A Simple Outline of the Book of Revelation
I. THE BOOK OF REVELATION: JESUS’ TRANSITION PLAN
A. The book of Revelation is Jesus’ transition plan to shift history to the age to come. He will not do this without the
deep involvement of His people. This is our story. It is worth making the effort to understand it. Revelation is not hard to
understand; it was written for uneducated peasants.
B. My premise is that anyone can understand the main story line and structure of the book of Revelation in less than
one hour and can learn to say it to someone in less than one day.
C. Two points often overlooked: First, Jesus does not go away with us, but comes to stay. There is no such thing as
the end of the world. Second, the heavenly and earthly realms come together (Eph. 1:10). The natural realm is not
suspended, but enhanced by the power of the resurrection.
9 Having made known to us the mystery of His will…10 that He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which
are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. (Eph. 1:9–10)
II. THE BOOK OF REVELATION: JESUS’ END-TIME BATTLE PLAN FOR THE CHURCH
A. The book of Revelation reveals the glory of Jesus (Rev. 1:1) and His plan to transition the earth to the age to
come. The events of the generation in which He returns will have unique dynamics, requiring our involvement. Thus, we
need the unique information in Revelation to equip us.
B. The main theme of Revelation is Jesus’ return to earth to rule all the nations, but evil governments will resist this.
His end-time battle plan is to physically destroy all the evil governments on earth by releasing His judgments on them
during the Tribulation (Rev 6-19).
C. One main reason that people do not read the book of Revelation is that they have a wrong paradigm of the
Tribulation. As Moses released God’s judgments on Pharaoh by prayer (Ex. 7-12), so the Church will release the
Tribulation judgments on the Antichrist through prayer. The miracles and judgments in Exodus and Acts will be multiplied
and released worldwide by prayer.
D. As the book of Acts describes the power of the Holy Spirit that was released through the early church, so the book
of Revelation describes the power of the Holy Spirit that will be released through the end-time Church. I refer to
Revelation as the end-time book of Acts. It is a canonized prayer manual that informs us of the ways in which Jesus
will manifest His power.
E. Through prayer, the end-time Church will bind or stop Satan’s activities and loose or release Jesus’ power on the
Church and against the Antichrist.
18 I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades (authority of hell) shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of
the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven. (Mt. 16:18–19)
F. These judgment events do not happen to us as helpless victims of Satan, but are released through us as
participants with Jesus. His judgments are sent to remove everything that hinders love. He is the loving liberator of the
nations from the Antichrist’s oppression and injustice.
G. Revelation is Jesus’ battle plan, our prayer manual and the Father’s perfect blueprint for eschatological revolution
that is rooted and grounded in perfect love that casts out fear (Eph. 3:18; 1 Jn. 4:18). Its “story line” reveals how God will
drive sin off the planet in perfect love.
1) Jesus’ strategic battle plan to confront the Antichrist and drive evil off the planet
2) The Church’s canonized prayer manual to release judgment on the Antichrist
3) The Father’s perfect blueprint to prepare the Bride
H. The main focus in Revelation is God’s judgment against the Antichrist’s empire.
The secondary theme is tribulation against the saints from the Antichrist. Out of 403 verses, there are only twelve (3%)
that speak directly about persecution (Rev. 6:9-11; 11:7; 12:17; 13:7, 15; 16:6; 17:6; 18:24; 19:2; 20:4).
I. One generation will hasten or speed up the Day of the Lord in a unique way by keeping the prophecy (2 Pet. 3:12;
Rev. 22:7). They will follow through in keeping the prophecy as faithful witnesses and intercessors by having the
character, skillful insight and anointing in prayer.
J. The greatest spiritual breakthroughs in history will occur in the end times. They will affect our culture in the areas
of business, education, government, media, arts, etc. Whatever is done in righteousness will have continuity in the age
to come. It will survive the Tribulation shakings.
26 He has promised, saying, "…I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." 27 Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the
removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may
remain. (Heb. 12:26–27)
III. SYMBOLS
A. Revelation is to be interpreted in its plain meaning. The events and numbers are to be understood literally unless
the Scripture indicates that they are symbolic (Rev. 1:20; 5:6; 11:8; 12:1, 3, 9; 17:7, 9, 15-18, etc.). For example, the
seven lampstands are symbolic of churches (Rev. 1:20).
B. The seven main symbols of Revelation:
1) Dragon: Symbolic of Satan (Rev. 12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; 13:2, 4; 16:13; 20:2)
2) First Beast: Symbolic of the Antichrist (Rev. 13; 14:9-11; 17:3-17; 19:19-21; 20:4, 10)
3) Another Beast: Symbolic of the false prophet; called another beast just once (Rev. 13:11)
4) Harlot Babylon: A global, demonically-inspired religious and economic system (Rev. 17-18)
5) Seven heads: Represent 7 empires that persecuted Israel (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia,
Greece, Rome, a still future revived Roman Empire of Dan. 7:7; Rev. 12:3; 13:1; 17:3-16)
6) Ten Horns: Represent a ten-nation confederation that serves the Antichrist (Rev. 17:12-13)
7) Woman with a Male-child (Jesus): Is the faithful remnant of Israel through history (Rev. 12)
IV. THE SEVENTH TRUMPET: JESUS’ ROYAL PROCESSION AND THE RAPTURE
A. At the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Rev. 10:7; 11:15-18; 1 Cor. 15:52), the Church will be raptured and Jesus
will begin His royal procession across the sky over every nation. Every eye will see Him as His kingship is announced and
asserted over each nation (Mt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7). Then He will march through Edom (modern day Jordan) destroying His
enemies (Isa. 63:1-6, Hab. 3:12) on His way to making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. All the tribes of the earth will
mourn because of Him. (Rev. 1:7)
1 Who is this who comes from Edom (Jordan)…this One traveling in the greatness of His strength?...2 Why is Your
apparel red…? 3 I have trodden them in My anger, and trampled them in My fury; their blood is sprinkled upon My
garments, and I have stained all My robes. 4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed
has come. (Isa. 63:1-4)
