Earth's Final Chapter: The Book of Revelation

By John Hadden

Earth's Final Chapter is a chapter-by-chapter exposition of the Bible Book of Revelation. It details prophetic events

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kingdom Publishers
• Release date: Apr 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781913247973

Book preview

Foreword

As a teenager, I remember reading the book of Revelation, hoping that the Lord would somehow help me understand its mysteries. Sadly, in those distant days, I possessed no helpful commentaries even as the world trembled under the shadow of a nuclear meltdown. Now, with the world plagued with wars, earthquakes, and famines on a scale never before imagined, it is with great pleasure that I commend to you Earth’s Final Chapter written by John Hadden. He has been a dear friend for nearly forty years and who has, ever since I have known him, been digging deeply into God’s word.

John has written a timely book that is profoundly biblical yet eminently readable. It will enable believers of all ages to safely navigate their way through the many difficult passages of the Book of Revelation while helping them come to a clearer understanding of the fearful things about to rain upon the earth. This excellent book will help anchor the faith of many more firmly in God’s Word and Lord Jesus Christ, our only hope and Saviour. I pray that this book will help its readers appropriate the blessing promised in the Book of Revelation. 

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.

(Revelation. 1:3)

I warmly commend Earth’s Final Chapter to all who seek to know the truth that sets men free and leads them to the ever-abiding peace of God that passes all understanding. 

Look up, for your redemption is drawing near. Jesus is coming soon. 

Rev. Dr. Alex Gillies, 

Senior Pastor, Victory Christian Centre, 

Govan, Glasgow, UK. 

Introduction

Early Church tradition unanimously attributes the writing of the Book of Revelation to the apostle John. It was written between AD 70 and 95 when the Church was experiencing extreme persecution. John was on the island of Patmos, a small island just ten by six miles in the Aegean Sea, some sixty miles southwest of Ephesus. It was used by the Romans as a penal colony. John was there as a result of his Christian testimony. He was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). He heard a loud voice like a trumpet. This was the signal for John’s preparation to receive this momentous Revelation message.

The Book of Revelation is perhaps the least read and the most misunderstood book of the Bible. However, it is the most exciting and prophetic book in the scripture, giving great insight into what lies ahead of us as well as what has gone before. This book should not be neglected. In 2 Timothy 2:15, we read, Study to show thyself approved to God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Further, we are instructed to seek and you shall find and encouraged that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth.

Too much misinformation has been published over the years, leaving many people of God vulnerable to deception challenging their faith. Let us pray that we can dispel error in our understanding and discover God’s scriptural truth through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

This book is God’s revelation of spiritual truth to His people. The word Revelation is the English translation of the Greek word "apokalypsis". It simply means the unveiling or disclosing of a reality that has not been previously perceived. Too much dramatic licence in the Western world has resulted in more meaning being attributed to everything. The movie ‘Apocalypse Now’ and other works with their attendant horrors definitely help create the corruption of the word. Certainly, within the seven-year Tribulation timeframe of the book, we discover many cataclysmic events, so much so that it is perhaps understandable that the content becomes, in many minds, synonymous with the disastrous implications implied.

The book begins with the Revelation of God and its route to the Church, the description of the glorified Christ and a description of His coming on the clouds of heaven. From there, we go to the messages to the seven churches of the Roman province of Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. Then, we proceed to visions of heaven, and next, the worthiness of Christ to complete the salvation of God and to reclaim the kingdoms of the earth.

Following this, we witness the opening of the seven seals; the seven trumpets; the four horsemen; the First Fruits Rapture; the rise of Antichrist the man of sin; the false prophet; the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation’s troubles on earth; the Destruction of the False Church; the Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath; the First Resurrection; the Rapture of the Saints; judgment on God’s enemies at Armageddon; the Second Coming of Christ; the Millennial Rule of Christ; the Second Resurrection and God’s eternal judgments.

