Revelation: A Guide of Understanding

By J. Paul McCracken

Unfortunately, the book of Revelation has taken a bad rap among many biblical readers as being unintelligible or too difficult to comprehend because of its language, signs, and symbols used. We must understand that this book was not written for the scholar, but for the layperson. It was not written to hide the details of coming future events, but to reveal them, displaying in the process the grace and mercy of God to call all people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

My desire in writing this book is to make it easy and readable to understand, because if you don’t know the Jesus of the book of Revelation, your knowledge of him is incomplete.

It is also the only book of the Bible that promises a blessing to those who read or hear its words. May you be blessed, and may your understanding be complete.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888324448

Book preview

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Revelation

A Guide of Understanding

J. Paul McCracken

ISBN 979-8-88832-443-1 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88832-444-8 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by J. Paul McCracken

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Today's Voices of Biblical Prophecy

Prologue

Introduction

Chapter 1

The Prologue and Letters to the Seven Churches

Chapter 2

Messages to the Seven Churches

Chapter 3

Message to the Seven Churches (Continued)

Chapter 4

Worship in Heaven

Chapter 5

Jesus Is Found Worthy to Take and Open the Scroll

Chapter 6

The Opening of the Seven Scrolls

Chapter 7

God's People Will Be Preserved

Chapter 8

The Lamb Breaks the Seventh Seal

Chapter 9

The Last Three Trumpets Bring Terror

Chapter 10

The Angel and the Small Scroll

Chapter 11

The Two Witnesses

Chapter 12

The Woman and the Dragon

Chapter 13

The Beast out of the Sea

Chapter 14

The Lamb and the 144,000

Chapter 15

Pouring Out the Seven Plagues

Chapter 16

The Bowl Judgments

Chapter 17

The Great Prostitute

Chapter 18

The Fall of Babylon

Chapter 19

Songs of Heaven's Victory

Chapter 20

The Millenium Reign

Chapter 21

The New Jerusalem

Chapter 22

The Final Chapter

Today's Voices of Biblical Prophecy

Below are those scholars and theologians who inspired me with their gifts of prophetic insight for our world today. To each of them, I will be forever grateful for their wisdom, discernment, devotion to the study of God's Word, and the God-given desire to share these prophecies with God's people:

Church, J. R. Host of Prophecy in the News. Prophecy Publications, PO Box 7000, Oklahoma City, OK 73153.

Duck, Daymond R. A noted speaker at prophecy conferences, an author, and a coauthor of many books on prophecy and studying the Word of God, including Book of Revelation: A Smart Guide to the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2004.

Graham, Billy. The world's best-known evangelist, preacher, and author. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1300 Harmon Place, PO Box 779. Minneapolis, MN 55440.

Hagee, John. Founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. He is the author of more than forty books, including several New York Times bestsellers. He is also the founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel.

Hinson, Ed. Pastor at Rehoboth Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia; an adjunct professor at Liberty University; and an executive board member of the Pre-Trib Research Center in Washington, DC.

Hocking, David. Pastor, radio host, director of Hope for Today Ministries. Author of many books, including Panoramic Look at Revelation.

Hunt, Dave. A world-renowned apologist, speaker, radio commentator, and author of several works on prophecy.

Jeffrey, Grant. Canadian Bible teacher and one of the world's most renowned biblical speakers, with emphasis on prophecy and eschatology. Author of many books, including Prince of Darkness: Antichrist and the New World Order.

Jeremiah, David. Serves as senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California. The founder of Turning Point Ministries and best-selling author of over forty books, many on last-day prophecy. (Website: DavidJeremiah.org.)

Keener, Craig. An academic, theologian, biblical scholar, and professor of the New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Kopp, David. Coauthor of the book A Life God Rewards.

LaHaye, Tim. Best-selling author, president, and founder of Family Life Seminars. Was coauthor of the world-famous Left Behind book series and noted as a prophetical expert around the world.

Lindsey, Hal. President of Hal Lindsey Ministries (PO Box 4000, Palos Verdes, CA 90274) and world-renowned author of several books dealing with end-time prophecy.

McGee, J. Vernon. Famous theologian, radio commentator, and biblical scholar known for his Bible series in book form and on air, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee (True the Bible Radio, Box 100, Pasadena, CA 91109).