11 The sun and moon stood still…12 You marched through the land in indignation; You trampled the nations in anger.
13 You went forth for the salvation of Your people… (Hab. 3:11-12)
B. This process will take 30 days. It will be a dynamic transitional period that ushers in the Millennium (Jesus'
1000-year reign). In Daniel 12:11, an angel told Daniel about a period of time in the end times that will last 1,290 days.
It will extend 30 days beyond the commonly understood 1,260 days which is the three and a half years of the Great
Tribulation.
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be
1,290 days. (Dan. 12:11)
C. Jesus’ royal procession occurring over a 30-day period can be seen by comparing the 1,260 days (Rev. 11:2–3;
12:6, 14; 13:5; Dan. 7:25; 9:27; 12:7) with the 1,290 days of Daniel 12:11.
See www.IHOP.org for more on Jesus’ 30-day royal procession.
V. STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION: FOUR MAIN PARTS
There are four parts in the structure of Revelation.
The fourth part has five chronological sections in which the events occur in sequential order.
Rev. 1 Pt. 1: John’s CALLING to prophesy about the end times. John gives 18 truths about Jesus’ majesty that form the
way he prophesied about the end times. These are meant to equip us. Rev. 2-3 Pt. 2: Jesus gave 7 LETTERS to
7 churches. The instructions Jesus gave to 7 churches in that day about overcoming sin give us practical insight into
what we must overcome today. Jesus selected churches to identify the main issues that would challenge the end-time
Church.
Rev. 4-5 Pt. 3: Jesus takes the SCROLL containing the earth’s title deed and Jesus’ plan to cleanse it.
Rev. 6-22 Pt. 4: Jesus’ BATTLE PLAN reveals His main story line of love in the book of Revelation.
1. Jesus’ BATTLE PLAN is to cleanse the earth of evil in context to a great war against the Antichrist (Rev. 11:7;
12:7, 17; 13:4, 7; 17:14; 19:11, 19). Jesus will do this by releasing the Tribulation judgments against the Antichrist
and by anointing the Church with power.
2. His plan is laid out in 5 chronological sections describing events that unfold in sequential order. Each section
is followed by an angelic explanation concerning that section.
3. The 5 chronological sections tell us what happens to the Antichrist’s followers in 21 judgment events
(7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls). These intensify in severity as they unfold. The 5 chronological sections are all
events against the kingdom of darkness, released by the praying Church. The story line begins with the Antichrist
coming to power (Rev. 6).
4. The 5 angelic explanations function as a parenthesis, putting the story line “on pause”. They answer
questions arising from the chronological sections: Why is God’s wrath so severe? What will happen to us? An
angel explains why the judgment events are necessary and tells John what happens to God’s people, including
what Jesus will do to help us, and what the Antichrist will do to persecute us.
Rev. 6 Chronological Section #1: The SEAL JUDGMENTS against the kingdom of darkness
Rev. 7 Angelic Explanation #1: We receive PROTECTION from judgments and falling away
There will be a great increase of glory on the persecuted Church (1 Pet. 4:14).
Rev. 8-9 Chronological Section #2: The TRUMPET JUDGMENTS against the Antichrist’s empire
Rev. 10-11 Angelic Explanation #2: We receive DIRECTION by a great increase of prophetic ministry
Rev. 11:15-19 Chronological Section #3: SECOND COMING ROYAL PROCESSION and RAPTURE
and the total removal of all governmental leaders on earth who agree with the Antichrist.
At the seventh and last trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52; Rev. 10:7; 1 Thes. 4:16): Jesus will replace
all evil governmental leaders on earth. It will be a hostile takeover that includes a war.
Rev. 12-14 Angelic Explanation #3: the Antichrist’s violent CONFRONTATION against the saints
and everything that God calls good, requires that all his governments be replaced
Rev. 15-16 Chronological Section #4: The BOWL JUDGMENTS destroy evil infrastructures in society
Rev. 17-18 Angelic Explanation #4: The SEDUCTION by Babylon’s evil religion will permeate and
infiltrate all the structures of society, requiring that Babylon be totally destroyed.
8 I (Father) will give You (Jesus) the nations for Your inheritance…9 You shall break
them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. (Ps. 2:8–9)
Rev. 19-20 Chronological Section #5: Jesus’ TRIUMPHAL ENTRY to Jerusalem (Rev. 19:11-21:8)
Rev. 21–22 Angelic Explanation #5: The RESTORATION of all things (Acts 3:21; Rev. 21:9-22:5).
At Jesus’ coming, He will restore all that God originally intended in the Garden of Eden.