The Chronological Order of The Book of Revelation

Today I was thinking about Chapter 12 in the Book of Revelation and how Rev.12:12 speaks about the woe against those of the earth and sea and how the dragon has come down to them. Then in Chapter 13 we have the dragon coming in Rev. 13:2 and also Rev. 13:11 to the 1st and 2nd beasts. Thus, Rev. 12:12-17 is expanded upon in Chapter 13. This evidence shows that a chronology continues from Chapter 12 through Chapter 13 (as an expansion of Verses 12:12-17) and then into Chapter 14.

Secondly, due to the comment in Rev. 13:4 concerning who can make war with the beast, and then in Chapter 14 we see Christ and the 144,000, then it is they who can make war with the beast.

Then, after I had taken a nap and considered Rev. 14:6, I wondered what other expansions exist, if any, in Chapter 13's relationship to Chapter 14. The following chart shows those expansions:




What is not shown in the above expansions is the war wherein the two beasts are destroyed. Interestingly, this war is shown both before and after the verses that pertain to the expansion (at Rev. 12:7-11 and Rev. 14:15-16).

So either these are two different wars or they are the same war. But going with rondonmonson  in his conclusion that the sequester of the saints at Rev. 12:6 is repeated at Rev. 12:14 then the above chart is an expansion of Rev. 12:1-6 with the wars of Rev. 7-11 and Rev. 14:15-16 as the ending war/harvest.

So it appears that Chapters 12-14 may be in a chiasmus form of some sort; perhaps, as follows:

vv. 12:1-6, beginning
    vv. 12:7-11, war with the dragon/beasts
        vv. 12:12-14:14, center
    vv. 14:15-16, the harvest
vv. 14:17-20, ending

Thank you rondonmonson , and you look very cool.

I am with you on your overall conclusions except the parenthetical. I think that many people accept the idea that Chapters like 13 or 14 are parenthetical because it is an easy way to explain how the connections in the book work. In fact, I was of that mindset for such a long time and then I got onto the chronological kick. The problem with chronology in the Book of Revelation is that everything seems to be out of order. So, the trick is to find the order; however, no cheating by using the parenthetical excuses.

I believe that my big break came a few weeks ago when I came across the idea that the heart of the book is primarily divided into four sections. This idea came from the four sets of 7 (seals, trumpets, angels in 14, and bowls). Additionally, there are repeated sets of four throughout the book as in 4 horsemen, 4 angels (vv. 7:1-3), 4 beasts (Ch. 4), etc. 

From this perspective (that Chapters 4-19 are divided into four parts), then it was easy to section those parts into the established chapters first by the division of the book in its chiasmus form (4-11 and 12-19); and then by the associations to the: 1) seals (Ch. 5-8), 2) trumpets (8-11), 3) angels of 14 (12-14) and lastly 4) the bowls (15-19).

As you can see, Chapter 4 is the odd man out; however, it belongs to the 1st half of the book and most likely to the seals. So far I have leaned toward it's parenthetical application in the 6th trumpet only because I can not explain how Chapter 4 has an application prior to God holding the scroll in Rev. 5:1. See what I mean! If it can not be explained then you must cheat away from the chronology.

Lastly, the four sets of chapters (5-8, 8-11, 12-13, 15-19) must work within their sets to tell some aspect of the story. It is easy to see the chronology from Chapter 5 to 11 (sets 1 & 2) with a bit of work between Chapters 9 and 10. But the connections between 12, 13 and 14 (set 3) are much more difficult and I think that I found the connections as I explained in my previous post. The 4th set is also easy with the beast rising in 17, the fall of Babylon in 18, the marriage and war in 19, then after the war in 15 and 16 as the ending.

The emphasis of the four sets appears to be:
1) In the seals (5-8): the four horsemen and the 144,000
2) In the trumpets (8-11): the three woes and the two witnesses
3) In the four angels of Chapter 14 (12-14): the two beasts and the harvest of the Lord
4) In the bowls (15-19): rise of the beast, the fall of Babylon, the marriage, the great war, and lastly the wrath of God

Using the 4th set as a template then the grouping of the topics from the four sets would be something like:



From the above chart the order of events appears to be:
1-2) rise of the beasts and the rapture of the saints
3) fall of Babylon
4) the marriage
5) harvest / great war
6) temple
7) wrath of God

From the above information it appears that after the beasts rise then the saints are enraptured. Afterwards the beasts replace the economic system (Babylon) with the mark of the beast economic system. During the same time the saints having been enraptured are married to the Savior via a sealing ceremony. It seems that all the preceding events occur during the first 3.5 years of the tribulation era. Next is the harvest and great war wherein the beasts are destroyed. Then the temple is built followed by it's desecration and subsequent wrath of God.

