Study of the Book of Revelation: Introduction
by Pastor Jim Summerson

Quotation "If you do not understand where everything's going, then it doesn't matter what it's doing while it is going." John MacArthur

  1. DEFINITION OF TERMS

    1. ESCHATOLOGY - "The study of doctrine of last things."

    2. MILLENNIUM - Means "a thousand years"

    3. RAPTURE - When Christ comes in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) to rapture (catch away) the church

    4. TRIBULATION - Period of intense sorrow and anguish "that will end with Christ coming to set up His Kingdom". (Revelation, Chapters 6-19)

    5. REVELATION - When Christ comes to Earth with his Saints to set up His Kingdom. (Revelation, Chapters 19-20; Jude 14)

  2. DIFFEREING VIEWS OF CHRIST'S RETURN

    1. THREE MAJOR VIEWPOINTS CONCERNING HIS COMING

      1. POST-MILLENNIAL VIEW - The view of Christ will follow rather than precede the millennial age. We would just usher in a golden age characterized by peace and prosperity.

      2. A-MILLENNIAL VIEW - "A" means no millennium, no thousand-year reign on the Earth.

      3. PRE-MILLENNIAL VIEW - "Pre" means before. Christ's coming will precede His setting up of His Kingdom. Pre-millennialism teaching a literal thousand year reign on the Earth by Jesus Christ.

      NOTE: The early Church was pre-millennial. Early Church fathers, Papins, Polycarp, Justin, Irenaeus and Tertullian.

    2. THE THREE MAJOR VIEWPOINTS CONCERNING THE PRE-MILLENNAIL VIEW AND THE TRIBULATION

      1. POST-TRIBULATIONAL - "Post" means after. Teaches that Christ will come after the Tribulation.

      2. MID-TRIBULATIONAL - Teaches that Christ will come in the middle of the Tribulation.

      3. PRE-TRIBULATIONAL - Christ will come before the seven-year Tribulation.

      NOTE: Early Church fathers were Pre-Tribulational

  3. DESCRIPTIVE LOOK AT THE BOOK - OUTLINE OF REVELATION

    1. The Church on the Earth, Chapters 1-3

    2. The Rapture of the Church and the Scene in Heaven, Chapters 4-5

    3. The Tribulation on the Earth, Chapters 6-19

    4. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the setting up of His Kingdom, the battle of Armageddon, the millennial reign and the Great White Throne judgment, Chapters 19-20

    5. Heaven and the Final State, Chapters 21-22

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