Chronology of Revelation
1. Chapter 1 – Christ is who brings about all the events of this book.
Chapter 2 and 3 – The church age.
Every letter is written to the angel of the church – without an angel, the church has no message from God. Men may declare a church is a church, but without the angel of the Lord, there is no church.
The message of Revelation is given to the churches of Jesus Christ, not to the world at large, all the saved on the earth, the kingdom of God, or false churches. It is a given in scripture that a saved person will unite with a particular church in a particular location and be faithful to God in that location and in that church. The “modern” thought that a person is saved now and accepted Christ as his Lord later is false. Saved people desire to join one of the Lord’s churches and be a part of it.
The messages to the churches are not dispensational – there is no such thing as each church representing a particular time during the church age. All of the various kinds of church described in Revelation 2 and 3 are found in every age. Which kind of church do you suppose we are?
There are overcomers in every church, of every age.
3. Chapter 4 and 5 – Praise to God for Jesus Christ who has brought salvation and will bring judgment.
4. Chapter 6 – The opening of the first 6 seals.
Intermission # 1: Chapter 7 – Before the opening of the 7th seal, there is a record given of all the Jews and Gentiles who are saved during the tribulation.
5. Chapter 8:1-6 – The opening of the 7th seal, which reveals 7 trumpets which will sound.
6. Chapter 8:7-9:21 – The sounding of the first 6 trumpets.
7. Chapter 8:13 – Three woes are pronounced upon the earth.
Chapter 9:1-12 – The first woe is the sounding of the 5th trumpet. (see 9:12)
Chapter 9:13-21 – The second woe is the sounding of the 6th trumpet, and the seven thunders. (see 11:14)
Chapter 11:15 – The third woe is the sounding of the 7th trumpet, and the pouring out of the golden vials of the wrath of God.
Intermission # 2: Chapter 10:1-11:14
Chapter 10:1-7 – The seven thunders utter their voices when the 6th trumpet is sounded, but John is told to not write what they utter.
Chapter 10:7 – When the 7th angel sounds, the mystery of God should be finished.
All things will be finished according as God has spoken to his prophets.
If we would understand prophecy, we must examine the Bible, not the various fancies of foolish man.
Chapter 10:8-11 – It is explained to John that he must prophesy again.
Chapter 11:1-14 – The two witness give their testimony during the 1st 3½ year period of the tribulation period, then die for their testimony.
8. Chapter 11:15-19 – The 7th angel sounds his trumpet and this earth is declared to belong to Christ. When the 7th angel sound, the way is prepared for the pouring out, on the earth, of the seven golden vials of God’s wrath.
Intermission # 3: - Chapter 12-15
Chapter 12 – An explanation of the history of Israel and how Satan has tried to defeat Christ.
Chapter 13 – An explanation of the history of the Anti-Christ and how Satan has worked long and hard to bring about his doomed kingdom.
Chapter 14 – Praise and honor is given to God because he is victorious over Satan and his kingdom.
Chapter 15 – A view of those that have died under Satan’s persecution during the tribulation period, and a brief glimpse into the glory of God as he delivers the seven golden vials full of his wrath.
9. Chapter 16 – The pouring out of the seven golden vials of God’s wrath on the earth.
Intermission # 4: - The mourning of sinner and the rejoicing of saints occur at the same time over the same events.
Chapter 17 – An explanation of the great whore and how she is destroyed.
Chapter 18 – The people of the earth mourn over the destruction of pagan Babylon.
Chapter 19:1-10 – The people of God rejoice because of his victories.
10. Chapter 19:11-21 – Jesus returns to the earth as victor.
11. Chapter 20:1-15 – Satan is bound 1,000 years, and the lost who have died are judged at the Great White Throne Judgment.
12. Chapter 21 – The new heaven and the new earth; the bride, and the holy city, New Jerusalem.
13. Chapter 22 – Eternity begins with a final plea for lost people to repent and believe, to prepare for that final day.