 

Parenthetical only means God is telling two stories during the same time period. Genesis 2 is Parenthetical, as is the book Daniel, it is nowhere near in order. Once bible prophecy people understand the 1260 Event spoken of in Daniel they can then solve the Chronological Order of the book of Rev. until then its going to be hard. Its not out of order except for Rev. 15&16, I think they should follow Rev. 9, thus 8, 9, 15&16 would give us all the Judgments of God in order, everything else are chapters with specific meanings that happen during those four chapters.

Its like a book with flashbacks, it can't be in order during ANY FLASHBACK, but then you return to the current time frame, that is the actually order of the movie. In other words, during the Fried Green Tomatoes movie, all the flash backs were not a part of the order of the movie, instead they were meant to show specific things that happened at a subset point in time. 

The 70th week timeline explained.

Rev. 1 is Jesus in all his glory, that covers eternity IMHO.

Rev. 2 and 3 is Pre 70th week, its the Church Age.

70TH WEEK BELOW:
_______________1_______________2_______________3_______3/1 years_______4_______________5_______________6_______________7 Years
_______________________________________________Rev. 4 The 24 Elders = Church, they have the promises to those who overcome, Thrones, Robes and Crowns.
_______________________________________________Rev. 5 We see in verse 9  that these come out of every nation and are REDEEMED, Angels need no redeeming
_________________________________________________Rev. 6 Jesus opens the 6 Seals just before the MIDWAY POINT, and prophesies bout the Coming Anti-Christ.
________________________________________________________Rev.7 1290-1260 Jews Flee Judea
_________________________________________________________Rev. 8 EXACT MID POINT 1260 Event.
_________________________________________________________________________Rev. 9 = Woe 1 & 2 Apollyon is released, the demons hurt men for 5 months.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Rev. 10 is the very end.
_____________________________________________________Rev. 11 starts 75 days before the Anti-Christ shows up at the 1260, the 2 Witnesses show up/1335.
_________________________________________________________Rev. 12 starts at the EXACT MID POINT-1260 Event.
_________________________________________________________Rev. 13 starts at the EXACT MID POINT-1260 Event.
__Revelation 14 covers the full 7 years because we see the Rapture in verse 14 in a FLASH BACK________The rest of the Harvest happens at the end__WINE-PRESS.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Rev. 15 Angels ready the Vials
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Rev. 16//Vials end it all
_________________________________________________________Rev. 17 starts at the MID POINT-1260 Event, the Anti-Christ takes out ALL OTHER RELIGIONS
_________________________________________________________Rev. 18 starts at the MID POINT-1260 Event, the World/Babylon is judged in a 42-month period
__Revelation 19 like Rev. 14 covers the full 7 years, we see the Church in Heaven BEFORE she gets her White Robes, thus it covers the full 7 years____

Rev. 20, 21 and 22 of course are not a part of the 70th week, they happen after Jesus' return. 

boraddict,

How is Rev14:6-20 the midpoint? 

In Rev 14:7 we see:

That would start judgment. Not be 3.5 years into it.  Simply, a request is made to fear God and give him glory because he is about to judge.  Its an acknowledgment to the inhabitants of the earth to save themselves and change their wicked lives.
That demonstrates a beggining, not a midpoint.  Further, the following verse shows what happens at a beginning of judgement (not wrath as they are different words and meanings):

The destruction of Babylon is what God judges.  This judgment is based upon answering his servants who are martyred and the question they ask him in the 5th seal.
We know this because Rev 18:24 proves it.

And this blood of all his saints on the earth is why the question is asked in Rev 6:9-10 and God answers them by Babylons destruction.

Now, back to Rev 14:7 where we saw the command that his judgment is about to begin...what happened before this?

