when they called themselves Jews.

43

Who does God consider to be a true Jew? See Romans 4:16 and Romans
9:8
__________________________________________________________________
What does Jesus say he will cause these people to do?
__________________________________________________________________
We are not told when this will happen, but at some point those who are
persecuting them will be humbled and Jesus will make them come and bow
down before their feet. The Jews felt like they alone were blessed by Gods
special favor, but they would come to understand that Jesus loves this church
too.
Because of their faithfulness, what does Jesus promise them in verse 10?
__________________________________________________________________
Who does it say will be affected by this hour of trial?
__________________________________________________________________
This will be an hour of trial that will be unlike any other seen before because
it is coming on the whole world. The purpose of this hour is to try (test)
those who dwell on the earth.
Look up the following verses from Revelation and note what you learn about
those who dwell on the earth during this hour of trial.
Revelation 11:6-10
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 13:5-8, 14
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 17:8
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

44

So these are unbelievers. They rejoice in the death of the two witnesses, they
are deceived by the beast and the false prophet and their names are not
written in the book of life. God promises this church that they will not go
through any of these events. They will be spared from this hour of trial.
What encouragement does Jesus give this church in verse 11?
__________________________________________________________________
Oh how important it is for us to remember these words today! The time is
short and Jesus is coming soon! We must work hard and redeem the time
because we do not know the hour that he will return. It is also encouraging
to remember that he is coming again and will soon right every wrong. This
life is not all there is! The hope of his return encourages us to press on and
remain faithful.
What instruction and gentle warning does he give the church at
Philadelphia?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What has this church been holding fast to?
__________________________________________________________________
They were to hold fast to Jesus who has the key to the kingdom. He has
given them an open door to his kingdom and they are to continue to hold fast
to His Word and not deny His name.
This is the third time Jesus has encouraged a church to hold fast. In 2:13,
Pergamum was told to hold fast because they were living where Satans
throne was. In 2:25, Thyatira is told to hold fast in the midst of false teaching
and immorality. Now Philadelphia is told to fast so they dont lose their
crown.
Crowns are given as rewards. There are 4 crowns noted in the New
Testament:
crown of boasting (1 Thess. 2:19)
crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8)
45

crown of life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10)


crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4)
This church is reminded to hold fast so that they dont let someone take or
seize their crown from them. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 reminds us that we can
suffer the loss of a reward. That is why must hold fast.
What promise does Jesus give to the one who conquers?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Who is Gods temple in the New Jerusalem? See Revelation 21:22.
__________________________________________________________________
How I look forward to the day when I will dwell with God face to face,
forever enjoying his presence. As a pillar in the temple, I will have a
permanent and unshakeable place in the New Jerusalem, making my home
with God forever.
God will write on the overcomer his own new name. A name is a persons
identity. In the new Jerusalem, the overcomers will come to fully know Gods
character and his name. It speaks of great intimacy and fellowship and seems
appropriate since Jesus told this church that he has loved them.
What do you think is the main point that Jesus wants to communicate to the
church at Philadelphia?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Fill in the information for Philadelphia on the chart on p. 53-55

46

Day 12: LAODICEA: Revelation 3:14-22


Read chapter 3 again.
Laodicea was about 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia. It was only about 10
miles away from Colossae and six miles from Hieropolis. Colossae was
known for its cold springs and Hierapolis for its hot springs. Laodicea had no
water source of its own, so it had to receive its lukewarm water through an
underground aqueduct. It was one of the richest cities in the area and when
the city was devastated by an earthquake in AD 60, they did not ask for any
help from Rome in rebuilding. It was known for banking and a textile
industry that produced black wool. There was also a medical school there
that produced a salve for the eyes.
Paul wrote a letter to the Colossian church about 30 years earlier. In it, he
gave instructions for his letter to also be read in Laodicea. Paul had also
written a letter to Laodicea, but we have no record of it today. (Colossians
4:15-16)
How does Jesus introduce himself in verse 14?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Amen simply means truly indeed. Whatever Jesus tells us is the truth and it
will surely be so. His character is true and upright.
This is is the third time that we are told in this book that Jesus is the true one,
or the true witness (also 1:5 and 3:7). Revelation 19:11 tells us that Jesus
name is Faithful and True. He is a reliable witness to us about the Father and
everything he tells in this book is trustworthy and true.
Jesus is also described as the beginning of Gods creation. This is not the first
time this church has been told this since Paul addressed this in his letter to
the Colossians, but it seems they needed to be reminded.

47

Read Colossians 1:15-18. What do these verses tell us about Jesus?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jesus is the source of everything and he is the most important. This church
had forgotten that as we will see in a minute.
What is Laodicean rebuked for in verses 15-16?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jesus used an example they would be very familiar with given their water
situation. Both hot and cold water can be enjoyed. A cold glass of water on
a hot day is very refreshing and a nice cup of hot heat on a cold night is
comforting and warming. But not many enjoy a lukewarm drink.
This church was a church of compromise. They were not cold to the world they dabbled and toyed with the things the world had to offer. But they were
not on fire for the Lord either. They took a little bit of God, but they did not
have a passion for him that consumed them. There is no commendation
given for Laodicea. Jesus has nothing good to say about them!
What does Jesus say he is going to do to them?
__________________________________________________________________
How does this church view themselves in verse 17?
__________________________________________________________________
Jesus again uses illustrations that they can relate with. Just like Laodicea was
rich and indecently rebuilt the city without Romes assistance, this church
thought they didnt need God.
Instead, what does Jesus say is actually true of them? He is being a faithful
witness to them.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

48

wretched - miserable or pathetic


pitiable - deserving of pity because of ones miserable condition
poor - to crouch like a beggar and be destitute
blind - unable to see
naked - having no clothing or being very scantily clad
The sad thing was that this church was in a very bad situation and they didnt
even know it! They may have been a prosperous church financially, but
spiritually they were miserable and pathetic and were to be pitied! They
were blind and unable to see the truth about their true condition. They were
naked and were not clothed with good works. (Revelation 19:8).
What three things does Jesus counsel this church to do in verse 18?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What riches are these people missing out on? Read Colossians 2:1-3.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
This church had perhaps become comfortable in their wealth. Jesus invites
them to buy his gold that is refined by fire. Read 1 Peter 1:6-7. What
would refine this church according to these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
They also needed to by white garments from Jesus to cover their nakedness.
Read Revelation 19:6-8. What do white garments represent in these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
Because this church had to buy white garments from Jesus shows that he is
the source of anything good we do. But this church is not commended for
any good works. They needed to find their source in Christ before they could
produce anything good.

49

Jesus uses another example they would be familiar with - eye salve something that was produced in Laodicea. These people needed their vision
restored so they could see Jesus for who he really is.
Read 2 Peter 1:5-9. What do these verses say a believer can be blind to?
__________________________________________________________________
What causes this blindness?
__________________________________________________________________
1 John 2:10-11. According to these verses, what else can cause a believer to
be blinded?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does Jesus say about how he feels about this church?
__________________________________________________________________
What is the proof that he loves them? See also Hebrews 12:5-7.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What is Jesus instruction in verse 19?
__________________________________________________________________
Instead of being lukewarm, they were to be zealous. To be zealous means to
be deeply committed to something, with the implication of accompanying
desireto be earnest, to set ones heart on, to be completely intent upon.
But this could only happen if they repented (changed their mind) about their
lukewarmness and saw their condition for how it really was.
Verse 20 is often used as a salvation verse, but based on the context, this is an
invitation to fellowship. Jesus is standing at the door and knocking. He is
taking the initiative. He wants our company! Often we are too busy to hear
him knocking and he will not force his way in without us opening the door.
If we open the door, what does Jesus promise?
__________________________________________________________________
50

Eating together in the New Testament was a sign of fellowship. Jesus was
condemned by the Pharisees for eating with tax collectors and sinners.
Jews would not eat with Gentiles. To eat together showed friendship and
communion. Perhaps that is why we remember the Lords death through
communion by eating and drinking.
No matter how far away from the Lord we are, it is only one step back. All
we have to do is open the door! Jesus is reminding the church at Laodicea
that he is just outside the door waiting. All they have to do is invite him in!
I think it is very significant that the remedy for their apathy and lukewarmness
is fellowship with Jesus. He doesnt tell them to get their act together and
start doing good works. He invites them to simply fellowship with him and
get to know him. All good works flow out of our time spent with Jesus.
What promise is given to the overcomer in verse 21?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Only conquerers are allowed to sit on a throne. The comparison is that just
as Jesus conquered and is now seated with his Father on the throne, so those
who overcome will also be given authority to sit on a throne.
Look up the following verses to learn more about this wonderful privilege.
Read Matthew 19:27-28. Who will sit and rule in these verses? Who will
they judge?
__________________________________________________________________
Read Matthew 25:31-32. This will take place after the Second Coming.
Who will sit on the throne here? Who will he rule over?
__________________________________________________________________
Read Revelation 5:10 and 20:6. Where will we reign and for how long?
__________________________________________________________________

51

See 1 Corinthians 6:2-3. Who will we judge according to these verses?


__________________________________________________________________
Read Revelation 2:26-27. Who will we rule over in these verses? How is it
described?
__________________________________________________________________
We have no authority of our own, but Jesus will give the overcomer authority
to rule and reign with him! What a wonderful privilege!
What is the main point Jesus wants this church to understand?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Fill in the information for Laodicean on the chart on p. 53-55.

52

The Seven Churches


Description Commendof Jesus
ation

Reproof

Ephesus

Smyrna

Pergamum

53

Warnings & Promise to


Instructions Overcomer

The Seven Churches


Description Commendof Jesus
ation

Reproof

Thyatira

Sardis

54

Warning &
Promise to
Instructions Overcomer

The Seven Churches


Description Commendof Jesus
ation

Reproof

Philadelphia

Laodicea

55

Warning &
Promise to
Instructions Overcomer

Day 13: Recap of chapters 1-3


According to Revelation 1:1 and 22:6, what is the purpose of the book of
Revelation?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
God gave the Revelation to Jesus and Jesus gave it to an angel who gave it to
John. John wrote to the seven churches. The purpose is to tell about the
things which will soon take place.
Revelation 1:19 gives us a basic outline for the book of Revelation.
Which chapter talks about the things which you have seen?
__________________________________________________________________
Which chapters refers to those that are?
__________________________________________________________________
According to Revelation 4:1, what does the rest of the book talk about?
__________________________________________________________________
Do you have a better understanding of the book of Revelation so far? Its
really not that confusing when you use Scripture to interpret Scripture!
The Churches:
Lets do a recap of what we have learned so far about the seven churches.
Ephesus was told not to leave or abandon their first love.
Smyrna was told not to fear tribulation, but to be faithful even unto death.
Pergamum was told not to deny the faith, but instead to hold fast to the Word.
Thyatira was told not to tolerate false teaching and sin in the church.
Sardis was a dead church and told to wake up and repent.
Philadelphia was told to hold fast in the midst of persecution from the Jews.
Laodicea was rebuked for being lukewarm.

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Which two churches had no reproof?


__________________________________________________________________
Which church had no commendation?
__________________________________________________________________
Did you notice that when Jesus was described to each of the churches, they
all related back to the vision that John had seen of Jesus in chapter 1?
Which description of Jesus was most encouraging to you personally?
Explain.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The Overcomers:
Read 1 John 5:4-5. Who is described here as being an overcomer?
__________________________________________________________________
Read Revelation 12:11. What makes it possible for us to be an overcomer?
__________________________________________________________________
Because of our faith in Jesus work on the cross, look at all that will be given
to us:
We will be allowed to eat from the tree of life in paradise.
We will be given the crown of life.
We wont be hurt by the second death. These first three blessing all relate
to us having and enjoying eternal life.
We will be given manna (Jesus), a white stone and a secret name.
We will be given authority over the nations to rule with a rod of iron.
we will be given the morning star (another name for Jesus).
We will be clothed in white garments (righteous acts).
Our name will never be blotted out of the book of life.
Jesus will confess our name before the Father.
We will be a pillar in the temple of God and will never go out of it.
We will sit with Jesus on his throne.

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From this list, I think it is obvious why Paul tells us in Romans 8:37 that we
are more than conquerers.
Read Revelation 21:1-7. List everything the one who conquers will be given
in these verses.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 7, it says the one who conquers will have the heritage of being Gods
son. The overcomers are welcomed into the Kings family and have all the
rights and privileges that come with being a child of the King.
The word conquer is used 17 times in the book of Revelation. It is a book of
victory and hope. The end has been written and we win because Jesus has
already won the victory for us!
Revelation 17:14 says They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will
conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him
are called and chosen and faithful.
Rejoice, dear one, in all that Jesus has won for you!

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Day 14
Over the next two days, we are just going to read the rest of the book of
Revelation, the section that talks about things to come.
Today read Revelation 4-11.
Below record your initial thoughts about what happens in each chapter. You
don't have to explain what they mean. For example, you dont have to
explain who the dragon or beast are, just note what they do.
4
__________________________________________________________________
5
__________________________________________________________________
6
__________________________________________________________________
7
__________________________________________________________________
8
__________________________________________________________________
9
__________________________________________________________________
10
__________________________________________________________________
11
__________________________________________________________________
Note any questions that come to mind as you read so we can be sure and
answer them during our study.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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Day 15
Today read Revelation 12-22. Again record briefly what each chapter is
about.
12
__________________________________________________________________
13
__________________________________________________________________
14
__________________________________________________________________
15
__________________________________________________________________
16
__________________________________________________________________
17
__________________________________________________________________
18
__________________________________________________________________
19
__________________________________________________________________
20
__________________________________________________________________
21
__________________________________________________________________
22
__________________________________________________________________
Note any questions that come to mind as you read so we can be sure and
answer them during our study.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Revelation 4
Day 16: Revelation 4:1-6a
Read chapter 4 again today.
Mark the following words as you read today:
after this
throne
heaven
in the Spirit/seven spirits
God
In chapters 1-3, John saw a vision of Jesus standing in the midst of seven
golden lampstands, the seven churches. He was told what to write to each
church.
According to verse 1, what is the next thing that John sees?
__________________________________________________________________
What does he hear?
__________________________________________________________________
This is the same voice he heard in chapter 1, verse 10. What does the voice
say?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
And so we begin the third section of Revelation, the things to come.
What does it say about John in verse 2?
__________________________________________________________________
What does this tell you about the reliability of his testimony?
__________________________________________________________________

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What does John see in heaven?


__________________________________________________________________
Based on the description of the throne in this chapter, do you think this
throne belongs to God the Father or Jesus? If you are not sure, read
Revelation 5:6-7 for clarification.
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 3, what is the appearance like of the one seated on the throne?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Revelation 21:10-11. How is jasper described here?
__________________________________________________________________
Read Ezekiel 1:28. How is the rainbow described here in Ezekiels vision?
__________________________________________________________________
John is privileged to see the throne of God himself. He sees the brilliance of
the glory of God. John tries to convey it to us by describing the brilliance of
precious stones like jasper and carnelian. He speaks of a bright rainbow and
sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. Surely, God is light and in him is no
darkness at all. (1 John 1:5).
What does John see around Gods throne in verse 4?
__________________________________________________________________
How are the elders described?
__________________________________________________________________
We are not given insight as to who these elders are, but we do see them again
in Revelation 11 and they are doing the same thing there: they are bowing
down and worshipping God.
According to Revelation 19:5, what do the white robes represent that the
elders are wearing?
__________________________________________________________________

62

What is coming from the throne according to verse 5? What does John hear
and see?
__________________________________________________________________
He hears thunder and sees flashes of lightning. It speaks of Gods power. It
reminded me of the description in Exodus when God came to the people on
Mount Sinai during the giving of the law.
Read Exodus 19:16 and compare it with what John saw here. What was the
peoples response in Exodus?
__________________________________________________________________
Who is also before the throne in verse 5?
__________________________________________________________________
As we have seen earlier in chapters 1-2, the seven spirits probably refer to the
Holy Spirit. His presence is noted here at the throne.
Put yourself in Johns place. How would you feel upon seeing a vision of
God like this?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
John sees an awesome vision of God himself. Since it is impossible to truly
describe God in words, John uses terms that we an understand to help us
envision His majesty. We get the picture of brightness when John describes a
sea of glass, like crystal. He describes Gods appearance like the beauty and
brilliance of precious gems like jasper, carnelian and emeralds. It must have
been a sight to behold. There was also thunder and lightning coming from
the throne. The One on the throne commanded attention and worship.
Tomorrow we will look at what takes place before this throne.

63

Day 17: Revelation 4:6b-11


Read chapter 4 again.
In verse 6, what does John see on each side of the throne?
__________________________________________________________________
What is unique about these living creatures?
__________________________________________________________________
Ezekiel also saw a vision very similar to what John saw. Read Ezekiel 1:4-28.
What similarities do you see in these two visions? Compare the four living
creatures.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What similarities do you with how Gods glory is described?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
We cant be dogmatic, but it seems that these four living creatures are some
sort of spirit being. Both are described in the visions that Ezekiel and John
saw and both appear before the throne of God.
What are they doing in verse 8?
__________________________________________________________________
What does verse 8 tell us about when they worship?
__________________________________________________________________
The living creatures refer to the Lord God Almighty. It is a name of God that
highlights his power and authority over everything. He is above all. God is
described in a very similar way in Revelation 1:4. He was and is and is to
come. It shows us that he is eternal, with no beginning and no end.

