Structure of Revelation 1-16

Type: a study
Relevance: prophecy
Text: (Please read Revelation 1-16.)

Notice the four big sevens of Revelation. The seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3.

"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write..."

"And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write..."

"And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write..."

"And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write..."

"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write..."

"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write..."

"And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write..."

Revelation 2:1,8,12,18; 3:1,7,14

The seven seals of Revelation 6-8.

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals..."

"And when he had opened the second seal..."

"And when he had opened the third seal..."

"And when he had opened the fourth seal..."

"And when he had opened the fifth seal..."

"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal..."

"And when he had opened the seventh seal..."

Revelation 6:1,3,5,7,9,12; 8:1

The seven trumpets of Revelation 8-11.

"The first angel sounded..."

"And the second angel sounded..."

"And the third angel sounded..."

"And the fourth angel sounded..."

"And the fifth angel sounded..."

"And the sixth angel sounded..."

"And the seventh angel sounded..."

Revelation 8:7,8,10,12; 9:1,13; 11:15

And, finally, the seven plagues or bowls of Revelation 16.

"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth..."

"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea..."

"And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters..."

"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun..."

"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast..."

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates..."

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air..."

Revelation 16:2,3,4,8,10,12,17

Notice that, while the seven churches and the seven plagues are consecutive, the seven seals and seven trumpets are not. The first six seals occur consecutively in Revelation 6:1-17 while the seventh seal occurs in Revelation 8:1. In between the sixth and the seventh seal lies Revelation 7. The first six trumpets occur consecutively in Revelation 8:7-9:21 while the seventh trumpet occurs in Revelation 11:15-19. In between the sixth and the seventh trumpet lies Revelation 10; 11:1-13.

Notice that the seven churches and the seven plagues are preceded by pictures or description of the Second Coming.

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced

him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Revelation 1:7

"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man,

having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out

of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and

reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat

on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

 "And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry

to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the

vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth,

and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And

the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the

horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs." Revelation 14:14-20

Notice that the two pictures or descriptions of the Second Coming, preceding the seven churches and the seven plagues, are immediately preceded by THREE's. The Second Coming of Revelation 1:7 is precede by a picture of the Godhead, commonly called the Trinity.

"John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace,

from (1) him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and

from (2) the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And

from (3) Jesus Christ..." Revelation 1:4-6

The Second Coming of Revelation 14:14-20 is preceded by the three angels' messages.

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven..."

"And there followed another angel..."

"And the third angel followed them..."

Revelation 14:6,8,9 (6-13)

Lastly, the seven churches are separated from the seven seals and the seven trumpets from the seven plagues by two sets of THREE's. The seven churches are separated from the seven seals by a picture of the Godhead, commonly called the Trinity.

"...and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and (1) one sat on the throne."

"...and there were seven lamps of fire burning before

the throne, which are (2) the seven Spirits of God."

"And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts,

and in the midst of the elders, stood (3) a Lamb as it had been slain..." 

Revelation 4:2,5

The seven trumpets are separated from the seven plagues by a picture of a false "Trinity."

"And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and

behold (1) a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns..."

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw

(2) a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns... "

"And I beheld (3) another beast coming up out of the earth;

and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon."

Revelation 12:3; 13:1,11

The above image is a full description of the structure we have been revealing by some of its more obvious features, i. e., the four sets of sevens (churches, seals, trumpets, and plagues), the two Second Coming's of Revelation 1 and Revelation 14, the Trinity of Revelation 1 and the three angels' messages, and the Trinity of Revelation 4-5 and the false-trinity of Revelation 12-13.

To be continued...