Simply, the 144k are already sealed.  The implication is that their sealing in Revelation 7:4-8 precedes God's judgment and is outside any judgment and wrath.  This is backed up when we read:

The command is given by God to not hurt anything till after they are sealed.  Therefore, with both this command by God and the command to begin judgment in Rev 14, the sealing of the 144k is prior to any judgment or wrath by God.

To negate any of this, I don't know how you would.

Hello sister, Rev. 14:6-20 would be basically correct, except there is a "FLASHBACK" in verses 14-17 that shows the Pre-tribulation rapture. In Rev. 12 I would say Satan is cast down at the exact midway point and thus verses 7-17 are the last 1260 days in full. As per Rev. 19, we can't know thee exact mid-point because this all happens in Heaven, but from verse 11-20 we know are Jesus returning on the White Horse to Conquer the Wicked/Beast/False Prophet/Satan/Babylon = Whole World.

As per Rev. 8:1 to Rev. 11_2 that is much more complicated. Rev. 8 starts at the midway point for sure, Rev. 9 and Rev. 15&16 continue onto the 7th Vial. We see Rev. 10 is just a FLASH FORWARD to the very end when time will be no more [as we know it]. In other words we will be in "Jesus time" after this, Amen. Revelation 11 is all about the Two-witnesses, that is why we see the 2nd Woe repeated in Rev. 11, its already been shown in Rev. 9 that the 2nd Woe is an (IMHO) Angelic Army of 200 million which slays 1/3 of all men who have taken the Mark of the Beast, thus its called "a Plague" in verse 20. We know 200 Million Chinese warriors don't bring Plagues, only God can do that. So, I don't see Rev. 11 as a part of the order, sure it covers the Midway point, it even starts 75 days before the Midway point, but I don't see this as a part pf the Chronological Order of the book of Revelation, I see this chapter as the Two-witnesses Ministry on earth chapter. It's ALL ABOUT THEM.



Now I see why you went that way, the Temple will be built before the Two-witnesses arrive on earth. Rev. 11:1-3 is just John being shown what the Two-witnesses parameters are, the Two=witnesses,  like Jesus are only called to earth for ONE PURPOSE, to call the Jews unto Repentance, the Gentile Church has already been Raptured thus the "TIME OF THE GENTILES" has come full.

Revelation 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Here is what John is shown, most do not see this, God is perfect in all His Symmetry, we have to look deep to find His truths many times they are right in front of our eyes and we overlook them. God is telling John to measure the Temple and the Altar and THOSE THAT WORSHIP THEREIN.................Get it ? God is saying the Two-witnesses are sent to the Jews only here.........then John is told do not measure the Gentile Court of the Temple. The actual Temple had a court for the Gentiles to enter into, they could not enter the temple nor the altar area. The Wailing Wall is a part of the old Gentile Court, no part of the Temple is actually still standing. 

So, we are given the measurement as per to who the Two-witnesses will prophesy unto, they have come to turn Israel back unto God. The bible tells us this in Malachi 4:5-6.

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:(1260 event)
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.




The war in heaven is at the MIDWAY POINT because Satan is kicked out at the midway point. (1260)


Rev. 14 is an odd chapter until one gets its point of emphasis correct. It's the "Harvest Chapter". Notice, the 144,000 (fleeing Jews who are protected in Petra) are with Jesus on Mt. Zion, that is of course after he has returned at the Second Coming. Verses 17-20 show the Armageddon Harvest of the Wicked Tares, so the 144,000 would be the Wheat (Israel) who repented before the DOTL came. They both grow together until the very end, so everything else in the chapter has to be flashbacks. 

Verses 6-10 are thus all Flashbacks to the Midway point on until the very end where Babylon Falls, however I do believe Babylon actually falls at the moment God's Wrath starts falling, its a foregone conclusion right? Once God starts the War there is only one winner, Satan, the Beast and all his minions are GONG DOWN !! The Harvest of the Wicked will go on for 3.5 years as they die over that whole time period. They will be bundled into the grave to be burned at a later time.(1000 years later). This chapter is mostly about the Three Harvests, the Harvest of the Church, the Harvest of the Jews/First-fruits and the Harvest of the Wicked tares. Amen.