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What do the twenty-four elders do when they see the four living creatures
worship God?
__________________________________________________________________
Since the four living creatures worship God night and day without stopping,
we know that the twenty-four elders do the same. God is so great and
awesome that it is only fitting that there should never be an end to his
receiving worship.
What do we learn about worship of God in Luke 19:37-40?
__________________________________________________________________
What do we learn about God in verse 10?
__________________________________________________________________
What do the twenty-four elders do with the crowns on their head?
__________________________________________________________________
Taking off a crown and laying it before another shows your submission before
one who is greater.
What do the twenty-four elders say in their worship to God?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Worthy means pertaining to having a relatively high degree of comparable
merit or worth. It literally means of equal weight. Because God is worthy,
the worship we give him should compare or equal to how great and
awesome he is.
God is worthy to receive glory, honor and power.
Glory - It comes from a root word meaning to make very apparent. So when
God receives glory we should make it very apparent how awesome and
wonderful he is.

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Honor - to deem something as valuable or precious and so to treat them with


high respect.
Power - It is the Greek word dynamis where we get the English words for
dynamic or dynamite. It speaks of exerting force and great might in a
miraculous way.
Why is God worthy to receive worship like this?
__________________________________________________________________
What does Psalm 33:8-9 tells us about God?
__________________________________________________________________
In Genesis, we are told that God created everything simply by speaking.
Over and over again in Genesis 1 it says, and God said and it was so. His
Word alone has great power to create things from nothing! That is why he is
worthy! There is none like him!
John sees spirit beings and people falling down before Gods throne and
worshipping. I think this gives us a good idea of what we will be doing in
heaven. The Lord God Almighty alone is worthy of our endless worship and
praise!
Write below your own thoughts of worship to God.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What is the theme of chapter 4?
__________________________________________________________________

66

Revelation 5
Day 18: Revelation 5:1-7
Read chapter 5 again today.
Mark the following words and phrases as you read today:
then I saw
throne
heaven
angel
worthy
seven spirits
God
every reference to Jesus (pronouns and different names used)
What does John see in verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What question is asked?
__________________________________________________________________
Who asks the question?
__________________________________________________________________
What is the answer to the question in verse 3?
__________________________________________________________________
What is Johns response?
__________________________________________________________________
What does one of the elders say to John?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

67

Jesus is described as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, meaning he comes from
Israel, from the tribe of Judah. Read Genesis 49:8-12. In these verses,
Jacob blesses his sons before he dies. What does he say about Judah? Are
these descriptions true of Jesus too?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jesus is described here and in Revelation 22:16 as the root of David. In the
Old Testament he is also referred to as the root of Jesse. Jesse was Davids
father.
What do these verses say about Jesus, the root of Jesse?
Isaiah 11:10
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Romans 15:12
__________________________________________________________________
According to verse 5, why is Jesus worthy to open the scroll?
__________________________________________________________________
Who has Jesus defeated? See Hebrews 2:14-15 and 1 Corinthians 15:24.
__________________________________________________________________
Read the following verses and note what Jesus has done for us because he
has conquered.
Colossians 1:13
__________________________________________________________________
1 Thessalonians 1:10
__________________________________________________________________

68

Where is Jesus, the Lamb standing?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
How is he described in verse 6?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In John 1:29, John the Baptist declares, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes
away the sins of the world. And in 1 Corinthians 5:7, Jesus is called our
Passover Lamb, who has been sacrificed.
The first time Jesus came, he is described as a Lamb; the second time he
comes, his reign will be more descriptive of a Lion.
The Lamb is described as having seven horns. Horns in the Bible represent
strength, power and authority to rule. Look up Daniel 7:24 and Revelation
13:1. The fact that he has seven horns refers to his absolute power and
complete rule.
What does this verse tell us the seven eyes represent?
__________________________________________________________________
From your study of Revelation so far, what do the seven spirits of God
represent?
__________________________________________________________________
Because the Lamb is worthy, he went and took the scroll from God who is
seated on his throne.
Based on this description of Jesus, what character traits are revealed about
him?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

69

Day 19: Revelation 5:8-14


Read chapter 5 again today.
What happens when the Lamb takes the scroll from God the Father?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What are the four living creatures and the elders holding?
__________________________________________________________________
What does this verse tell us the golden bowls of incense represent?
__________________________________________________________________
Because the Lamb was slain, what has he done according to verse 9?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
To ransom means to cause the release or freedom of someone by a means
which proves costly to the individual causing the releaseto purchase, to
pay the price. The Lambs own blood was the price paid to secure our
ransom and freedom. Like we saw yesterday in Hebrews 2, he rescued us
from life long slavery!
Because we have been ransomed, what is the result for us according to
verse 10?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
According to Hebrews 12:28 and 2 Peter 1:11, what kind of kingdom have
we inherited?
__________________________________________________________________
Kings come and go, they are overthrown or they die, but the kingdom of God
will never end. Revelation 11:15 says that the kingdom of this world will
become of the kingdom of the Lord and he will reign forever! Jesus will

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defeat every other kingdom and then He will be recognized as King of Kings
and Lord of lords!
Jesus has also made us priests. In the Old Testament, the high priest was the
only one who could go into the Holy of holies and offer sacrifices for the sins
of the people. Now we all have equal access to the Father through Jesus. He
has torn the veil and now we can come before his throne boldly and with
confidence. We always have his ear and he will never turn us away!
In verse 11, who joins the living creatures and the elders in worshipping the
Lamb?
__________________________________________________________________
This must have been an awesome sight to see countless angels joining in
worship. Jesus is worthy of receiving everything we have to give and more.
People want power and they want the wealth this world has to offer. They
want to be recognized as wise and they want to be honored and praised. But
Jesus is the only one who alone is worthy of all these things.
We see a progression in worship in this chapter. In verse 13, who is
worshipping now?
__________________________________________________________________
Who are they worshipping?
__________________________________________________________________
Not only is God worthy of this type of praise and worship, but he is worthy of
it forever! He will never do anything that will disqualify himself from being
worshipped in this way.
Who was being worshipped in chapter 4?
_________________________________________________________________
Who is the focus of chapter 5? Who is being worshipped?
_________________________________________________________________
What is the theme of chapter 5?
__________________________________________________________________

71

Day 20: A Study on Worship


Read Revelation 5 once more today.
Has your view on worship changed at all? Worship is simply declaring and
making Gods character and worth very apparent. When we worship him, it
changes us and gives us a proper perspective of who we are. Worship is not
simply singing songs to God on a Sunday morning. Worship should be a part
of our everyday life. When done in his name and for His glory, everything
we do should be an act of worship to Him. He is worthy of everything we
have to give and more. We can never repay Jesus for what he has done for
us, but we can proclaim his excellencies through our words, attitudes and
actions. Everything we do should be about proclaiming his matchless worth.
Read Hebrews 12:28. What kind of worship is acceptable to God?
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 4-5 gives us a good picture of what reverent worship looks like.
They were in awe of God and the Lamb and humbly bowing before him and
proclaiming his greatness.
What does Romans 12:1 say is our spiritual worship?
__________________________________________________________________
When I think of presenting myself before God, I think of laying down my
wants and desires, laying aside my desire to recognized or praised and being
completely submitted to whatever He wants me to do. When my will is
aligned with His, this is true worship.
How does God view our worship according to this verse?
__________________________________________________________________
Before we were believers, any good thing we did was viewed as a filthy
rag. It was not acceptable to God. But because of my faith in Jesus, when I
present myself to him to do His will, he accepts my meager offering and it is
accepted and pleasing to Him. Wow!

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Read Psalm 34:1. What does this verse say about worshipping God with our
words?
__________________________________________________________________
This should change how we speak! When you visit with friends, God should
be the focus of your conversation. If he is our very life and the focus of our
day, it should be natural that he should be the focus of our conversation as
well. Even in difficult times, his character and faithfulness should always be
on our lips. The reason we should talk like this is because He is worthy!
Read Psalm 145. This psalm pairs well with the worship we see taking place
in Revelation 4 and 5.
1. In verses 1-12, mark what our responsibility is and what we should do.
Note the verbs.
2. In the whole chapter, with another color, circle what we should praise
God for. Note what he has done and who he is.
3. Draw a box around the descriptions of who is praising the Lord in this
psalm.
4. In another color, mark every occurrence of how long God should be
praised.
1

I will extol you, my God and King,


and bless your name forever and ever.
2
Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
3
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9
The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
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and all your saints shall bless you!


11
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12
to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
[The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]
14
The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16
You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19
He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20
The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

If you are ever at a loss of how to praise God, come back and read this
psalm! It is full of descriptions of who God is and what he has done for us.
These are things we should be praising God for regardless of our
circumstances. Because he is worthy, he will be praised forever and ever!
Spend some time reflecting on all that God has done and who He is. Write
your thoughts to the Lord below.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

74

Revelation 6
Day 21: Revelation 6
Read Revelation 6 today.
As you read, mark the following words:
conquering, conquer
second seal, third seal, etc.
God
every reference to Jesus
earthquake
This section begins to unfold for us the events that occur during the period
known as the Tribulation.
When the Lamb opens the first seal, who speaks to John and what does he
say?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens when the first seal is opened? Note everything it says.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
We dont have any insight into who this is, other than it is one who comes to
conquer.
What happens when the second seal is opened?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What happens when the third seal is opened?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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Wheat and barley are measured here. A denarius was a days wage so it
appears the price of wheat and barley is very expensive. The fact that the oil
and wine are not to be harmed suggests that the wheat and barley are
somehow in short supply.
What happens when the fourth seal is opened?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
One fourth of the earths population is killed in four different ways!
What role do the four living creatures have in the opening of the first four
seals?
__________________________________________________________________
What does John see when the fifth seal is opened?
__________________________________________________________________
What do these souls cry out for?
__________________________________________________________________
What is Gods answer?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
These souls are clothed in white robes, which we have seen earlier,
represents the righteous acts of the saints (Revelation 19:8).
What happens when the sixth seal is opened?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What do verses 16-17 tells us about this day?
__________________________________________________________________

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People recognize these terrifying events as acts of God. Great and small alike
run for their lives, trying to hide from Gods wrath. These people say that the
day of Gods wrath has come. As terrifying as these events are, as we study
Revelation, we will see that the full cup of Gods wrath isn't poured out until
much later at the blowing of the seventh trumpet. This is just the beginning!
What is the theme of chapter 6?
__________________________________________________________________
Fill in the information for the seven seals on the chart on page 141.

77

Revelation 7
Day 22: Revelation 7:1-8
Read Revelation 7 today.
As you read, mark the following words:
after this
angels
throne
God (and pronouns)
Lamb (and pronouns)
Revelation 7 is an interlude between the opening of sixth and seventh seals.
What does John see in verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What else does he see in verse 2?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does this angel say to the four angels?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The 144,00 who are sealed will be protected when the earth, sea and trees
are harmed. The first four trumpets in chapter 8 are all plagues that affect the
earth, sea and the trees, but because they are sealed, these people are safe.
Who are these servants of God who are sealed?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

78

Where is the seal placed?


__________________________________________________________________
In Revelation 7, the 144,000 are on the earth. We see them again in
Revelation 14 when they are in heaven.
Read Revelation 14:1. What is the seal on their foreheads?
__________________________________________________________________
What does Revelation 14:1-5 tell us about the 144,000?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Revelation 9:1-6. What else will they be protected from since they
have the seal of God on their foreheads?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
We dont know too much about the 144,000 except they are Jews who
worship and serve the true God and they are protected by the seal of Gods
name during the Tribulation.

79

Day 23: Revelation 7:9-17


Read chapter 7 again.
The sealing of the 144,000 takes place on earth. This next scene takes place
in heaven.
Who does John see next in the great multitude?
__________________________________________________________________
What are they doing?
__________________________________________________________________
What are they saying?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What are all the angels doing?
__________________________________________________________________
What are they saying?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Here we see a third description of corporate worship in the book of
Revelation. Both angels and people from every nation are falling down
before the throne. The great multitude is praising God because he has saved
them and the angels are worshipping God and giving him honor and glory,
very similar to what we saw in Revelation 5:12-13.
What does one of the elders ask John about the multitude of people?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What is the answer according to verse 14?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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In chapter 6, we saw that 1/4 of the earths population was killed. Some of
those killed were saints and now we see them standing as a great multitude
before the throne of God in heaven.
What are these people doing now according to verse 15?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So far we see two things that we will be doing in heaven - worshipping God
and serving him.
What does it say God will do for them in verses 15?
__________________________________________________________________
What will they be sheltered from in verse 16?
__________________________________________________________________
These were things they probably suffered during the Tribulation. Now that
they are in heaven, they will be sheltered by God himself and will never be
harmed again.
In verse 17, ironically, it says the Lamb will be their shepherd. What will
this shepherd do for them?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In Revelation 22:1-2, where is this living water located?
__________________________________________________________________
Living water symbolizes eternal life. In Jesus conversation with the woman
at the well in John 4, Jesus told the woman that he had water he could give
her that would quench her thirst forever. He described it as a spring of
water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:14). The woman was eager to have
this water so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.
No doubt it was a chore to draw water from a well and Jesus was describing a
spring of water welling up that she wouldnt even have to work for! That
sounded enticing. Jesus quenches our thirst and satisfies us with Himself,

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and he is eternal life. In heaven we will have the joy of tasting and enjoying
this Living Water forever!
The Lamb, their shepherd will also wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Read Revelation 21:4 that describes why there will be no more tears.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What is the theme of chapter 7?
__________________________________________________________________

82

Revelation 8
Day 24
Read chapter 8 today.
Mark the following words as you read today:
heaven
angel
seventh seal
then I saw/looked
the first (second, etc.) angel blew his trumpet
Lamb
God
What happens when the Lamb opens the seventh seal?
__________________________________________________________________
The seventh seal leads into the seven trumpets.
What does John see next in verse 2?
__________________________________________________________________
What does another angel do at the altar before the trumpets are blown?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does the incense stand for in verses 3-4?
__________________________________________________________________
What does the angel do with censer?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens as a result?
__________________________________________________________________

83

This was all preparation for the seven trumpets to be blown.


What happens when the first angel blows his trumpet?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What happens when the second angel blows his trumpet?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What happens when the third angel blows his trumpet?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What happens when the fourth angel blows his trumpet?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does John see after this in verse 13?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The last three trumpets are also three woes that come to those who dwell on
the earth. It gives the reader a sense of foreboding that worse things are yet
to come.
What is the theme of chapter 8?
__________________________________________________________________

84

Revelation 9
Day 25: Revelation 9:1-12
Read chapter 9 today.
Mark the following words:
heaven
angel(s)
God
repent
the fifth/sixth angel blew his trumpet
In the book of Revelation sometimes stars are used as imagery and other
times they are literal stars. The context will help us determine the proper
meaning.
Who do you think the star falling to earth refers to? Read Luke 10:18 and
Revelation 12:9.
__________________________________________________________________
What key does he have?
__________________________________________________________________
The bottomless pit is translated elsewhere in Scripture as the abyss.
What comes out of the bottomless pit when it is opened?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
We are given some clues as to what these locusts are. The biggest clue we
have is found in verse 11? Who is the king over these locusts?
__________________________________________________________________
We are told he is an angel called Abaddon, meaning destruction in Hebrew,
or Apollyon, meaning destroyer in Greek. Since their king is an angel, it
gives us a clue that these locusts are also angels or demons.
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Also read Luke 8:26-31. What do we learn about demons and the abyss that
might help us understand this section in Revelation?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
How long are these locusts or demons allowed to torment mankind?
__________________________________________________________________
Who are they not allowed to torment according to verse 4?
__________________________________________________________________
How is their torment described?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does verse 6 tell us about these five months of torment?
__________________________________________________________________
We are given a stark picture of five months of destruction and torment
inflicted upon people of the earth. It seems that it is demonic in nature and
so painful that people will want to die, but death will escape them. But this
is only the first woe, and two more are yet to come.
When the sixth angel blows his trumpet in verses 13-14, where is the voice
coming from and who is it speaking to?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________`
The four horns on the altar refer to the altar of incense in the temple
described in Exodus 30:1-6.
What does the voice say?
__________________________________________________________________
What was the job of these four angels?
__________________________________________________________________

86

When the four angels are released it seems they release mounted troops.
10,000 times 10,000 is 100,000,000. Twice that number would be
200,000,000. Thats two hundred million! Im not sure if this is a literal
number or if it is just making the point that there are many, many of them.
Read the description of these mounted troops. Do you think they are literal
horses or demonic beings like we saw earlier? Explain you answer.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
According to verse 18, how is a third of mankind killed by them?
__________________________________________________________________
What does it say about those who were not killed by these plagues?
__________________________________________________________________
Describe the peoples actions and lifestyle according to verses 20-21.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
We definitely see things intensifying with the last two trumpets. It appears
they are both demonic in nature. Despite the terrible torment and 1/3 of the
earths remaining population being killed, people still refuse to acknowledge
God and repent of their sin.
What is the theme of chapter 9?
__________________________________________________________________

