The Revelation: A Summary

By R. J. Plugge

This book gives a summary of the revelation given to us through John and found at the end of the Bible. It is different than any youve read before. Its divided into four sections with questions and answers at the end. Theres an introduction with an overview; a section with summaries of each chapter; a section with a more detailed discussion of the bowls within chapter 16; and lastly, a collection of useful data in tabulation form.

Included in the introduction is a brief survey going through the book to show the probable break points within Johns visions and the messages in each part to introduce the books subjects. Reading just the chapter summaries section will provide a quick way to learn what the the revelation includes and provides, as well as an understanding of the message.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512782707

R. J. Plugge

Mr. Plugge was an Aerospace Engineer for 40 years primarily designing microwave systems and their unique components. He’s now writing Bible studies from the perspective of an engineer, not a theologian or story teller. His other books include: Daniel’s Five Visions and On Zechariah. He has degrees in Engineering and Divinity.

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Copyright © 2017 R. J. Plugge.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture quotes marked (AKJV) are taken from the American King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-8269-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-8271-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-8270-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017905822

WestBow Press rev. date: 04/21/2017

Dedicated to the memory of

R. G. Le Tourneau (d.1969)

His name meant nothing when he sat across a long crowded table. We never really talked, though I remembered his name. But while another man was speaking, we glanced at one another. His nod and slight smile made my Spirit rejoice. Surprisingly, it gave me a confirmation I’d been seeking. Unfortunately, as I recall, I then had to leave early due to a tight schedule. It was few years before I learned of Le Tourneau’s dedicated witnessing activities and faithfulness.

Lesson: you’re never alone.

Cover reference:

Luke 18:25: "For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

Note: the needle’s eye is considered to have been what is today called the top half of a Dutch door.

Luke 18:27: "And he (Jesus) said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

The book of The Revelation is not an ancient partially open door, it is a door opened to reveal The Christ as the King of Kings willing to enter and feast with those who overcome and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 Many Descriptions:

