Analysis Of The Book

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Analysis Of The Bookof RevelationBy Sherry ShrinerHe was exiled to the tiny island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea to work in the mines because he was a faithful and fearless preacher for the Lord. And it was here where the last surviving apostle received "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." The emperor Domitian of Asia Minor had John sent away to silence him, but instead God opened the heavens to allow His eternal light to shine through John and for those who place their trust and faith in the Lord.

The emperor may have succeeded in getting John off the streets of Asia Minor's cities to silence his preaching but the words John left behind from the island of Patmos have had an everlasting impact on the Church Age Saint. It is through John that we are given a glimpse of our future, the end of the history of mankind, and the beginning of a new world for those who love and follow after the Most High God. But above all, Yahushua - Jesus gave us hope, because when all is said and done, Yahushua will have the victory over sin and evil in this world and will destroy those who rally around its banner along with their infamous leader, Satan.

John watched as Yahushua claimed His sovereign control of the church and how He could bless it with His presence or curse it with His absence. He saw the opening of the seven Seal Judgments and the sounding of the seven Trumpet Judgments of God. He watched the final pouring out His vengeance through the seven Bowls of Wrath. He was given the events of the Tribulation Period from beginning to end. He envisioned the rise of a one world church and a one world government and the murder of the faithful supported by and then enforced by the world church and Antichrist. He saw the rise to power of the False Prophet and the Antichrist and how they would lead the world to the brink of annihilation through the lies of peace and prosperity.

John viewed the rise and then the destruction of the Great Harlot - the one world church and the capital city of the Antichrist's empire. He envisioned the multitudes who would receive the mark of the Antichrist becoming owned body, soul, and spirit by Satan himself.

He saw the world's hatred and contempt for the two great witnesses sent down from heaven to preach to a disinterested world the message of salvation. He viewed their ministry, murders, and their glorious resurrections back to heaven.

John envisioned how the False Prophet would deceive the church and force them into idolatry. How the Antichrist would defile the city of Jerusalem and demand to be worshipped as God.

He saw the armies of the world gather at the Mount of Megiddo and then turn from destroying each other to fight against the King of Kings during the Second Coming of Christ. He saw how Jesus would destroy these armies and cast the Antichrist and False Prophet into the lake of fire. And how one single angel would bind Satan in chains and place him into the bottomless pit. He saw the judgment of the nations and the separating of the sheep and goats. He witnessed the establishment of Jesus' Kingdom Age on earth and reign as the King and establish a perfect reign of government where man has repeatedly failed. Then he saw Satan loosed from his chains in the bottomless pit and gather an army for one last desperate attempt to overthrow God. John was shown how this last rebellion would be crushed and those who partake in it destroyed. He saw then, at last, the eternal fate of Satan who was cast into the lake of fire to join his comrades to be tormented forever and ever.

John was then shown the scene of the Great White Throne Judgment. How all those through the history of mankind who rejected God's salvation were brought to stand before Him and be judged for their rejection of Him, then cast into the lake of fire to join the trio of beasts already there.

It is at this point in the Revelation that John is given a glimpse of eternity. The new Jerusalem and a newly created heaven and earth, for the former, God will have destroyed after His Millennial Reign. It was more beautiful than John could describe and more awesome than we could ever imagine. He is persuaded that the vision he received is accurate and that the Lord will return to inaugurate these events.

We have been shown a future that holds great magnitudes of destruction for this present earth but given great hope of a new one. Through it all the Book of Revelation is not an ending, but a new beginning.