Sound The Trumpet : An Introduction to Revelation

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“An Introduction to Revelation”
by Art Sadlier
April 14th, 2020

THREE DIVISIONS in the human family. 1 Cor. 10:32, the JEW, the GENTILES and the CHURCH, (christians) God has a special program for each group, when we come to the Book of Revelation we must recognize and distinguish what God is doing in regard to each of these three groups.

THREE TIME LINES, one for each of these three groups. DANIEL is a time line for the GENTILES. From 586 BC to Armeggedon, the times of the Gentiles Lu.21:24. EZEKIEL is a time line for the JEWS from 586 BC until eternity future. REVELATION is a time line for CHRISTIANS from penticost to eternity future. That does not mean that these three programs do not intersect in Revelation, they do.

THREE GREAT MAIN EVENTS yet future in the Book of Revelation. The RAPTURE is the next event on God's time clock. Rev.4:1. THE SECOND COMING of Christ to judge the gentile nations and set up His earthly kingdom. Luke 1:32, 33. THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT when the unsaved of all the ages will face the awful judgment of God. Rev.20:11-15.

THREEFOLD OUTLINE of Revelation, Rev. 1:19. CHAPTERS 1-3 the things which happen prior to the Tribulation Period, the present church age. CHAPTERS 4-18 The things which happen during the Tribulation Period. CHAPTERS 19-22 the things which happen after the Tribulation Period.

THREE REASONS we should study Revelation. WE ARE COMMANDED TO "seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book." We seal the prophecy of this book by failing to open it and study it. Our Lord wants us to hear His words. Let us not be disobedient to our Lord. A SPECIAL BLESSING IS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO READ, HEAR (understand) and KEEP (respond to) what is written in the book. WE SEE the words of the book unfolding before our eyes today in the world around us. We ought to be interested in the book because WE SEE it's prophecies about to unfold.

THREE THINGS that make the Book of Revelation hard to understand. THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK. The scenes in the book alternate between Heaven and Earth. All through the book the scene is constantly shifting back and forth between Heaven and Earth, this can be confusing if we do not keep the scene in mind. Actually what is happening is the bringing to reality of the Lord's prayer. "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven." We see throughout the book GOD'S WILL being decreed in Heaven and then being carried out on the earth.

PARENTHICAL PORTIONS OF THE BOOK. The flow or storyline in the book is deliberately interrupted, so that additional information may be inserted. This can cause confusion if not recognized.

THERE ARE SYMBOLS AND SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE. We are to take the words of the book and the story of the book literally, BUT sometimes there are symbols used.

WARNING we can NEVER take anything in the book as being a symbol for something else UNLESS the BOOK or the BIBLE in some other place verifies the meaning or authenticity of the symbol. THE BIBLE is it's own interpreter, never forget this rule. This means that anyone with the Holy Spirit's help can rightly interpret scripture. THE RULE - Never, Never, Never arbitrarily assign a meaning, we must find contextual verification. NEVER ARBITRARILY give meaning to that which is obscure. Remember the golden rule of interpretation, WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE OF SCRIPTURE MAKES SENSE SEEK NO OTHER SENSE.

THE STORY LINE OF CHAPTERS 6-19 centres around - 7 seals - 7 trumpetS - 7 vials (bowls). UNDER THE 7 SEALS we see a world ruined by men - Evil men take over the planet, they are given a free hand by God. The world becomes a disaster scene as God pours out judgments upon these men. The world ruled by men becomes the world ruined by men. UNDER THE 7 TRUMPETS we have a world ruined by Satan. Satan produces his MAN, Satan guides him to great power over the planet. The man first appears to be the world's savior, but in the end proves to be what God said he would be, a BEAST.

UNDER THE 7 VIALS we see the final stages of judgment and the world being rescued by God. AT LONG LAST God steps on to the world stage - puts Satan away - puts an end to man's rebellion and mismanagement of the world. God pours out his final wrath upon the world just before Christ returns to take His rightful control over the planet.

NEXT WEEK we will begin our study of the book, read, and re-read Chapter One.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13