The Revelation of Jesus Christ is a prophesy book that God shows to John the Apostle. It was written to seven churches but is for all Christians throughout the Church Age. Most Protestants believe the book is sequential but the themes run parallel and overlap. Seals, trumpets, bowls and other topics begin at different times but end with lightning, thunder, great hail and earthquakes at the end of the Tribulation. See Revelation Views. Each topic's time grows shorter as they spiral down to the Second Coming.

Revelation Outline - Sequential: Past, Present, Future

1.  Past: Jesus Christ - Revelation 1
2.  Present: Christ and His Churches - Revelation 2-3
3.  Future: Visions of Heaven and Earth - Revelation 4-22

Write the things which you have seen, the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter (Revelation 1:19).

Revelation Timeline - Topics Spiral Down

Most history books are not written as a list of sequential events but is divided between topics and then go in sequence. For example, World War II was a massive event with a beginning, middle and end but historians divide by topic: beginnings, Western European front, Eastern European front, Atlantic War, Pacific War, African front, D-Day invasion, final eastern and western battles to Germany, nuclear bombs and Japanese surrender, war trials, aftermath of war. Then topics are sequential by time.

Revelation goes by topic: churches, seals, trumpets, Tribulation, Antichrist's rule, bowls, Mystery Babylon, Armageddon and the Tribulation ends with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Then each topic is described sequentially. The Church Age last the longest at ~1993 years and the Second Coming is less than one day. The Tribulation is seven years, Antichrist rules 3½ years, seven bowls and Mystery Babylon is less than 3½ years. Armageddon takes longer to gather the world's armies than to fight the war. Later when seals and trumpets are explained, they last longer than seven years of Tribulation. From seals to Armageddon, topics spiral down to the Second coming of Jesus Christ.

1.  Prolog - Revelation 1:1-9

2.  Jesus & His Churches on Earth - Revelation 1:10-20, 2:1-29, 3:1-22
     >  Vision of Jesus Christ - Revelation 1:10-20
     >  Seven Churches - Revelation 2:1-29, 3:1-22
         *  Church Age ends at the Rapture - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

3.  Judgment from Heaven - Revelation 4:1-11 , 5:1-14, 6:1-17, 7:1-17, 8:1-8:5
     >  Vision of the Throne - Revelation 4:1-11
     >  The Scroll & the Lamb - Revelation 5:1-14
     >  1st-6th Seals - Revelation 6:1-17
     >  144,000 Sealed & Great Multitude - Revelation 7:1-17
        
*  144,000 are sealed before the Tribulation - Revelation 7:2-3
     >  7th Seal - Revelation 8:1-5
        
*  Seals end at the Second Coming
           >  6th Seal - Revelation 6:12-14
           >  7th Seal - Revelation 8:1, 5

4.  Seven Trumpet Judgments - Revelation 8:6-13, 9:1-21, 10:1-11, 11:1-19
     >  Seven Trumpets - Revelation 8:6-13, 9:1-21, 11:15-19
        
*  Rapture occurs between 5th and 6th Trumpet - Revelation 9:12-14
     >  Little Scroll - Revelation 10:1-11
        
*  Tribulation begins at the Little Scroll - Revelation 10:10-11
     >  3rd Jewish Temple and Two Witnesses - Revelation 11:1-14
     >  7th Trumpet - Revelation 11:15-19
        
*  Trumpets end at the Second Coming - Revelation 11:15, 19

5.  Satan's Attack on God's People - Revelation 12:1-17, 13:1-18
     >  Woman, Child and Dragon - Revelation 12:1-17
        
*  First Coming - Mary, Jesus vs Herod the Great
         *  Rapture - Child caught up
- Revelation 12:5
        
*  Second Coming - Israel, Church vs Dragon (Satan) - Revelation 12:6
     >  Dragon, Beast, 2nd Beast - Revelation 13:1-18
        
*  Antichrist leads the Beast, False Prophet leads the 2nd Beast
             (Great Tribulation: 3½ years, 42 months or 1260 days)
         *  Reign ends at the Second Coming - Revelation 19:19-20

