REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
THE TIME FORMAT OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION.
Revelation 1:19 Now write what you have seen, and what is, and what will be hereafter.
So John had to write down “what he had seen hitherto”, chapter 1: The Lord Jesus in His wonderful Glory and power. Then he has to write down “what is”: chapters 2 and 3: the era of the Church . Because chapter 4 starts with: “After these things I saw” In other words: after chapters 2 and 3 about the Church something happens afterwards; John is taken up into heaven as a picture of the rapture of all true believers.
After this we don't read about the Church in Revelation until the end.
This is the first main time division.
1. The time of the Church in chapters 2 and 3.
2. The time after the Church, the great Tribulation, the time of trouble for Israel
3. Then the end of human rule and the Millennial Kingdom of Peace of Christ.
4. New Heaven and Earth.
Then there is a division in time that is very unclear to many.
In chapters 4-6 we see the believers (24 elders) along with four seraphim, living creatures, and the angels around God's throne. In chapter 5 we read that the Lamb alone is worthy to open the scroll and look into it. This scroll describes all the judgments that will follow. Only the Lamb is worthy to initiate the judgments of God on this earth and sinful people. After all, He bore the judgment for all believers. The people who did not accept that will have to undergo the judgment themselves.
This scroll is sealed with seven seals.
That means that the judgments will be in order of the opening of the seals. So after opening the first seal, only part of the outside of the scroll can be read and so on. Only when all seven seals and judgments have taken place can the scroll be opened and the contents of it will be visible.
From chapter 8 the judgments of the trumpets can then come.
And not before.
The seventh trumpet, Chapter 11:15 we read: And the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world became our Lord and of His Christ, and He will be king for all eternity.
Then comes the seven Bowls of God's Wrath.
Chapter 16. Thus the rule of man is brought to an end.
In between, there are a number of descriptions that clarify whatever is happening on Earth at that time: the Antichrist and false prophet, the two witnesses, persecution of Jews, etc. The division in time after the rapture of the believers is:
1. Seven seals opened.
2. Seven Trumpets
3. Seven Bowls of God's Wrath.
To clarify this division, the Lord gave me the example of the downfall of Jericho.
Joshua 6: 1 Jericho was shut up because of the Israelites: no one went out and no one entered. 2 And the LORD said to Joshua, Behold, I have delivered Jericho, and his king, and his mighty men, into your hand. 3 All you valiant men, you must go around the city, go about the city once. You must do this for six days. 4 Seven priests are to carry seven ram's trumpets before the ark. And you must go around the city seven times on the seventh day, and the priests must blow the trumpets. 5 And it will come to pass, when they blow the long tone of the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people will shout out loud. Then the city wall will collapse and the people will have to climb it , each one straight ahead.
Six days 1 time around Jericho.
The seventh day 7 times and only at the end of it and after the long trumpet the walls collapse and Jericho is banished. Killed all living things.
Joshua here is a type of the Lord Jesus. See here the parallel with the division of the book of Revelation:
1. Six seals opened
2. and only at the seventh seal can the seven trumpets sound.
3. Then the seven bowls.
4. And the end war.
No, it is not a one on one picture, but it does indicate how God deals with the unbelieving world of which Jericho is a picture.
The above provides sufficient guidance in explaining the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Maranatha Yes, come Lord Jesus.