87

Revelation 10
Day 26
Read chapter 10 today.
Mark every occurrence of the words:
then I saw
angel
heaven
God
Chapter 10 is another interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets.
What does John see next? Describe the angel from verse 1.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Where does the angel come from?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens in verses 2-3?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What instruction is John given in verse 4?
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 5, the mighty angel raises his right hand towards heaven and swears
by the Lord.
How is God described in verse 6?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

88

God is the Almighty Creator. He created heaven and all the angels in heaven
and everything here on earth. According to Revelation 4:11, that is why God
is worthy to be praised. Because he created it all, he alone has the right to
control the events we see taking place here in Revelation. He has all
authority and power because He created everything from nothing!
The might angel swears that that there would be no more delay. What does
he say will happen after the seventh trumpet?
__________________________________________________________________
In the Bible, a mystery is something that has previously been spoken about,
but not fully understood. What could this mystery be? What have the
prophets foretold but not fully understood? Hold on to that question and we
will come back to it after we look at all the events surrounding the seventh
trumpet.
What is John told to do in verse 8?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Ezekiel 3:1-3. What does eating the scroll symbolize?
__________________________________________________________________
Gods Word is often described as sweet. Psalm 19:10 describes Gods Word
as sweeter than honey from the honeycomb.
What happens to John after he eats the scroll and takes in Gods Word?
__________________________________________________________________
Perhaps it made his stomach bitter because he saw what was to come as God
poured his wrath out on sinful man.
What was John commanded to do after he had eaten the scroll?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What is the theme of chapter 10?
__________________________________________________________________
89

Revelation 11
Day 27: Revelation 11:1-14
Read chapter 11 today.
Mark the following words:
every reference to God or the Lord
nations
conquer
heaven
woe
the seventh angel blew his trumpet
every reference to Jesus
What is John given and told to do in verses 1-2?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
After reading this chapter, where is this temple located?
__________________________________________________________________
It is important to ask yourself where things occur in the book of Revelation
because the scenes jump between heaven and earth. The events described in
verses 1-14 take place in the city of Jerusalem (v. 2,8).
What does it say in verse 2 that the nations will do to Jerusalem?
__________________________________________________________________
In verses 2 and 3 we see the designations of forty-two months and 1,260
days. Both of these equal 3 1/2 years. Since the Tribulation is 7 years long,
this marks the midpoint of the Tribulation. We will see this will be a very
significant point in the book of Revelation.
What important people do we meet in verse 3?
__________________________________________________________________
90

There has been much speculation about who these two witnesses might be.
Some think they are Moses and Elijah, but their identities are never revealed
for us. More importantly, we will focus on what they do.
They are given authority by God to prophesy during the first 3 1/2 years of the
Tribulation. They are clothed in sackcloth which symbolizes mourning. They
mourn because the people on earth do not accept their message and are
rejecting God.
In verse 4, how are these two witnesses described?
__________________________________________________________________
Read Zechariah 4. Zechariah was given a vision of these two witnesses, but
didnt have the complete picture. The way the two witnesses are described in
Revelation ties back to Zechariahs vision in chapter 4. In Zechariah they are
referred to as the two anointed ones which literally means the two sons of
fresh oil. Olives produce oil which is used to light lamps. Perhaps their
testimony is to give light to Jerusalem. God is sending his witnesses up to the
very end, always giving people a chance to repent.
What are the two witnesses given power to do?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Verses 7 says when they have finished their testimony, (after 1,260 days or 3
and 1/2 years) what happens?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
We will look more at the beast in chapter 13.
How long will their dead bodies lie in the streets of Jerusalem?
__________________________________________________________________

91

Who will see their bodies?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
It says some people from different languages and nations will see their
bodies. Probably those who have access to television will be aware of what
is going on in Jerusalem during this time.
What will be peoples response to their death?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What happens after three and half days? (v.11)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What happens in Jerusalem after the two witnesses are taken up to heaven?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What is peoples response when this happens?
__________________________________________________________________
This is the first time in the book of Revelation we see people repent and give
glory to God. The two witnesses testimony did have an impact and some did
choose to acknowledge the God of heaven.
If you remember, the last three trumpets and the three woes are related to
each other (Revelation 8:13). The fifth trumpet is the first woe, the sixth
trumpet is the second woe and the seventh trumpet is the third woe. Verse 14
alerts us that the events surrounding the two witnesses are part of the second
woe and the third woe is soon to come.

92

Day 28: Revelation 11:15-19


Read Revelation chapter 11 again today.
When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, we see first what takes place in
heaven. Chapters 12 and 13 will show us what takes place on earth. What
takes place on earth is part of the third woe. The seventh trumpet marks a
very significant point in the Tribulation, so the events following it will be
described in chapters 11-14.
What does John hear in heaven?
__________________________________________________________________
What are they saying?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Despite all the chaos taking place on earth, God is still on the throne and He
is the King! This wonderful king will reign forever, with no one able to
overthrow Him.
What do the twenty-four elders do when they hear theses loud voices in
heaven?
__________________________________________________________________
What are they praising God for in verse 17?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Psalm 2:1-5 and Psalm 110:5-6. What do these verses tell us about
Jesus and the nations?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

93

What does verse 18 tell us the time has come for?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The blowing of the seventh trumpet marks the beginning of a period when we
will see God reigning on earth. During his reign he will judge the dead,
reward his servants and destroy his enemies. We will see in the coming
chapters how all of these things are played out.
What happens after the twenty-four elders bow down and worship God?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
One who reigns over the whole earth has to have great power and the events
described in verse 19 certainly showcase Gods awesome power!
What is the theme of chapter 11?
__________________________________________________________________

94

Revelation 12
Day 29: Revelation 12:1-9
Read chapter 12 today.
Mark the following words as you read:
dragon, serpent, devil, Satan
heaven
God
angels
throne
conquered
Lamb, Jesus
The events described here could be what John saw at the blowing of the 7th
trumpet. They lead up to what happens before the third woe.
First John sees a great sign in heaven.
Read verses 1-6 and write down everything you learn about the woman.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Based on this description, who do you think the woman represents?
__________________________________________________________________
The woman probably refers to Israel. The crown of twelve stars on her head
could be the twelve tribes of Israel. The baby she gives birth to is Jesus as
Jesus came from the nation of Israel. He will one day rule with a rod of iron
(Revelation 19:15).

95

What is the second sign in heaven that John sees?


__________________________________________________________________
The dragon is seen with seven heads and ten horns. This is the same
description given for the beast in chapter 13 indicating that the beast is going
to get his power from the dragon.
We are given some clues as to what the ten horns represent. Read Daniel
7:7-8 and verse 24. We will look at this section more in depth later, but for
now, just note what the ten horns are.
__________________________________________________________________
So during the Tribulation, the dragon will have authority and control over the
empires of the world, ten kingdoms. The beast will be the one physically in
power during this time, but the source of his power and control will come
from Satan.
What does the dragon want to do with the child that the woman gives birth
to?
__________________________________________________________________
This could be referring to how Herod wanted to kill the infant King in
Matthew 2:16. Certainly Satan has always tried to defeat and kill Jesus and
probably thought that he had won when Jesus was crucified.
Verse 5 jumps ahead to Christs ascension, where He is now seated at the
right hand of the Father.
Many years pass between verses 5 and 6. In verse 6, we see the woman,
Israel, fleeing into the wilderness for 1260 days or 3 1/2 years. It appears
during the second half of the Tribulation, Israel will be persecuted yet still
protected.
Verses 7-9 explain verse 4. What happens?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

96

It seems strange to think of Satan being in heaven, but we see in Job that
Satan presented himself before the Lord. (Job 1:6-7; 2;1-2)
Here we see Gods angel, Michael fighting against the dragon. Read Daniel
12:1. What does this verse tell us about Michael? Who is it that he is
responsible for?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens to the dragon and his angels?
__________________________________________________________________
What other names does the dragon have in verse 9?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Satan is thrown down to earth and no longer allowed access to heaven after
this point. He is called the deceiver of the whole world and we will see
during the second half of the Tribulation how he does just that. People are
deceived and worship the beast, who gets his power and authority from
Satan.

97

Day 30: Revelation 12:10-17


Read Revelation 12 again today.
What happens in verse 10 after Satan has been thrown down to the earth?
__________________________________________________________________
What does verse 10 tells us that Satan has been doing in heaven?
__________________________________________________________________
So there is great rejoicing and praise and worship directed to God for
throwing down Satan. He is the victor and has all power and authority!
It appears that maybe the loud voice heard in verse 10 is the same loud voice
referred to in Revelation 11:15 after the seventh trumpet has been blown.
Note the similar message from both voices.
What are they both proclaiming about God?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So when you combine Revelation 11-12, after the seventh trumpet is blown,
Satan is thrown down to the earth with a third of his angels and then there is
rejoicing in heaven.
With the last three trumpets and the three woes we see demonic and Satanic
activity. Chapter 9 refers to the demonic activity associated with the 5th and
6th trumpets. After the 7th trumpet is blown, we see Satan cast down to the
earth and he begins his persecution of Israel and the saints.
Even though Satan has been accusing the Christians during the Tribulation it
says they have conquered him. How have they done this according to verse
11?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 12, we see rejoicing in heaven because Satan has been thrown down
to the earth. But we also come to the third woe associated with the seventh
trumpet.
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Who is the third woe directed at?


__________________________________________________________________
Why will this be a time of woe according to verse 12?
__________________________________________________________________
What does Satan do when he is thrown down to earth?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens to the woman in verse 14?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
How long is the woman to be nourished?
__________________________________________________________________
There are many different references to time in the book of Revelation. We
have seen forty-two months, 1260 days and now we see time (1), times (2),
and half a time (1/2). They are all different ways to referring to 3 1/2 years.
So after the 7th trumpet is blown, the second half of the Tribulation begins.
It appears that the war in heaven takes place during the midpoint of the
Tribulation (Revelation 12:6,14). After Satan is thrown down to the earth,
persecution will begin on Israel during the last half of the Tribulation.
What does Satan do to try to destroy Israel?
__________________________________________________________________
Satan tries to fight against Israel but he is not successful. Symbolically, we
are given a picture of the earth opening its mouth and swallowing the river
that was intended to sweep Israel away.
Because Satan is not successful in destroying Israel, who does he turn his
attention to?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

99

So we see from this chapter that Satan is thrown down to earth during the
middle of the Tribulation, after the seventh trumpet is blown. He persecutes
Israel and those who are believers in Jesus. We will see that from this point
on, things get worse for people living on the earth.
What is the theme of chapter 12?
__________________________________________________________________
Fill in the information for the seven trumpets on the chart on page 141.

100

Revelation 13
Day 31: Revelation 13:1-10
Read chapter 13 today.
Mark the following words as you read:
and I saw, then I saw
beast
dragon
God
heaven
conquer
Lamb
The events described in this chapter take place after the 7th trumpet is blown
and Satan is thrown down to earth. They occur in the last 3 1/2 years of the
Tribulation.
What does John see described in verses 1-2?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
This beast will have seven heads and ten horns. Read Revelation 17:8-13
then answer the following questions.
According to verses 9-10, what does it say the seven heads of the beast
refers to?
__________________________________________________________________
The seven heads refer to seven mountains and seven kings. Mountains
represent power so we see a reference here to seven kingdoms. Five of
whom have already passed, one is in existence at the time John was writing
and one is yet to come. If we look back at the countries that came to power
in the Old Testament, we see Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and
Rome. The first five would have been before Johns time and the Roman
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Empire would have existed while John was living. The seventh power
represents the one that exists when the beast comes to power.
What does verse 11 tell us about the beast?
__________________________________________________________________
What do the ten horns of the beast represent?
__________________________________________________________________
What does it say about the relationship these ten kings have with the beast?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So the seven heads refer to seven different kingdoms that ruled throughout
history. But the ten horns refer to 10 kings who are in power simultaneously
and they give their power and authority over to the beast during the
Tribulation.
Now back in Revelation 13, the beast is described as a leopard, maybe
referring to speed and how quickly he rises to power. He has powerful feet
like a bear to crust those under him. His mouth is like a lion, loud and
powerful, and he uses it to blaspheme God.
In Revelation 11:7, at the blowing of the 7th trumpet it says the beast kills the
two witnesses. Because no one was able to harm them for the first 3 1/2
years that they are prophesying and the beast finally kills them, perhaps this
is the catalyst that allows the beast to be recognized and gain power.
What does verse 3 say about one of its heads, one of the kingdoms?
__________________________________________________________________
One of the kingdoms seemed to have a mortal wound. This seems to indicate
that one of the kingdoms was defeated, but then regained power. Some
believe that the last kingdom is a revived Roman empire. We will look at
this more later, but in Daniel 9:26, there is a prophecy about Jerusalem being
destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. In that verse it says that the people of
the prince who is to come will destroy the city of Jerusalem. So it appears
since Rome destroyed Jerusalem, this prince will also be from Rome. It could
102

be that he is not from the actual city of Rome, but from the kingdom of
Rome. Below we see a map of the Roman Empire at its height. Today this
includes some of the modern day countries in Europe, North Africa and the
Middle East. Perhaps the Antichrist will be from a nation that has control of
some or all of these countries.

What do we see in verses 3-4 to peoples response to the beast and the
dragon?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

103

Whoever the beast is, he will command world-wide attention. It will be


someone that people are impressed with and want to follow. They will even
worship him!
What do we learn about the words of the beast in verses 5-6?
__________________________________________________________________
How long was the beast given authority?
__________________________________________________________________
Again, this is three and a half years, the last half of the Tribulation.
According to verse 7, what will the beast do the saints?
__________________________________________________________________
In Revelation 12:17 it says that the dragon will make war on those who hold
to the testimony of Jesus and when the beast comes to power, this is what
happens.
Who will the beast rule over according to verse 7?
__________________________________________________________________
Who worships the beast according to verse 8?
__________________________________________________________________
Who doesnt worship the beast?
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 10, the believers are assured that their persecutors will be taken
captive and slain with the sword.
What does Revelation 20:1-10 say about what will happen to Satan?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does Revelation 19:15 say that God will do to his enemies?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
104

Because their doom is sure, what are the saints called to do during this
time?
__________________________________________________________________
When the beast comes to power at the midpoint of the Tribulation, he will
make war and conquer the saints. Things will certainly be difficult for any
believer in Jesus during these days. The saints are encouraged to endure and
continue in their faith because Satans time is short! (Revelation 12:12).
They were to take comfort and find hope in the fact that Jesus will eventually
be victorious!

105

Day 32: Daniel 7 and 9


Read Daniel 7 today.
We are going to take a break from Revelation for a few days and look at some
other places the beast is mentioned. He is called different names but as we
compare descriptions, we will see it is referring to the same person.
In Daniel 7, Daniel sees a vision of four beasts. We are going to focus our
attention on the fourth beast. The fourth beast has ten horns (v. 7) and out of
the ten horns came a little horn (v.8).
According to verses 20 and 24, this horn coming up among the ten causes
three of the other horns to fall. He then becomes the primary leader among
the remaining horns.
In verse 25, what does it say about the words of this little horn. Compare
that with Revelation 13:5-6.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What will he do to the saints? Compare that with Revelation 13:7.
__________________________________________________________________
How long will this little horn have power? Compare that with Revelation
13:5.
__________________________________________________________________
What does verse 26 say is the fate of this little horn?
__________________________________________________________________
Now lets jump over to Daniel 9:24-27. As a bit of background, lets see if we
can shed some light on the seventy weeks spoken of in verse 24. Seventy
weeks is literally seventy sevens. It could be seventy days, weeks, months
or years. Seventy sevens adds up to 490. So if the six things mentioned in
Daniel 9:24 dont occur within 490 days, weeks or months, it is safe to
assume it is 490 years. So one week would equal seven years for a total of
490 years.
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What six things are the seventy weeks decreed to accomplish? What is the
purpose?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The first 7 weeks (49 years) occur at the the beginning of the rebuilding of
Jerusalem in 444 BC. In Nehemiah 1:1-2:8, we see a decree by King
Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem. It would have been completed in 395 BC.
Though Nehemiahs wall construction project took only 52 days, it may have
taken many years to remove the citys debris (after being desolate for so long),
to build adequate housing, and to rebuild the streets and a moat.
The next 62 weeks (434 years) take place between the completion of the
rebuilding of Jerusalem until the Messiah is cut off, referring to Christs
crucifixion.
Then we see a gap between the 69 weeks and the last week, the 70th week.
Verse 26 mentions the people of the prince who is to come. What will
these people do?
__________________________________________________________________
The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Jesus
prophesied about this in Matthew 24:1-2. He said that not one stone of the
temple would remain standing. This was fulfilled when Titus destroyed
Jerusalem and the temple and killed thousands of Jews.
So if the Romans are the people of the prince who is to come, this prince
must be from a revived Roman empire.
In verse 27, what does it say this prince will do in the last week (seven
years)?
__________________________________________________________________

107

Because the vision Daniel sees concerns the Jews, it seems likely that this
prince will make a covenant with the Jews during the 7 years of the
tribulation.
But what will he do for half of the week (3 1/2 years)?
__________________________________________________________________
During the last half of the Tribulation, he will break his covenant with Israel
and he will put an end to sacrifice and offerings. In Revelation 11 we see
that the two witnesses who have been prophesying for 3 1/2 years are killed
by the beast and they are killed in Jerusalem. This must be when he breaks
his covenant with Israel.
Read 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. Instead of allowing worship in the temple, what
will he do during this time?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Daniel 9:27 refers to abominations and desolations. Read Matthew 24:15.
Based on what you read in Daniel and in 2 Thessalonians, what does the
abomination of desolation refer to?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
After the beast or the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel halfway
through the Tribulation and sets himself up to be God, what is Israel told to
do in Matthew 24:16-21?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
This corresponds to Revelation 12:13-14 where we see the woman (Israel)
fleeing into the wilderness. Matthew 24:21 says that during this time there
will be great Tribulation such as has never before been seen on the earth.
Again, to put this in context to our timeline in Revelation, the beast or the
Antichrist will come to power at or shortly after the seventh trumpet has been
blown halfway through the Tribulation.

