Simple Keys to Understanding the Book of Revelation — Part 17

*“Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and ****accurately dividing ***[rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.”—2 Timothy 2:15 (AMPC)

This is the only place in Scripture that speaks of accurately dividing the Word of Truth. This is the only verse in which that Greek word is used. I don’t know of anywhere in the Bible that this principle is more applicable than in the book of Revelation. The book cannot be fully understood until it is divided.

Many people can’t seem to make sense of the book of Revelation because they try to read it as one long sequential story where everything happens in order, one thing after another. Then they come to the end of chapter 11 when “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” (NKJV). Evil has been overcome. Jesus is established as the everlasting ruler. It is time for the final judgment when God’s people are rewarded. Everything seems to be wrapping up and drawing to conclusion.

It seems like the end, but then in the very next chapter, Satan is again roaming free, and the Great Tribulation is just beginning. Then in Chapter 13, we see the rise of the Antichrist.

What gives? I thought it was all over at the end of chapter 11?

Basically, the first half of the book gives an overview of the main events. Then, in chapters 12-22, God fills in the details for us, focusing on the particular roles of the main characters in this drama. All of the details that are described in the last half of the book could be taken back and inserted into specific points of the overview given in the first half of the book.

For example, after the last trumpet is sounded in Revelation 11:15, there is a short phrase in verse 18 saying that “Thy wrath is come.” That’s all it says about the wrath of God that is poured out at that time. To find the details of that wrath of God that is poured out, you’ll need to turn to chapter 16, where the wrath of God is described in detail, taking up the entire chapter.

So, we could call the first half of the book of Revelation The “Overview Chapters” (1-11), and the last half of the book The “Detail Chapters” (12-22). This is just a general division of the book, because the first eleven chapters certainly contain some details, and the last eleven chapters sometimes describe an overview, but dividing the book in half gives a good starting point for understanding what is described in the book of Revelation.

The creation account in Genesis is also written in this way. After an overview is given in the first chapter of Genesis, it is written that creation of the heavens and the earth were completed, and man and woman were created. God blessed them and then God rested from all of His work. It seems like the creation story is finished.

Then in chapter 2:4, the creation story seems to begin again.

“Here is the story of the heavens and the earth when they were created. The Lord God made the earth and the heavens.”—Genesis 2:4 (NIRV)

But this retelling of the creation story focuses only on certain details about creation. It focuses on the creation of the first man and woman who were mentioned in the previous overview of the creation story in Genesis 1:27.

The book of Daniel also follows this pattern. Daniel seems to be the Old Testament counterpart to the book of Revelation, and that book can also be divided in half. The first six chapters of Daniel are a sequential overview that gives us highlights of Daniel’s life in Babylon. Then chapters 7-12 offer very detailed accounts of particular prophetic events and revelations that Daniel received during his life.

I recommend that you also download and read this book, this book and this book which were written and made available by my good friend and mentor who has greater insight into the book of Revelation than anyone I know! If you have any problems with the download links, just send me a message, and I will send the books to you.

Now that we know that the book of Revelation is divided in half, with the first half being an overview and the last half of the book focusing on certain details of the end times, we can put together a basic outline of the book. Also, it may help you to download this Revelation chart and this chart of the End-Time Harvest by my former pastor.

Book of Revelation Outline

First Half of Revelation

**Chapter 1 **

  • Jesus appears to John on the Isle of Patmos, instructing him to write 7 letters to 7 churches.

Chapters 2 & 3

  • Letters to the 7 churches containing promises to individual Overcomers (the Man-Child company of chapter 12)

**Chapter 4 **

  • John is caught up to the throne of God.

Chapter 5

  • The 7-sealed book is taken by the Lamb of God. (Daniel 12:4,9)

Chapter 6

  • The first 6 seals are opened. The 6th seal triggers a great earthquake and signs in the heavens. (This most likely corresponds with the birth and catching up of the Man Child in chapter 12. See Joel 2:30-31.)

Chapter 7

  • 144,000 bond servants of God from tribes of Israel are sealed in their foreheads on Earth. (Romans 9:27; Romans 11:5; Romans 11:13-27)

“And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.”—Romans 11:23 (NLT)

  • Multitude of Overcomers are standing before the throne of God and the Lamb (The Man-Child company of chapter 12).

**Chapter 8 **

  • 7th seal is opened.
  • Great Tribulation begins.
  • 7 trumpets are released. First 4 trumpets sound.

**Chapter 9 **

  • 5th and 6th trumpets sound.

**Chapter 10 **

  • 7 thunders utter their voices.
  • John eats the little book.

**Chapter 11 **

  • John measures the temple and those who worship therein (This prophetic act may determine the destinies of individual Christians during the Great Tribulation, as detailed in chapter 12.)
  • 2 witnesses prophesy for 1,260 days.
  • 7th trumpet sounds. The mystery is finished (1 Cor 15:51-52). Great Tribulation ends.
  • “Kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
  • Temple of God is opened in Heaven. God’s wrath is come. (Details in chapters 15-16)
  • Judgment of the dead (Details in chapter 20)

Second Half of Revelation

**Chapter 12 **

  • The destiny of the Church during the Great Tribulation. Christians are in three distinct groups: The Sun-Clothed Woman, The Man Child, and The Remnant. (The catching up of the Man Child group in verse 5 may correspond to the timing of the 6th seal being opened in chapter 6.)
  • The Great Tribulation begins.

**Chapter 13 **

  • The rise of the Antichrist and the False Prophet

**Chapter 14 **

  • Harvest of the Overcomers (The Man-Child company of chapter 12)
  • 3 angelic messengers are sent to Earth
  • The Main Harvest of the Believers, which signals the end of the Great Tribulation
  • The harvest of those who will experience God’s wrath

**Chapter 15 **

  • 7 angels are given 7 bowls containing the wrath of God
  • Main Harvest of Believers is in Heaven, standing on sea of glass
  • Temple opened in Heaven, signalling the release of God’s wrath
  • 7 angels with 7 bowls are released into the Earth

**Chapter 16 **

  • First 6 angels pour out their bowls of God’s wrath
  • Battle of Armageddon
  • 7th angel pours out the last bowl of God’s wrath

Chapter 17 & 18

  • Babylon, the false church, and the judgment that awaits her

**Chapter 19 **

  • Marriage of the Lamb
  • Jesus and Heaven’s armies do battle with Antichrist, the kings of the Earth, and their armies. (This may be the Battle of Armageddon mentioned in chapter 16.)
  • Antichrist and False Prophet are cast alive into the Lake of Fire

**Chapter 20 **

  • Satan bound for 1,000 years in bottomless pit
  • The First Resurrection of the overcomers who will rule and reign with Christ for 1,000 years
  • After 1,000 reign of Christ on Earth, Satan is loosed.
  • Battle of Gog and Magog
  • Satan cast into Lake of Fire forever
  • The dead are judged at the Great White Throne Judgment
  • Death and Hell are cast into the Lake of Fire.
  • Those not found in Book of Life are cast into Lake of Fire.

Chapter 21

  • New Heaven and New Earth
  • New Jerusalem

Chapter 22

  • Life in the New Jerusalem
  • Invitation to “Come”

For a more detailed explanation of the events in the book of Revelation, I highly recommend this free book about the end-time harvest (PDF download), as well as this free book about the Daniel’s prophecy (PDF download), and this free book about Revelation prophecies (PDF download). These were all written by my friend and former pastor.