6.  God's Victory over Satan's Forces - Revelation 14:1-20
     >  The Lamb and 144,000 - Revelation 14:1-5
     >  Three Angels - Revelation 14:6-13
     >  Harvest of the Earth - Revelation 14:14-20
        
*  The Harvest (Armageddon) ends at the Second Coming - Revelation 14:19-20

7.  Seven Bowel Judgments - Revelation 15:1-8, 16:1-21, 17:1-18, 18:1-24
     >  Seven Plagues - Revelation 15:1-8
     >  Seven Bowels - Revelation 16:1-21
        
*  Bowls end at the Second Coming
            >  7th Bowl - Revelation 16:17-18, 20-21
     >  Mystery Babylon - Revelation 17:1-18
     >  Fall of Babylon - Revelation 18:1-24
       
*  Mystery Babylon ends at the Second Coming - Revelation 18:1-2

8.  Judgment on Earth - Revelation 19:1-21, 20:1-15
     >  Second Coming - Revelation 19:1-21
       
*  Seals, Trumpets, Bows, Antichrist's rule end at the Second Coming
     >  Millennium Reign of Jesus Christ - Revelation 20:1-15
       
*  Death and the grave end after the Millennium - Revelation 20:13-15

9.  Jesus and His Church in the New Earth - Revelation 22:1-27, 22:1-5
     >  New Heaven & Earth - Revelation 21:1-27, 22:1-5

10. Epilog - Revelation 22:6-21
Revelation Outline: Spiral to the Second Coming
January 2019
Revelation Timeline: Spiral to the Second Coming
Tribulation
Tribulation
Revelation Chiastic Structure

Genesis, Leviticus, Matthew and Revelation are a few of the books of the Bible written in a chiastic structure (ABCDEEDCBA) prevalent in Hebrew writings. Each primary topic has a matching topic with matching thoughts. The center of the book is the theme.

Revelation Themes

>  Satan's Attack on God's People
>  God's Victory over Satan's Forces

A-1 
Prologue (Revelation 1:1-9)
        B-1  Jesus and His Church on Earth (Revelation 1:10-20, 2:1-29, 3:1-3:22)
                C-1  Judgment from Heaven (Revelation 4:1-11 , 5:1-14, 6:1-17, 7:1-17, 8:1-8:5)
                        D-1  Seven Trumpet Judgments (Revelation 8:6-13, 9:1-21, 10:1-11, 11:1-19)
        Main               E-1  Satan's Attack (Revelation 12:1-17, 13:1-18)
        Theme            E-2  God's Victory (Revelation 14:1-20)
                        D-2  Seven Bowl Judgments (Revelation 15:1-8, 16:1-21, 17:1-18, 18:1-24)
                C-2  Judgment on Earth (Revelation 19:1-21, 20:1-15)
        B-2  Jesus and His Church in the New Earth (Revelation 21:1-27, 22:1-5)
A-2
  Epilogue (Revelation 22:6-21)

Subjects Repeated in Chiastic Sections

A. Prologue/Epilogue (Revelation 1:1-9, 22:6-21)
     >  God sent Him to show his servant the things which must soon take place. (Revelation 1:1, 22:6)
     >  The testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:2, 22:16)
     >  Blessed is he who keeps the prophecy (Revelation 1:3, 22:7)
     >  Behold, I am coming (Revelation 1:7, 22:12, 20)
     >  I am alpha and omega, the first and last (Revelation 1:8, 22:13)

B. Church on Earth/New Earth (Revelation 1:10-20, 2:1-29, 3:1-3:22, 21:1-27, 22:1-5)
     Scene: Jesus in the temple/Is the temple (Revelation 1:12-15, 21:2-5, 22)

