The End Times
A Commentary on the Book of Revelation
019 Introduction to the Book of Revelation

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All the Bible verses quoted in this article are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

Book Title

The Book of Revelation is the final book in the Holy Bible, recording the prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning the End Times. The word “revelation” originates from the Greek word “ἀποκάλυψις” (apokalypsis) /ap-ok-al’-oop-sis/ (G602). Apokalypsis is a compound word, with “apo” meaning to remove or take away and “kalypsis” meaning a veil or covering. Therefore, the literal interpretation of “apokalypsis” involves uncovering or removing the covering, while its figurative interpretation involves revealing or disclosing something previously hidden.

The word “apokalypsis” is the first word of the Book of Revelation and serves as the book’s title in the original Greek version of the Bible.

The Author

The author of Revelation identifies himself as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ named John (1:1), called by *God to be a prophet to prophesy before “many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (10:11). The early Church believed that the Prophet John, who wrote Revelation, was the same person as the Apostle John, the author of the Gospel of John.

However, in the 3rd century, an African bishop named Dionysius raised several pieces of evidence suggesting that the Prophet John, the writer of Revelation, was not the Apostle John. His arguments include:

1. The writing style and knowledge of Greek in Revelation are markedly different from and inferior to those of the Apostle John, who authored the Gospel of John.

2. While the Apostle John avoids mentioning his own name in the Gospel of John, the author of Revelation frequently refers to himself by name in the text.

3. Throughout Revelation, the author neither claims nor implies that he is an apostle.

Most modern commentators accept the traditional view that the Apostle John is the author of the Book of Revelation. This view is based on writings from bishops who lived during the same period as the Apostle John. The three issues previously raised can be explained as follows:

1. The Apostle John was a fisherman and uneducated (Acts 4:13). It is possible that the Gospel of John was written with the help of someone proficient in Greek, while John was actively involved in the Church at Ephesus before his imprisonment on the island of Patmos. In contrast, Revelation was likely written by John himself during his time in captivity on Patmos. Given John’s limited education, it is understandable that the text of Revelation contains grammatical errors.

2. In the Gospel of John, the Apostle John did not need to mention his own name, as the writing took place within the Church community, where many people knew him. Additionally, the content of the Gospel of John is historical, and many witnesses were still alive when it was written. On the other hand, Revelation was written by John alone during his imprisonment, and since it concerns future events, he had to identify himself so that the seven Churches in Asia Minor would know the book came from him.

3. The content of Revelation consists of prophetic messages, which are unrelated to the duties of an apostle, so John did not need to call himself an apostle. However, in Revelation 1:2, he does refer to himself as “Who bare record of the Word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.”

We believe that the Apostle John is indeed the author of Revelation, according to the revelation given to him by the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Greek, the name “John” is rendered as “Ἰωάννης” (iōannēs) /ee-o-an’-nace/ (G2491), which was a common name among Israelites living within Greek culture. This name is translated from the Hebrew name “יוֹחָנָן” (yôḥānān) /yo-khaw-nawn’/ (H3110), meaning “The Self-Existing and Eternal God gives graciously.”

The Apostle John was one of the 12 original apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ and the younger brother of the Apostle James. Both brothers were fishermen and worked alongside the Apostles Peter and Andrew. These four were called to be apostles on the same day, becoming the first of the 12 apostles. John was the only one among the 12 who did not suffer martyrdom but died of old age, excluding Judas Iscariot, who committed suicide by hanging after betraying the Lord.

John was born in the year CE 1 (though some sources suggest 6 BC) and died in CE 100. His hometown was Galilee, in the northern region of Israel, about 100 kilometers from Jerusalem. His family made a living fishing on the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. They were well-connected with the priests and high priests of that time.

John was the only apostle to follow the Lord Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest on the night of His arrest. He was also the only apostle present at the foot of the cross, where he received Mary, the earthly mother of the Lord Jesus, to care for her as his own mother, according to the Lord Jesus’ command. The Gospel of John refers to him five times as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” indicating his close relationship with the Lord, surpassing that of the other apostles.

Language Used in the Writing

The Book of Revelation was written in Greek, the common language of that time. However, linguists have noted that the writing style in Revelation is riddled with grammatical errors. It seems that the author may have received the visions in his native language, Aramaic, and then wrote them in Greek. Alternatively, Revelation might have first been recorded in Aramaic and later translated into Greek by someone with poor knowledge of Greek grammar.

It is reasonable to conclude that the Apostle John wrote Revelation himself. Given his lack of formal education, the text naturally contains many mistakes. It is also possible that John, being illiterate in Greek, dictated his account to a fellow prisoner with limited education, who wrote it down for him.

Place of Writing

According to John (Revelation 1:9-11), the visions came to him while he was on the island of Patmos. We do not have concrete evidence to determine whether John wrote the Book of Revelation during his imprisonment on Patmos or after being released and returning to Ephesus, where he may have written it.

However, based on reasoning, it is likely that John wrote Revelation while still on Patmos. If the book had been written in Ephesus, the writing style would likely have been different, given the availability of people fluent in Greek there. Additionally, since John did not know how long he would live or when he might be released, it is reasonable to assume that he recorded the revelations immediately and sent them to the seven Churches, following the Lord’s command.

Time of Writing

Based on historical events, many biblical scholars believe that the Book of Revelation was written around CE 95 to 96, during a period of severe persecution of Christians under the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian. It is possible that Revelation was written in CE 95, and in CE 96, Emperor Domitian died, the persecution ended, and John was set free.

