Prior to studying the Revelation (note it's singular, not Revelations), it may be helpful to understand a basic outline of the times in which we live and of what lies ahead. For the most part, the Revelation covers these periods. This should make the study of the Revelation easier to grasp.
Much like putting a puzzle together-if you have a picture of what the completed puzzle looks like, how much easier it is to put the pieces into place. In the same way, if you have a biblical idea of the times in which we live until the end, as you read the Revelation it is easier to put into perspective.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE TIMES IN WHICH WE LIVE UNTIL THE END

    Will Russia and some Arab nations invade Israel and the U.S.A. become involved? Yes.
    Will 1/4th of the world's population die? Yes.
    Will diseases such as AIDS increase? Yes.
    Will a world leader called the Antichrist come forth? Yes.
    Will there be a one-world governing system? Yes.
    Will there be an event called Armageddon? Yes.
    Will Jesus Christ actually return? Yes.

    Just as the rebirth of Israel happened as predicted (along with over 300 other predictions) so the rest of the prophecies shall come to pass.

    THE FOOL HAS SAID IN HIS HEART, THERE IS NO GOD.

    The Bible gives us over 360 prophecies that would come to pass; however, none of these meant anything until the predicted rebirth of Israel occurred. This event did happen in 1948. (Note-many of these are covered under the prophecy section of this site.) The rebirth of Israel and the 360 plus prophecies (all coming to pass and being in place at the same time) indicate the Tribulation is on the doorstep and the Rapture that precedes it is very near at hand.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? THE RAPTURE AND TRIBULATION

    RAPTURE (the Biblical term is "caught up" or "translation") is a term used to describe the removal from the earth of all living people that have been born-again as evidenced by their fruits. Just prior to the Tribulation coming about, the Rapture will take place. The number that will be raptured will be far fewer than most people might think. The Bible unmistakably portrays the raptured saints in heaven before the throne of God, prior to the Antichrist coming forth and the Tribulation beginning. The Scripture tell us, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall be changed and be with Jesus in the air. 1 Cor 15:51,52-WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP, BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED, IN A MOMENT IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMP: FOR THE TRUMPET SHALL SOUND; 1 Thes 4:16,17-AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST, THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS. We may be asleep, immediately we will be with Jesus. All the unbelievers, the lukewarm so called Christians, and those that did not obey the Gospel will be left to face the dreadful Tribulation. (Note-for an in depth study of the Rapture click here.)