God’s Timing

It is possible that the beginning of these final prophetic events will be fulfilled during the time of the current generation. The indications are that we will soon move into the time span covered by the book of Revelation. There are too many signs around us in this respect to ignore them. Jesus said of the last time, You will hear of wars and rumours of wars...nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom...famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places (Matt. 24:6–7). Their precursors are all around us. Consider the present war-torn zones of the world. Look at the famines and the areas devastated by earthquakes. Persecution and increasing wickedness shall follow, which will cause the love of many to grow cold, and to turn away from the faith. It is vital that the child of God is aware of what is about to devastate the earth instead of being ignorant. If we know what is to happen, then we can warn others of the dangers to come, and we will not be taken by surprise.

Furthermore, it is exciting to think that we may soon see the events of the Book of Revelation portrayed before our very eyes. The signs of the times lead us to look for the coming events in our lifetime. The first unmistakable sign of the commencement of the seven-year Tribulation period, will be the formation of a coalition of nations, and a treaty drawn up between the Muslim nations and the Jews, organized by a world leader or a prominent figure. At this time, the Jewish temple will be rebuilt. Moreover, there will be a surge of false religions and an amalgamation of various religions. This will be under the leadership of this world leader, together with the Roman Catholic Church, which, because of its ubiquitous nature and trading prowess, will exert great political and religious pressure.

To add further to our understanding of God’s timing, let us consider the Creation. The Bible does not directly say that God created the earth and all that is in it in six days. We are told, In the beginning, God created the heaven(s) and the earth (Gen. 1:1).  Genesis 1:2 gives us the earth-development narrative: And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Textual semantics should be considered in this respect. In Hebrew, Genesis 1:2 can alternatively be rendered as, But the earth had become without form and void. The question is whether to translate the Hebrew conjunction "waw as and or but, and whether to translate the verb hayah simply as was or by the pluperfect had become. If the translations of and and was are correct, then verse 2 could be merely a continuation of verse 1, signifying that its formless condition adhered to God’s progressive plan from the initial stages of His creative activity. However, if the translation of but and had become" is correct, this supports the notion that verse 2 is a picture of the earth, not as it came from the hand of God in creation, but after some intervening event had reduced it to a state of ruin. This alternative translation allows a hiatus of unknown duration between verses 1 and 2, which can accommodate the theory of the geological ages. Therefore, we see that there exists the possibility of a vast period of time between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis chapter 1. This is not biblically objectionable, but neither is it verifiable. (See further discussion in chapter 5).

From Genesis 1:2, the Bible tells us that God then created the present form of the earth and everything in it in six days, and according to the Bible, this form has been in existence for six thousand years, give or take a few decades either way for miscalculations and disagreements between Bible chronologers. From these six days of creation until the present, six thousand years have elapsed. It is no coincidence that the period from the Creation to Abraham spanned about two thousand years, from Abraham to Christ another two thousand years, and from the birth of Jesus until the present, a further two thousand years. Consider the words of the Apostle Peter when he is referring in context to the second coming of Christ. He quotes the scoffers of the last days, who state, Where is the promise of His coming? (2 Pet. 3:4). Peter’s response is revealing: But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day (2 Pet. 3:8). To take this a step further, we could say that one day of creation represents one thousand years allotted to man, and these days are literally spent. If we stick to these calculations from the time of the Lord’s birth, allowing for a few decades latitude on calculations, then the time of the Lord’s return is due. It is also possible that the last two-thousand-year period should be calculated from the time of Jesus’s death, in which case we should look to a date after the year 2030 for His return.

It is impossible to be dogmatic on this subject, but it does appear that God’s seventh day is almost upon us, when Jesus shall reign on earth for a millennium.