 In Rev. 19:9 we see that is about the Marriage of the Raptured Church and her Marriage Feast (Armageddon) whilst Rev. 14:13 is about those who died during the 70th week tribulation period. We see that ONLY THEY live and serve with Christ on earth for 1000 years, which I assume means the Church, in our glorious bodies, go back to Heaven to help build New Jerusalem, or we are given other things to do, who knows. 

Rev. 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.




Rev. 18:4 is the same ones fleeing Judea in Rev. 7 (144,000) and the Jews who Jesus told to Flee Judea when they see the Abomination of Desolation which happens at the 1290 (SEE Daniel 12:11). Thus God calls his people to COME OUT of Babylon (world) lest she partakes in her sins and of her plagues....Get it? Plagues? Flee to Petra else you will be hit by the exact same plagues as Babylon (rest of the world). God protects the Woman (Israel) for 1260 days, the Earth protects her, a Rock formation and God using the elements like He did in Egypt (wall of fire/Red Sea etc. etc.). So, it can't be the same thing sister, Rev. 19 starts via the Rapture, PRE TRIBULATION Rapture whilst Rev. 18 starts in the EXACT MID POINT of the 70th week. Notice also Rev. 18:2, Babylon (world) has become the Habitation of Devils, but why? Because, at the EXACT MID POINT who is cast down to earth ? Satan of course !! ...........We know this one happens at the mid point, see how it all comes together sister ?


You do know the Beast only rules for 42 months right ? So, the Beast arising out of the Sea has 42 MONTHS to rule so he must start in the Middle of the Week. WATCH:

Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue "forty and two months".

The Kings in league with the Beast KILL OFF the Harlot Religions, and we also know EXACTLY HOW LONG they rule also sister. WATCH:

Rev. 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

This means they receive power a SHORT TIME with the Beast, thus we know the Beast rules for 42 months thus we know the Kings/Horns rule 42 months. They thus can not rule before the MID POINT of the 70th week. 

And as I showed above sister, Rev. 18 starts at the MID POINT of the 70th week, Satan is cast down to earth and Apollyon loosed from the bottomless pit at the midway point or in the middle of the week. Israel flees in the middle of the week, AND the World (Babylon) is Judged starting at the 1260 Event.

God Bless. 

I think you are referring to Rev. 18:2 brother, not 19:2. Rev. 19:2 says nothing about the Fall of Babylon per se. We see the Church marrying the Lamb in Rev. 19 then returning with the Lamb later on in the same Chapter.




The Harlot is not Babylon, the Harlot = ALL FALSE RELIGION of all time. We can plainly see they are two different entities, the Harlot RIDES the Beast. The kings HATED the Harlot in Rev. 17 but Lamented and Mourned when Babylon was burning, because Babylon is the WHOLE WORLD. We have to be able to discern when God is giving us clues to describe something, instead too many times we think God is calling the Harlot Babylon, He was not. He was showing us who the Harlot is.

MYSTERY (this was not a clue, thus Mystery Babylon is ALWAYS WRONG, this was meant by God to be a Header.....)

MYSTERY.........Then the clues to the Mystery.
1. Babylon the Great.
2. Mother of Harlots
3. Abominations of all the Earth.

What does God reveal to us here ? His Secret (Musterion simply means Secret by God's Silence.....or to shut the mouth). That Secret is given unto us in these three clues. The Harlot was associated with Babylon, she was the Mother of harlots and she is an Abomination. That would = All False Religion of all time, Babylon is noted as the city of False Religion, false religion is an Abomination, Semiramis was the Mother of False Religion in Babylon. God describes what the Harlot is unto us here, FALSE RELIGION. This is why the Kings kill her off when they Demand Beast Worship, they know that the Islamic Hordes will not put up with this, they die now for their "god" Allah, don't you think that the Anti-Christ already knows this? He knows these Muslims will never worship a man as God? So he is going to do away with all religions except Beast Worship, this is how these False Religions get Judged. Rev. 17:17 even says God puts it in their hearts to do His will. 

The the great whore is False Religion, not Babylon Falling. False Religion is what killed the [Jewish] Saints AND the Martyrs of Jesus....................see how both were mentioned in Rev. 17? Because its about ALL FALSE RELIGION down through the ages or ALL TIME. God sees ANY WORSHIP of any God besides Him as an Abomination, of course, Hes a jealous God. In Rev. 18 Babylon represents Beast Powers or Earthly Kingdoms....The Harlot RIDES the Beast, they were always co-mingled until the Last Beast Kingdom desires to be worshiped as a god himself, that is why Antiochus is the TYPE, he thought he was a god !! Epiphanes literally means God Manifest after all.



