Daily Bible Online

Introduction to the Book of Revelation
The book of Revelation is an end time prophetic book which unveils for us Jesus Christ, giving us a glimpse of his glory and splendor, while showing us the events that will take place here on earth and in heaven during the last years before the return of Christ. This is also a book from the Trinity, we read in verses four and five of chapter one, "Grace to you and peace, from him who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne and from Jesus Christ"

When was it Written and Why?
The book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John in 90-95 A.D. while exiled on the island of Patmos for his witness of Christ and for preaching the Gospel of Salvation. John during his exile had witnessed divine revelation from God and was inspired through the Holy Sprit to write this epistle. This book like no other book in the Bible reveals the glory, splendor and power of Christ. The book of Revelation begins and ends with a blessing for those who read and keep the words of this scripture. No other book in the Bible begins and ends with a blessing like the Book of Revelation.

Who Was it Written To?
John wrote this letter to be distributed to the seven churches in Asia Minor, which were located in modern day Turkey. These churches were the primary recipient of this letter followed by the Christian community at large. It would have been read in these churches first then spread to the rest of the Christian community.

What's Revealed in the Book of Revelation?
The book of Revelation is a glimpse into God's Messianic calendar; it shows us what's next on God's prophetic timetable. In chapter one God reveals the purpose of the book, which is the unveiling of Jesus Christ. God shows us revelations about Jesus Christ which are found no where else in the Bible.

The book of Revelation lays out in some detail the events that will occur in both heaven and on earth during the final days or end times before Jesus returns to earth in His full glory and power. We see the scenes played out in heaven and the events which will occur here on earth during the tribulation period. We are keyed into both the physical and spiritual events as they occur during the end times.

What is the Tribulation Period?
The tribulation period is refers to a seven year period of time which occurs just before the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. This seven year period can be divided into two halves with the last three and a half years of this time referred to as the Great Tribulation. Jesus' says of these days during His Olivet Discourse, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be... And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened".

We get the seven year length of the tribulation period from Daniel's prophecy of the seventy weeks, a prophecy regarding seventy seven-year periods of time in which certain future events would come to pass. Based on Daniel's prophecy and the historical record 69 of those 70 weeks have already passed leaving us with a single week or seven year period left on God's prophectic timetable. During this seven period God's judgment on the earth will come in three phases or types judgments of increasing severity, each one worse than the last one. Has God makes His final appeal for those on earth to turn toward Him and accept the salvation he has offered through His son Jesus Christ. These three phases in order are known as the Seal Judgments which get there name as we see in heaven Jesus the Lamb of God breaking the seven seals of the scroll, followed by the Trumpet Judgments and finally the Vial or Bowl Judgments as the final wrath of God is poured out upon the earth.

Beginning the Seal Judgments
The book begins with the prelude before God pours out His wrath upon an unrepentant earth. Then has we enter the beginning of the tribulation period we see God's judgment begin in the form of the seal judgments. During this phase we see events on earth from heaven's perspective; these events include the riding of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The White Horse rides out first, this represents the anti-christ the leader who conquers through diplomacy and ushers in a period of false peace on the earth. This rider is then followed by the rider on the Red Horse which represents a period of war that breaks out taking away peace from the earth; this rider is in turn followed by the Black Horse of disease and famine and the Pale Horse representing death. But near the end of this phase God will raise up 144,000 witness from the decedents of Jacob, the twelve tribes of Israel, who will come to faith in Christ and we will see untold numbers of people saved and martyred for their faith in Christ. During the close of the first phase or Seal Judgments we see a great earthquake occurring on the earth, an earthquake so massive that the Bible says every mountain shall be moved out its place. Then we see the beginning of the Trumpet Judgments as the last seal is opened and there is silence in heaven for the space of a half hour.

Midpoint the Trumpet Judgments
As we move into phase two we see what the Bible refers to as the Trumpet Judgments. During this phase of judgments we begin to really see the hand of God has He pours out His wrath in the final attempts to get the attention of those on earth to turn back toward him and take the free gift of salvation offered through His son Jesus. The Trumpet Judgments begin with events man has only remotely dreamed of as we begin with great hail that rains down on the earth, not just any hail this hail is mixed with fire and blood and as a result a third of the trees are consumed along with all of the grass. Next we see something like a great mountain which is on fire thrown into the sea, causing a third of sea to become like blood killing a third of the creatures of the sea and destroying a third of the boats in the sea. This is then followed by a great star which will be called wormwood falling to earth like a great torch, falling on the rivers and streams causing a third of the water to become bitter as wormwood. And we remember what Jesus said in Matthew 24:22, "And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved..." As we progress through the Trumpet Judgments darkness begins to fall across the earth as we read in Revelation 8:12, "Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night". And in case we did not get the message God's graces give s us a sign no one can miss, "And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound"

From this point forward the judgments increase in severity and we begin to see more supernatural signs and events occur, next we see men terrorized by a strange type of locust, the Bible says of them, "The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months." And these locust have a king over them, they are coordinated in their efforts as we read in Revelation 9:11, "And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon."

Then we see what can only be described as a supernatural army being released and the Bible tells us in Revelation 9:15 -19, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed-by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm." The final trumpet sounds with loud voices in heaven proclaiming the kingdoms of the world are now the kingdoms of God.

Last Phase the Bowl Judgments
The last series of judgments is beginning, these are called the bowl or vial judgments God is pouring out his final judgments upon the earth just before the second coming of Jesus. These judgments start out with foul and loathsome sores that come upon those who took the mark of the beast. During this seven year tribulation period a leader will rise up, the Bible calls him the "man of sin", the "son of perdition" we know him as the anti-christ. This person will require those that follow him to receive a mark on the hand or forehead which will allow them to live and worship the anti-christ, this mark will be used for the purchasing of goods and for the activities of trade and commerce. Those who receive this mark will not be saved, during this portion of the judgments those who receive the mark of the beast as it is called develop foul and loathsome sores on their bodies.

As the bowl judgments of the late tribulation progress the entire sea and all the oceans of the world are turned to blood and everything in them dies. Which in turn is followed by all the rivers and all of the streams, and then God causes the sun to produce great heat which scorches the earth and its inhabitants. God in his mercy then follows this great heat with darkness and coldness on the anti-christ and his kingdom. As the tribulation period draws to a close we approach the battle of all battles, the "Battle of Armageddon", as the Euphrates River dries up and the armies of the world through demonic influence come together in the Valley of Megiddo for the final battle. As the time draws near we see the greatest earthquake in the history of mankind occurs followed by gigantic hailstones. This earthquake destroys the city of Babylon, yes according to the Bible the city of Babylon is rebuilt during the end times and becomes a world political and economic center, used by the anti-christ. But during this earthquake this great city is destroyed and God remembers his wrath up the city, and the destruction is so great and so final that the city and land it occupies are never inhabited again.

End of the Tribulation
The Battle of Armageddon ends with the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ, man thought he could battle God; however man discovers too late the tragedy of his mistake when Jesus appears and the kingdoms of the anti-christ are defeated, the anti-christ and the false prophet (his spokesman of sorts) are thrown into the lake of fire for eternal torment.