Revelation deal with the "last times" running from Pentecost to Christ's parousia. All the encouragements & warnings are for the readers.

This is a provisional scheme for discussion.

Ch 1 Introductions

Ch 2-3 Letters to the 7 churches

Ch 4-5 Vision of heaven, Christ as the conquering King & Priest,

Ch 6 The seals - God's plan from Calvary to Parousia

Ch 7 God's servants sealed before tribulation, kept through tribulation & safe in glory

War on earth rebellion & tribulation

Ch 8-9 The 7 trumpets - warning judgements to move sinners to repent - yet they did not.

Ch 10 Parenthesis - the mighty angel, seven thunders, the end foretold.

Ch 11 Parenthesis - the two witnesses - the Law & the Prophets condemn sinners, & are rejected, & vindicated. The 7^th trumpet announces the kingdom of Christ.

War in heaven against believers

Ch 12 Satan against Christ & his followers.

Ch 13 The war intensifies, the beast & false prophet gain power

Ch 14 The sealed ones safe with Christ in glory. The Gospel & judgement proclaimed. Harvest to glory or judgement.

Ch 15-16 The 7 plagues - final judgement, rather than warnings. Plagues result in rebellion & Armageddon, rather than repentance.

Ch 17-18 Judgement of Babylon - the power of false religion.

Ch 19 Hallelujahs in heaven. Christ prepares for the marriage supper. All rebellion crushed.

Ch 20 Recapitulation from the defeat of Satan at the cross for the 1000-year Gospel age. The reign of the souls of the martyrs & faithful believers (the first resurrection.) Satan released for the final rebellion. Christ returns to gain his complete victory & judge the living & dead at the final resurrection.

Ch 21 The New Heaven & New Earth revealed. God's Everlasting Covenant fully ratified as he tabernacles with his people for ever. The New Jerusalem revealed in glory. All unbelievers excluded.

Ch 22 A further vision of eternal glory, a warning for sinners & a welcome for all to come to Jesus for salvation.

Until Ch 21, the visions concern the present Gospel age, & relate to encouragements for believers to keep faithful, & warnings to ungodly sinners to repent.

The 7 seals, trumpets & plagues are a reiteration of judgement from different perspectives.

The seals show God's plan for the Gospel age, showing salvation & judgement.

The trumpets warn sinners of coming judgement with a view to their repentance.

The plagues are terminal for unrepentant sinners.

The beast, false prophet & Babylon can be seen in the present age. Any individuals or organisations who behave as prophesied can be identified appropriately.

We can expect a final rebellion at the end of the age, when evil & persecution intensify.