It comes after it states the Harlot is destroyed, but God goes back and forth here, He knows the beginning from the end. We know from reading Rev. 4 and 5 that the Church has on White Robes before the Seals are opened, thus before the Midway point of the 70th week, thus we know that the Harlot has to be judged after the Marriage, which means the real Emphasis of Rev. 19 is about the Second Coming/Armageddon, so with that being the focal point of the chapter, then of course the Harlot is judged before the Armageddon Battle begins. Its just like in Rev. 14, we get a FLASH BACK to the Rapture in verses 14-16. 



Well, I explained the Harlot is not Babylon, I guess I foresaw where this was going. Rev. 19 runs for the full 7 years just like Rev. 14 does. See my TIMELINE above.


The 24 Elders represent the Raptured Church. God goes back and forth in certain chapters, its just prose. People over analyze minutia IMHO way to much. The Second Coming can't really mean the Second Coming if you read John 20, where Jesus tells Mary TOUCH ME NOT for I have not yet ascended unto the Father (to offer the Sacrifice). Thus he was saying if you touch me you will defile the Sacrifice with your sin flesh, for no sin flesh can even enter heaven. 

But 8 days later he allowed Doubting Thomas to touch his wounds, this tells us that Jesus went to the Father, offered the Sacrifice, then returned with the Holy Spirit as a gift to the bride. Yet, if someone says Second Coming, I am not going to get off into the minutia that its not really the Second Coming, because I know its about the two advents, the Suffering Servant and the Conquering King. Amen.


The Four Beasts are Arch Angels, the 24 Elders are the Church as defined by the scriptures. The Fear IMHO references Reverence not fear, we can't really fear a God who is full of such compassion and love, we just fear His judgments on the wicked, and thus we are too fearful to put ourselves in a position to be judged by an Almighty, Righteous God!! And thus we know we need to be under the blood, if that makes any sense at all to you. It means what it means, but it also means great reverence. I feared my dads spankings when I did wrong, so I did not do wrong, but I loved my dad and knew he would never do anything to hurt me. If I got a spanking I needed it. But I feared by dads belt/switches/heavy hand on my rear end if I went awry. So I didn't.

In Rev. 4:4 we see that the 24 Elders have Crowns, White Robes and sat on Thrones. These were all promises made to the Churches who OVERCAME in Rev. 2 and 3. Then in Rev. 5:9-10 we see that those singing are the REDEEMED, and we know Angels of God do not need Redeeming, the 24 Elders also represent the 24 Orders of the Priesthood in 1 Chronicles 24, and in verse 10 we are called Kings and Priests. 

Rev. 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.


Rev. 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.


Rev. 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.


Rev. 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.


I mean, how loud does God have tom SHOUT to get our attention here? Hes clearly showing us these 24 Elders are the Church in Heaven BEFORE the Seals are ever opened. Then Rev. 5:9-10 takes it one step further, those SINGING are the REDEEMED from ALL NATIONS. It can be nothing else but the Church brother.

They are, but Satan rules them all. The 10 Kings represent fractured kingdom of Rome (Iron and Clay) the number 10 is used by God to point out the full number over a long distance of time, in other words in Romes time there was ONE King over the area, a 1000 years ago there might have been 9 kings over the area, in the 1500's there might have been 20 plus kings. The E.U. had 27 Nations/Kings until England left, now they have 26 Nations/Kings, so the only way to describe this fractured Nation of the Fourth Beast is to use the number 10. God uses the number 7 in the same manner, He has 7 Spirits and 7 Eyes, but it only means God sees all and is everywhere at all times. 

The 10 represents all the nations in the E.U. basically, whatever number that is. The other kings are likewise ruled by Satan also, see Luke 4, Satan  showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the whole world and stated that these were given unto him to do as he so willed with. So, all the earthly kings are wicked, and the 10 Kings are his POWER BASE in the European Union. 

Gotta Run, God Bless sister. You are plugging away every day, God honors hard work, I love you sister.