108

Day 33: Daniel 11:36-45


Read this section in Daniel 11 today.
Here we see this world ruler introduced simply as a king.
What do verses 36-37 say he will do?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 38 we are told he honors the god of fortresses and a foreign god his
fathers did not know.
Compare Revelation 13:11-14. What takes place in these verses? What is
being worshipped here?
__________________________________________________________________
According to Daniel 11:39, how will he treat those who acknowledge him?
__________________________________________________________________
Who will this king have conflicts with according to verse 40?
__________________________________________________________________
After some fight against him, he will come into the glorious land, probably
referring to Israel.
What will happen to many when he comes to Israel? See verses 41 and 44.
__________________________________________________________________
This could be referring to the persecution he begins against Israel.
According to verse 41, who will be rescued and delivered out of his hand?
__________________________________________________________________
This is the area of modern day Jordan. For whatever reason, this area will not
be harmed.

109

Verse 43 tells us that he will be the ruler of great wealth, treasures of gold
and silver.
According to verse 45, where will he set up his kingdom?
__________________________________________________________________
Some translations says seas which some understand to be between the
Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea. This would be at Jerusalem, at the
glorious holy mountain, Mount Zion.
Verse 45 simply says that when he comes to his end, no one will be there to
help him. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 says that Jesus will kill him by the breath of his
mouth. He will not be able to fight against the King of kings and he will be
defeated!

110

Day 34: Daniel 12:1-13


Read Daniel chapter 12 today.
What time period does at that time refer to. Reread Daniel 11:36-37.
__________________________________________________________________
So halfway through the Tribulation when the Antichrist sets himself up to be
worshipped is what is referred to here.
What does it say about this time in verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Comparing this to Revelation, this is when the woman (Israel) will flee into
the wilderness to escape (Revealtion 12:14) and the beast will conquer the
Saints (Revelation 13:7).
Daniel asks how long this will last. What is the answer in verse 7?
__________________________________________________________________
What else does verse 2 tell us will happen during this time period?
__________________________________________________________________
We will study this more in depth later.
In verse 4 Daniel is told to seal up the book until the end. What does it say
will happen between when Daniel wrote it and the end of time?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Perhaps this refers to the fact that people will be able to travel the world
easily. With the increase of knowledge has come an increase in technical
capabilities. Today there are cars and planes that make it easy to go back and
forth and in the last 100 years there has been a big increase in technology
and knowledge.
In verse 8, Daniel wonders how all of this is going to turn out. He is not
given a direct answer, but told to seal up the book.
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Verses 11-12 do give us a hint, though. In verse 11 how long does it say it
will be from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the
abomination of desolation is set up?
__________________________________________________________________
This is 30 days longer than indicated in other places of Scripture, so perhaps
the last 30 days extend into the Millennium. We will study the Millenium
more later.
Who does it say will be blessed in verse 12?
__________________________________________________________________
This extends 75 days past the three and half years. Those who make it past
this time of Tribulation into the Millennium under Christs reign will be
blessed.
So we see that what Daniel tells us about the beast is the same as what we
read about in the book of Revelation. Tomorrow we will go back to
Revelation and see what else we learn about the beast.

112

Day 35: Revelation 13:11-18


Read chapter 13 again.
What else does John see in verse 11?
__________________________________________________________________
What does it tell you about the second beast in that he speaks like a dragon?
Read Revelation 12:9-10. What will characterize his speech?
__________________________________________________________________
What does verse 12 tell us about this other beast?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does verse 13 tell us this beast will be capable of?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
He will be able to perform miraculous signs by the power of Satan and he
causes people to worship the first beast.
Because he has power to work these miraculous signs, what will happen to
people according to verse 14?
__________________________________________________________________
What does this second beast tell people to do in verse 14?
__________________________________________________________________
What is it given power to do to this image of the first beast?
__________________________________________________________________
Somehow, it appears that the image that is made has life and breath in it. The
purpose of creating this image is so that people will be deceived and worship
the first beast.

113

According to verse 15, what will happen to those who do not worship the
image of the beast?
__________________________________________________________________
What else does this other beast do according to verses 16-17?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Verse 18 tells us this beast is not symbolic of a country or a world power, but
he is a man. His number is 666, the number of a man.
We dont know the identity of the second beast other than it appears it is
another man who receives his power from Satan and performs miraculous
signs in order to deceive people. The second beast causes people to worship
the first beast and to take his number so that they can buy and sell. The first
and second beast work together.
Read Revelation 19:20. What is another name for the second beast?
__________________________________________________________________
So Scripture has a lot to say about the Antichrist. He is referred to as the
beast, the little horn, and a king. He will come from a revived Roman Empire
although we dont know what exactly that will look like. He will get his
power from Satan. At the beginning of the Tribulation, he will make a
covenant with Israel, but then he will break it half way through. At the end of
3 1/2 years (the midpoint of the Tribulation), he will kill the two witnesses
and then come to power. Apparently there will be a temple in Jerusalem and
he will put an end to all sacrifices half way through the Tribulation and will
instead set himself up to be worshipped as God. People will marvel at him
and will be deceived as they follow him. He will speak blasphemous things
against God and he will persecute Israel and the saints. During the last half
of the Tribulation people will be forced to take the mark of the beast in order
to buy and sell. Those who do not worship the image of the beast will be
killed. Although he is given great power for a short time, ultimately he will
be defeated by the Lord Jesus.

114

Again to put this in context, the events surrounding the beast take place after
the 7th trumpet is blown and Satan is thrown down to earth. This is half way
through the Tribulation.
What is the theme of chapter 13? _____________________________________

115

Matthew 24
Day 36 : Matthew 24:1-14; Luke 21:5-24
For the next couple of days, we are going to take a quick break from
Revelation and tie in some events that Jesus talked to his disciples about and
see how they relate to Revelation.
Read the verses in Matthew 24 and Luke 21.
In Matthew 24:1, Jesus and his disciples were leaving the temple and the
disciples were commenting on how magnificent the temple was. This was
the temple that Herod built and it was large and impressive.
In verse 2, what does Jesus say is going to happen to the temple?
__________________________________________________________________
This happened in 70 AD when the temple was destroyed by the Romans. In
their greed for gold in the temple, the Romans separated each stone, thus
fulfilling Jesus words.
Naturally, the disciples were curious about when this would happen and how
they would recognize that it was near. From Mark 13:3, we are told
specifically it is Peter, James, John and Andrew who ask Jesus about this
privately. For them, having the temple destroyed seemed like the end of the
age was near. But Jesus is going to answer their question in the first 14 verses
of things that are going to happen leading up to the destruction of the temple,
not the end times.
In verses 5-7, what does Jesus say will happen that are the beginning of birth
pains, but the end is not yet? Compare this with Luke 21:8-11.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

116

In verse 9, what did Jesus say would happen to the disciples? Compare this
with Luke 21:12-19.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Luke 21:20-24 again. From the context of the disciples question and
Jesus answer, do you think the events described here take place in 70 AD or
during the end times?
__________________________________________________________________
Unlike in Matthew 24, there is no reference to the abomination of desolation
and it is not described as a time of tribulation unlike the world has ever seen.
Luke 21:22-23 describe it as a time of vengeance and wrath against the Jews.
This is not who Gods wrath will be directed toward in the end times.
Read Luke 19:43-44. Why does Jesus say that Jerusalem will be surrounded
and the temple destroyed like this?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
It is a judgment against the Jews because they did not recognize the Messiah
when he came to them.
What will happen to the Jews during this time according to Luke 21:24?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jesus says this persecution of the Jews will continue until the times of the
Gentiles is fulfilled. It seems this begins in 70 AD and continues through
church age when God focuses on the Gentiles.
Luke 21:25-28 describe what happens at the end of the times of the
Gentiles. What occurs to show the Jews that the their redemption is near?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

117

The Second Coming will conclude the times of the Gentiles. When we get to
the Millennial reign, it is during this time that God will turn his attention back
to the Jews.
In Matthew 24:10-12, what does Jesus say will be true of some believers
leading up to the destruction of the temple?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
According to Matthew 24:14, what does Jesus say will happen before the
end comes?
__________________________________________________________________
So these verses we studied today, occurred in 70 AD and fill in the gaps a
little bit for us. In the verses we will look at tomorrow, Jesus continues his
discussion about what will happen in the end times, but the disciples did not
understand that there would be many years between the destruction of the
temple and the coming of the Son of Man.

118

Day 37: Matthew 24:15-29


Read these verses in Matthew 24 carefully. Note how they differ from what
we read yesterday.
In verse 15, what is the sign that the end is near?
__________________________________________________________________
As we looked at earlier from Daniel 9:27, Daniel 12:11 and 2 Thessalonians
2:3-4, this is when the Antichrist removes the burnt offerings from the temple
and sets himself up to be worshipped as God instead.
What should people do when they see this? See verses 16-20.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Since this is the most intense tribulation the world has ever seen, it will be
especially difficult for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Certainly one
would be greatly concerned for their children during this time of tribulation.
It would not bother a Gentile to have to flee on the Sabbath, but it would
bother a Jew. But when the Jews see this abomination of desolation in the
temple, they should flee because there will be great persecution against them
from the Antichrist.
After the Antichrist does this in the middle of the tribulation (after the
seventh trumpet), what does it say will happen in verses 21-22?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
During the tribulation, what do verses 23-26 say will happen? Compare this
with Revelation 13:11-15.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

119

These verses in Matthew 24 certainly correspond with the events described in


Revalation. When the Antichrist comes to power and sets himself up to be
worshipped as God, then things really start to worsen during the second half
of the Great Tribulation, but as Matthew 24:33 says, When you see all these
things, you know that He is near, at the very gates. Jesus is coming soon and
the end is near for His enemies!

120

Revelation 14
Day 38: Revelation 14:1-13
Read Revelation 14 today.
Mark the following words:
then I looked, then I saw
Lamb, Jesus
heaven
throne
God
angel
beast
wrath
Spirit
In chapter 13, we saw people take the mark of the beast; in chapter 14 we
see the 144,000 sealed with the Lamb and the Fathers name on their
forehead. The mark or seal that people take shows where their allegiance is
and who they are following.
Who does John see standing on Mt. Zion?
__________________________________________________________________
Verse 1 starts on earth, but the rest of the chapter takes place in heaven.
What does he hear in heaven in verses 2-3?
__________________________________________________________________
Who is singing the new song?
__________________________________________________________________
What do we learn about the 144,000 from verses 4-5?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
121

The events that take place in the rest of this chapter are all in preparation for
the 7 bowls of Gods wrath to be poured out.
In chapter 14, we will see six different angels. What is the first angels job
in verse 6?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does this angel tell the people who dwell on the earth in verse 7?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Underline the phrase the hour of his judgment has come. This is a very
significant point in the book of Revelation and marks the beginning of the
Day of the Lord. Later this week, we will look at the Day of the Lord more in
depth.
The first angel warns people to repent because Gods wrath is going to be
poured out in full strength during the 7 Bowls. God in his mercy, is still
giving people a chance to repent by sending this angel as his messenger to
those who dwell on the earth.
What does the second angel announce?
__________________________________________________________________
We will study more about Babylon in Revelation 17-18, but for now, we are
told that its doom is sure.
What do we learn about Babylon in verse 8?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does the third angel say about those who take the mark of the beast?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

122

These people will experience the full brunt of Gods wrath and will be
tormented forever. This seems to be a clear reference to their eternal
punishment in the Lake of Fire. See the descriptions of the lake of fire in
Revelation 19:20 and 20:10.
Because these peoples doom is sure, the saints are encouraged to persevere
and endure.
How are the saints described in verse 12?
__________________________________________________________________
Those who follow after the beast, worship him and take his mark. The saints
are obedient to Jesus and follow Him.
Because of the Great Tribulation that is taking place, some of the saints my
have to endure even to death. In Revelation 13:15 we are told that those
who do not worship the image of the beast will be killed.
What encouragement does John hear from the voice from heaven in verse
13 about those who die in the Lord?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Obviously this refers to the saints spoken of in verse 12 who have trusted in
Jesus. Read Revelation 20:4-6. What blessing awaits these people who are
killed for their faith during the Tribulation?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
It certainly will be a blessing for any saint who dies during the Tribulation.
Through death, they will escape the persecution from the beast and they will
not be hurt by the second death. Death has no power over them and cannot
harm them. Their reward will be reigning with Christ during the Millennium.
It may have been cause for alarm to hear that the time for Gods wrath to be
poured out had come, but for those who trusted Jesus, even if they died, they
had nothing to fear.
123

Day 39: Revelation 14:14-20


Read Revelation 14 again today.
What does John see in verse 14?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does the fourth angel say to the one who is sitting on the cloud?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Mark the phrase for the hour to reap has come. This is the second time we
are told in this chapter that the hour has come. It is now time for Gods wrath
to be fully poured out. So the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle and
the earth was reaped.
What do we learn about the fifth angel in verse 17?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
How is the sixth angel described in verse 18?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does he tell the angel with the sickle?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Compare that with Joel 3:13. What does this verse say about why the time
has come to reap the harvest of the earth?
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 19, where is the harvest of the earth thrown?
__________________________________________________________________

124

People would have understood the picture of a winepress. They would put
the ripened grapes in a huge vat and then stand in the vat and trample the
grapes. There was a hole in the vat that flowed into another container below
that would collect the juice from the grapes. But here instead of grape juice,
the picture is of blood. It indicates that there will be great bloodshed when
Gods wrath is poured out on mankind.
Where does verse 20 tell us this winepress is located?
__________________________________________________________________
Perhaps this is a reference to Jerusalem.
What are we told about the blood that flows out of the winepress?
__________________________________________________________________
A horses bridle is roughly four feet high and 1,600 stadia is about 180 miles.
This is probably not a literal river of blood, but it gives us a graphic picture of
the bloodshed that is going to come.
Read Isaiah 63:1-6. Who is described as treading the winepress in these
verses? What is the result?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In Revelation 19:13 Jesus is described as wearing a robe that is dipped or
sprinkled in blood which could also be a picture of him treading the
winepress.
Even though it seems like sin and evil reigns on the earth right now, the hour
will come when Gods wrath will be poured out and mankind will be judged
for their sin.
What is the theme of chapter 14?
__________________________________________________________________

125

Day 40: The Day of the Lord


We have reached the point in our study of Revelation where we need to see
what the Bible says about the Day of the Lord and how it fits into what we
have studied so far in the book of Revelation. So lets start in the Old
Testament first.
Read Joel 2:1-11. Write down everything you learn about how the Day of
the Lord is described in these verses.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Joel 2:30-31. What will happen before the Day of the Lord?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Revelation 6:12-14. Write what happens in these verses. Do these
sound like similar events?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So at the 6th seal, the day of the Lord has not started yet, but it is close.
Read Amos 5:18-20. How do these verses describe the Day of the Lord?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Isaiah 13.
How is the Day of the Lord described in verses 9 and 13?
__________________________________________________________________

126

What is the purpose of the Day of the Lord according to verses 9 and 11?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What will peoples response be when the Day of the Lord comes? See
verses 6-8.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What will be the signs in heaven during this time? See verses 10 and 13.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What will be happening to people on earth? See verses 14-18.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Isaiah 13 is an oracle against Babylon. We saw in Revelation 14:7-8 that
Babylon is fallen when it is announced that the hour of Gods judgment has
come.
In Isaiah 13: 19-22, what does it say will happen to Babylon during the Day
of the Lord?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Compare this description with Revelation 18:21-24. What happens to
Babylon here?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
127

How is the Day of the Lord described in Zephaniah 1:14-18?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Now lets go to the New Testament. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
What has to happen first before the day of the Lord comes according to
verses 3-4?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
This takes place shortly after the 7th trumpet has been blown in Revelation.
So the Day of the Lord starts somewhere between the 7th trumpet and the 1st
bowl of Gods wrath.
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. How does it say the Day of the Lord will come
in these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
As we have seen, the Day of the Lord is characterized by an outpouring of
Gods wrath. According to verse 9, what does this verse say about
believers? Do you think they will experience the Day of the Lord?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read 2 Peter 3:10-13. How does verse 10 say the Day of the Lord will
come?
__________________________________________________________________
What will happen in the Day of the Lord?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

128

These verses tell us what happens at the end of the Day of the Lord. The
heavens and the earth will pass away and be burned up.
So the Day of the Lord covers a significant period of time. It is a time of
Gods wrath poured out on sin and the man of lawlessness, the Antichrist will
be revealed and have power during this time. We see that it begins at or
shortly after the blowing of the 7th trumpet and includes the last half of the
Tribulation. We will study this more later in Revelation, but there will be a
battle against Jerusalem, known as the Battle of Armageddon and then Christ
will return. He will set up his Millennial kingdom where he will reign for
1,000 with a rod of iron. After the dead are judged, the heavens and earth
will pass away and that will conclude the Day of the Lord.
We will study each of these events more in detail as we get farther along in
Revelation, but this gives us a good overview of what will happen during the
Day of the Lord.