    THE TRIBULATION is the worst time in history since man has been on the earth. Immediately following the Rapture, the man of sin (called the Antichrist) comes forth and assumes control of the EEC. He can be expected to be very charismatic and brilliant. He confirms a treaty with Israel and others, which begins the Tribulation. It is a 7 year period, but the Lord may have shortened the first 3 1/2 years in some way-ref Mk 13:20; Ro 9:28. We are not setting a date; however, we believe we are now living in that generation in which this will happen. Hate, murder, thefts, rape, and every imaginable form of evil will abound. During this horrible period of God's wrath, Russia, Iran, and other nations will come against Israel. The USA becomes involved. One-fourth of the world's population will die. Many of the dead will be from the USA, as well as Russia. One-third of trees are burned up. All green grass is burned up. One-third of the sea will become blood. One-third of the creatures in the sea will die. One-third of the ships are destroyed. One-third of the waters become wormwood (or poisoned, or radioactive). Massive famines, increased earthquakes, and more diseases will happen as birth pangs of a woman. Those left alive will have opportunities to receive Jesus through the preaching of 144,000 male, virgin Jews; however, death by decapitation lies ahead for most that put their trust in Jesus, unless they renounce their faith. There will also be many false Christs and false prophets. A one-world, false religion that God calls MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH will increase. This religion has existed for hundreds of years and exists today. The nations of the world have become intoxicated with her false teachings. The temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt.
About 3½ years from the end of the Tribulation, the Antichrist (also called the beast) is killed with a wound in the head by a weapon, but his deadly wound will be healed. He will come back to life. He then declares himself to be God and moves into the temple in Jerusalem. A false prophet appears that will do great wonders. The sacrifices at the temple will be stopped. The abomination of desolation occurs. An image of the Antichrist will be set on a wing of the temple. Those that refuse to worship it will be beheaded. The elect born-again Jews now flee for their lives to a place where God will hide them and take care of them during the last three and a half years. Power is given to the Antichrist over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. All that dwell on the earth shall worship the Antichrist, whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life. During these last three and a half years (called the Great Tribulation), world conditions will continue to worsen. A one-world system will exist. The Antichrist shall make war against the saints and will overcome them. People will be required to take the mark of the Antichrist or the number of his name (666) in or on their forehead or right hand. If they, refuse they cannot buy or sell.
Two prophets of God will appear. One of them is Elijah. Their ministry lasts 1260 days. They warn people not to take the mark or worship the image. There is no forgiveness from God afterward for those that do. They will go to the eternal lake of fire. These two witnesses have the power to shut up heaven so that it does not rain. They have the power to bring all kinds of plagues on the earth. Multitudes will be slain for the Word of God. Some type of locusts will sting men with a sting like a scorpion. It will be so bad that men will seek death and shall not find it. There will be terrible sores upon men. The rivers and fountains will become blood. Men will be scorched with great heat. Earthquakes and diseases continue to get worse and worse. Two hundred million troops will march to Israel from the east and cross the dried up Euphrates River. One-third more of the earth's population will be killed. After the 1260 days, the two prophets of God will be killed. People will rejoice, but then after three and a half days, they will arise and ascend up to heaven as others watch. Great fear falls on those that see this. Men will be so terrified that their hearts will fail, as they consider what is about to happen. Multitudes will hide in the rocks and say, "FALL ON US AND HIDE US FROM...HIM (Jesus)…FOR THE GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH IS COME; AND WHO SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND?"-Rev 6:16,17.

    IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION of those days, the Battle of Armageddon explodes. It lasts one day. The kings and armies of the earth are gathered to make war against Jesus. Jesus Christ returns as the King of kings and Lord of lords with all His saints. If He had not returned exactly when He did, there should be no life left on earth. The Antichrist and false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire. Satan is chained for one thousand years, so he can deceive the nations no longer till the thousand years be fulfilled. Every force of nature is likely to be unleashed at once, including killer tornadoes, hurricanes, tidal waves, lightning encircling the earth, and the biggest earthquake in mankind's history. The cities and the mountains of the world will crumble. The Bible tells that every island fled away. The mountains were not found. There is great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of 70 to l00 pounds. The earth will move out of its place. At the end of that one day, there are so few people left alive that a child could list them.
This may all sound like a fairy tale, but remember-from Israel's rebirth to the Tribulation, there are about 365 prophecies. Incredibly, nearly all have now been fulfilled. In addition, there are over 10,000 prophecies in the Bible and every one up to this time has come true without a single exception. THE FOOL HAS SAID IN HIS HEART THERE IS NO GOD-Ps 14:1.

