Unlocking RevelationSeven Keys to Unlocking Revelation

From Dr. Stafford North’s Unlocking Revelation

Five Ways of looking at the Book of Revelation1. Fall of Rome

• Persecutor of the Early Church

2. Fall of Jerusalem – 70 AD

3. Religious and Political History of the World• 1st to 2nd Comings of Christ

4. Repeating Principles• Political and religious persecution of the Church, but not a particular people,

events, or time in history

5. Prediction of events around Christ’s 2nd coming• Future Signs, the Rapture, Armegeddon, 1000 year reign on earth

1. It is written in symbols

2. It is primarily about events which will “shortly come to pass.”

3. Given to comfort persecuted Christians

4. Identifies the Dragon, 1st Beast and 2nd Beast

5. Identifies the Harlot

6. Identifies the 1,260 days

7. Tells of a spiritual, not a physical Kingdom

7 Keys that unlock the Book of Revelation

• Revelation 1:1 “The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass.”

• Revelation 1:3 “the time is at hand.”

• Revelation 3:11 “I come quickly.”

• Revelation 22:6 “the things which must shortly come to pass.”

• Revelation 22:7 “I come quickly.”

• Revelation 22:10 “Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.”

2. It is primarily about events which will “shortly come to pass.”

• Revelation 1:9 “I am a partaker with you in the tribulation.”

• 5 of the 7 letters to the churches of Asia mention persecution.

• Revelation 6:9 “souls of those beheaded for their testimony.”

• Revelation 7:14 “those in heaven who came out of the great tribulation.”

• Revelation 11:7 “death of the two witnesses.”

• Revelation 12:17 “war on those who testify of Jesus.”

3. Given to comfort persecuted Christians

• Revelation 13:7 “given to him to make war with the saints forty-two months.”

• Revelation 13:15 “2nd beast will kill those who refuse to worship the first beast.”

• Revelation 17:6 & 19:2 “the harlot spills the blood of the saints.”

• Revelation 18:24 “blood of the saints spilled in Babylon.”

• Revelation 20:4 “souls of the those beheaded for the testimony of Jesus.”

3. Given to comfort persecuted Christians

• First mentioned in Revelation 12:3

• 7 heads, 10 horns

• Great, red

• Tail sweeps 1/3 of the stars from sky

• Attempts to devour the child

• Empowers two beasts

• Bound in abyss for 1000 years

• Cast into Lake of Fire

• Dragon identified as Satan, the Devil, the Deciever• Revelation 12:9

• Revelation 20:2

4. Identifies the Dragon

• Revelation 13:1-10, 17:8-14

• From sea; red

• 7 heads; 10 horns• Body like a leopard

• Paws like a bear

• Mouth like a lion

• Like Daniel’s beast in Daniel chapter 7

• Revelation 13:5-7• Makes war on the saints

• Has universal authority

• All worship the beast

4. Identifies the 1st Beast

• Revelation 17: 9-10• 7 heads = 7 kings

• 5 past, 1 is, 1 is to come

• 7 heads = 7 hills

• Universal Political Power

• Existed at the time book was written

• Persecutes early Christians

• Heads worshipped by all

• Connected with 7 hills

• Daniel’s 4th beast

• Roman Empire: Each head represents an Emporer

4. Identifies the 1st Beast

• Revelation 13:11-17

• From the earth

• 2 horns like a lamb

• Speaks like a dragon

• Exercises authority of the 1st Beast—in hi sight

• Makes men worship the 1st Beast

• Those who force worship of the Emperor of Rome

• Cult of Emperor worship

• 1 Peter 5:13 refers to Rome as Babylon as do other ancient sources.

• Harlot is the city of Rome

4. Identifies the 2nd Beast

• Revelation 17:18—a great city ruling over kings or the world

• Revelation 17:3—sits on 1st Beast and 7 hills

• Revelation 17:2—leads others in immorality

• Revelation 17:5—her name is Babylon

• Revelation 17:6—drunk on blood of saints

5. Identifies the Harlot

Minted in 71 AD in Asia Minor “Goddess Roma” coin • sits on seven hills • seated by Tiber River • Emperor Vespasian on

reverse side—joint temples

5. Identifies the Harlot

• Used 5 times • Revelation 11:2• Revelation 11:3• Revelation 12:6• Revelation 12:14• Revelation 13:5

• Always a time of persecution

• 1260 days=42 months

• 1260 days—3 ½ years

• Always a time of persecution of Christians

6. Identifies the 1,260 Days

• Rev. 1:6—made us to be a kingdom and priests

• Rev. 1:9—partaker with you in the kingdom

• John 18:36—my kingdom is not of this world

• Hebrews 9:11—not of this creation

• Luke 17:20,21—the kingdom is in the midst of you

The kingdom of Revelation was then an existing, spiritual kingdom.

7. Tells of a spiritual, not a physical Kingdom

5. Prediction of events around Christ’s 2nd coming. • More literal than symbolic

• Not shortly

• Not comfort

• Physical kingdom

Five Ways of looking at the Book of Revelation

4. Repeating Principles • Not shortly

• Misses specific identity for key characters

• Usually 7 cycles from 1st Coming to 2nd Coming

Five Ways of looking at the Book of Revelation

3. Religious and political history of the world • Not consistent in identifying symbols

• Not shortly

• Not comforting

• Misses identifying of symbols: especially 2nd beast and harlot

Five Ways of looking at the Book of Revelation

2. Destruction of Jerusalem • Not best dating

• Not comforting Christians in Asia

• Misses identity of 2nd Beast and Harlot, making them Jerusalem

Five Ways of looking at the Book of Revelation

1. Fall of Rome • Symbols

• Shortly

• Right ID of beasts, harlot

• 1260 days of persecution

• Spiritual kingdom

Five Ways of looking at the Book of Revelation

The Roman view is now the most popular among all commentators outside those with the futurist view. We shall follow this view through the book of Revelation.

Five Ways of looking at the Book of Revelation

1. Christ knows every Christian.

2. Christ wants churches to guard their teaching.

3. Christ wants churches to grow in service.

4. Christ wants Christians to live pure lives.

5. Christ wants Christians to be ready for persecution.

6. Christ wants Christians to know they can be lost.

7. Christ wants Christians to hope for great rewards.

Do these characteristics describe you and your church?

Seven Lessons from the Seven Churches in Asia