1.2 Categorized Interpretations:

1.3 Setting:

1.4 The Organization:

1.5 Break Points within The Revelation:

2 A Reminder

3 Summaries of Chapters 1 through 11

3.1 Summary of Chapter 1: God Reveals Jesus, Now Glorified

3.2 Summary of Chapters 2&3: Letters to the Church

3.3 Summary of Chapter 4: Into Heaven

3.4 Summary of Chapter 5: Jesus Reigns

3.5 Summary of Chapter 6: The Scroll

3.6 Summary of Chapter 7: Saints Sealed

3.7 Summary of Chapter 8: The Kingdom Will Grow; the Wrath Begun

3.8 Summary of Chapter 9: Satan Falls

3.9 Summary of Chapter 10: No More Delays

3.10 Summary of Chapter 11: The Two Witnesses

4 Some More Related Verses

4.1 The numeric 666

5 The Opening of Part 4

5.1 Summary of Chapter 12: The Woman and Child

6 Chapter Summaries for Part 5: Chapters 13 through 20

6.1 Summary of Chapter 13: The Two Beasts

6.2 Summary of Chapter 14: Harvesting of the Earth

6.3 Summary of Chapter 15: Saints in Heaven

6.4 Summary of Chapter 16: The Plagues of Wrath

6.5 Summary of Chapter 17: The Harlot and Beast

6.6 Summary of Chapter 18: Babylon is Fallen

6.7 Summary of Chapter 19: The White Horse and Closing of the Age

6.8 Summary of Chapter 20: A Millennium?

7 Related Verses for Consideration:

8 Summary of Part 6 of The Revelation

8.1 Summary of Chapter 21.1-22.6: The New Jerusalem

8.2 Summary of Rev. 22:7 – 22:21: Jesus Will Come

9 Further Discussion of Chapters 15 and 16

9.1 Bowl Number One —

9.2 The Second Bowl —

9.3 The Third Bowl —

9.4 The Fourth Bowl of Wrath —

9.5 The Fifth Bowl of Wrath –

9.6 The Sixth Bowl of Wrath –

9.7 The Seventh Bowl of Wrath —

9.8 Those Bowls (Vials) Emptied God’s Wrath

10 Future

11 Useful Data

12 Millennial Concepts: (Rev.20)

13 Questions and Answers on The Revelation

Preface

The Revelation: A Summary

This summary of the last book within the Bible, i.e. of The Revelation, is humbly submitted to aid in your own study. Hopefully, Christ’s Light of Glory will shine through and increase your praise of God’s Son and our Savior (Rev.1:16; 22:16). This summary will probably not read like any you’ve seen before. That’s good.

I’ve italicized the book’s title throughout this text to distinguish it as the title. The Revelation is, and has been, amazingly inspirational for the best in music, praise, deeds and acclamations of God’s presence, goodness, justice, and power. The Apostle John fell in awe before of the Lord Jesus and the wonders, works, and the wrath-of-God which was being displayed for him (Rev.1:17; 19:10; 22:8). Hopefully, The Revelation is, and will be, a great blessing to you too (Rev.1:3; 14:13; 19:9; 20:6; 22.7, 14).

Unfortunately, this marvelous revelation of our Lord in Glory, still completing those tasks yet set before Him, has become a plaything even within those organizations and communities that claim they are His disciples on earth. And this book has often been used by many for economic gain, and as a script for encouraging separations and dissensions rather then praise.

This summary of the book is given out of what limited insight has been granted for its preparation. No doubt it will be criticized for being Gnostic, allegorical, or from a mystic because it insists that both God and the Apostle John consistently used numerology and symbolism as a means of communication. If an expected explanation, identification, or characterization seems to have been missed or deleted in this summary, it’s probably not been out of ignorance.

I’m grateful C. Scott took time from her extremely busy schedule at Coastal Alabama Community College to provide many beneficial comments and corrections while tolerating my many intentional violations of the style manuals. Much of this text draws on numeric symbolism as well as on the symbolic pre-types, prophetic texts, and the allegorical examples displayed within the Old Testament. To emphasize the significance of the numbers, many have been included in numeric form rather than being spelled out, i.e. 4 instead of four; and 7 instead of seven. And the symbolism given for any particular numeric has also been italicized to indicate it’s an opinion.

Literal interpretations from English translations are often used; but hopefully only after carefully accommodating subtleties which were so often woven within them. Unfortunately, many Bible translations contain bits from the translator’s own theology and history, potentially detracting from the message. I pray my own biases won’t interfere with your prayerfully-gained understanding of the text.

The American King James Version of the Bible prepared by M. P. Engelbrite has primarily been used. It’s an English translation of the Bible placed within the public domain. It’s been liberally quoted. Portions of those verses inserted have been freely underlined or emboldened for emphases as appropriate for the associated discussions. Parenthetic identities for the pronouns within the texts and for other (hopefully accurate) clarifications have also been inserted within the verses as illustrated below:

Ps.27:1 "The LORD (YHWH, Jesus) is my light and my (David’s) salvation; whom shall I (David) fear? The LORD (YHWH) is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (emphasis added)

This summary is divided into four sections with Questions and Answers provided at the end. The first section is an introduction including an overview of The Revelation; the second has summaries of each chapter; the third provides a more detailed discussion of the bowls presented within Rev.16; and lastly there’s a collection of useful data in tabulation form. It also recognizes that most of the text of The Revelation, as recorded by the Apostle John, consists of historic descriptions given to him for the Church’s understanding and not mysterious prophetic forecasts for mankind’s future as so many writers speculate.