129

Day 41: The Mystery of God.


In Revelation 10:5-7 it says, And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea
and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives
forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is
in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that
in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the
mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the
prophets.
Go back through your notes on Revelation 11-14. What things happened
after the seventh trumpet is sounded?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Which of these things have the prophets spoken about?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
To fulfill means to bring to perfection or its destined goal. This mystery will
be revealed when the seventh trumpet is blown. What was previously
preached by the prophets will be revealed and there will be no more delay.
Read Revelation 11:15-19. What happens in verse 15 after the seventh
trumpet is blown?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The beginning of the time of Christs reign seems to start at the seventh
trumpet.
In verse 18, what does it say about the events associated with the seventh
trumpet? What occurs and what is the purpose?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

130

Do any of the events you listed that occur at the seventh trumpet match up
with the description given in verse 18?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
With the blowing of the seventh trumpet, it says that Gods wrath came, and
as we have seen about the day of the Lord, it is a time when Gods wrath will
be poured out. In Isaiah 13:9 and 11, it says the purpose of the day of the
Lord is to destroy sinners and to punish the world for its evil. In verse 18 it
says the purpose is to destroy the destroyers of the earth. So as we compare
Revelation 11 with some descriptions of the Day of the Lord, we begin to see
some clues emerge.
The mystery of God might be the prophecies given about the coming wrath
and judgment of God. The seventh trumpet begins the day of the Lord and
brings forth the seven bowls of Gods wrath. The wrath of God is finished
(Revelation 15:1; 16:17) when the seventh bowl is poured out.
A mystery fully discloses something that was spoken about earlier. Maybe
some questions that people have had down through the ages will be
answered at this time.
When will the day of the Lord occur?
Why hasnt Jesus set up his kingdom yet?
How can God be in control and yet still allow evil to exist?
It seems like the mystery could answer some questions surrounding the Day
of the Lord. But whatever the mystery is, it will be finished and fulfilled when
the seventh trumpet is blown.

131

Revelation 15
Day 42: Revelation 15
Read chapter 15 today.
Mark the following words:
Then I saw, and I saw, after this I looked
heaven
seven angels
wrath
conquered
This chapter gives us some details of what occurs right before the seven
bowls of Gods wrath are poured out.
What sign does John see in heaven in verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
What are we told about these seven plagues?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Describe what John sees in verse 2?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
It appears that these are those who have been killed by the beast during the
Tribulation. Even though they died, it says they conquered. See Revelation
12:11.
They sing the song of Moses. Moses sang a song of praise to the Lord in
Exodus 15 after the Lord overthrew the armies of Egypt in the Red Sea. The
Lord showed his power in a mighty way then, and these people are also
praising the Lord for what he has done.

132

What different names of God are used in their song?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What do these people say about Gods actions?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What do they say about Gods character, about who He is?
__________________________________________________________________
What does it say peoples response will be to God as a result of his mighty
acts? Compare this with Psalm 86:8-10.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does John see next in verses 5-6?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Again we see one of the four living creatures that we were introduced to in
Revelation 4. What does he do?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What happens when he does this?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The sanctuary that the seven angels came out of fills with smoke showing
Gods glory and his power. No one is able to go back into the sanctuary until
the seven angels pour out the seven bowls of Gods wrath. Tomorrow we will
take a look at these more closely.
What is the theme of chapter 15?
__________________________________________________________________

133

Revelation 16
Day 43: Revelation 16
Read chapter 16 today.
Mark the following words:
then I heard, and I heard, and I saw
wrath
God (including other names and pronouns)
angel
the first (second, etc.) angel poured out his bowl
beast
throne
heaven
dragon
Babylon
John hears a voice from the temple telling the angels to pour out the bowls.
What do the bowls contain?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens when the first bowl is poured out?
__________________________________________________________________
Who did it affect?
__________________________________________________________________
In Revelation 14:9-10, we read that an angel promises that those who have
taken the mark of the beast will drink the wine of Gods wrath. In the first
bowl, we see Gods wrath specifically directed at these people.
What happens when the second bowl is poured out?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens with the third bowl?
__________________________________________________________________
134

Why does it say in verses 5-6 that the sea and the rivers and springs turn to
blood?
__________________________________________________________________
So the second and third bowls are to avenge the blood of the saints that have
been shed down through the ages. God says they are deserving of this
judgment because they have killed his people.
What do verses 5 and 7 tell us about Gods judgments?
__________________________________________________________________
Just here is actually the same Greek word for righteous. God is right and holy
to enact this kind of judgment on them.
What happens when the fourth bowl is poured out?
__________________________________________________________________
What was peoples response to this?
__________________________________________________________________
The word for cursed here literally is blasphemed. They spoke against God
and reviled him, refusing to repent or give God glory even though His power
is being displayed in an awesome way.
What happens with the fifth bowl?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
As we read in the Old Testament, the Day of the Lord is a day of darkness and
gloom and we see that fulfilled though the fifth bowl. This darkness seems
different than normal darkness because it causes anguish. Perhaps it is also
some sort of spiritual darkness as well.
It seems like the bowls are cumulative because people are still feeling the
affects of the first bowl (painful sores) when the fifth bowl is poured out.

135

Again what is the response?


__________________________________________________________________
What happens at the sixth bowl?
__________________________________________________________________
What else does John see after the sixth bowl is poured out?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
With the dragon, the beast and false prophet, we see Satans counterfeit
trinity.
What do these demonic spirits do?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
We saw when we studied the Day of the Lord, that Jesus coming is described
like a thief. His coming will be unexpected and cause loss for the unsaved.
This is mentioned again in verse 15. There is a blessing mentioned for the
believers who are anticipating His coming and are ready. As we will see, the
climax of the battle of Armageddon is at the Second Coming when Christ
returns with the armies of heaven and sets foot on the Mount of Olives.
Armageddon comes from
the Greek Harmagedn,
which transliterates the
Hebrew words for Mount
(har) of Megiddo. It is
commonly understood to
be located at the Plain of
Esdraelon pictured on the
right. It is said that
Napoleon called it the
ideal battlefield.
We will take a closer look
at the battle of
Armageddon tomorrow.
136

If you look on the map, the Plain of Esdraelon is near Galilee.


137

What is said when the seventh bowl is poured out?


__________________________________________________________________
This final bowl culminates the outpouring of Gods wrath and it is certainly
spectacular and terrifying with thunder and lightning, the biggest earthquake
the earth has ever seen, the islands and mountains disappear and 100 pound
hail stones fall from the sky!
This bowl seems to be specifically directed against Babylon. God
remembered her and made her drink the wine of the fury of his wrath.
Chapters 17-18 give us more detail about this seventh bowl.
What is the response again?
__________________________________________________________________
It is obvious that it is impossible for man to fight against such a powerful God
and win, yet men willfully continue to reject God and curse him. Their final
doom will come very soon.
What is the theme of chapter 16?
__________________________________________________________________
Finish completing the chart by filling in the information for the seven bowls
on page 141.

138

Day 44: The Battle of Armageddon.


Read Zechariah 12-14 today. These events occur when the sixth bowl is
poured out.
In Zechariah 12:1-3 and 14:2, what will happen to Jerusalem?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Where will this battle take place according to Zechariah 12:11?
__________________________________________________________________
Who will fight for Jerusalem according to 14:3?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens in Zechariah 14:3-4?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
This is when the Second Coming occurs and Jesus physically comes to earth
to stand on the Mount of Olives. In the rapture, believers rise to meet Christ
in the air. At the Second Coming, he comes to earth.
What will be the response when people see this?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Verse 5 says that the Lord God will come and all the holy ones with him.
This will be explained more in depth in Revelation 19.
Verses 12-13 and 15 describe the war that will take place. What does it say
will happen?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

139

The description reminds me of intense nuclear radiation. Or perhaps it could


be a supernatural thing that God does to them as he fights for Jerusalem.
What does it say will happen to the wealth of the nations in 14:14?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jesus will be victorious. What does verse 9 tell us will be the result of this
battle?
__________________________________________________________________
After the Battle of Armageddon, the 1,000 year reign will begin with Christ
ruling and reigning on the earth. We will look at that more when we get to
Revelation 20.

140

Seven Seals

Seven Trumpets

141

Seven Bowls

Revelation 17
Day 45: Revelation 17:1-6
Read Revealtion 17 today.
Mark the following words:
angel
in the Spirit
beast
Babylon
any names of Jesus
God
The next two chapters deal with the harlot, Babylon. Here we are given more
detail about her fall at the seventh bowl of Gods wrath. Lets just observe
what the text tells us and see what we can understand about Babylon.
What does the woman (Babylon) represent according to verse 18?
__________________________________________________________________
In chapter 16, when the seventh bowl is poured out, verse 19 says the great
city was split into three parts and God remembered Babylon the great, to
make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. So chapters 17
and 18 are giving us more detail about the great city that fell at the seventh
bowl in chapter 16.
So the first thing we see is that it appears that Babylon is a literal city because
it was struck by an earthquake during the seventh bowl.
Read Revelation 11:8. What city here is called the great city?
__________________________________________________________________
From observing the text in Revelation, Babylon could be the city of
Jerusalem. In Revelation 11, it says that Jerusalem is symbolically called
Sodom and Egypt, both places known for their sin and their disregard for
God. But lets keep observing the text and see if we find any more clues.
142

In verse 1, what does the angel tell John he is going to show him?
__________________________________________________________________
What does it say the kings of the earth have done with the great prostitute?
__________________________________________________________________
What effect has this had on the dwellers of the earth?
__________________________________________________________________
When you are drunk, you are under the influence and control of something
else. At the end of time, the people of the earth will be controlled by sexual
immorality. This could be literal, or it could be a picture describing false
worship. In the Old Testament, many times God said of Israel that they were
an adulterous nation because they were following after false gods.
What does John see in verse 3?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The beast we saw earlier is the Antichrist. In verse 3, it says that the beast
(Antichrist) carries the prostitute (Babylon). The Antichrist will use the great
city for his own purposes, but then will turn against her (verse 16-17).
Perhaps this is an indication that this city is where the Antichrist has set up his
headquarters.
Earlier when we studied the beast, we saw that he will make a covenant with
Israel, but then half way through the Tribulation he will break that covenant.
He will put an end to sacrifices in the temple and set himself up to be
worshipped as God. This is certainly an abomination as described in chapter
17.
We are given another clue that perhaps Babylon represents Jerusalem.
Where is John carried to when he sees the woman Babylon?
__________________________________________________________________

143

Compare Revelation 11:6,14. Who did the woman fleeing into the
wilderness represent in these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
So we are given another clue that perhaps Babylon represents a city in Israel.
What does verse 4 say about how the woman was dressed?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The woman is pictured as being attractive and adorned with jewels. It seems
people flock to her. In verse 1, the prostitute is described as being seated on
many waters.
According to verse 15, what do the many waters represent?
__________________________________________________________________
And in verse 18, this great city has dominion over the kings of the earth. So
we see a powerful city, one that has influence over people and kings. If the
Antichrist set up his kingdom in Jerusalem, it would make sense that it
becomes a city of power because people are drawn to the Antichrist and
marvel at him.
What is the prostitute holding in her hand from verse 4?
__________________________________________________________________
Abominations means that which is utterly detestable and abhorrent.
Impurities here means pertaining to being ritually unacceptable, either as
the result of defilement or because of the very nature of the object itself (for
example, ritually unacceptable animals)defiled, ritually unclean.
So the city of Babylon will be characterized by detestable and defiled
worship. If Jerusalem is where the Antichrist sets himself up as God, this
would fit with the description given of the prostitute. Jerusalem was a place
to come and worship the one true God and instead it is being used to
worship a counterfeit god, the Antichrist.

144

How is Babylon described in verse 5?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Babylon is the source of this sin and wickedness.
What else characterizes her from verse 6?
__________________________________________________________________
This city is responsible for the blood of the saints. The woman is described as
being drunk with their blood. This speaks of excess and intense persecution
and Babylon is the one spear-heading it.
Recap everything you have learned about Babylon so far.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

145

Day 46: Revelation 17:7-18


Read chapter 17 again today.
When John saw the vision of the woman, he marveled. To marvel means to
wonder or be amazed. But the angel told him he would explain the meaning
of the woman and the beast that carried her.
Where does the beast come from and what does that tell us about him?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Where is he going?
__________________________________________________________________
Again, we are told that those who have the beasts mark and dont have their
names written in the book of life, will marvel at the beast.
The beast has seven heads and ten horns.
What do verses 9-10 say that the seven heads represent?
__________________________________________________________________
Verse 10 explains they are kingdoms. Five have already fallen. At the time
that John wrote Revelation, the five kingdoms that had all ruled over Israel at
one time were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia and Greece. The kingdom in
power at that time was Rome. One more kingdom was yet to come.
What do we learn about the kingdom to come from verse 10?
__________________________________________________________________
This refers to the kingdom that the Antichrist is a part of during the
Tribulation. The beast is an eighth kingdom, but it is a part of the seventh,
meaning it came out of the seventh. Again, verse 11 tells us this kingdom
goes to destruction.

146

What does verse 12-13 tell us about the ten horns?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
These 10 kings are some sort of world rulers that associate themselves with
the Antichrist. They are so committed to him that they even hand over their
authority to him.
What does verse 14 tell us these kings and the Antichrist will do?
__________________________________________________________________
Look at Revelation 16:13-16. This gives us some more information on what
this will look like. They will assemble to fight against the Lord at the Battle of
Armageddon.
What will be the result of this war?
__________________________________________________________________
The reason the Lamb will conquer these kings is because Jesus is the King of
kings. He has the ultimate power and authority.
Verse 14 gives us a glimpse that the Lamb will have an army fighting with
him. How are these people described?
__________________________________________________________________
Obviously this speaks of believers. Romans 1:6 says that we are called to
belong to Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:4 tells us that we have been chosen in
Jesus before the foundation of the world and Colossians 1:2 refers to the
faithful brothers in Christ Jesus. We will learn more about this army and the
battle they fight when we come to chapter 19.
According to verses 16-17, what will the ten kings and the beast do to
Babylon?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

147

Babylons destruction will be complete. She will become desolate and laid
bare. In Revelation 17:4, we see Babylon clothed in purple and scarlet, but
all her beauty will be stripped away.
We are also told that her flesh will be devoured. This seems literal. Read
Revelation 19:17-21 and note what it says.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Finally, Babylon will be burned with fire. This is restated in Revelation 18:8.
God can use anyone for his purposes and it is his plan for the Antichrist and
these ten kings to be united in thought and to come together to destroy
Babylon.
What is the theme of chapter 17?
__________________________________________________________________
Tomorrow we will add to our picture of Babylon in chapter 18.

148

Revelation 18
Day 47: Revelation 18:1-24
Read Revelation 18 today.
Mark the following words as you read:
angel
heaven
Babylon
God
How does the angel describe Babylon after her fall in verse 2?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 50:39 tells us that no human being will live in Babylon. Verse 2
gives a picture of an abandoned city, overrun with demons and animals. This
is pretty remarkable since it was once a powerful city of influence and
wealth.
Verse 3 reiterates that the nations have become drunk from the wine of her
immorality (Revelation 17:2). What new information do we learn about
Babylon from this verse?
__________________________________________________________________
Chapter 18 focuses more on her financial strength and her great riches.
What instruction is given to Gods people in verse 4?
__________________________________________________________________
What fate awaits Babylon in verses 5-6?
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149

Unlike Gods people whose sins are not remembered anymore, God will
remember Babylons sins and pay her back double for what she has done.
According to verses 6-8, what is the reason for the Lords swift judgment
upon Babylon?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Compare these verses with Isaiah 47:1-9. What similarities do you see in
how Babylon is described?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
How fast is judgment enacted upon her in Isaiah 47:9? Compare that with
Revelation 18: 8,10,17 and 19.
__________________________________________________________________
We see three groups of people who look on Babylons destruction. We see
kings of the earth (v.9), merchants (v.11,15) and shipmasters and sailors (v.
17). What reaction do all of them share when they see Babylons
destruction?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Where are they standing when they observe her devastation? (v.10,15
and17).
__________________________________________________________________
The fact that they stand far off and can still witness her demise speaks of
Gods power and how great a fall it is. It also shows they do not want to be
near her because the destruction is so great. Verse 10 says the kings of the
earth stand far off because they are in fear of her torment.

