NOTE: This Bible study on the end times comes from the perspective of a pre-tribulation Rapture.
Introduction
Throughout history people have found Revelation to be a confusing book, and some have even said that it is completely useless. So, why in the world should we study Revelation?
Turn with me in your Bibles, and let’s read Revelation 1:3:
3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
• Why should we study Revelation?
We will be blessed if we read and hear the words in the book of Revelation, and keep what we have learned. Also, the time is near for Christ’s return and we need to be alert and watching.
Martin Luther, the founder of the Protestant Reformation, would have disallowed Revelation a place in the New Testament canon. He said, “Whoever wrote Revelation had a great deal of audacity that he would first of all promise us a blessing if we read it, and threaten us with a curse if we take away from it.” John Calvin wrote commentaries on every book of the Bible except Revelation, and throughout the Church Age religious leaders have urged people to stay away from the book.
I believe that many people fear Revelation so much, and urge us to stay away from it, because Satan doesn’t want us to know the contents of the book. He doesn’t want us to be blessed, and he especially doesn’t want us to be on guard for the day of Christ’s return. We read at the end of verse 3, “for the time is near.” The word “near” in the Greek means, “imminent times” and “will soon come to pass.” The time of our Lord’s return is near, and Satan would love nothing better than for Christians to be caught off guard when the Lord Jesus Christ comes in all His glory.
We will undergo this study of Revelation and the Endtimes in anticipation of a spiritual blessing, and in order to recognize and understand the nearing of Christ’s return and the sign of the times (Matthew 24:3). In Matthew 24:36, Jesus said of His Second Coming, “Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” However, in Matthew 24:32-33, in the “Parable of the Fig Tree,” Jesus told us that we can at least know when we are in the season of His return. Jesus urged us in Matthew 24:44, “Therefore . . . be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” It is my hope that this study will enable us to be prepared for that day.
So, I want to briefly tell you how we are going to accomplish this study. This will not be a verse-by-verse exposition. It will instead be an “overview” of the Endtime prophecies of Revelation. We will also look at a few prophecies found in the Old Testament. What we will do is examine the major themes and symbols found in Revelation, discuss them in some detail, and then try to put together a picture or timeline of what the Endtimes time will look like. So, with this in mind let us get started!
The Seven Churches of Asia
In chapters 2 and 3, Revelation starts off rolling with the Seven Churches of Asia. I do not want to burst your bubble, but we are not going to spend a whole lot of time here, as I want to get into the action that happens with the Rapture!
I think it is important to point out a major theory with the Seven Churches. I should first note that the Seven Churches were actual churches that existed during the time of the apostles, and we can look at their behavior and find some application for churches today, which makes for an interesting sermon series. But the theory is that each church represents a time period in church history; and so, I am going to give you the dates that each church supposedly represents, and then share a brief explanation.
In Revelation 2:1-7, we find the church of Ephesus. The time period is from “Pentecost to approximately 100 A.D.” Ephesus means “Desirable One” or “Beloved, and this Church represents the period of the Apostolic Church, the time of the death of the last apostle and the author of the Book of Revelation – John.
In Revelation 2:8-11, we find the church of Smyrna. The time period is from “100 A.D. to about 313 A.D.” Smyrna means “myrrh” or “bitterness.” Myrrh is a bitter herb which, when crushed, yields a sweet aroma or pleasant-smelling perfume. This Church becomes the fitting symbol to represent the second period of Church history, that of the Roman persecution of Christians.
In Revelation 2:12-17, we find the church of Pergamos. The time period is from “313 A.D. to about 460 A.D.” Pergamos means “thoroughly married.” The Church had compromised with the world. This is the Church of the age of Constantine, the Emperor who, in 312 A.D., made Christianity the official state religion of the Roman Empire, thereby marrying the church and the state.
In Revelation 2:18-29, we find the church of Thyatira. The time period is from “460 A.D. to about 1517 A.D.” Thyatira means “perpetual sacrifice” or “continual offering,” and this Church represents Roman Catholicism in power. The perpetual sacrifice refers to the Catholic Mass where they believe that the wafer and the wine turn into the actual body and blood of Christ and they “sacrifice” Him at every Mass.
In Revelation 3:1-6, we find the church of Sardis. The time period is from “1517 A.D. to about 1750 A.D.” Sardis means “those escaping,” “remnant” or “renovation,” and this Church represents the Protestant Reformation. We read in Revelation 3:1, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” The Protestant Reformation did not succeed in reforming Roman Catholicism.
In Revelation 3:7-13, we find the church of Philadelphia. The time period is from “1750 A.D. to about 1920 A.D.” Philadelphia means “brotherly love,” and this Church represents the missionary and evangelistic movement. It is a fitting symbol of the Church during the great missionary efforts made by leaders such as Hudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson, and others. In the commendation, the people of Philadelphia were commended for making use of the open door. From 1750-1900, there was hardly any place that was “off limits” to missionaries.
In Revelation 3:14-22, we find the church of Laodicea. The time period is from “1920 A.D. to Present.” Laodicea means “judgment of the people” or “rule of the people,” and this Church represents modern lukewarm Christianity. This is the period of church history we are currently in. Many churches today operate on the principle of “give the people what they want.” People want to be entertained, they want short sermons, they want less emphasis on Bible study. The “ecumenical movement” is gaining momentum; which is a movement seeking to unite all denominations without regard to doctrinal truth. God hates lukewarm religiosity, and His judgment will fall on any church that compromises with evil.
What we can begin to see from the seven churches is that we are nearing the time or season of Christ’s return, for we are now in the period of the last church. Take a look at the handout on the timeline of the seven churches and you will get an idea of where we are in history.
(Refer to handout: “Timeline of the Seven Churches of Asia”)