Blessings for God’s Readers

God’s people mustn’t neglect the Book of Revelation because they think it is too difficult or symbolic for them, or that it is irrelevant to their experience or that it won’t affect them directly. Understanding this book is essential. God wants us to have the information. More importantly, the promise of God that stirs them to read the book is a blessing: Blessed is the one who reads (Rev. 1:3). The blessing is extended to those who take what they hear and respond to it in their heart, aware of what is to come and responding accordingly: Blessed are they who hear it and take to heart what is written in it. If we desire blessings from God, we will find it in the pages of the Book of Revelation.

In reality, Revelation is an open book in which God reveals His plans to the Church. When Daniel of the Old Testament was given a vision of the end of time and a prophecy, he was instructed to seal up the vision, for it refers to many days in the future (Dan. 8:26), because it was not for them at that time. Revelation is different. God has given it to show His servants what must soon take place (Rev. 1:1). At the end of this prophecy John is instructed: Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near (Rev. 22:10).

God Is in Control

One of the great themes in the Book of Revelation is that no matter what happens or what catastrophes befall, God is in control. The central message is that the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! (Rev. 19:6). It is not as if God is on the one side, Satan on the other, and we don`t know who will win. There is absolutely no contest. Satan is no challenge to God, the Creator of the universe. God’s purposes, revealed in Revelation, for the completion of man’s redemption, the reclamation of earth’s dominion lost by Adam and ultimate judgments and rewards, are in God’s hand alone. The outcome is assured. No matter how the enemy may rant and do his utmost to thwart God’s plans, he is powerless before our Lord.

We see in chapter 1 the amazing revelation of the glorified Jesus. No wonder John fell at His feet as if dead! Here, we see His power and authority. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5). He has established us as a kingdom and priests (Rev. 1:6). He is the first and the last (Rev. 1:17), showing His eternal nature. He has ruled for all eternity and shall rule forever. His divinity is declared. He is the living one. His life is declared as is His victory over death and hell. His glorified appearance is highly symbolic and awesome.

We need have no fear for nothing is ever beyond God’s control. A quick tour through the book of Revelation reveals this to us. There is more evidence in Revelation 3:8 where Jesus states to the church at Philadelphia, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. In chapter 4:1, John is told, I will show you what must take place after this. There is no doubt that God shows His omniscience as well as His omnipotence. Here, He is on the throne displaying His control. In chapter 5:5, we hear, The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed. In chapter 6, we see the four horses and horsemen under the command of God’s four living creatures. These same horses go out in Zechariah 6:5 after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth and at His command, showing that they can only do as God allows. A similar scenario is mentioned in Revelation 7:1, where we see four angels holding back the four winds of destruction until it is God permits their release. In chapter 8, we note the trumpet calls of God that must be sounded before evil is allowed to ravage the earth. Once again in chapter 9, we see clear evidence of God’s control in verse 4 where it states, they were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Additionally, in Revelation 9:14, a voice from the golden altar states, Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates, clearly indicating God’s restriction and control over these destructive forces. So, it goes on. Even Satan knows that God rules: he knows his time is short (Rev. 12:12).

The King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev.19:16) returns to deal with the beast, the false prophet, the kings of the earth and their armies. He rules for a thousand years and then deals ultimately with Satan, casting him into the lake of fire and brimstone. Let no person of God, be it man, woman or child, be afraid of what is to come. No matter how horrific things become, the word of God reveals that God alone rules and reigns. It shows us that He knows all things from their beginning to their end, and  nothing is ever beyond His control, even when evil is running rampant. God has allowed all things for His purposes and the good of His people.

Bible Chapter Composition and Division

From chapter 4, we encounter phrases said by the Apostle John such as after these things (Rev. 4:1; Rev. 7:1, 9), and I saw (Rev. 10:1), Then I was given (Rev. 11:1) and Now a great sign (Rev. 12:1). These phrases refer only to the sequence by which John receives different parts of the vision. This is identical to what is commonly found among all biblical prophets, whose report when they see a vision does not necessarily mean that the order of their fulfillment is sequential. For example, After these things in Revelation 7:1 does not refer to an event later than the opening of the six seals in the previous chapter. The six seals take us to Armageddon, toward the end of the Great Tribulation, whereas 7:1 is at the very beginning of the seven-year Tribulation.

