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An Outline of the Book of Revelation

by Jon Paulien

  • I. THE PROLOGUE (1:1-8)

    • A. The chain of revelation (1:1-3)

    • B. Trinitarian greeting and doxology (1:4-6)

    • C. Eschatological announcement (1:7,8)

  • II. THE SEVEN CHURCHES (1:9 - 3:22)

    • A. Introductory Vision: Christ in the midst of the seven golden lampstands (1:9-20)

      • 1. John on Patmos (9-11)

      • 2. Vision of Christ (12-20)

    • B. The letters to the seven churches (2:1 - 3:22)
      • 1. Ephesus, the passionless church (2:1-7)

      • 2. Smyrna, the persecuted church (2:8-11)

      • 3. Pergamon, the tolerant church (2:12-17)

      • 4. Thyatira, the compromising church (2:18-29)

      • 5. Sardis, the dead church (3:1-6)

      • 6. Philadelphia, the missionary church (3:7-13)

      • 7. Laodicea, the arrogant church (3:14-22)

  • III. THE SEVEN SEALS (4:1 - 8:1)

    • A. Introductory Vision: The Enthronement of the Lamb (4:1 - 5:14)

      • 1. General scene of worship (4:1-11)

      • 2. A heavenly crisis (5:1-4)

      • 3. Resolution of the crisis (5:5-7)

      • 4. Perpetual celebration of results (5:8-14)

    • B. The opening of the seven seals (6:1 - 8:1)

      • 1. The white horse--victorious conquest (6:1-2)

      • 2. The red horse--war (6:3-4)

      • 3. The black horse--famine (6:5-6)

      • 4. The pale horse--pestilence (6:7-8)

      • 5. The cry of the martyrs (6:9-11)

      • 6. The final eschatological events, (6:12 - 7:17)

        • a. The wicked and the wrath of the Lamb (6:12-17)

        • b. The righteous: 144,000 sealed saints (7:1-8)

        • c. An innumerable multitude (7:9-17)

      • 7. Silence in heaven (8:1)

  • IV. THE SEVEN TRUMPETS (8:2 - 11:18)

    • A. Introductory Vision: A view of trumpets, the altar of incense and the end of intercession (8:2-6)

    • B. The sounding of the seven trumpets (8:7 - 11:18)

      • 1. A plague falls to earth--hail and fire (8:7)

      • 2. A burning mountain sinks into the sea (8:8-9)

      • 3. A polluting star falls on the rivers and springs (8:10-11)

      • 4. A plague partially darkens the heavenly bodies (8:12)

        • a. Announcement of three further woes (8:13)

      • 5. A scourge of darkness and locusts arises from the Abyss to attack unsealed humanity (9:1-11)

        • a. Transition from first to second woe (9:12)

      • 6. Preparation for the eschatological battle (9:13 - 11:13)

        • a. The wicked: Four angels at the Euphrates release an army of two hundred million horsemen to destroy a third of humanity 9:13-21)

        • b. The righteous: The little book (10:1-11) and the two witnesses (11:1-13)

        • c. Transition from second to third woe (11:14)

      • 7. The mystery of God is finished (10:7)

      • 8. Christ claims His everlasting Kingdom (11:15-18)

  • V. THE WRATH OF THE NATIONS (11:19 - 15:4)

    • A. Introductory Vision: The Ark of the Covenant is seen (11:19)

    • B. The showing of seven signs (12:1 - 15:4)

      • 1. The woman, the dragon and the remnant (12:1-17)

      • 2. The beast from the sea (13:1-10)

      • 3. The beast from the earth (13:11-18)

      • 4. The 144,000 with the Lamb on Mt. Zion (14:1-5)

      • 5. The three angel's messages (14:6-13)

      • 6. The harvest of the earth (14:14-20)

        • a. The righteous grain is harvested (14:14-16)

        • b. The wicked vintage is crushed outside the city (14:17-20)

      • 7. The saved beside the sea of glass sing the song of Moses and the Lamb (15:1-4)

  • VI. THE WRATH OF GOD (15:5 - 18:24)

    • A. Introductory Vision: God's glory fills the heavenly tabernacle; no one can enter it (15:5 - 16:1)

    • B. The pouring out of the seven censer-bowls (16:2-21)

      • 1. A plague strikes the earth--boils (16:2)

      • 2. A plague strikes the sea--blood (16:3)

      • 3. A plague strikes the rivers and springs--blood (16:4-7)

      • 4. A plague strikes the sun--burning heat (16:8-9)

      • 5. A plague of darkness on the throne of the beast (16:10-11)

      • 6. The great river Euphrates dries up (16:12-16)

        • a. The wicked: demonic spirits gather the kings for Armageddon (16:13-14,16)

        • b. The righteous: conditions for blessing (16:15)

      • 7. "It is done"--Babylon falls (16:17-21)

    • C. The doom of Babylon (17:1 - 18:24)
      • 1. The harlot in the wilderness (17:1-6)

      • 2. The beast destroys the harlot (17:7-18)

      • 3. The destruction of the Great City (18:1-24)

  • VII. THE FINAL DESTRUCTION OF EVIL (19:1 - 20:15)

    • A. Introductory Vision: Celebration in heaven over Babylon's fall (19:1-10)

    • B. The Final End (19:11 - 20:15)

      • 1. The Word of God on the white horse (19:11-16)

      • 2. An angel gathers the flesh-eating birds (19:17-18)

      • 3. The battle of Armageddon (19:19-21)

        • a. The wicked defeated (19:19)

        • b. The righteous victorious (19:20-21)

      • 4. The dragon thrown back into the abyss (20:1-3)

      • 5. Enthroned with Christ (20:4-6)

      • 6. The Defeat of Satan (20:7-10)

      • 7. The last Judgment (20:11-15)

  • VIII. THE NEW JERUSALEM (21:1 - 22:5)

    • A. Introductory Vision: The New Heaven and New Earth (21:1-8)

    • B. The New Jerusalem (21:9 - 22:5)

      • 1. Description of the New Jerusalem (21:9-27)

      • 2. The city's source of life (22:1-5)

  • IX. THE EPILOGUE (22:6-21)
    • A. The book validated (6-19)

    • B. Closing Benediction (20-21)