Revelation of Saint John the Divine

Chapter 1

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

• Revealed to Jesus by God to show his servants things to happen soon.
• Delivered by an angel to John.
• John is a witness to God's word and Jesus's testimony.
• "Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy..."

Greetings and Vision

• John writes to the seven churches in Asia.
• Greetings of grace and peace from God and Jesus Christ.
• Vision of Jesus: "Behold, he cometh with clouds..."
• Jesus identifies himself: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end..."

John's Vision on Patmos

• John was on the isle of Patmos for the word of God and Jesus's testimony.
• He hears a voice saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last..."
• John's vision: sees seven golden candlesticks and one like unto the Son of Man.
• Description of the figure: hair white as wool, eyes like flame, feet like brass, voice like many waters.
• Figure holds seven stars and has a sharp two-edged sword from his mouth.
• Jesus tells John to write down what he sees and send it to the seven churches.

Chapter 2

Messages to the Seven Churches

• Ephesus: Commended for their works and patience, but criticized for abandoning their first love.

  • Command to repent and return.
  • Promise to overcomers: eat from the tree of life.

• Smyrna: Acknowledgment of their tribulation and poverty, but they are rich in spirit.

  • Warning of prison and tribulation.
  • Promise of the crown of life and no harm from the second death to overcomers.

• Pergamos: Commended for holding fast to Jesus's name.

  • Criticized for allowing teachings of Balaam and Nicolaitans.
  • Command to repent.
  • Promise of hidden manna and a white stone with a new name to overcomers.

• Thyatira: Commended for their works, charity, service, faith, and patience.

  • Criticized for tolerating Jezebel, who leads others into sin.
  • Command to repent.
  • Promise of power over nations and the morning star to overcomers.

Chapter 3

Continuation of Messages

• Sardis: Reputation of being alive but actually dead.

  • Command to watch, strengthen what remains, and repent.
  • Promise to overcomers: clothed in white raiment and not blotted from the book of life.

• Philadelphia: Commended for keeping Jesus's word and not denying his name.

  • Promise to make those of the synagogue of Satan worship before them.
  • Promise: kept from the hour of temptation, made a pillar in God's temple, inscribed with God's name.

• Laodicea: Criticized for being lukewarm and complacent.

  • Command to buy refined gold, white raiment, and anoint eyes.
  • Jesus stands at the door knocking.
  • Promise: to sit with Jesus on his throne to overcomers.

Chapter 4

Vision of Heaven

• John sees a door open in heaven and a throne with someone sitting on it.
• Description: like jasper and sardine stone, rainbow around the throne.
• Twenty-four elders around the throne, clothed in white with gold crowns.
• Seven lamps of fire before the throne, representing the seven spirits of God.
• Four beasts full of eyes, described as lion, calf, man, and eagle.
• Beasts praise God continually.
• Elders worship God and cast their crowns before the throne.

Chapter 5

The Scroll and the Lamb

• John sees a scroll in God's right hand, sealed with seven seals.
• No one found worthy to open it until the Lion of Judah (Jesus) is revealed as worthy.
• Jesus, described as a lamb with seven horns and eyes, takes the scroll.
• Elders and beasts worship the Lamb, singing a new song.
• Angels join in praise: "Worthy is the lamb that was slain..."

Chapter 6

The Seals

• First Seal: White horse, rider with a bow, crown, and destined to conquer.
• Second Seal: Red horse, rider with a great sword, granted to take peace from the earth.
• Third Seal: Black horse, rider with scales, representing famine.
• Fourth Seal: Pale horse, rider named Death, followed by Hades, given power over a quarter of the earth.
• Fifth Seal: Souls of martyrs under the altar, given white robes, told to wait for justice.
• Sixth Seal: Great earthquake, sun turns black, moon like blood, stars fall to earth, sky recedes.
• People seek refuge in caves and mountains from God's wrath.

Chapter 7

144,000 Sealed and the Great Multitude

• John sees four angels holding back the winds of the earth.
• Another angel ascends with the seal of God, sealing 144,000 from the tribes of Israel.
• Description of the 144,000: 12,000 from each tribe.
• Great multitude from all nations appears before the throne and the Lamb.
• Description of the multitude's praise and their state: will not hunger, thirst, or suffer anymore.

Chapter 8

Seventh Seal and the Trumpets

• Seventh Seal: Silence in heaven for half an hour.
• Seven angels given seven trumpets.
• Another angel offers incense with the prayers of saints before God.
• First Trumpet: Hail and fire mixed with blood cast to earth, burning up a third of trees and grass.
• Second Trumpet: Great mountain burning with fire cast into the sea, turning a third of the sea to blood.
• Third Trumpet: Great star (Wormwood) falls, making a third of the waters bitter.
• Fourth Trumpet: A third of the sun, moon, and stars struck, darkening a third of the day and night.

Chapter 9

Locusts and the Sixth Trumpet

• Fifth Trumpet: Star falls from heaven, key to the bottomless pit given, releasing smoke and locusts to torment men without God's seal for five months.
• Description of locusts: like horses prepared for battle, faces of men, hair of women, teeth of lions.
• Sixth Trumpet: Four angels bound in the Euphrates released, killing a third of mankind.
• Description of the army: 200 million, horses breathe fire, smoke, brimstone.
• Remaining humans do not repent of their sins.

Chapter 10

The Little Book

• Mighty angel descends from heaven, holds a little book, stands on sea and earth.
• Seven thunders speak, John told not to write what they said.
• Angel swears that there will be no more delay.
• John told to eat the little book, sweet in mouth, bitter in stomach.
• John must prophesy again to many peoples.