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Introduction

The book of The Revelation placed at the end of the New Testament, has been given several titles. For example, it has been entitled: Revelation; The Apocalypse (or the unveiling); The Apocalypse of St. John The Divine; The Apocalypse of John; The Revelation Given St. John; The Revelation of St. John The Divine; The Revelation of Jesus Christ; The Revelation to John; and all too often it’s mistakenly called Revelations (plural). However, it’s best called The Revelation (singular). It is a revelation of Jesus the Christ in glory providing instructions, explanations, and foresight for the Church Universal (Rev.1:1).

The Revelation is a book of immense joy! It raises one’s spirit and thrills the soul. Reading and re-reading it, especially Chapters 4, 5 and 21, make one’s spirit sing along with all those saints and angels in Heaven.

But it’s a book of sadness too, because it illustrates that no matter what God did under the conditions set within this creation of the world, whatever disasters He sent or allowed, and no matter what blessings He bestowed, many people would not repent or acknowledge His sovereignty. But, those who have the ears to hear and the eyes to see, will taste of the pure crystal waters from His Throne, claim the healing leaves from the Trees-of-Life, worship the Lamb and look forward to a Wedding Feast with Him, where they will see His radiant face and rest in the brilliance of His glory (Rev.1:14, 16; 3:5; 22:4, 6).

It can also be a frightening book. Though the visions given John it pictorially presents why one must acknowledge, respect, hold in awe, and literally fear the Lord God Almighty. While reading it, people can no longer treat their position before God lightly. He is! And He has set His Son in Zion to reign, rule, lead events on earth, condemn, judge, and restore (Ps.2). He also rewards those who love Him.

Over and over, God has demonstrated His wrath upon the proud, the greedy, the arrogant, the nonproductive, and those not following His directions and laws. He has also brought wrath upon those harming the earth or any of His elect. But, in the book, one can almost visualize the hands of providence spiritually cupped around the Apostle John, lifting him up to peek into God’s domains where he could witness the Word of The Lord reign over all creation.

The book of The Revelation is relatively small. It’s been divided into only 22 short chapters, though 21 might have been more appropriate. But, the book creates so much consternation that it can not be ignored.

It’s quite possible there have been more books and articles written about this last book in the Bible than about any other existing text or subject. It’s exciting. It’s comforting. It’s marvelously and beautifully constructed. But, it has also become a playground for speculation, sensationalism, and ridicule by unscrupulous writers and preachers. It’s a project for religious students, a subject of critical reviews, a puzzle for detailed study and analysis, and a source of awe as well as an aid in Christian worship. But hopefully it’s a source of comfort, assurance, and inspiration for you, as it eventually becomes for all those who love the Lord and express their testimony of Jesus.

This book is just what it claims to be: a revelation. It is a revelation of Jesus Christ as the Lord, as God, as the Son and Word of God, and as the King and Judge in Heaven over the nations of the earth. It was a revelation given by God, through Jesus and His angels, to Christ’s beloved disciple John who wrote it (Rev.1:1, 17). It was written so it could be given to seven (7) churches located in what is now western Turkey (Rev.1:20; 2:1-3:14). It was given to show that the Ascended Christ lives and reigns over the events on earth, now and in the future, just as He had done in the past. It was also recorded to encourage the readers to believe that He would soon return to provide rewards to His faithful saints, and to affect judgments out of God’s wrath and vengeance on those who rejected Him and harmed the earth (Rev.7:2, 3; 11:18; 19:2).

This summary of The Revelation gives a Christian view of history. John was writing The Revelation while experiencing the transition from the Judaism of ancient Israel into Christianity, and also being given visions leading toward the finality of mankind’s history. The Revelation is a Jewish book written to Jewish-Christians who had a good familiarity with the Old Testament. It can even be spoken of as the final book of the Old Testament, or a continuation of the Gospel of John, as well as the final book of the Bible.

The book’s message is primarily given through visions described with the symbolisms, prophesies, and examples developed within the Old Testament. Various symbols have been extensively used to better convey the critical features, the prophetic fulfillments, and the destiny for God’s redeemed people. The symbolisms and numeric implications are always consistent with those used throughout the Bible, especially those