REVELATION 4 & BEYOND

Revelation brief:•1st, 2nd, and 3rd chapters are introductory•4th and 5th chapters are the proposition•6th – 9th describe prophecies already fulfilled•10th – 14th chapters are presently being fulfilled•15th – 19 are in line to be fulfilled soon•20th to end of book are the end of things as we understand them to be today.

Both John and Paul saw things in heaven about the future that were

“sealed” up until the seals are broken.

Revelation brief:

•Is Revelation 4:1 in John’s experience a parallel to the Church rapture?

•If YES, then the Rapture occurs at or shortly after 4:1

Revelation brief:

•Revelation 4:1

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” (NIV)

Revelation brief:

•…a door standing open in heaven

• This statement is not far-fetched for there is and will be a door standing open in heaven for us to enter

Revelation brief:

•…come up here…

• This statement is also true of the rapture. We will be not only told but drafted into heaven with Jesus after meeting Him in the clouds.

Revelation brief:

•…I will show you what must take place after this.

• This statement is also a possibility yet it isn’t as absolute as the previous two statements. We can discuss “might we see the Tribulation from the safe-haven of heaven?”

Revelation brief:

“He will wipe the tears from our eyes…” Revelation 21:4

If we see the Tribulation from heaven, might we have tears? When in the sequence of things does this happen? The rest of Revelation 21:4 answers this important question…

Revelation brief:

“There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has

passed away."

Revelation 21:4b

Go back to verse 4:3 for the events at this time.

Sequence of events

The Rapture Tribulation

2nd Advent of ChristThe tabernacle of God among menWiping away of tears

Millennial Reign

With this scripture as evidence, is it possible that we will see the events of the Tribulation???

Revelation 4:5

And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Judgment

Bema Seat Judgment: Bema seat is a Greek term that means “judgment seat.” (see next slide)

Great White Throne Judgment: Revelation 20: 11-15

Bema Seat Judgment

Bema is a Greek term meaning "judgment seat." In the city of Corinth, a stone platform was constructed to support the Bema seat (judgment seat) of the local officials. The seat was used to give out awards to athletes for their competitive performances. It was not used for punishment. (A B C’s of Prophecy website)

Bema vs. G.W.T. Judgment

Bema seat is for rewards.

GWTJ seat is for delving out punishment.

Revelation Study

Discuss my reasoning for the possible rapture picture being hidden within the text of Revelation 4:1-4.

Revelation Study

Slide #10 showed the sequence of End Time Events beginning with the rapture of the church. It is a pre-tribulation view reflected in John’s vision.

We will all know (YADDA) the timing when it happens. Fact: It will happen. Are you ready?

Revelation Study

Chapter 1 is the pastChapter 2 and *3 are the present dayChapter 4 is yet to come. This includes the rapture but also includes a picture of heaven; a place we will see at the rapture of the church.Revelation 3:10 (read and discuss)

Revelation Study

There are 16 references to the church in chapters 1-3.

The Tribulation period discussed in Revelation 6-18 NEVER mentions the church.

Revelation Study

Great use of Old Testament terminology and symbolism after chapter 3:

The church did not exist in the O.T. but Israel did!!!!!!! i.e. the first shall be last…..?

Revelation Study

There is an eerie absents of any additional mention of the CHURCH after chapter 3.

Might this be due to the possibility that the church is

no longer on earth?

Revelation Study

Recall in our Daniel study that we discussed: (see Jeremiah 30:7)

•“Time of Jacob’s Trouble”

•“70 weeks” of Daniel’s vision with the 70th week unaccounted for even at this present time .

Revelation Study

Old Testament things found in Revelation AFTER chapter 5:Ark of the covenantThe alter

TabernaclePlagues

…just to mention a few. There are others but this is ALL ISRAEL.

Revelation Study

JIV NOTE: Just as it was in Egypt prior to the “exodus” of the Israelites before going toward their Promised Land, so it will for the Church just before it is taken to the Promised Heaven.

News today makes Christianity the enemy of the land.

Revelation Study

Mike Huckabee (April - 2015):

The United States is moving toward (the) “criminalization of

Christianity”

Revelation Study

Strong similarity between Revelation 4:1-2 and I Thessalonians 4:13-18

Revelation Study

•John is called a son of Thunder. At the Tribulation the world will experience God’s thunder

•John is the beloved of Christ as is the church

•John is part of Christ’s inner circle as are we as Christian believers

•John’s name means (Greek): Jehovah is gracious, just as He will be to the church.

Revelation Study

JIV: The Church age and Gentile Era merges with Israel in Revelation 1-3, then it is Israel alone and up to those Left Behind to find God without the assistance and prodding of the Holy Spirit as the comforter is no longer restraining Satan.

II Thessalonians 2:7-9

Revelation Study

Matthew 24:31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Might the same trumpet call of rapture be the same trumpet call to Israelis not yet in Israel? This may wait until Christ’s Kingdom on earth, but then??????

Revelation Study

Some theologians want to say this call to the four corners of the earth is the rapture call.

Read I Thessalonians 4:16-17; I Cor. 15:52

“…in the twinking of an eye… in the clouds of the sky.

No call goes out. It is instantaneous.

Jump to JIV notes on page #3 of the handout

Revelation Study

Revelation 4:2 “in the Spirit” (Pneuma)

John was in the spirit. At first glance we think of him being “apart from the body” experience. However:

• Mental disposition• A current of air• Pneuma: Only figuratively it means apart from the body.

Revelation 4:3a

“And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper stone and a

sardine stone.”

Odem – Ruby – Sardine: three names; same stone

Odem – Ruby – Sardine: three names; same stone

Odem – Ruby – Sardine: three names; same stone

The Rainbow of V3

Reuben: Behold, a son will be born; He will love me but he will be unloved. Simeon: He has looked upon my affliction; He has seen my sin. Listen and obey him. Levi: Be joined together; share the Word of God over a great distance. Judah: Give praise to Yhwh, give thanks and confess sin. Naphtali: To struggle within [brings] self-inflicted wounds. Be swift. Gad: As a troop HE will come and prevail. Asher: [Be] blessed, happy in your good fortune. Dan: Be discerning in judgment, Issachar: There is a reward from God; Zebulon: a gift (zebed) or position of honor from God; (yizbeleni), redemption. [You will] Be paid your wage, be exalted. Your sins will be forgotten; Joseph’s two sons… Manasseh: forgetting the past; Ephraim: double will be your fruitfulness in this land of affliction; Benjamin: you will be on the right side of the Most High.