NEXT COMES THE MILLENNIUM

    Jesus will reign and rule as King of kings and Lord of lords for 1000 years. There will be peace on the earth. He will reign over all the nations and over all the earth. The angels shall ascend and descend upon Jesus. There will be great rejoicing. David will reign as the king of Israel. The twelve apostles shall reign over the twelve tribes of Israel. The saints shall inherit the earth and shall reign as kings and priests. They shall reign with Christ for one thousand years. The judges and counselors shall be restored as at the beginning. There will be a continuing judgment of Israel during the Millennium. There will be a continuing judgment of the Gentiles during the Millennium. The Lord shall judge among the people. The former and latter rain comes in the first month. The Lord will raise up the tabernacle of David which is fallen down. Jesus will dwell in the holy mountain, Mount Zion. Mount Zion will be in the height of Israel, and all nations shall flow unto it. All kings and nations shall worship and serve Jesus. The Law shall go forth from Jerusalem, and the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord Offerings will also be brought. There will be a new covenant with the house of Israel. The idols shall be abolished. The Feast of Tabernacles shall be kept by the people. The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth months shall be kept. The Scriptures tell us about the people who will run the temple, about entering the temple, about worship, about the worship of the Prince, as well as the temple measurements. A fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord. The waters will become a river. Everything shall live wherever the river comes. Trees shall grow on the banks of the river. Their leaves shall be for medicine. Israel shall be one nation, and shall be called by a new name. There will be new borders for Israel, and the population of Israel will increase tremendously. They will become as the sand of the sea. There shall be old men and old women in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. The streets of Jerusalem shall be full of boys and girls playing. It may be marvelous. The population of the world will increase greatly. Their number will be as the sand of the sea. People will live to be very old. A person, who is 100 years old, will be thought of as a mere youth. Jerusalem shall be made a praise in the earth. It shall be called: a city of truth, the city of the Lord, the throne of the Lord, a city not forsaken. Jerusalem's walls shall be called Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The landscape of Israel shall be changed. Every mountain shall be made low. Every valley shall be exalted. Waters will gush forth from the wilderness, and there shall be streams in the desert. The fir tree shall come up instead of the thorn, and the myrtle tree shall come up instead of the brier. The landscape of the world will be much different. The creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption. The curse on the ground shall be lifted. The earth will yield her increase. Food will increase greatly. The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun. And the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days. God will establish a covenant with the animals. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together. The lion shall eat straw. The leopard shall lie down with the kid. The cow will feed with the bear. The deaf shall hear, and the lame shall walk. The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. The people shall build houses, and the waste cities shall be rebuilt. Some nations shall perish. There will be no more Canaanite. The Scriptures give us information about Egypt and Edom, and the glory of Lebanon. Israel shall be the third with Egypt and with Assyria. The Scriptures tell us, BLESSED BE EGYPT MY PEOPLE, AND ASSYRIA THE WORK OF MY HANDS, AND ISRAEL MINE INHERITANCE-ref Isa 19:24,25. During the Millennium, the Scriptures tell us, FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED, AND HAVE TASTED OF THE HEAVENLY GIFT, AND WERE MADE PARTAKERS OF THE HOLY GHOST, AND HAVE TASTED THE GOOD WORD OF GOD, AND THE POWERS OF THE WORLD TO COME, IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY, TO RENEW THEM AGAIN UNTO REPENTANCE; SEEING THEY CRUCIFY TO THEMSELVES THE SON OF GOD AFRESH, AND PUT HIM TO AN OPEN SHAME-Heb 6:4-6. Many of the laws, outlined in the Old Testament, may become the laws during the Millennium, during this thousand years of peace. The thousand years comes to an end. No Scripture using the terms: the latter days, latter year, latter years, latter time, latter times appear from this point on.

NEXT COMES A SHORT TIME PERIOD IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MILLENNIUM

    Satan is let loose for a little season and goes forth to deceive the nations once again. He gathers them together to battle. They surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. The devil is cast into the lake of fire.

    NEXT THE HEAVENS AND EARTH PASS AWAY
    THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT IS HELD
    THERE IS A NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH,
    THERE IS NEW JERUSALEM AND ETERNITY

    The heavens and the earth pass away. The great white throne judgment is held. Hell delivered up the dead. Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Those multiple billions of people that rejected Jesus shall be in the lake of fire, tormented day and night for ever, and ever, and ever, and ever. There will be no pardon and no escape. The Scriptures tell us about His enemies becoming His footstool. A new heaven and a new earth come forth. The New Jerusalem comes forth, whose builder and maker is God. Jesus shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father. The former things shall no longer be remembered. So shall the saints ever be with the Lord. It is written, EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN, THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM-1 Cor 2:9.

A BRIEF OUTLINE OF SOME KEY EVENTS OF BIBLE PROPHECY
FROM ISRAEL'S REBIRTH TO THE END OF THE BIBLE

    Among most noted Bible prophecy scholars, there appears to be little difference of opinion, regarding the following list of main events and the order in which they will occur. Some occasional differences do exist, regarding the precise timing of certain events during the Tribulation, which are not listed here. It is written, "FOR WE KNOW IN PART"-1 Cor 13:9. Sometimes these differences occur, because of certain traditions or a lack of comparing Scripture with Scripture. In other cases, there may be a lack of Scripture references given to enable the pinpointing of certain events.

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