Historical Context at the Time of Writing

Domitian (81–96 CE) was a tyrannical Roman emperor and the most brutal persecutor of the Church of Christ in Roman history. Although Emperor Nero (54–68 CE) also persecuted Christians towards the end of his reign, his actions were not motivated by their faith. According to legend, Nero secretly ordered the burning of the slums in Rome to clear space for a new palace. After the catastrophic fire, the public suspected Nero’s involvement and threatened to revolt. To deflect blame, Nero accused the peaceful and vulnerable Christian community of starting the fire and ordered their massacre to pacify the people.

When Domitian came to power, he declared himself to be a god and commanded everyone to worship him and refer to him as a deity. Anyone who refused to acknowledge and worship Domitian as god was sentenced to death.

Naturally, the Christians of that time could not obey Domitian’s decree, and their defiance led to brutal persecution and massacres of the Lord’s Church (93–96 CE). It was in this painful and terrifying context that the message of Revelation came to the Lord’s Churches. The message of Revelation serves as an anthem of Truth and Faith, sounding amidst the fierce battle between the forces of darkness and death, which sought to crush the bodies of those who had “passed from death unto life” (1 John 3:14).

Emperor Nerva (96–98 CE), who succeeded Domitian, immediately abolished Domitian’s cruel decrees upon ascending the throne and released imprisoned believers. However, the blood of the saints had already soaked the Roman Empire! They had remained “faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10) to “Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto *God and His Father” (Revelation 1:5-6).

The Meaning and Purpose of the Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation is the final revelation from *God given to His entire Church, to unveil the works to come of Christ.

The Bible begins with the Book of Genesis, which records the origins of heaven, earth, and humanity, and concludes with the Book of Revelation, which foretells *God’s righteous judgment against sin and salvation for those who repent, accept the grace of forgiveness, and are cleansed of sin by *God in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Book of Revelation also anticipates the completion of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom on earth; the end of the old heaven, old earth, Satan, and all who oppose *God; the creation of a new heaven and new earth; along with the eternal inheritance of God’s people.

The first purpose of the Book of Revelation is to call God’s people to sincerely repent of their sins, live holy lives, be ready to suffer for the Lord’s name, and remain faithful to Him until death; for the sufferings, hardships, trials, and temptations will all quickly pass away, and the day of Christ’s return to establish His kingdom on earth could occur at any moment.

The second purpose of the Book of Revelation is to proclaim *God’s program for humanity after the Church age comes to an end. The Church age will conclude on the day the Lord Jesus Christ appears in the heavens to take the Church out of the world.

The Structure of the Book of Revelation

In terms of form, the Book of Revelation is divided into 22 chapters, each containing a varying number of verses.

In terms of content, the Book of Revelation includes a series of “seven events”:

• Seven Churches: Chapters 2 and 3.

• Seven Seals: Chapters 6, 7, and chapter 8 (verses 1 to 5).

• Seven Trumpets: Chapter 8 (from verse 6) to chapter 11.

• Seven Signs: Chapters 12 to 14.

• Seven Bowls: Chapters 16 to 18.

• Seven Final Events: Chapters 19 to 21.

These events are divided into four main chapters:

1. Chapter One – Christ and the Church: from chapter 1:1 to chapter 3:22. This chapter discusses *God’s judgment upon the Church over a period of about 2,000 years.

2. Chapter Two – Christ and the Tribulation: from chapter 4:1 to chapter 18:24. This chapter addresses *God’s judgment upon the world and the nation of Israel during a period of seven years.

3. Chapter Three – Christ and the Millennium: from chapter 19:1 to chapter 20:15. This chapter describes Christ’s reign in His Millennium Kingdom.

4. Chapter Four – Christ and the Eternal Kingdom: from chapter 21:1 to chapter 22:21. This chapter speaks of Christ’s eternal reign in the new heaven and new earth.

Application of the Book of Revelation

On the day that John received the revelation of the contents of the Book of Revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ, he was also commanded by Him to write seven letters to the seven local Churches in Asia Minor. We need to understand that the Lord Jesus Christ used the conditions of those seven Churches to represent the overall condition of the Church everywhere, from that time until the day the Lord takes the Church out of the world. Therefore, the content of the Book of Revelation regarding Christ and the Church has been and continues to be applicable to each local Church for nearly 2,000 years.

The second part concerning Christ and the Tribulation will be fulfilled at any moment, even in our current age. Following that, there will be the fulfillment of the third and fourth parts, which speak of the Millennium Kingdom and the Eternal Kingdom.

Three Important Points about the Book of Revelation

There are three important points about the Book of Revelation that we need to remember.

1. Those who read or hear others read the Book of Revelation and keep the things written in it will receive a blessing: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Revelation 1:3). Please note: it is not just reading or hearing, but reading or hearing and keeping the things written in the book.

2. Anyone who adds to the content of the Book of Revelation will face additional plagues; anyone who takes away from the content of the Book of Revelation will lose eternal life: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, *God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, *God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).

3. In the last days, the Book of Revelation will be a means of bringing many people to the salvation of *God. As each detail of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation is fulfilled during the Tribulation, many people will accept *God’s salvation. They will realize that the persecution of their faith inflicted by the government of the Antichrist will pale in comparison to the eternal loss in hell.

We hope that all who read and hear this series on the End Times will sincerely repent of their sins and accept the salvation of *God before the time of the Tribulation comes. Thus, in addition to being saved, they will also be part of His Church.

In the following chapters, we will explore the meaning of each verse in the Book of Revelation together.

Pastor Timothy Christian Huynh
and Priscilla Christian Huynh
01/14/2014

Note:

About Using “*God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible uses a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.