This is the structure of the Book of Revelation – the Revelation of Jesus Christ by God to His servants
Apostle John reveals the structure of the Book of Revelation as given by God
It is as follows;
- Things John saw
- Things which are
- Things which will take place (future)
Rev 1:19: Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this
Structure of the Book of Revelation
1. Things Apostle John saw
Apostle John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when he heard a loud voice behind him
Rev 1:10 – 11 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last’
And he was commanded to write what he sees
… ‘What you see, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea’ (Rev 1:11)
And Apostle John turned to see
Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me
What did he see? Apostle John saw Jesus Christ when he turned to see the voice that spoke
From Rev 1: 12-18, Apostle John wrote what he saw as he was instructed, ‘what you see, write in a book’ (Rev 1:10)
After John seeing, Jesus tells him, ‘write the things which you have seen’ (Rev 1:19)
See that in Rev 1:10 John is told to write ‘what you see’; see being a present tense and after seeing he is told to ‘write the things which you have seen’; seen being a past tense
Rev 1:19: Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall take place after this
2. Things which are
After John seeing and writing the things he saw, he writes the things which are
The things which are is the church – the church age
The church was born on the cross and up to today we are living in the church age which will end with the rapture.
In Rev Chapter 2 – 3, Apostle John is writing of the things which are; the church – John was living in the church age
The 7 churches of Revelation represent me and you – which are you among the seven. See the 7 churches of Revelation
3. Things which will take place
To reveal to Apostle John the things to take place here after, God takes him to heaven
Rev 4:1: After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter
God revealed to Apostle John the things he saw and the things which are while he (John) was on earth but for the things to take place here after, Apostle John was taken to heaven.
The things to take place which Apostle John saw in heaven are as follows in order;
- The kingdom of heaven – Rev chapter 4 and 5, Apostle John reveals the kingdom of heaven
- The great tribulation period – Rev chapter 6 – 18 reveals what will take place in the great tribulation period as God pours His wrath on earth
- Marriage supper of the Lamb – Rev 19 God reveals the marriage supper of the Lamb
- The Millennium reign – Rev 20 we see the Millennium reign
- New earth, New heaven – Rev 21
- New Jerusalem – Rev 21 -22
See how to study the Book of Revelation
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