The dividing of chapter segments by the Bible compositors has also separated the text from its context in the original Greek manuscripts, which, of course, did not contain chapter divisions. The best example of this error is found in chapter 8:1, when the opening of the seventh seal (at the end of the seven-year Tribulation) is placed in the same chapter as, and immediately before, the seven angels being given their trumpets warning of judgment (at the start of the seven-year Tribulation). Revelation 8:1 would have been better placed as the last verse of chapter 7, in its correct time frame just after the Great Rapture.

Earth’s Final Chapter

For ease of reference, this book is designed so that chapter numbers relate to the corresponding chapter numbers in Revelation. Chapter 1 of this book relates to Revelation chapter 1, chapter 2 to Revelation chapter 2 and so on.

Repetition and development of various themes is found throughout the Book of Revelation. For example, we find reference in scripture to the battle of Armageddon in chapters 6, 8, 14, 16, and 19 and reference to the Rapture in chapters 7, 14, 16, and 19. The events surrounding the sounding of the seventh trumpet are seen in chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15, scripture around Antichrist is found in chapters 6, 13, 14, 16, 17, and 19, Babylon the Great is seen in chapters 17, 18, and 19 and so on. In accord with scriptural emphases on revealed truth as displayed in God’s holy word, the chapter-by-chapter exposition attempts to follow and repeat the patterns laid out in the Bible.

Subsections

In the hopes of providing clarification, several subtitles and subsections supplement the ongoing theme of the chapters throughout the book. This is designed to bring immediate edification to associated subjects covered in the text.

Revelation Terminology

For the purposes of this book, it will be better if the terminology in use is understood. The following terms are frequented throughout the book.

The Full Tribulation/seven-year Tribulation: This is the seven-year period immediately preceding the return of the Lord Jesus to earth.

The Tribulation: The first three-and-a-half years of the Full Tribulation.

The Great Tribulation: The latter three-and-a-half years of the Full Tribulation.

The Firstfruits Resurrection: Jesus rises from the dead. He is the First Fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

The Firstfruits Rapture: The very finest of the saints alive are caught up from earth to God, mid-way of the Full Tribulation. This includes both Israelites and Gentiles.

The First Resurrection: The saints from all ages are raised from the dead, toward the end of the Great Tribulation, who will reign with Christ in His Millennium.

The Rapture: The catching up of those saints who have just been resurrected at that time, toward the end of the Great Tribulation, together with those who are alive and remain on earth until the Lord’s return.

The Resurrection/Rapture: The combination of the First Resurrection and the Rapture, which occur almost simultaneously.

Christ’s/His Millennium: The thousand-year period after the return of the Lord, when He with His saints shall reign on earth.

The Second Resurrection: The raising from the dead at the end of Christ`s Millennium, where the unsaved will face their ultimate eternal judgment at the Great White Throne.

Babylon the Great/the False Church/the Great Prostitute/the Mother of Harlots: (interchangeable and representing) All false religions.

Great Babylon: The final global Gentile Empire or the beast from the sea.

Chapter 1

The Meaning of Revelation and Its Route to the Church

The word Revelation derived from Greek literally means unveiling. The veil is removed to enable us to see. In this context, the veil is ignorance that causes spiritual blindness. God removes this blindness by showing His servants the truth. In other words, God removes ignorance by revealing previously undisclosed spiritual knowledge to His servants.

The main routes God uses to convey His message are as follows.

These truths are not for everyone and are not spiritual milk. They are strong meat for those whose hearts are in tune with the Lord. In Isaiah’s day, they could not see or understand because of the state of their hearts: Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive (Isa. 6:9). Jesus spoke in parables and confirmed those words so that only those whose hearts were right would respond:

"Therefore I spoke to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand, And in them, the prophecy