Melton, J. H. Accomplished author of several biblical commentaries.

Morgan, Robert. A writer and speaker who serves as the teaching pastor at the Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee. He has over 4.5 million copies of his books on circulation. (RobertMorgan.com).

Morris, Henry. A Christian apologist and engineer. He was one of the founders of the Creation Research Society and the Institute for Creation Research. Many consider him the father of modern creation science.

Parker, Timothy. The founder of Bible Brilliant. He coauthored The Book of Revelation Made Clear with Tim LaHaye (Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2014).

Reagan, David. Founder and senior evangelist for Lamb and Lion Ministries in Dallas, Texas. Author of many books, including his most recent, Living for Christ in the End Times.

Walvoord, John. A Christian theologian, pastor, and former president of the Dallas Theological Seminary. He has authored over thirty books, focusing primarily on eschatology and theology, including The Rapture Question, and coauthored The Bible Knowledge Commentary.

Wiersbe, Warren. Internationally known Bible teacher, pastor, author, and conference speaker. Served as the pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, Illinois. He has authored over 170 books. He was awarded the Gold Medallion Lifetime Achievement by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Also authored The Bible Exposition Commentary (Victor Books, 2001).

Wilkerson, Bruce. Founder and chairman of Teach Every Nation Ministries and cofounder of the program Walk Thru the Bible. Well-known author of the best-selling book Prayer of Jabez.

Woods, Andy. President of Chafer Theological Seminary and pastor of Sugar Land Bible Church. He has authored many theological journals and Christian books dealing with end-time theology.

Prologue

Don't ever prophesy, said American humorist Josh Billings, for if you prophesy wrong, nobody will forget it; and if you prophesy correctly, nobody will remember it.

Does the world really need another study guide on the book of Revelation? I believe the answer is yes for several reasons. First, it is the next scheduled event on the Christian calendar, so should we not be fully prepared for this great and final act? Secondly, if the Bible student doesn't know the Jesus found in the book of Revelation, then they don't know him completely as they should. They may know bits and pieces, but they don't know him as a whole. Lastly, scripture tells us that as we draw closer to the end of times, there will be a great apostasy, or falling away from the church. We, therefore, must educate and enlighten as many of God's people as possible while there is still the light of day to do the work.

In the book of Revelation, the Holy Spirit pulls back the curtain and gives us the privilege of seeing the glorified Christ in heaven and the fulfillment of his sovereign purposes in the world.

When Daniel finished writing his prophecy, he was instructed to keep his prophecy a secret; to seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase (Daniel 12:4), but John was given opposite instructions: Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near (Revelation 22:10).

The book of Revelation is a book of hope. John, beloved apostle and eyewitness to the life of Jesus Christ, proclaimed that the victorious Lord would surely return to vindicate the righteous and judge the wicked.

But Revelation is also a book of warning. Things were not as they should be in the first-century churches, so through John, Jesus called the members to commit themselves to righteous living.

No matter how difficult it is for you to comprehend the judgments found in the book of Revelation, you need to know what's coming, as horrific as it will be. You will be tempted to skip this book, but without Revelation, you do not get a full picture of who Christ truly is. You need to know for yourself and for those you love about what is coming. May you be blessed to see that our loving and gracious God never brings judgment upon us without giving us a warning first.

Over two thousand years later, Revelation still stands as a comfort and challenge to God's people.

Introduction

Why write a study guide on the book of Revelation? I chose to write this study guide on the book of Revelation for several reasons: (1) it is the Word of God; (2) Jesus told us to watch for signs of things to come; (3) it is the revealing of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords; (4) it is God's means of revealing his plans for the future; (5) it contains a special blessing to those who read it and those who hear it; (6) by looking at earth from a heavenly perspective, it should change our lives; (7) it should give us a deep and compassionate concern for those who reject God and his son, Jesus; and (8) if prophecy is being fulfilled in our lives today, people should be aware of those details.

More so, I chose to write this study guide because I have studied prophecy most of my life and have read much about the subject from many different authors. You learn a little from this author and a little more from another, but I wanted a comprehensive and congealed book that contained the best of the best, if that is even humanly possible. We must realize that even with the books and study guides (about this remarkable book) on the market, there are some things we truly will not understand as John did on this side of heaven.