     >  He that overcomes (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26, 3:5, 12, 21, 21:7)
     >  Tree of life (Revelation 2:7, 22:2)
     >  Not hurt by the second death (Revelation 2:11, 21:8)
     >  Temple of God is with man (Revelation 3:12, 21:3, 22)
     >  New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12, 21:2, 10)
     >  Given a new name written (Revelation 2:17, 22:4)
     >  Behold, I am coming quickly (Revelation 3:11, 22:7)
     >  Shall be no more death (Revelation 2:11, 21:4)
     >  Will write on him My new name (Revelation 3:12, 22:4)
     >  They shall reign with God (Revelation 3:21, 22:5)

C. Judgment in Heaven on Earth
    (Revelation 4:1-11, 5:1-14, 6:1-17, 7:1-17, 8:1-8:5, 19:1-21, 20:1-15)
     Scene: Open door/voices from the sanctuary and throne (Revelation 4:1-5, 19:1-8)

     >  Heaven open (Revelation 4:1, 19:11)
     >  Throne in heaven (Revelation 4:2, 20:11)
     >  Great multitude (Revelation 7:9, 19:1, 6)
     >  Souls of martyrs (Revelation 6:9-10, 20:4-6)
     >  How long will you not judge (Revelation 6:10, 19:2)
     >  Books opened (Revelation 5:1-9, 20:12).
     >  Redeemed to be priest and reign (Revelation 5:9-10, 20:6)
     >  White horse (Revelation 6:2, 19:11)
     >  Death and Hell (Revelation 6:8, 20:13-14)
     >  Second Coming of Christ (Revelation 6:12-17, 8:1, 3-5, 19:11-19)
     >  Kings, captains, mighty men, free and slave killed (Revelation 6:15-16, 19:17-18)

D. Trumpet Plagues/Bowl Plagues
     (Revelation 8:6-13, 9:1-21, 10:1-11, 11:1-19, 15:1-8, 16:1-21, 17:1-18, 18:1-24)
     Scene: Smoke filled the sanctuary (Revelation 7:9-8:5, 15:1-8)

     >  1st plague on earth (Revelation 8:7, 16:2)
     >  2nd plague on sea becomes blood (Revelation 8:8, 16:3)
     >  Creatures in the sea dies (Revelation 8:9, 16:3)
     >  3rd plague rivers and spring (Revelation 8:10, 16:4)
     >  4th plague: sun (Revelation 8:12, 16:8)
     >  5th plague bottomless pit (Revelation 9:1-2, 11, 11:7, 17:8)
     >  Darkness (Revelation 9:2, 16:10)
     >  6th plague on Euphrates river (Revelation 9:14, 16:12)
     >  Three plagues… out of the mouths (Revelation 9:17-18, 16:13)
     >  They did not repent (Revelation 9:21, 16:11)
     >  7th plague with great voices (Revelation 11:15, 16:17)
     >  Ends with lightning, thunder, great earthquake, hail, voices (Revelation 11:19, 16:18)

E. Satan's Attack/God's Victory (Revelation 12:1-17, 13:1-18, 14:1-20)
     Scene: Throne room open (Revelation 11:15-19, 14:1-5)

     >  Keep the commandments of God and faithful to Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:17, 14:12)
     >  Every tribe, tongue and nation (Revelation 13:7, 14:6)
     >  Patience and faith of the saints (Revelation 13:10, 14:12)
     >  Worship the beast or Creator (Revelation 13:12, 14:7)
     >  Image of the beast (Revelation 13:14-15, 14:9, 11)
     >  Mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16-17, 14:9, 11)
     >  Mark on forehead (Revelation 13:16, 14:1)

References: 21st Century Revelation: World Wars, Iraq Wars & End Wars - Chapter 21: Four Horses on the Run, Chapter 22: Keys to the Trumpets, Chapter 22: World Wars, Cold Wars, Chapter 23: Between Iraq and a Hard Place, Chapter 24: Iraq War III, Revelation Outline, Timeline of the TribulationTribulation Articles, Revelation Articles, Covenant Articles, Stellarium, Solar System
21st Century Revelation: World Wars, Iraq Wars & End Wars
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