April 20, 2022

The Year of our Lord, Jesus Christ

Revelation 1:19

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

In 95 AD, the Roman Emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus banished John the Apostle to the island of Patmos. This was an effort to stop John’s influence for Christ. Little did this Emperor know, Jesus would meet with John on that island and the Apostle’s influence would grow and continue on in a very significant manner. Jesus gave John the book of the Revelation that still today garners great attention as it has for over 2,000 years of recorded history.

This book could rightly be called “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” for it reveals Christ and His future bodily return to earth. John is like our “on the scene reporter” relaying the things that will come to pass concerning the end of the world and the Lord’s triumphant return. Because of the time in which he lived, John saw things in this Revelation that he could not explain. Therefore he uses words such as “like.” This word he uses 21 times, many times he uses the phrase “like unto”. He is trying to explain the unexplainable. Much like attempting to explain a sunrise to someone born blind.

In the introductory portion of the Revelation, Jesus gives John a simple outline of the book. That outline is found in today’s verse.

I. The things which thou hast seen. Chapter 1, the introduction to the Revelation.

II. The things which are. Chapters 2-3, the Church Age.

III. The things which shall be hereafter. Chapters 4-22, events that will take place after the Church Age.

That which John sees, all will one day see. The things that are prophesied in this book will take place just as revealed to the Apostle. The seven churches, the seven seals, the seven trumpets, the seven vials of God’s wrath, the three great woes, the best, the false prophet, the antichrist, the mark, the martyrdom, the 144,000 Jewish witnesses, the two faithful witnesses, the Battle of Armageddon, the Battle of Gog and Magog, the Great White Throne Judgment of the lost, the new heaven and the new earth. All of it will happen just like the Lord revealed to John.

Upon reading this book, remember the Lord’s simple outline, it will help keep things in their proper sequence.

Until next time,

William T. Howe, Ph.D.