Hidden In Plain Sight: A Study of the Revelation to John

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Uchenna Mezue. Hidden In Plain Sight: A Study of the Revelation to John

PREFACE

OVERVIEW

Authorship of The Revelation

Date

Style

SYNOPSIS

Son of Man

SECTION 1: GREETINGS AND ADMONITIONS

CHAPTER ONE: PROLOGUE AND GREETINGS

Prologue (Rev. 1:1-3)

Greetings (Rev. 1:4-8)

The Seven Churches (Rev. 1:9-11)

The Guardians of the Churches (Rev. 1:12-20)

CHAPTER TWO: ADMONITIONS TO THE SEVEN COMMUNITIES

Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-7)

Smyrna (Rev. 2: 8-11)

Pergamum (Rev. 2:12-17)

Thyatira (Rev. 2:18-28)

CHAPTER THREE: ADMONITIONS TO THE SEVEN COMMUNITIES CONTINUED

Sardis (Rev. 3: 1-6)

Philadelphia (3:7-13)

Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22)

SECTION 2: BACKGROUND SUMMARY OF THE REVELATION. EVENTS ABOVE CREATION

CHAPTER FOUR: EVENTS ABOVE CREATION: THE BEGINNING AND THE SOURCE OF ALL

The highest vision ever revealed to a Created being (Rev. 4:1-2)

The Throne in Heaven (Rev. 4:3)

The twenty-four Elders (Rev. 4:4-5)

The Four Living Beings and Divine Worship (Rev. 4:6-11)

CHAPTER FIVE: EVENTS ABOVE CREATION: THE PLIGHT OF HUMANITY

The Scroll (Rev. 5:1-2)

Who can open the Scroll? (Rev. 5:3-6)

Divine Worship of the Lamb (Rev. 5: 7-14)

CHAPTER SIX: THE STORY OF HUMANITY – THE SEVEN SEALS

The coming into being and the course of man in Creation: The first four seals

The first Seal: The White Horse (Rev. 6:1-2)

The Second Seal: The Fiery Red Horse (Rev. 6:3-4)

The Third Seal: The Black Horse (Rev. 6:5-6)

The Fourth Seal: The Pale Horse (Rev. 6:7-8)

The Inevitable Judgment that results from Human activity: The fifth and sixth seals

The Fifth Seal: The martyrs’ call for Justice (Rev. 6:9-11)

The Sixth Seal: The Purification Judgment Summarized (Rev. 6:12-17)

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE LOVE OF GOD PERMITS SALVATION:THE WORK OF THE SON OF MAN

Interval before the seventh Seal: The sifting prior to the judgment

The Seal of the Living God (Rev. 7:1-3)

The Sealed servants (Rev. 7:4-8)

The Redeemed Multitude (Rev. 7:9-17)

SECTION 3: THE PURIFICATION JUDGMENT BEGINS. THE TRUMPETS WARN OF IMPENDING JUDGEMENT

CHAPTER EIGHT: THE SEVENTH SEAL USHERS IN THE TRIBULATIONS WITH A SERIES OF SEVEN TRUMPETS

Introduction

The Seventh Seal (Rev. 8:1-6)—Onset of Purification/Judgment of man and his physical environment

The Great Intercession (Rev. 8: 3 – 4)

A comet is sent forth with the fire of Purification (Rev. 8: 5 – 6)

The Trumpet warnings (the great distress Matt 24)

The First Four Trumpets

The first Trumpet (Rev. 8: 7)—The Earth (Material Creation)

The Second Trumpet (Rev. 8: 8-9)—The Sea (the beyond)

The Third Trumpet (8:10-11)

The Fourth Trumpet (Rev. 8: 12)—The Stars (spiritual failure of humanity)

The Last three Trumpets (The Woes)

The last three trumpets announced (Rev. 8:13)

CHAPTER NINE: THE TRIBULATIONS PEAK IN THE WOES

The Fifth Trumpet (Rev. 9:1-12)

The Sixth Trumpet (9:13-21)

CHAPTER TEN: THE INTERVAL BEFORE THE SEVENTH TRUMPET: THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF MAN

The Message of the Son of Man

The Angel and the little scroll (Rev. 10:1-7)

The Little Scroll (Rev. 10:8-11)

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE SEVENTH TRUMPET

The Work of the Son of Man and His helpers

The Son of Man Sifts Humanity: Reining in the spiritually viable – (Rev. 11:1-2)

The Helpers: The Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:3-14)

The Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Established

The Seventh Trumpet (Rev. 11:15-19)

SECTION 4: MORE BACKGROUND SUMMARY TO THE REVELATION

CHAPTER TWELVE: THE FURTHER FALL OF SATAN AND PREPARATION OF HELP FOR CREATION

Introduction

Events in Matter. The Woman and the Dragon (Rev. 12:1-6)

The Primordial Queen/Mother and Parsifal

The war in Heaven (Rev. 12:7-12)

The Dragon Is Cast Down To The Material Spheres

Events in Matter. After the ejection of Satan (Rev. 12:13-17)

The Dragon and The Woman

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: FURTHER FALL OF SATAN AND THE DARKNESS THAT SURROUNDS HUMANITY

The Dragon Metamorphosis into the Beast from the Sea (Rev. 13:1-10)

The Beast From The Earth (Rev. 13:11-18)

A Beast Arising From Humanity (Rev. 13:11-14)

The Beast From Humanity Raises An Image Of Satan For Worship (Rev. 13:14-15)

Further Activities Of The Beast From Humanity (Rev. 13:16-18)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: WORK OF THE SON OF MAN CONTINUED AND ELABORATED