Chapter 11

The Two Witnesses

• John given a reed to measure God's temple and altar.
• Two witnesses prophesy for 1,260 days, have power to stop rain, turn waters to blood, smite earth with plagues.
• Beast from the bottomless pit kills them, their bodies lie in the street.
• People rejoice over their deaths but after 3.5 days, God revives them and they ascend to heaven.
• Great earthquake follows, killing 7,000 men.
• Seventh Trumpet: Declaration of God's kingdom taking over, elders worship, temple of God opened, ark of testament seen, lightnings, voices, thunderings, earthquake, and great hail.

Chapter 12

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

• Vision of a woman clothed with the sun, moon under her feet, crown of twelve stars, pregnant with child.
• Red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, waiting to devour her child.
• Child is born, destined to rule all nations, caught up to God.
• Woman flees to the wilderness, protected for 1,260 days.
• War in heaven: Michael and angels fight the dragon (Satan) and his angels, casting them out.
• Satan persecutes the woman, but she is given wings to escape.
• Dragon tries to flood her, earth helps by swallowing the flood.
• Dragon goes to make war with the remnant of her seed.

Chapter 13

The Two Beasts

• First Beast: Rises from the sea, seven heads, ten horns, resembled leopard, bear, and lion, given power by the dragon.
• One of the heads wounded but healed, leading all to worship the dragon and beast.
• Beast speaks blasphemies, given power to make war with saints for 42 months.
• Second Beast: Rises from the earth, two horns like a lamb and speaks like a dragon.
  • Performs great wonders, deceives people, gives life to the beast's image, enforces mark of the beast (666).

Chapter 14

The Lamb on Mount Zion

• 144,000 stand with the Lamb, Father's name in their foreheads.
• New song sung before the throne, only 144,000 can learn it.
• Description of the 144,000: pure, follow the Lamb, first fruits to God.
• Three angels proclaim messages: fear God, Babylon is fallen, warning against worshiping the beast.
• Vision of the Son of Man with a sickle, harvesting the ripe earth, followed by another angel reaping the vine of the earth, casting it into God's great winepress.

Chapter 15

Seven Last Plagues

• John sees a sign in heaven: seven angels with the last plagues.
• Sea of glass mingled with fire, victorious over the beast, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb.
• Temple of the tabernacle opened, seven angels with seven plagues.
• Angels given seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, temple filled with smoke from God's glory.

Chapter 16

The Vials of Wrath

• First Vial: Grievous sore on those with the mark of the beast.
• Second Vial: Sea becomes blood, every living soul in it dies.
• Third Vial: Rivers and fountains become blood.
• Fourth Vial: Sun scorches men with fire, men blaspheme.
• Fifth Vial: Kingdom of the beast becomes darkened, people gnaw tongues in pain.
• Sixth Vial: River Euphrates dried up, preparing way for kings of the east.
• Three unclean spirits like frogs from dragon, beast, false prophet gather kings for battle.
• Seventh Vial: Great voice from the temple saying "It is done!", massive earthquake, great city divides, Babylon remembered, islands and mountains disappear, great hailstones fall.

Chapter 17

The Judgment of the Great Whore

• One of the seven angels shows John the judgment of the great whore.
• Description: sits on many waters, commits fornication with kings of the earth.
• Woman on a scarlet beast, adorned with gold and precious stones, holding a cup of abominations.
• Name: Mystery, Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots.
• Drunk with the blood of saints and martyrs.
• Explanation of the beast: was, is not, will ascend from the bottomless pit.
• Seven heads are seven mountains, ten horns are ten kings who give power to the beast.
• They make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb overcomes.

Chapter 18

Fall of Babylon

• Angel announces Babylon's fall, becoming habitation of devils.
• Call to God's people to come out of Babylon to avoid her sins.
• Description of Babylon's destruction: plagues in one day, mourning from kings and merchants.
• Heaven and saints called to rejoice over Babylon's downfall.
• Mighty angel casts a millstone into the sea, symbolizing Babylon's end.

Chapter 19

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

• Great multitude in heaven praises God for true and righteous judgments.
• Hallelujah chorus for God's reign.
• Marriage of the Lamb has come, bride (church) has made herself ready.
• Heaven opens to reveal a white horse and rider (Jesus) called Faithful and True.
• Rider leads armies of heaven in victory over the beast and false prophet.
• Beast and false prophet cast alive into the lake of fire.
• Birds called to feast on the flesh of defeated armies.

Chapter 20

The Thousand-Year Reign

• Angel binds Satan for a thousand years in the bottomless pit.
• Thrones set up, judgment given to those beheaded for Jesus, they reign with Christ for a thousand years.
• Satan loosed after a thousand years, deceives nations, final battle ensues.
• God sends fire from heaven, devil cast into the lake of fire.
• Great white throne judgment, dead judged according to their works.
• Death and hell cast into the lake of fire.

Chapter 21

New Heaven and New Earth

• John sees a new heaven and a new earth, holy city New Jerusalem descends from God.
• God dwells with men, wipes away tears, no more death, sorrow, or pain.
• Description of New Jerusalem: twelve gates, twelve foundations, adorned with precious stones.
• City is of pure gold, no temple needed, God and the Lamb are its temple.
• Nations walk in its light, nothing unclean enters.

Chapter 22

Final Visions and Message

• Pure river of water of life flows from God's throne.
• Tree of life on either side of the river, leaves for healing of nations.
• No more curse, God and the Lamb reign forever.
• Jesus's final message: "I come quickly", blessings to those who keep the prophecy.
• Warnings against adding or taking away from the prophecy.
• Final prayer: "Even so, come, Lord Jesus".

The End of the Revelation of Saint John the Divine