Life Application Bible Commentary: Revelation

1 Life Application Bible i2/23/2009 2:18:59 PM2/23/2009 2:18:59 ii2/23/2009 2:20:23 PM2/23/2009 2:20:23 PMlifeREVELATIONA pplication Bible CommentaryBruce B. Barton, Chaffee TaylorNeil Wilson, R. Veerman, EDITOR: Grant Osborne, EDITOR: Philip W. Comfort, et Phil. TYNDALE HOUSE PUBLISHERS, INC. CAROL STREAM, iii2/23/2009 2:20:24 PM2/23/2009 2:20:24 PMVisit Tyndale s exciting Web site at Application Bible Commentary: RevelationCopyright 2000 by The Livingstone Corporation. All rights Editors: James C.

2 Galvin, , and Ronald A. BeersCover photograph of bridge and path copyright by Alyn Stafford / iStockphoto. All rights photographs of woman with a laptop and man holding a pen copyright by Dan Wilton / iStockphoto. All rights photo of man reading copyright by Ronnie Comeau / iStockphoto. All rights illustration of gemstone copyright 2004 by Tracy Walker. All rights quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible , New International Version . NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version.

3 Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible , copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.(No citation is given for Scripture text that is exactly the same wording in all three versions NIV, NKJV, and NRSV.)Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible , King James quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996.

4 Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights , Life Application , New Living Translation, NLT, and Tyndale s quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication dataRevelation / Bruce B. Barton [et al.]; general editor, Grant Osborne. (Life Application Bible commentary) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8423-2874-6 (sc : alk. paper) 1. Bible . Revelation Commentaries. I. Barton, Bruce B. II. Osborne, Grant R.

5 III. 2000228'.077 dc21 99-048751 Printed in the United States of America14 13 12 11 10 0914 13 12 11 10 iv2/23/2009 2:20:24 PM2/23/2009 2:20:24 PMCONTENTS ix Foreword xi Introduction xi Author xiii Date and Setting xiv Audience xv Purpose xvi Interpretation xx A Quick Journey through Revelation xxii Message xxv Vital Statistics xxv Outline 1 Revelation 1 17 Revelation 2 37 Revelation 3 53 Revelation 4 59 Revelation 5 69 Revelation 6 81 Revelation 7 91 Revelation 8 99 Revelation 9 109 Revelation 10 115 Revelation 11 135 Revelation 12 149 Revelation 13 163 Revelation 14 179 Revelation 15 183 Revelation

6 16 195 Revelation 17 209 Revelation 18:1 19:5 225 Revelation 19:6-21 237 Revelation 20 251 Revelation 21 267 Revelation 22 279 Bibliography 281 v2/23/2009 2:20:24 PM2/23/2009 2:20:24 vi2/23/2009 2:20:24 PM2/23/2009 2:20:24 vii2/23/2009 2:20:25 PM2/23/2009 2:20:25 PMThe Life Application Bible Commentary series provides verse-by-verse explanation, background, and Application for every verse in the New Testament. In addition, it gives personal help, teaching notes, and sermon ideas that will address needs, answer questions, and provide insight for applying the Word of God to life today.

7 The content is highlighted so that particular verses and phrases are easy to volume contains three sections: introduction, com-mentary, and reference. The introduction includes an overview of the book, the book s historical context, a time line, cultural background information, major themes, an overview map, and an explanation about the author and commentary section includes running commentary on the Bible text with reference to several modern versions, espe-cially the New International Version, the New Revised Standard Version, and the New Living Translation, accompanied by life applications interspersed throughout.

8 Additional elements include charts, diagrams, maps, and illustrations. There are also insightful quotes from church leaders and theologians such as John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and A. W. Tozer. These features are designed to help you quickly grasp the biblical information and be prepared to communicate it to others. The reference section includes an index and a ix2/23/2009 2:20:27 PM2/23/2009 2:20:27 PMHollywood studios produce spectacular displays for movie-theater entertainment. With computer-generated images and other high-tech tricks, movies present special effects that seem almost beyond comprehension.

9 Aliens and dinosaurs come to life; explor-ers travel faster than light; animals and trees dance, sing, and talk. Viewers marvel at the show, then return to reality as the credits s great entertainment. But we know it s not real. Now flip to the back of your Bible , to the last book Revelation . As you read, you soon will become immersed in a fantastic display of sights, sounds, colors, and images. If you feel overwhelmed and amazed, think of what the original witness to these events, John, must have felt as vision after vision assaulted his senses. No adjectives can adequately describe this multimedia show.

10 Trumpets, thrones, lightning, thunder, lampstands, awful crea-tures, millions of majestic angels, a mighty chorus, fiery horses, plagues, terrible bowls .. one scene follows another, moving steadily and decisively toward the ultimate is a story of martyrs and battles, of demons and angels, of things to come. Revelation reveals God and his plan for the future. And it s the apostle, son of Zebedee and Salome and younger brother of a book filled with obscure images and vague allusions, one thing comes through loud and clear: the name of the author. At the very beginning, Revelation identifies its source: This is a Revelation from Jesus Christ.