150

Verse 9 mentions that Babylon lived in luxury. Verses 12 and 13 detail how
rich Babylon was. But what are we told in verse 14 about her riches?
Compare this with Zechariah 14:14.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read verses 3 and 19. What do both of these verses tell us about Babylon?
__________________________________________________________________
Merchants and ships have grown rich by Babylons wealth. It seems perhaps
Babylon is an economic capital of the world. So when she falls, it is
shocking and men mourn over her destruction.
Verse 8 tells us that Babylon will have death, mourning and famine and that
she will be burnt with fire. In verses 9 and 17, the kings and shipmasters
weep when they see the smoke of her burning from afar. What is left a is a
desolate place. Her riches have completely vanished and she no longer has
any commerce. People no longer live there and it is left desolate and
haunted. God has paid her back double for the sin of adultery against him,
for her great pride, and for shedding the blood of the saints. Her destruction
is swift - in a single hour and in a single day.
Even though men of earth mourn for Babylon, who rejoices over her
judgment in verse 20?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does the mighty angel do in verse 21 to illustrate Babylons fall?
__________________________________________________________________
As we saw yesterday, her downfall will be violent and will result in utter
devastation.
Verses 22-23 describe what Babylon will be like after this. What will be
gone from Babylon when she falls?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
151

In 18:7, we see God punishes Babylon for her pride. According to verse
23, what is another reason that she is judged?
__________________________________________________________________
Babylon has led all the nations of the earth astray by her sorcery. Sorcery
here describes using magic spells by the power of Satan. In chapter 13, we
see the false prophet performing great signs, even making fire come down
from heaven. This has always been seen as an act of God. (God sent fire
down from heaven when Elijah called to him before the prophets of Baal).
But the false prophet will do the same thing by the power of Satan and cause
people to be deceived. He also appears to give life and breath to an image of
the beast and as a result, people worship the beast. Because Babylon has led
others astray, she will be judged.
In verse 20 and 24, what is another reason that God judges her?
__________________________________________________________________
God avenges the blood of the saints, apostles and prophets. Because they
persecuted and killed his people, God destroys Babylon. See Revelation
16:6. It is a just judgment and what she deserves.
It is encouraging that God stands up for his people. So often it seems like evil
wins and sometimes it seems like God stands silently by while His people
suffer. But there will come a day when God will rise up and defend His
people and those who have harmed and killed them will have to pay.
What is the theme of chapter 18?
__________________________________________________________________

152

Day 48: Babylon


Today lets take a look at some cross references and see what the Old
Testament tells us about Babylon.
Read Jeremiah 50. In the following verses note what it says about Babylon
and how it compares to Revelation 17-18.
Jeremiah 50:3
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Jeremiah 50:9
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 50:13
__________________________________________________________________
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Jeremiah 50:14-15
__________________________________________________________________
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Jeremiah 50:23-24
__________________________________________________________________
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Jeremiah 50:29-32
__________________________________________________________________
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Jeremiah 50:39-40
__________________________________________________________________
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Jeremiah 50:41-45
__________________________________________________________________
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Jeremiah 50:46
__________________________________________________________________
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153

Read Jeremiah 51. Again note what these verses tell us about Babylon and
any similarities you see in Revelation 17-18.
Jeremiah 51:1-5
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 51:7
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 51:11-14
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 51:27-28
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 51:37
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 51:41-44
__________________________________________________________________
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Jeremiah 51:6,45
__________________________________________________________________
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Jeremiah 51:48-49
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 51:58
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

154

Read Ezekiel 16:1-43. This is an oracle against Jerusalem. As you read,


mark down all the similarities you see between Babylon and Jerusalem.
Note how she is referred to and what she did.
v. 2
__________________________________________________________________
v. 13-14
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
v. 15-17
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
v. 22-26
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
v. 27-35
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What similarities do you see in the destruction of both cities? Compare with
Revelation 17:16.
v 36-39.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
v. 40-43
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The similarities between how Jerusalem is described in Ezekiel 16 and how
Babylon is described in Revelation 17 are certainly striking. It does seem
possible that they are the same great city.
Even though it looks like Babylon could be the city of Jerusalem, there are
also passages that would indicate against this. In Zechariah 12:6 and 14:11 it
says that Jerusalem will again be inhabited, but in Isaiah 51:62 it says that
Babylon will be desolate forever.

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The identity of Babylon is not the main point of these passages, though. The
main point is that this city will be righteously judged by God. We see that it
is a center for sexual immorality, evidenced by idolatry and the worship of
false gods, namely the Antichrist. It is a city full of abominations against
God. Perhaps it is the Antichrists religious and economic capital. It is a city
of immense wealth. The fact that its prophecy was foretold long ago and that
it comes to pass in Revelation is what is most significant. She will be judged
for her adultery, pride and for shedding the blood of the saints. She has
enticed other nations away from God by her sorcery. Gods judgment on her
is swift, sure and astounding to all those who see it.

156

Revelation 19
Day 49: Revelation 19:1-10
Read Revelation 19 today.
Mark the following words as you read today:
heaven
God and all other names and pronouns
Jesus and all other names and pronouns
throne
angel
wrath
beast
In chapter 19, we see a change in focus from the previous chapters. The rest
of the book will detail for us Christs victory, Satans defeat and the joy to
come for believers.
Who is the first group we see praising God?
__________________________________________________________________
What are they praising him for?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
When this multitude in heaven sees that Babylon is defeated, they can do
nothing else but praise God. His judgment on Babylon is described as true
and just.
In verse 3, what does it say about God in light of the fact that the smoke
from Babylons destruction goes up forever and ever?
__________________________________________________________________

157

The punishment for people who followed Babylon will be eternal in the lake
of fire.
Whenever we see worship expressed in the book of Revelation, often it
involves the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures. They are in
agreement with what the multitude has said about God.
In verse 5, what else do we hear?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
There are fourteen accounts of worship recorded for us in the book of
Revelation and in verses 6-8 we come to the last one.
How is the voice of the multitude described in verse 6?
__________________________________________________________________
Roaring water and peals of thunder are both loud, commanding noises that
get our attention. What an awesome sound it must have been for John to
hear this great multitude of people praising God with one voice.
What do they say about God in verse 6?
__________________________________________________________________
God has just crushed the strongest city in the world and brought it to nothing.
He is the one who will soon reign unopposed.
In verses 7-8, what has the time come for?
__________________________________________________________________
It is finally time for the Bride of Christ, the Church, to be united with Jesus! If
you are married, do you remember how excited you were on your wedding
day? I believe that feeling will pale in comparison with the joy we will feel at
the marriage of the Lamb.
How is the Bride of Christ described?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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In the Bible, weddings typically had three phases. First, the parents would
pay the wedding price and enter into a legal contract with the groom. Next,
the groom would come to claim his bride and take her to live with him.
Finally, there would be a wedding feast.
When believers are saved during the church age, that would represent the
first phase. When the church is raptured and brought to Christs home in
heaven would be the second phase. This marriage supper would be the third
phase.
Where is this wedding supper to be located? People are divided as to
whether it takes place in heaven right before the Second Coming, or if it takes
place on earth during the Millennial reign. Given the fact that it is mentioned
before the Second Coming, leads me to believe it will be in heaven. But the
location itself is not the most important thing. The main point is that it will be
a grand celebration!
In verse 9, it alludes to the fact that at this marriage between Jesus and his
Bride, there will be invited guests. What is a wedding without guests?! Who
might these guests be?
Read Matthew 22:1-13 and Matthew 25:1-13. Here we read two parables
about a wedding feast.
These parables were spoken to the Jews. In both of these stories, they are not
portrayed as the Bride, but they are invited to the wedding feast. So perhaps
Israel or the Old Testament saints are the invited guests at the marriage supper
of the Lamb. The point of both of these passages to the Jews is that they
should be prepared and waiting when the Bridegroom comes, otherwise they
may miss the feast. Perhaps the guests could also include the great multitude
of those who are saved out of the great Tribulation and are in heaven now
(Revelation 19:6-9).
So the marriage supper will include the groom (Jesus), the bride (the Church)
and the invited guests.

159

Because John is so overwhelmed with what he hears, what does he do in


verse 10?
__________________________________________________________________
What is the angels response?
__________________________________________________________________
Earlier we looked at the Battle of Armageddon in chapter 16 and we focused
on what takes place on earth. Tomorrow we will look at the Battle of
Armageddon from heavens point of view.

160

Day 50: Revelation 19:11-21


Read chapter 19 again.
This section describes the Second Coming for us when Jesus will come from
heaven in all his glory, to conquer and to judge. The battle of Armageddon in
this section is described from a heavenly perspective in contrast to the earthly
descriptions we looked at earlier.
What does John see when heaven is opened?
__________________________________________________________________
What is Jesus name in verse 11?
__________________________________________________________________
This is in contrast to the beast who was not faithful to his word and broke his
covenant with Israel and deceived people (Revelation 13:14). Jesus will
always be faithful and true to His Word. We can count on what he says so
we know he will always be faithful and true to us. Because of that, now has
come the time for him to judge righteously and make war on his enemies.
In verse 12, we see the third time in the book of Revelation where Jesus eyes
are described as a flame of fire (also 1:14 and 2:18). His gaze is piercing and
he sees all. No one can escape his scrutiny when he judges.
Earlier in Revelation, we saw a dragon with seven diadems and the beast with
ten diadems, but here Jesus has many. One day, all the kings of the earth will
surrender their crowns to Him because He is King of kings and Lord of lords.
What other reference to Jesus name do we see in verse 12?
__________________________________________________________________
We saw a similar phrase in Revelation 2:17. To the one who overcomes from
the church at Pergamum, it is said that he will receive a new name that no
one knows except the one who receives it. I think this speaks of intimacy
between Jesus and the Father and the overcomer will share this same
intimacy. The Father will call us a special name unique to us!

161

How is Jesus clothed?


__________________________________________________________________
The fact that he is wearing a robe speaks of his authority to judge and to rule.
His robe dipped in blood could refer to the sacrifice he made, but given the
context of coming back to defeat his enemies, I think it is more of a picture of
him treading the winepress of Gods wrath spoken of in verse 15.
What is another name of Jesus that we see in verse 13?
__________________________________________________________________
John is the only writer who refers to Jesus as the Word (also John 1:1,14).
Jesus is Gods communication to us. He does not merely give us Gods Word,
but He himself became the embodiment of Gods Word when he came and
lived among us.
Who is coming from heaven with him?
__________________________________________________________________
Given the fact that they are arrayed in white linen, who do you think this
refers to? Refer back to verse 8.
__________________________________________________________________
Even though they are coming with him and following him on white horses,
there is no indication that they will have to fight. Jesus alone will defeat his
enemies simply by the word of his mouth (v. 15,21). He doesnt need our
help, but we are privileged to witness his awesome victory!
Verse 15 gives us a picture of Jesus absolute authority. What will he do?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Even though the armies of the earth assemble to fight against Him, they are
no match for Him and he will strike them down. Gods wrath will be poured
out on the nations through Jesus defeating them and he will rule
authoritatively. This speaks of his rule during the Millennial reign.

162

What final name do we see of Jesus in verse 16?


__________________________________________________________________
Again, this speaks of his absolute victory and authority over all the rulers of
the earth. He is above all!
Read Matthew 24:27-31. What does verse 27 tell us about the Second
Coming? Who will see it?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The comparison of his coming to lightning gives us the indication that it will
be sudden and unexpected.
What will happen after the Tribulation? What signs will there be in heaven?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Since the moon only reflects the suns light, it will be darkened when the sun
doesnt shine. Stars will fall from the sky. This could be evidenced through
comets or meteors and it says that the powers of heaven will be shaken. It
will certainly be something to get peoples attention.
In verse 30, we are told that the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven.
We are not told what this sign is or if the sign is the Son of Man himself.
Whatever it is, it will be visible to all the tribes of the earth.
What will be peoples response when they see Him?
__________________________________________________________________
How is Jesus coming described in verse 30?
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 31, we are told that the elect will be gathered from one end of
heaven to the other. Perhaps this is another description of the armies of
heaven that will be coming with Him (Revelation 19:14).

163

Read Matthew 24:36-42. What do we learn about the Second Coming from
these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Now lets go back to Revelation 19.
Who does the angel summon in verse 17?
__________________________________________________________________
With Jesus victory imminent, the angel summons all the birds to come and
eat the flesh of the fallen armies of the earth, both small and great. Compare
this with Matthew 24:28.
Verse 19 describes for us what happens when the sixth bowl is poured out
and the armies of the earth gather at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation
16:16).
It seems like it is hardly a battle because in the next verse we see the beast
and the false prophet are captured. They are no match for the King of Kings
and Lord of lords!
These two are the great deceivers. What is their fate in verse 20?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens to the rest of those who were assembled to fight against the
Lord?
_________________________________________________________________
Jesus has defeated them all. The command of His Word alone is enough to
win the victory!
Chapter 19 ends with a rather gruesome picture. I picture the whole plain
littered with the bodies of fallen soldiers and the birds are gorging on their
flesh. There are no survivors.
So lets piece together what we have learned about the Battle of Armageddon.
In Revelation 16, when the sixth bowl is poured out, evil spirits come out of
164

Satan, the Antichrist and false prophet and they go abroad to the rest of the
world, summoning kings to fight against Israel and ultimately the Lord Jesus.
The armies of the earth assemble to fight against Jerusalem (Zechariah
14:1-2). Near the end of the battle, Jesus will return physically to earth and
stand on the Mount of Olives and the Mount of Olives will be split in two
(Zechariah 14:3-4). Jesus will save Israel and the armies of the earth will be
completely defeated. The Antichrist and the false prophet will be thrown into
the lake of fire and we never hear from them again! (Revelation 19).
What is the theme of chapter 19?
__________________________________________________________________

165

Revelation 20
Day 51: Revelation 20:1-6
Read chapter 20 today.
Mark the following words:
angel
heaven
any references to Satan
thousand years
throne
beast
What does John see in verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
The bottomless pit is mentioned several times in the book of Revelation.
From verse 1, we see that God has complete control over it.
Lets see what Revelation tells us about the bottomless pit. Look up the
following verses and note who comes out of it.
Revelation 9:1-10
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 9:11
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 11:7, 17:8
__________________________________________________________________
The bottomless pit is the source of all evil and seems to be the abode of Satan
and his demons. Here in chapter 20, we see it is the place where Satan will
be bound for 1,000 years.
What four names do we see for Satan in verse 2?
__________________________________________________________________
166

Devil means accuser and Satan means adversary.


For what purpose is Satan bound for 1000 years in the bottomless pit?
__________________________________________________________________
So Satan will not have an influence during this time. Christ will be ruling and
reigning unopposed.
At the end of verse 4, what else do we see that happens at the start of the
Millennial reign?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What is this called in verse 5?
__________________________________________________________________
We see several different resurrections in the Bible.
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. Who is raised to life in these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
Since these are called the dead in Christ it seems to indicate the believers
during the Church age. This would include all believers who died between
the Cross and the Rapture. The Church are the only believers referred to as
in Christ.
Now we see the first resurrection described here in Revelation 20. What
people will be included at this resurrection according to verse 4?
__________________________________________________________________
So anyone who was a believer that died during the Tribulation, will be raised
to life at the start of the Millennial reign.
What about believers in the Old Testament before Christ came? When will
they be raised to life? In Luke 16:19-31 we read the account of Lazarus and
the rich man. When Lazarus dies, it says that the angels carried him to
Abrahams bosom. For the Old Testament saints, this was a temporary place
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they went to until Christs death on the cross. In Ephesians 4:8, it says about
Jesus that When he ascended on high he led a host of captives. Some
believe that when Christ raised from the dead and ascended into heaven, he
took those righteous souls with him to heaven. Since these people have not
experienced a physical resurrection yet and they are not a part of the church,
it seems that the Old Testament saints will be resurrected at the time of this
first resurrection described in Revelation 20.
Verse 5 tells us that there will be another resurrection after the Millennial
reign. These are described as the rest of the dead. This will be the unsaved
who died during the Millennial reign.
What does verse 6 say about those who participate in the first resurrection?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So those believers who died during the Tribulation are raised to life and given
the privilege to reign with Christ.
Now read Revelation 2:26 and Revelation 5:9-10. Who else will be reigning
with Christ during the Millennium?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So we see two important events that take place before the 1,000 year reign of
Christ. First, is Satan is bound so that he cannot deceive the nations any
longer. Next, there is the first resurrection where believers from the
Tribulation and perhaps the Old Testament saints are raised to life. Tomorrow
we will take a closer look at the Millennial kingdom.

