1. 22 Chapters
in
22 Minutes

2. Review Questions
1. Who is the author of the book of Revelation?
John the apostle (1:1, 22:8)
2. Where was he, and why was he there, when he
wrote?
Patmos (an island)
Punishment for preaching (1:9)
3. When was this book written?
mid 90s AD
4. What is the overall purpose of Revelation?
To give comfort to Christians as they endured
persecution. God is still in control!

3. Overview:
Chapter 1 (The Son of Man)
• Introduces Jesus as the Son of Man and shows
His glory.
• Shows that this message was for Christians in
Asia Minor
• Shows that Jesus is “among” these
congregations (lamp stands), caring for
them, but also seeing what they do.
• KEY PHRASE: “for the time is near” (v.3)

4. Overview:
Chapters 2-3 (The 7 Churches)
• Ephesus: “The Hard Working, but Forgetful
Church.” Had forgotten first love (2:4)
• Smyrna: “The Poor, Yet Rich Church.” Be
faithful until death… (2:10)
• Pergamum: “The Church at Satan’s Footstool.”
Risked being abandoned by Christ for putting
up with false teaching.
• Thyatira: “The Church Where Jezebel
Attended.” Their problem was tolerance of sin.

5. Overview:
Chapters 2-3 (The 7 Churches)
• Sardis: “The Church of the Living Dead.” Tried
to live in the past, but was not really doing
anything.
• Philadelphia: “The Church that Kept the Faith.”
They had kept Christ’s word in spite of
persecution (3:8).
• Laodicea: “The Rich, but Poor Church.” Being
lukewarm makes Christ sick! (3:15-16)

6. Overview:
Chapter 4 (God’s Throne)
• The emphasis of chapter 4 is to show God’s
glory and power. Every description shows
majesty and praise.
• 24 elders are in front of Him, showing the
perfect relationship between God and man (12)
in both the Old and New Testament eras.
• Four creatures are the noblest and strongest,
and show God’s glory.
• All before Him is pure, and all who are there
praise Him.

7. Overview:
Chapter 5 (The Lamb)
• A scroll is held out that has 7 seals, but no one
is found who is worthy to open the seals to this
document.
• Question: What did seals symbolize? Why 7?
• Since Christ revealed this book (1:1-3), He is
the One who is worthy to open the seals.
• He is pictured as a Lamb, but a slain and yet
living lamb.
• He is praised at the end of the chapter, and He
becomes the focal point of the rest of the book.

8. Overview:
Chapter 6 (First 6 Seals Broken)
• The first four seals show a vision of four riders
on horses, each a different color.
– Seal 1. The Romans had enemies in the
Parthians, who commonly rode white horses, so the
first horse is white to symbolize war.
– Seal 2. Red = blood, so this horse represents war
and the losses of war.
– Seal 3. Black represents what comes after
war, which is often famine and economic loss.
– Seal 4. The ashen (pale) horse represents the
aftermath of war, which often includes pestilence.

9. Overview:
Chapter 6 (First 6 Seals Broken)
• The 5th seal shifts the scene back to God, and
an altar before His throne. There, martyrs are
found. So, some will die for their faith and due
to these wars, but the faithful are taken before
God. Their question, “How long?” serves as the
key to much of this book.
• The 6th seal is God’s answer, and it is
that, when He takes vengeance, it will be total
and complete. Position, wealth, etc., will not
matter. Only faithfulness to Him will.

10. Overview:
Chapter 7 (Interlude #1)
• Before the 7th seal is broken, the story shifts to
an interlude to build interest.
• 144,000 are “sealed,” and an innumerable
multitude is seen. Both are the same = all the
faithful of God are known by Him.
• They have been faithful, even in the midst of
“great tribulation” (v.14).
• After such an awful picture (first 6 seals), this
break gives great comfort to suffering
Christians. God knows and rewards His people!

11. Overview:
Chapter 8 (The 7 Trumpets)
• The 7th seal is broken, which leads to
silence…then to the sounding of the 7 trumpets.
• The seals had done their purpose of revealing
the message as being from God. Now, the
trumpets will sound the warning of not obeying
the message. It is the same picture, just with a
different emphasis.
• Seals = cycle 1 of the message. Trumpets =
cycle 2 of the same message, that Christ and
His people are victorious.

12. Overview:
Chapter 8 (The 7 Trumpets)
• Before the trumpets are sounded, though, we
see the censer (altar) where the prayers of
God’s people are. God’s people are
encouraged to pray even in the midst of
persecution, and God will hear.
• Trumpet 1 destroys 1/3 (3 is the divine number)
of vegetation, making economic life difficult.
• Trumpet 2 destroys 1/3 of the salt water. Since
Rome was a trading economy, this would be
devestating.