The word revelation comes from the Greek word apokalupsis. It means the uncovering, the unveiling, or the disclosing.

Revelation is the disclosing or the revealing of Jesus Christ. God wants us to know, and he uses John to share it with us so man will be fully prepared and without excuse.

How to study Revelation. As you study Revelation, keep in mind that the book is broken down into three main divisions:

Part 1. The Church Age (chapters 1–3). We are now living in the Church Age, and it is almost over. The Church Age is that period while the church is still on the earth.

The Church Age started fifty days after Jesus was raised from the dead on the Jewish holy day called Pentecost, and it will end when the Church is raptured.

Just as one week is divided into seven days, the Church Age is divided into seven periods (more on this later in chapter 1).

Part 2. From the Rapture to the Second Coming (chapters 4–19). It will be the most horrifying time to be alive on planet earth. Many of the prophetic signs in Revelation indicate that this period is drawing closer by the day, so we need to be watchful and alert.

Part 3. The millennium and beyond (chapters 20–22). Some of the most precious verses in the Bible are found in these chapters. They are filled with inspiration, encouragement, and hope for the future.

Who wrote Revelation? John, one of the twelve original disciples of Jesus, wrote Revelation under the guidance of its true author—the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.

The word Trinity is not used in scripture, but it is used to explain the three different ways God reveals himself, as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Since John knew Jesus personally, he is called an apostle. He never boasted of that, but simply called himself a servant of Jesus Christ. John was a member of Jesus's inner circle and has been referred to in scripture as the one Jesus loved.

Roman emperor Titus Flavius Domitian demanded that he himself be worshipped as Lord and God, and the refusal of the Christians to obey his edict led to severe persecution.

When John received this vision and command to write, he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos. After failing to murder John by boiling him alive, Domitian banished him to the desolate, rocky tiny island of Patmos.

Domitian's reign came to an end the very next year when he was assassinated by his own court officials.

John was the last surviving member of the original twelve disciples, and his presence in Ephesus was problematic for the Roman officials, who banished him to this penal island in the northern end of the Aegean Sea.

Revelation was originally written in Greek around AD 96 and later translated to Latin, first appearing in the Vulgate in AD 382.

The first officially recognized English translation (the King James Bible) was circulated in AD 1611.

Revelation is how God chose to end the holy scriptures. It contains 404 verses with at least 265 containing quotes from the Old Testament.

The Bible contains over 31,000 verses with over 8,000 containing prophetic literature, meaning that 27 percent of the Bible contains God's prophecy.

Symbols, symbols, and more symbols. Revelation is complete with symbols, signs, and wonders. It can be problematic for the average Bible reader to read too much into a verse. I believe the best approach is to take the book of Revelation literally. The Bible means what it says, and it says what it means.

Revelation is apocalyptic type of Jewish literature that uses symbolic imagery to communicate hope in the ultimate triumph of God to those suffering persecution.

Events are ordered according to a literary order rather than a chronological order.

These symbols are bound to invite many different interpretations, and several of these are still debated by biblical students today. Some we just cannot decipher until it is revealed to us by God at the appropriate time.

John used these symbols as a spiritual code that would be understood by Christians but not by the Romans, who would try to use Revelation as evidence against Christians; the book would've been a puzzle and an enigma to them.

But an even-greater reason is that symbolism is not weakened by time.

John did not send this book of prophecy to the churches to satisfy their curiosity about the future. God's people were going through intense persecution, and they needed encouragement and hope.

What's more, the promise of Jesus Christ's coming should be a motivation for obedience and consecration.

When Daniel and John received God's revelation of the future, they both fell as though dead! They were overwhelmed.

We need to approach this book as wonderers and worshippers, not only as biblical students.

Chapters. There are twenty-two chapters in the book of Revelation, and I like this outline suggested by Robert J. Morgan.¹

Chapters 1 and 2: the prologue and messages to the seven churches

Chapters 3 and 4: worship in heaven

Chapters 5–10: first half of the tribulation

Chapters 11 and 12: middle of the tribulation

Chapters 13–17: last half of the tribulation

Chapters 18 and 19: return of Christ and thousand-year reign

Chapters 20 and 22: our eternal home

Another method of dividing the chapters according to Robert Morgan² is to notice that the events in Revelation alternate systematically from heaven