168

Day 52: The Millennial Reign of Christ


From what we read in Revelation 19-20, the Millennial reign immediately
follows the Second Coming and there is no reason to believe that it is not a
literal 1,000 years. When Christ comes back as King of kings and defeats the
nations gathered against Israel, He will then set up His kingdom. Satan will
be bound during this time and released at the end of it.
Read Matthew 25:31-46. In verses 31-32, what do we learn will happen
when Jesus comes back and sits on his throne?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So there will be a judgment of the nations at this time. This will be a different
judgment from the Great White Throne judgment where the unbelieving dead
are judged at the end. We will look at that a bit later. This judgment will be
for the nations, specifically the Gentile nations. The Greek word for nations
indicates Gentile or heathen.
What will determine how people are separated as sheep and goats?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
To help us understand this section, we need to remember the context. This
takes place immediately after the end of the Tribulation and at the Second
Coming. So the people being judged are those who have come out of the
Tribulation period.
Both groups express confusion about giving aid to the King. After all, he was
not even on the earth before, but Jesus says they gave him aid when they
helped my brothers. So we see there are three groups of people noted: the
sheep, the goats, and my brothers. If the sheep and the goats refer to
Gentiles, it would seem that my brothers would refer to Jews.
So it seems the sheep would be any Gentile during the Tribulation who would
help a Jew by clothing and feeding him. Remember that this will be a time
when the Antichrist will persecute the Jews and it will be very difficult for a
believing Jew to survive during this period. A Gentile going out of his way to
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help a Jew during the Tribulation would show that that Gentile had become a
believer in Jesus Christ. By taking this kind of stand, a believing Gentile will
put his life in jeopardy. Obviously, his works cannot save him; but his works
will express the belief he has in Christ.
The goats are those who do not believe in Christ and as a result, their actions
represent that and they do not help the Jews during the Tribulation.
According to Matthew 25:34, what will happen to the sheep?
__________________________________________________________________
According to Matthew 25:46, what will happen to the goats?
__________________________________________________________________
Read the following verses and note what they tell us about Jesus as King.
Luke 1:32-33
__________________________________________________________________
Daniel 7:13-14
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Isaiah 9:6-7
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Zechariah 14:9
__________________________________________________________________
Read the following passages to learn what this Christs kingdom will be like.
Read Isaiah 2:1-6.
Where will the center of the kingdom be? Where will people want to go?
__________________________________________________________________
Where will Gods Word go forth from?
__________________________________________________________________
What will Jesus do for the nations and the people during the Kingdom?
__________________________________________________________________
170

Will there be war during this time?


__________________________________________________________________
Read Isaiah 11:1-16.
How will Jesus judge according to verses 3-5?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Describe what it will be like during this time according to verses 6-9.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In verses 10-12, what will happen to Israel during this time?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Isaiah 65:18-25. What will life be like during the Millennial kingdom?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Jeremiah 23:5-6. How will Israel and Judah be treated during this
time?
__________________________________________________________________
Read Jeremiah 30:3. What does it say about Israel in this verse?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Jeremiah 30:8-11. What does God promise Israel will happen?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
171

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20. What promises are given to Israel during the
Millennial reign in these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Zechariah 8:1-8. What will take place during Christs reign according
to these verses.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So we see from all these verses that the Millennial kingdom was promised to
Israel. In Acts 1:6, after Jesus arose from the dead, the disciples asked Jesus if
now he was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. It was a logical question.
It was something every Jew looked forward to. They were familiar with the
Old Testament passages that looked forward to the day when Jesus would be
recognized as King, they would be saved from their enemies and would live
in peace. In Revelation 20, we are given the time table of when this will
happen and given the completed picture.

172

Day 53: Gods promises to Israel


God has made many promises to Israel that have not been fulfilled yet, but
they will be brought to completion during the Millennial reign. Lets take a
look at some of those today.
Lets start in Romans 11. Read this chapter today.
Paul starts out the chapter asking the question if God has rejected Israel? So
few have trusted Jesus, that maybe God is done with them. But Paul answers
with a resounding NO!
In verses 7-10, what is true about Israel as a nation right now?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In verses 11-15, for what reason were the Gentiles offered salvation? What
is their inclusion meant to do for the Jews?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Verses 16-24 speak about grafting the Gentiles in to his plan of salvation, but
in verse 23, it says that God has the power to graft the Jews in again too. He
still has a plan for them.
What does verse 25 tell us?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What is the promise to Israel in verse 26?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Zechariah 13:7-9. These verses help explain what Israels salvation will
look like.
What will happen to two-thirds of Israel during the tribulation?
__________________________________________________________________
173

What will happen to the remaining one-third?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So the time when all Israel is saved will be at the Second Coming and when
the Millennial kingdom is set up.
Romans 11:26-27 is a reference from Isaiah 59:20-21. What does it say God
will do for Israel during this time?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Even though Israel now seems to be enemies of God, they are loved by God
and he has a marvelous plan for them.
Read Ezekiel 36:22-38.
In verses 22-23, why does God say he is going to fulfill his promises to
Israel?
__________________________________________________________________
Note everything God says he will do for Israel during the Millennial kingdom
in the following verses:
v.24
__________________________________________________________________
v.25
__________________________________________________________________
v.26
__________________________________________________________________
v.27
__________________________________________________________________
v.28
__________________________________________________________________
v.29-30
__________________________________________________________________
v.31
__________________________________________________________________
174

v.33-35
__________________________________________________________________
v.37-38
__________________________________________________________________
Read Ezekiel 37.
Ezekiel sees a vision of a valley full of dry bones. According to verse 11,
what do these dry bones represent?
__________________________________________________________________
Israel and Judah were divided into two kingdoms, but in verse 22, God
promises that one day they will again be joined as one kingdom. This has not
taken place yet, but will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
What promise is given in verse 21?
__________________________________________________________________
What will happen in verse 23?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In verses 24-25, God promises that David will be king over them. This is a
reference to Christ since Christ is the only one who will have an eternal
kingdom.
What will come to pass according to verses 26-28?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 31:31-34 explains what it will look like when all Israel is saved.
What do these verses tell us will happen for Israel?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

175

No wonder the disciples asked Jesus if he was going to set up his kingdom
after he had risen from the dead! (Acts 1:6). They looked forward to this in
the same way that we anticipate the Rapture. God definitely is not finished
with Israel and one day every promise he has ever made to them will be
fulfilled. According to Ezekiel 36:23, God will do this so that the nations
will know that I am the Lord.

176

Day 54: Revelation 20:7-15


Read Revelation 20 again.
What will happen at the end of the 1,000 years?
__________________________________________________________________
Who will Satan once again deceive?
__________________________________________________________________
The four corners of the earth indicates that it will be a world wide rebellion.
The number is so large that it is described as the sand of the sea.
At the beginning of the Millennial reign, we saw that it was all people who
were following Christ. The sheep and the goats were separated. The goats
went to eternal punishment and the sheep inherited the kingdom. So who
are the people now who are rebelling? They will be those who are born
during the Millennial reign. The generation at the beginning of the 1,000
years will have died long ago so these people will come after them. Although
they may profess to follow Christ during the Millennium, their shallowness
will be exposed when Satan is released and they are easily deceived to follow
him.
The meaning of Gog and Magog is unclear. Although these names are
referenced in Ezekiel 38 and 39, a careful reading of the text shows that they
are not the same event. In Ezekiel, the armies come only from the north and
only a few nations are involved whereas in Revelation, the armies come from
all over the world. Perhaps the comparison is that like in Ezekiel, these
people will be in rebellion against God and try to war against him.
Where does this take place according to verse 9?
__________________________________________________________________
Perhaps this will be on the same plain where the Battle of Armageddon was
fought.
Who will these armies come against?
__________________________________________________________________
177

These armies will come against Jerusalem which is the capital of Christs
Millennial kingdom. How foolish of these people to think that they can fight
against God and win.
We are not given too many details about this battle, but what happens in
verse 9?
__________________________________________________________________
What happens to Satan at this time?
__________________________________________________________________
Satan joins the beast and the false prophet who have already been in the lake
of fire for 1,000 years. But verse 10 tells us that those thrown in the lake of
fire will be tormented forever. The last foe is finally vanquished!
What does John see next in verse 11?
__________________________________________________________________
What else happens at this time according to verse 11?
__________________________________________________________________
This world will not last forever. The earth and sky will undergo great
devastation during the Tribulation, and there will come a time when they will
pass away.
Read Psalm 102:25-26. What do these verses say about the heavens and the
earth?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does 2 Peter 3:10 tell us about this event?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 11 we see what is commonly referred to as the Great White Throne
judgment. From other Scriptures that we have looked at earlier, we saw that
the believers have already been resurrected. This judgment will be for the
178

spiritually dead, those unbelievers through all the ages who have not
believed and trusted in Christ.
In verse 12, we see there are books that record what these people have done
and there is also the book of life.
If these peoples names are not in the book of life, then what is the purpose of
judging them according to their deeds? Will all unbelievers receive the same
punishment? Scripture gives us some answers.
Look up the following verses. What do these verses tell us about different
degrees of judgment?
Matthew 10:5-15.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Matthew 11:20-22
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Mark 12:38-40
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does Revelation 22:12 tells us?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Recompense means payment or wages. So it does appear that those who
have not trusted Christ will be held accountable for their works, according to
what they have done and they will be judged and punished accordingly.
In verse 13, where do these people who have died come from?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

179

The bodies of those people who have died will be joined with their spirits
which were already in the lake of fire. The degree of their punishment will be
determined by the works that they have done.
What happens to those whose names are not found written in the book of
life?
__________________________________________________________________
After the dead are judged, Death and Hades are also thrown into the lake of
fire. Hades is the present location of the unbelieving dead.
What does Matthew 25:41 tell us about the lake of fire?
__________________________________________________________________
This shows you Gods love for people. He prepared the lake of fire for the
devil and his angels, not for those he created. But since God is a righteous
judge, he has to judge sin. For those who choose not to accept Christs
judgment for their sin, their punishment also becomes the lake of fire.
What is referred to as the second death?
__________________________________________________________________
The first death is when people die physically. Most of the human race will
experience this. But only those who have not trusted Christ as their Savior
will experience the second death. The second death is eternal separation
from the God that created them. This death is experienced in the lake of fire.
Death is the final enemy to be defeated. The best is yet to come!
What is the theme of chapter 20?
__________________________________________________________________

180

Day 55: The Judgment Seat of Christ


Yesterday we looked at the judgment of the dead. Today we are going to look
at the judgment for believers. Scripture does not tell us exactly when this
takes place, but it will be sometime after all believers are with the Lord. Our
eternity is already settled so it will not determine if we go to heaven or hell,
but it will be a time where we will be rewarded for what we have done. Like
the unbelievers, we will both be judged according to our works, but our
eternal destinations are different.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. What does this tell us about the judgment seat
of Christ?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Romans 14:7-12. According to these verses, how should we live our
lives?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does verse 12 remind us of?
__________________________________________________________________
Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.
The only proper foundation is Jesus Christ. In verse 10, Paul exhorts us to
take care how we build upon it. Some things built upon the foundation will
survive and others will not.
According to verses 12-14, what sort of things will survive the test of fire on
this foundation?
__________________________________________________________________
What does Paul say will happen to those whose works survive on the
foundation?
__________________________________________________________________

181

What will happen to the one whose work is burned up?


__________________________________________________________________
For the believer who has spent his life not working for eternal things, those
works will be burned up and he will suffer the loss of a reward. This person
will still be saved. This judgment is not a question of eternal destiny, but of
rewards, and unfortunately this person will suffer the loss of a reward because
his works did not survive the fire.
So what kind of things survive the fire? It is not necessarily the work itself,
but the attitude and motivation that the work is done. A pastor can preach on
Sunday in the flesh and for selfish reasons. This will suffer the loss of a
reward. Or a person can be cleaning a toilet, but be doing it with a joyful
attitude as a service to others and doing his best for the Lord and this work
will survive.
Anything done in Gods name, for his glory will survive. This makes the most
menial task, something the Lord will reward when done with the right heart.
Every day is filled with opportunities to receive a reward! This should change
our attitude!
2 John 8. What subtle warning is given in this verse?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
So many Christians live their lives completely oblivious that how we live here
on earth does count for eternity! We will have to give an account of
ourselves before the Lord. I do not want to stand before Him ashamed that I
wasted my life on temporary pursuits that will not survive the test and will
count for nothing in the end.
May we live our lives for Gods glory so that at the judgment seat of Christ,
we will hear, Well done, good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25:21). May
we not squander the opportunities that God lays before us today!

182

Revelation 21
Day 56: Revelation 21:1-8
Read Revelation 21 today.
Mark the following words as you read:
heaven
God (including pronouns)
in the Spirit
Lamb
city
Following the Millennial reign, and after Satan is cast into the lake of fire
and the there is the final judgment, what happens next in verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
We are given very little information about the new heaven and new earth
other than it will not be our current earth renovated. Verse 1 tells us that the
first heaven and earth pass away.
What will be different about this new earth according to verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
Most of the earth now is covered by water, but the new earth will have no
sea. Verse 23 also tells us there will be no sun or moon.
What does John see in verse 2?
__________________________________________________________________
It seems the focal point of this new heaven and new earth is this holy city. It
is described as a bride adorned for her husband, indicating its great beauty. I
think it also speaks of the great care and time taken to prepare this city. Not
many brides show up to their wedding with dirty clothes and messy hair. We
used to be missionaries over in Papua New Guinea, and even there, the
brides were adorned and decorated in a special way on their wedding day.
183

In verses 2-8, you should have marked all the references to God. He is the
focus of this beautiful city!
What does John hear in verse 3?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
This is one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible because it shows Gods
desire to dwell with us finally fulfilled. God has always relentlessly pursued
us and has gone to great lengths to make it possible for us to know him. In
Revelation we see the culmination of that.
In the garden, God wanted a relationship with Adam and Eve and would
walk in the garden in the cool of the day to visit with them. Sin marred that
relationship and the man and woman were cast out of the garden. But God
continued to pursue a relationship with man and in the Old Testament, he
gave Moses detailed instructions on how to build a tabernacle so that the
people would have a place to come and worship God. His presence was
seen in their midst with the cloud by day and the pillar of fire at night. In the
New Testament, he sent His own Son to dwell among us. He taught and
healed and pointed people to the Father, eventually dying in our place so we
could once again be made right with God. He then sent the Holy Spirit to
live inside us as an ever-present Comforter and guide. One day God will live
with us for eternity, far away from the corruption of sin. God created us to
know him and have a relationship with him forever and this will one day
finally be realized. We will be his people and He will be our God.
What are we told in verse 4 about this new heaven and new earth?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Everything terrible about his present heaven and earth will be gone! I cant
wait for that day!
What does God tell John in verse 5 about the things that he has told him?
__________________________________________________________________

184

Ten times in the book of Revelation we are told that either Jesus or his words
are true. This book describes some pretty awesome events, but we can be
assured that they are all true, because God is true to his Word and he will
always be true to us.
In verse 6, God says, It is done! His plan of redemption is finally
culminated when one day we will be free from the penalty, power and even
the presence of sin forever!
Three times in the book of Revelation God is referred to as the Alpha and the
Omega. He is the beginning of life and He alone puts an end to sin and
death.
What does he promise those who are thirsty for Him?
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 7, God makes a promise to the one who conquers. Way back in the
beginning of Revelation in our study of the seven churches, we talked a lot
about the conquerers. What important detail does this verse say describes
the one who conquers?
__________________________________________________________________
The one who conquers will have a special heritage. He will be known as
Gods son. I think this is the best thing about being called a conquerer!
What contrast do we see in verse 8?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The conquers get to enjoy Gods presence forever. Those whose actions
displayed their lack of faith, will be separated from him forever. They will
experience the second death in the lake of fire and sulfur.

185

Day 57: Revelation 21:9-27


Read chapter 21 again today.
How is the angel that spoke to John described in verse 9?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Yesterday we looked at the new Jerusalem and saw what it will be like to live
there. Today we will look at the physical characteristics of the city.
In verse 11, what is the first thing we learn about it?
__________________________________________________________________
Since it is the dwelling place of God, it will have the glory of God and be
reflective of Him. It is described as being radiant, bright and clear like a rare
jewel.
In verses 12-21, circle every time the word twelve is mentioned. Twelve is a
very prominent number in this city.
From verses 12-13, roughly sketch the description of the city below just so
you can have a visual picture.