13. Overview:
Chapters 8-9 (The 7 Trumpets)
• Trumpet 3 destroys 1/3 of the fresh
water, which would further cripple the economy.
• Trumpet 4 destroyed 1/3 of the celestial
bodies, showing God’s total control of the entire
world, not just this one place.
• We then see an eagle flying and saying
“Woe, woe, woe,” because 3 more trumpets
have yet to be sounded, and the message is
already overwhelming.

14. Overview:
Chapters 8-9 (The 7 Trumpets)
• Trumpet 5 has an angel opening a bottomless
pit, out of which scorpion-like locusts fly out to
destroy men. Death is better than this awful
scene (9:6).
• They are led by Abaddon, which is either Satan
or an angel of God, who continues to punish
His people.
• Trumpet 6 released a vast (200,000,000),
powerful army that was to kill 1/3 of mankind.

15. Overview:
Chapters 8-9 (The 7 Trumpets)
• The description is of an invincible army, and
shows that God will not be defeated when He
brings judgment.
• The key to these trumpets, though, is at the end
of chapter 9, where we are told that those who
somehow survived all this “did not repent”
(9:20-21).

16. Overview:
10:1-11:14 (Interlude #2)
• The first interlude was meant to comfort
Christians. This one offers more of a challenge
to them.
• It seems that the scroll to be read contained the
rest of the book. John is told to eat the
scroll, and it tastes sweet, then bitter. God’s
message is often both to different people.
• John is then told to measure (1) the temple, (2)
the altar), and (3) the people there.

17. Overview:
10:1-11:14 (Interlude #2)
• This is a symbol of God’s protection of His
people.
• We are then told of two witnesses (representing
the Church), who are challenged to continue to
preach and teach in the face of evil persecution.
• And they were killed. Many would be killed for
their faithfulness, but Christ then called them to
“come up.” They would also be rewarded.

18. Overview:
10:1-11:14 (Interlude #2)
• 11:13 contains an earthquake. So, God is
waking up the people even in the midst of this
interlude.

19. Overview:
11:15-19 (The 7th Trumpet)
• Trumpet 7 brings a message of hope: God and
Christ rule over the kingdoms of the earth.
• This leads to another scene of praise before
God’s throne.
• 11:19 has the temple being opened and moves
the picture to a vision of the background of all
this, in chapters 12 through 14.

20. Overview:
Chapters 12-14 (The Background)
• Stepping back from Rome, the scene shifts to
the forces of good and evil in general. These
chapters, while highly symbolic, show us the
true force of evil and of good that are behind all
the good and bad we see in the world.
• A red dragon (Satan) tries to devour a baby
being born of a woman, but God saved the
child. The woman was then protected as well.

21. Overview:
Chapters 12-14 (The Background)
• Satan is then “thrown down,” showing that he is
defeated, but he is thrown down to
earth, showing that he still has influence.
• He can be defeated, though. He was overcome
by “the blood of the Lamb” and also by the
preaching of faithful Christians.
• The devil makes war with the woman, and does
so strongly. He will continue to fight against
God’s people, but God will continue to protect
and strengthen His people. We are at war!

22. Overview:
Chapters 12-14 (The Background)
• Satan is then “thrown down,” showing that he is
defeated, but he is thrown down to earth,
showing that he still has influence.
• He can be defeated, though. He was overcome
by “the blood of the Lamb” and also by the
preaching of faithful Christians.
• The devil makes war with the woman, and does
so strongly. He will continue to fight against
God’s people, but God will continue to protect
and strengthen His people. We are at war!

23. Overview:
Chapters 12-14 (The Background)
• Chapter 13 introduces us to two beasts. The sea
beast is the Roman Empire itself, as it is given
authority by the dragon, but is worshiped by the
people and thought to be invincible (v.4). It is also
influential over a huge number of people.
• The land beast is anyone/anything that facilitated
the worship of Rome and the Emperor.
• His “number,” 666 (short of 777) shows that man’s
ways, apart from God, are doomed to total failure.

24. Overview:
Chapters 12-14 (The Background)
• As powerful as these beasts and the dragon
are, chapter 14 opens by showing the Lamb
with 144,000. The dragon does not “get”
everyone!
• The angels then deliver a message that is to be
heard by all. It is simply that Babylon (Rome)
will fall (14:8), as will all who are with Rome, but
they are blessed who endure and even who die
in faith (vv.12-13).

25. Overview:
Chapters 12-14 (The Background)
• Jesus then comes to judge (harvest), and the
vision is a blessing for the faithful, but sad for
the unfaithful. It is a clear sign that God
continues to be in control, because this is not
the final judgment day, but His reckoning
against Rome.