Background

Introduction

The Work Of The Spirit Of Truth Begins (Rev. 14:1-5)

The Three Parts To The Work Of The Spirit Of Truth (Rev. 14:6-13)

The Judgment Begins: The Sifting (Rev. 14:14-20)

The Harvesting Of The Faithful (Rev. 14:14-16)

The Harvesting Of The Unfaithful (Rev. 14:17-20)

SECTION 5: PURIFICATION JUDGMENT ESCALATES

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: GENERAL JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD OF MATTER

Prelude—The Redeemed From The Earth Celebrate (Rev. 15:1-4)

The Angels with the Seven Bowls of Wrath (Rev. 15:5-8)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: GENERAL JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD OF MATTER. The Wrath of the Judgment

The First Bowl: The Land (Rev. 16:2)

The Second Bowl: The Sea (Rev. 16:3)

The Third Bowl: Fresh Water (Rev. 16:4-7)

The Fourth Bowl: The Sun (Rev. 16:8-9)

The Fifth Bowl: The Throne of the Beast – Temporal power – judged (Rev. 16:10-11)

The Sixth Bowl: The Darkness Resists (Rev. 16:12-16)

The Seventh Bowl: Completion (Rev. 16:17-21)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: SPECIFIC JUDGMENT

Judgment On The Ethereal Form Of Collective Human Volition Towards Evil

The Great Prostitute On Many Waters (Rev. 17:1-2)

Scarlet Woman on Scarlet Beast (Rev. 17:3-6)

The Scarlet Beast (Rev. 17:7-14)

The Waters and the Destruction of the Woman (Rev. 17:15-18)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: SPECIFIC JUDGMENT

The Judgment of Babylon

The Fall Of Babylon Announced (Rev. 18:1-3)

The Call of the Millennium (Rev. 18:4-8)

Human Reactions to the Judgment of Babylon (Rev. 18:9-20)

The Final Collapse of the World Order (Rev. 18:21-24)

CHAPTER NINETEEN: PURIFICATION JUDGMENT ENDS

Celebration in Spiritual Creation (Rev. 19:1-5)

Material Creation is ready for Lord (Rev. 19:6-10)

The Son of Man Takes Possession of The Earth in His Father’s Name

The Rider on the White Horse, Rev. 19:11-18

The destruction of the Beast, the False Prophet and all contrary Will (Rev. 19:19-21)

CHAPTER TWENTY: THE JUDGMENT AND FINAL FATE OF LUCIFER

Chaining of Lucifer for the Millennium. Pre-Millennial Chaining of Lucifer (Rev. 20:1-3)

Peri-Millennium: The First Resurrection - Judgment of the Faithful (Rev. 20:4-6)

Post Millennium: Satan’s Release And War With Satan’s Satellites (Rev. 20:7-10)

The Final Judgment. Post Millennium: The great white throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15)

SECTION 6: THE KINGDOM OF PEACE, PARADISE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH

The New Creation (Rev. 21:1-4)

Timely Warning (Rev. 21:5-8)

Vision of Paradise (Rev. 21:9-27)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: VISION OF PARADISE CONTINUES. The water of Life (Rev. 22:1-2)

In The Proximity Of God (Rev. 22:3-5)

SECTION 7: EPILOGUE. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO CONTINUED: CONCLUSION AND WARNINGS

The Angel concludes his revelations with warnings (Rev. 22:6-7)

John and the Angel (Rev. 22:8-9)

Do Not Seal The Words (Rev. 22:10-11)

Final admonitions by the Son of Man – Judgment is near (Rev. 22:12-15)

The Love Of God Also Sends Final Admonitions (Rev. 22:16)

The Whole Creation Awaits The Coming Of The Son Of Man (Rev. 22:17)

AUTHOR SIGNATURE. Warning from John (Rev. 22:18-19)

The Lord Jesus Is Coming Soon (Rev. 22:20)

Final Greetings (Rev. 22:21)

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

Отрывок из книги

The Revelation to John has been with us for about 2000 years and has been the subject of diverse attempts at interpretation – in spite of the admonition by the author to avoid adding or subtracting from the work. Needless to say, most of the attempts either added or subtracted, and today we have an overwhelming end time scenarios, apparently, based on the revelation.

The reasons are not difficult to identify. The Revelation as given is a vision of the end time work of the Son of Man and the sole purpose is to prepare humanity for that mission and offer them the chance to recognize the Son of Man when He does come. It was easy to recognize in the book the terrible disasters that will follow for the majority of humanity; but, it has remained difficult to identify ourselves as part of the erring humanity. It was more convenient to assume that because we believe in Jesus, we will be miraculously taken out of the world before the tribulations or that we will be protected from the worst of it. It was convenient to forget that God relates to all human beings in the same way irrespective of whether they are Christians or Jews, Moslems or Hindus or even atheists and that the revelation, although sent through the Son of God, Jesus, was sent to all human spirits who are striving to serve God and not just to Christians.

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112 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

On turning around to see the source of the voice like a trumpet, John saw the spiritual image of the seven churches (the golden lampstands), and amongst them, and Lord over them all was ‘one like a son of man’. He also saw the designated shepherds of these churches before the throne of God held in the right hand of the Son of Man (the seven stars in the hand of the Lord). It is unlikely that the voice like the Trumpet that asked John to write is that of the Son of Man revealed here, as John himself describes the voices differently (Rev. 1.10 vs. 1.15). John certainly did not specifically indicate that the one like a Son of Man was the one that spoke in the trumpet-like voice and subsequent events do not support this conclusion. It is probable that the trumpet-like voice is that of the angel mediating the revelation or that of one of the Guardians of the churches, i.e. one of the Archangels.

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