186

We are told this city has a very high wall and in verse 17, we are told it is
144 cubits, which is about 216 feet. This would have to be the thickness
because in verse 16, we are told the length width and height of the city are
all 12,000 stadia or 1400 miles! This is a huge city!
What do we learn about the gates of the city? See verses 12,13 and 21.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What do we know about the wall of the city? See verses 14 and 18-20.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What are the city and the streets made of according to verses 18 and 21?
__________________________________________________________________
Both Israel and the Church are represented in the description of the city. The
12 tribes of Israel are inscribed on the twelve gates and on the 12 foundations
are written the names of the 12 apostles. The apostles represent the
beginning of the Church age. Both Jews and Gentiles together will worship
and serve the Lord forever in this magnificent city.
What else do we learn about the city in verse 22?
__________________________________________________________________
In the Bible, the temple was merely a visible representation of God with
articles in the temple representing certain things about Christ and his
sacrifice. Hebrews 9:23-24 tells us that the articles in the temple were simply
copies of the heavenly things. They were a shadow of things to come. There
will be no need for a temple in the new Jerusalem because now we will be
able to see the Lord face to face.
Why will there be no need for a sun according to verse 23? Compare this
with 1 John 1:5.
__________________________________________________________________
Verse 25 underscores the fact that there will be no night in this city because
there is no darkness in God at all. Darkness will not exist here!
187

What do we learn about the nations who come into this city from verses 24
and 26?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Its gates will never be shut because there will be no need for protection from
anything evil. There will be open access to this city at all times.
Who will be the inhabitants of the city according to verse 27?
__________________________________________________________________
Compare Hebrews 12:22-24. List all those mentioned in these verses who
will be in the city.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
From chapter 21, we see a city of amazing brilliance and radiance because it
holds the glory of God. It is a city made of pure gold and adorned with
jewels. There is no night, no sin, no tears, pain or death. Its gates are always
open and no unclean thing will ever enter into it. There is no need for a
temple because God himself will be dwelling with us forever.
Just think for a moment that this is where we will be forever! It is hard to
comprehend, but when life gets hard and I dont always like my
circumstances, it is always nice to be able to read Revelation 21 and remind
myself that this is not all there is. I have something far better to look forward
to. Come, Lord Jesus!
What is the theme of chapter 21?
__________________________________________________________________

188

Revelation 22
Day 58: Revelation 22:1-5
Read chapter 22 today.
Mark the following words as you read:
angel
God (and all pronouns)
Jesus, Lamb (and pronouns)
Spirit
prophecy
come, coming
Chapter 22 begins with a continuing description of the holy city.
What does John see in verse 1?
__________________________________________________________________
Where does this river flow from?
__________________________________________________________________
Life only comes from God so it is appropriate that this river flows from His
throne. This river flows through the middle of the street in the city.
What else do we see in the city from verse 2. What is unique about it?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What benefits does this tree give?
__________________________________________________________________
There will be no sickness in this city so the word healing can also be
understood as health-giving. We get the English word therapeutic from the
original word in the Greek. The leaves of the tree give eternal health to the
nations.

189

The curse that God pronounced in Genesis is finally removed! What is the
reason the curse is gone from verse 3?
__________________________________________________________________
What is one thing that verse 3 says we will be doing in heaven?
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 4, we learn that we will get to enjoy God face to face. John 1:18 and
1 John 4:12 tells us that no one has ever seen God and 1 Timothy 6:16 says
that no one can see God. But there will come a day, when the curse of sin
will be removed and we will see see him as he is (1 John 3:2).
The words of the old hymn by Carrie Breck express it wonderfully.
Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to facewhat will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ who died for me?

Face to face I shall behold Him,


Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!
Only faintly now, I see Him,
With the darkling veil between,
But a blessed day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.
What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain.
Face to face! O blissful moment!
Face to faceto see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ who loves me so.

190

How will we be identified from verse 4?


__________________________________________________________________
Those during the tribulation who follow the beast will be marked with his
number. This will signify their allegiance to him. But in heaven, we will be
marked with Gods own name, signifying that we are His!
In verse 5, we are told for the third time that there will be no more night in
this city because God himself will be our source of light.
What else are we told that we will be doing in heaven according to verse 5?
__________________________________________________________________
Read Daniel 7:18 and 2 Timothy 2:12. What do these verses say?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
It is hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that we will get the
privilege to reign with Christ. We who were once his enemies will now be
ruling and reigning forever in his perfect kingdom. Wow!
A.T. Pierson summarizes verses 3-5 as follows:
And there shall be no more curse, - perfect sinlessness
but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, - perfect government
and His servants shall serve Him, - perfect service
They shall see His face, - perfect communion
and His name shall be on their foreheads, - perfect resemblance
And there shall be no night there, - perfect blessedness
And they shall reign forever and ever, - perfect glory 1

1Pierson,

The Ministry of Keswick, First Series, p. 144.

191

The chart below shows how Revelation brings to a culmination the things that
began in Genesis.

Genesis

Revelation

Creation of heavens and earth (Gen. 1:1).

Destruction of heavens and earth (Rev.


20:11b). Creation of new heavens and
new earth (Rev. 21:1).

Start of Satans reign on earth (Gen. 3:17).

Satan cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev.


20:10).

Entrance of sin (Gen. 3:17).

Sin banished (Rev. 21:27).

Pronouncing of the curse on creation (Gen.


3:17).

The curse removed (Rev. 22:3).

Right to tree of life forfeited (Gen 3:24b).

Access to tree of life restored (Rev. 22:2)

Eviction of man from the Garden of Eden


(Gen. 3:24a).

Man welcomed back to [Paradise] (Rev.


22:17)

Entrance of death into the world (Gen. 2:17;


5:5).

Death forever removed (Rev. 21:4).

Marriage of the first Adam (Gen. 4:1)

Marriage of the last Adam (Rev. 19:7).

Sorrow comes to mankind (Gen. 3:16)

Sorrow eliminated (Rev. 21:4).

Every wrong will finally be made right and we will have the wonderful
privilege of living in his presence forever!

192

Day 59: Revelation 22:6-21


Read chapter 22 again today.
From verse 6, what is the purpose of the book of Revelation? Why was it
written? This is almost identical wording of the purpose stated in Revelation
1:1.
__________________________________________________________________
According to verses 7, 18-19, what kind of writing is this?
__________________________________________________________________
What do verses 7, 12 and 20 all tell us?
__________________________________________________________________
Soon with it carries the idea of without delay and suddenly. It has been over
2,000 years since the book of Revelation was written, but in light of eternity,
it is soon! We have seen elsewhere in our study of this book, that Jesus return
will be sudden and unexpected.
What blessing is promised in verse 7?
__________________________________________________________________
Those who believe the prophecy in this book with keep watch and be alert,
waiting for the Lords return. They will live pure lives and redeem the time
they are given. These people will be blessed!
What are we reminded of again in verse 12?
__________________________________________________________________
This is another reason why we should be living in expectation of Christs
return and using every opportunity we are given. Christ is bringing a
recompense with him to repay each one according to what he has done.
What we do today matters! We need to always remember that.

193

In verse 14, what blessing is given to those who have washed their robes,
those whose sins have been forgiven?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Verse 15 reminds us that every kind of evil will not be permitted in the new
Jerusalem. Specifically, all those who practice these things will be in the lake
of fire.
In verse 17, it seems the Spirit and the bride of Christ, the church, both are
asking the Lord Jesus to come. We eagerly await his return.
In verse 17, what invitation is given?
__________________________________________________________________
There is still time and an invitation is extended to anyone who is thirsty for
eternal life to come and drink from the water of life for free. The price has
already been paid and it is available to all.
What warning is given in verses 18 and 19?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
These verses do not indicate the possibility to lose your salvation, but indicate
that someone who would do this, would not be a believer in the Lord Jesus.
The book of Revelation closes with the promise that Jesus is coming soon.
Amen! May it be so! Come, Lord Jesus!
What is the theme of chapter 22?
__________________________________________________________________

194

Day 60: The Rapture


We have come to the end of our study of Revelation and you may have
noticed that the Rapture is not mentioned anywhere in the book. The word
rapture comes from the Latin word meaning caught up. Although the word
does not occur anywhere in Scripture, the event is described for us in several
different places, so we want to take some time and look at this important
event.
Read John 14:1-3. What does Jesus promise in these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The disciples were distressed because Jesus had told the disciples that he
would be leaving them shortly and they would not be able to follow him at
this time. (John 13:33-36). But he promised not to desert them. He promised
to come back and take them along with him to his home.
Read Acts 1:11. What does the angel tell the disciples about when Jesus
returns?
__________________________________________________________________
This seems to be different from when Jesus comes at the Second Coming.
There he will come to earth and set foot on the Mount of Olives. At the
Rapture he will come in the clouds.
According to 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, what happens to a believer when they
die?
__________________________________________________________________
So our souls are immediately with the Lord when we pass from this earth.
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
Paul is writing to this church because they are concerned about those who
have died. He does not want them to grieve as those who do not have hope
so he wants to inform them about what is to come.

195

What is the order of events that will occur at the Rapture?


__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-55.
Paul gives us some additional information in these verses. We learn that our
physical bodies will be changed. The bodies we have now that are cursed by
sin and death, will one day be changed to an imperishable body. Some refer
to it as a glorified body.
What is the order of events in verse 52? Is this the same as what is described
in 1 Thessalonians 4?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Philippians 3:20-21. What do we learn about what will happen to our
bodies?
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Those who have already died and their souls are in heaven with the Lord, will
be reunited with their physical bodies at the Rapture. But their bodies will be
changed when they are resurrected and they will be given a glorified body.
Those who are still alive when the trumpet sounds will also be given an
imperishable body at this time.
There is some debate among Christians as to when the Rapture will occur.
Scripture does give us some clues, but the important thing to remember is
that we can lovingly disagree with someone we many come across who has a
different view point. It is more important to show love than to try to convince
others that we are right!
But lets take a look at what Scripture says about the Tribulation and the
Rapture and see if we can get an idea of where it fits in the scheme of things.

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Read 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10. What event is described that will save us from
the wrath to come?
__________________________________________________________________
The Tribulation is described as a time of Gods wrath. (Revelation 6:16-17;
11:18; 14:10,19; 15:1,7; 16:1,19; 19:15 ). So if Jesus saves us from the wrath
to come, it seems that the Rapture would have to take place before the
Tribulation.
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11.
Right after Paul talked about the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4, in chapter 5 he
begins to discuss the day of the Lord. Perhaps this is a subtle indication of
the order of events.
What does Paul mention again in 1 Thessalonians 5:9?
__________________________________________________________________
Read 2 Thessalonians 1-2.
In chapter 1, this church has been undergoing some persecution and in verse
6, Paul reminds them that God is just and will repay those who are afflicting
them.
What event does Paul describe in verses 7-10? From your study of
Revelation, is it the Rapture or the Second Coming?
__________________________________________________________________
What event does Paul reference in 2 Thessalonians 2:1? What does the
phrase being gathered together with him remind you of?
__________________________________________________________________
In verse 2, it seems that there was some teaching going around that the Day
of the Lord had already come and they had missed being caught up
together with the Lord. This obviously was causing them some alarm. But
Paul reassures them that the Day of the Lord has not occurred yet.

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What will happen before the Day of the Lord starts? (v. 3-4)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What is the purpose of the Tribulation? Read the following verses.
Revelation 3:10
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Revelation 6:10
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 14:7
__________________________________________________________________
Daniel 11:31-35; Zechariah 13:7-9. For what purpose will Israel go through
the Tribulation?
__________________________________________________________________
The purpose is to judge and avenge those on the earth who are not believers.
Gods wrath is poured out on them. For Israel, it is to make them pure and
refined. There does not seem to be a purpose for the Church to go through
the Tribulation since we are saved from the wrath to come and the Church is
distinct from Israel.
Based on our study and the book of Revelation, when do you think the
Rapture will occur?
__________________________________________________________________

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Day 61: Chronology


Today we are going to go back through the events we have looked at in our
study and put them in chronological order.
First event: Revelation 12:5; Luke 2:7
__________________________________________________________________
Second Event: John 19:23-30
__________________________________________________________________
At this time, 69 of the 70 weeks decreed for Daniels people have been
completed.
Third Event: Acts 1:9-11
__________________________________________________________________
Fourth Event: Acts 2:1-4
__________________________________________________________________
This begins the church age.
Fifth event: Luke 21:20-24
__________________________________________________________________
This was done in 70 AD by the Romans.
Sixth event: Daniel 9:24-27: the 70th week
From your study of Revelation, what occurs during the 70th week, that is
the last seven years? ________________________________________________
What happens at the beginning of this seven years (the first half of the
week) according to Daniel 9:27?
__________________________________________________________________
Seventh event: The first half of the Tribulation
Revelation 6
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 8-9
__________________________________________________________________

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Revelation 11:1-12
__________________________________________________________________
Eighth event: The seventh trumpet. There are several things that happen at
the seventh trumpet. Look up the Scriptures below and note what they are.
Revelation 12:7-9
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 13:1-8
__________________________________________________________________
Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4;
__________________________________________________________________
Matthew 24:21-22 What does Jesus say about these last 3 1/2 years?
__________________________________________________________________
Daniel 7:21; 25; Revelation 12:17
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 13:16-18
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 16
__________________________________________________________________
Ninth event: Revelation 16:12-16; Revelation 19:11-19 (This is actually
included in the sixth bowl)
__________________________________________________________________
Tenth event: Revelation 18 (This is actually included in the seventh bowl)
__________________________________________________________________
Eleventh event: The Second Coming. There are several things that take place
at this time. Read the Scriptures below and note what they are.
Zechariah 14:4
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 19:20
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 20:1-3
__________________________________________________________________
Revelation 20:4-5
__________________________________________________________________

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Matthew 25:31-33
__________________________________________________________________
Zechariah 14:9-11
__________________________________________________________________
Romans 11:26-27. What happens to Israel at this time?
__________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 31:31-34. What covenant is completely fulfilled here?
__________________________________________________________________
Twelfth event: Revelation 20:7
__________________________________________________________________
Thirteenth event: Revelation 20:8-9
__________________________________________________________________
Fourteenth event: Revelation 20:10
__________________________________________________________________
Fifteenth event: Revelation 20:11-15
__________________________________________________________________
Sixteenth event: Revelation 21-22
__________________________________________________________________
Special note: You will notice that I did not include a spot for the Rapture in
the order of events. There is some debate among Christian as to when this
will occur. From your study of Revelation and the Rapture, when do you
think it will take place? Be sure to include it in your timeline tomorrow.

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Day 62: Timeline


Now that we have all of our events lined out, today I want you to make a
timeline. You many need to tape several sheets of paper together in order to
fit all the events on your timeline. Take your time and do a good job so it can
be something you can look back on as a reference. If you need help, you can
come and see me because some of the events overlap on the timeline.

202

Day 63: How then should we live?


Great job at making it to the end of this study! I hope it has been
encouraging and challenging for you in your walk with God.
In light of everything we have studied in Revelation, what should be our
response? What does Scripture say? Read the following verses.
1 John 3:2-3
__________________________________________________________________
Our sins have already been washed away so we are pure in Gods eyes. But
we need to live out that purity in our everyday lives. We should live lives that
are morally pure and untainted by the world.
Read James 1:27. What does God consider to be pure religion?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
If we live with the hope of eternity always before us, recognizing that one day
we will give an account of our actions, this will help us to purify ourselves
and live for the glory of God each day.
Read Ephesians 5:5-16. How should we live according to these verses?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What are we told in verse 16?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
No one knows how long we have left on this earth. Paul tells us to make the
best use of our time, because the days are evil and our time could be short.
Are you making the best use of your time? What do you spend most of your
time doing? Is the majority of your time spent in a way that would honor the
Lord or do you spend your energies on things that will not count for eternity?
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Paul encourages us to be wise in how we spend our time. Once it is spent,


we can never get it back.
Read 2 Timothy 3-4:1-8.
At the end of Pauls life, he wrote one last letter to Timothy warning and
encouraging him to keep the faith.
What does Paul say that we will encounter in the last days in chapter 3?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What does Paul tell Timothy in verse 12?
__________________________________________________________________
In light of this, what advice does Paul give Timothy in verses 14-17? What
will help us during these difficult last days?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
The Word is our anchor! Persecution will come, and in the end times people
will grow more and more wicked so we have to continue in what the
Scriptures teach. It has everything we need to equip us and make us useful
for the Masters work.
In 2 Timothy 4:2, what admonishment does Paul give us?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Paul warns that the time will come when people will not have an ear for the
truth and will turn away from it. They will have itching ears to only hear what
suits their own passions.
In verse 5, what four things does Paul tell Timothy to do?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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I get the impression from this verse, that serving the Lord will not be easy.
Timothy is told to endure and to fulfill his ministry. Perhaps we might be
tempted to give up and quit when people wont listen. It will be discouraging
to see people choose a life of sin instead of a life of obedience. We will
probably be hurt, taken advantage of, and misunderstood while we serve the
Lord, but we are told to press on! Paul has come to the end of his life and
been a good example of a faithful soldier. He has kept the faith!
What do we have to look forward to in verse 8?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Read Hebrews 9:28. What should be our attitude regarding the Lords
coming?
__________________________________________________________________
We must live our lives with eternity in view. Jesus is coming back!
Sometimes we get so caught up in what is going on in our lives here on earth,
and eternity seems so far away that we forget about what is to come. Thats
why God took the time to write the book of Revelation for us, so that we
would know what must soon take place. If we remember these things, it
will change how we live. Blessed is the one who keep the words of the
prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:7). Those who keep the words of the
book of Revelation will be those who redeem the time and eagerly await his
return. Come, Lord Jesus!

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