26. Overview:
Chapters 15-16 (The 7 Bowls)
• John sees 7 angels carrying 7 bowls (basins),
filled with the wrath of God, but before they
pour out the bowls, John sees another vision
around God’s throne.
• The praise of 15:3-4 reminds us that God’s
justice (even when He punishes) is worthy of
our praise.
• The 7 bowls of wrath represent the 3rd and final
cycle in Revelation. Seals = the revelation.
Trumpets = warning. Bowls = God’s final
judgment is sure and severe.

27. Overview:
Chapters 15-16 (The 7 Bowls)
• Bowl 1 (sores) shows the pain associated with
practicing sin.
• Bowl 2 (all the sea turned to blood) shows that
everyone is affected in some way by sin.
• Bowl 3 turns all water into blood, as men can’t
escape the effects of sin.
• Bowl 4 uses the sun to “scorch” the unfaithful.
People will feel shame…however, we are told
that these STILL did not repent!

28. Overview:
Chapters 15-16 (The 7 Bowls)
• Bowl 5 is poured over the throne of the
beast, indicating the suffering that would even
come to the very head of the empire itself.
• Bowl 6 dries up the Euphrates River (eastern
border of the Empire), and a great army is now
ready for battle. Rome would begin to lose
militarily as its morals began to decline. But
God is almighty. He will never lose.

29. Overview:
Chapters 15-16 (The 7 Bowls)
• The 7th bowl is poured into the air, showing that
God is influential in all.
• “It is done” (16:17) tells us that God will do this.
The rest of the book is the explanation and
resolution of this scene. Rome’s fall is
certain, because she would not repent.

30. Overview:
Chapter 17 (Rome “Looks” Good...)
• Rome is depicted as a prostitute, but one of high
society (gold, fine clothing), showing how the
nation looked good, but was depraved morally.
• She is connected to the beast, showing that
sinners are under the influence of Satan, even
when they think they are in control.
• 17:14 is the key verse to the whole book:
“They will make war with the Lamb, and the
Lamb will conquer them, for He is Lord of
lords and King of kings, and those with Him
are called and chosen and faithful.”

31. Overview:
Chapter 18 (…but WILL Fall)
• God always acts justly, so He lists the sins of
Rome (verses 3-4) to show why this nation is
being destroyed.
• The chapter shows kings, merchants, and
others weeping over the fall, but never stepping
in to help. They watch at a distance. Rome was
influential, but those only associated for evil or
financial reasons are not really going to help
when everything falls.

32. Overview:
Chapter 19 (Answered Question)
• The question “How long?” may not have been
answered chronologically, but those in heaven
now have seen that Rome will fall, so they
praise God for His justice.
• The Church (bride) is then invited to the
marriage supper. Reward is there for those who
are faithful!
• The chapter concludes with Jesus riding in on a
white horse bring about the justice on the earth.

33. Overview:
Chapter 19 (Answered Question)
• While the faithful are being rewarded, the
unfaithful are destroyed. While the faithful are
enjoying a marriage supper, the unfaithful
become a meal for scavengers. Thus is the
difference between those who overcome and
those who are tied to evil influences.

34. Overview:
Chapter 20 (The Second Death)
• As the book begins to “wind down,” we are first
given a picture of the final end of the unfaithful.
• Satan is bound for 1000 years (a complete
period of time). He is defeated and ultimately
thrown into the pit forever.
• Though he is defeated, he still finds a way to
influence (God and Magog), until he is thrown
into the pit forever, which is the second death.

35. Overview:
Chapter 20 (The Second Death)
• Satan gears up for one final battle, but fire
consumes him.
• Knowing that Satan is ultimately defeated, the
scene shifts to the judgment scene. This is
encouragement! Be ready for judgment, and do
not follow one who has already lost!!!
• But, some will not be in the book of life, so they
are sent to the lake of fire with Satan.

36. Overview:
Chapters 21-22 (Heaven)
• In contrast, the righteous are given a glimpse
into their reward.
• It is a place where all is new, and always new.
• It is a place of radiance, but the key is that it is
the place that God is present and will always be
present.
• All who are faithful will be there, and there will
be no night, nor any reason for any fear. All
provisions are taken care of.

37. Overview:
Chapters 21-22 (Heaven)
• The tree of life is there, symbolizing the final
reunion of man to God, which was broken in the
Garden of Eden.
• Thus, we are encouraged to keep the words of
this book (22:7), to worship God (22:9), to be
pure (22:14), and to stay faithful to this
prophecy (22:18-19).
• Knowing all this, may we say with John, “Amen!
Come Lord Jesus.”