Author : John

Time : A.D. 95

Summary :

This is the final book of the Bible, written to provide a continuing message for the young church. Although it starts with letters from Jesus to seven churches in Asia, the majority of the book describes amazing visions describing the future. John, one of Jesus' apostles, receives a detailed vision of events surrounding the return of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God. The vision is highly symbolic and reveals the apostasy of the church and the judgments of those who are held accountable. The final triumph of Jesus and the reward of righteous people is a fitting climax to the book and the entire Bible.

Key verse :

"They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen, and faithful followers" (17:14).

1.
Introduction 1:1–20

a) Prologue 1:1–3
b) Greeting and doxology 1:4–8

2.
Letters to the 7 churches 2:1 – 3:22

a) Jesus the author 1:9–20
b) To Ephesus 2:1–7
c) To Smyrna 2:8–11
d) To Pergamum 2:12–17
e) To Thyatira 2:18–27
f) To Sardis 3:1–6
g) To Philadelphia 3:7–13
h) To Laodicea 3:14–22

3.
The throne, the scroll and the lamb 4:1 – 5:14

a) The throne in heaven 4:1–11
b) The scroll that no-one could open 5:1–4
c) The lamb who would open the scroll 5:6–14

4.
Opening the seven seals 6:1 – 8:1

5.
The seven trumpets 8:2 – 11:19

6.
Various portents and beasts 12:1–14:20

a) The woman and the dragon 12:1–17
b) Two beasts 13:1–18
c) The lamb, 144,000 redeemed and harvesting the earth 14:1–20

7.
The seven bowls 15:1 – 16:21

8.
The judgment of Babylon the great prostitute 17:1 – 19:4

9.
The triumph of the lamb 19:5 – 20:15

a) Hallelujah 19:6–10
b) The rider on a white horse 19:11–21
c) The 1,000 years 20:1–10
d) Judgement of the dead 20:11–15

10.
New heavens and new earth 21:1 – 22:21

(RH)