Revelation Part 03
At the heart of its framework is the repeated declaration of Christ as the “Alpha and Omega,” meaning the Beginning and the End. This emphasizes the continuity and unity of Scripture in the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Understanding the structure of Revelation is key to making sense of its seemingly chaotic and symbolic content. At the heart of its framework is the repeated declaration of Christ as the “Alpha and Omega,” meaning the Beginning and the End. This emphasizes the continuity and unity of Scripture in the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. This phrase appears four times in Revelation (1:8, 1:11, 21:6, 22:13), applied both to Jesus Christ and God the Father, highlighting their oneness (John 10:30) and their eternal, unchanging nature (Hebrews 13:8).
The entire Bible, written by over 40 authors across thousands of years, maintains this unified message which culminates in Revelation. Reading Genesis helps us understand the big questions of life:
- Who is God? What is God? What is God’s purpose?
- Who is man? What is man’s purpose and potential?
- Who is Satan? Where did he come from? How does he interact with humans?
- What is Satan’s motive?
- How would Satan’s way end, if God did not intervene?
Reading Revelation helps us to understand how what we see and know will transition to something that 1 Corinthians 2:9 describes as something the “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” Humans have never seen or heard anything like God’s plan. In this book, the plan is revealed to those who read and understand, through the help of God’s Holy Spirit.
A structure emerges when we evaluate Revelation in the context of the Bible. Many key themes and questions introduced in Genesis are completed or resolved in Revelation. We can look at some of these in the chart below:
| Creation | Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” | Revelation 21:1, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth” |
| Heavens | Genesis 2:1 – Natural heavens and earth | Revelation 21:4 – Spiritual heavens and earth |
| Night | Genesis 1:5 – “the darkness He called Night” | Revelation 21:25 there shall be no night there |
| Marriage | Genesis 2:21-25 – Marriage of first Adam | Revelation 19:7-9 – Marriage of last Adam (Jesus Christ) |
| Dominion of Humanity | Genesis 3:17- Man’s dominion is damaged in the fall of Adam | Revelation 22:5 – Man’s dominion is restored, in the reign of Christ |
| Death | Genesis 2:17 - “In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” | Revelation 21:4 - “And there shall be no more death, nor sorrow” |
| Pain and Sorrow | Genesis 3:16 – I will greatly multiply your pain. Sorrow and death introduced | Revelation 21:4 – Neither shall there be pain anymore. Sorrow and death removed |
| Satan the Devil | Genesis 3:1 – Satan appears as the deceiver of mankind - Serpent is loosed | Revelation 20:1-3, 10 – Serpent is bound, then Satan disappears into the lake of fire forever |
| Curses | Genesis 3:17 – “Cursed is the ground for your sake” | Revelation 22:3 – There shall be no more curse |
| Relationship with God | Genesis 3:24 – They were driven from God’s Presence | Revelation 21:3, 22:4 – We “shall see His face” |
| Tree of Life | Genesis 3:24 – Access to the tree of life is lost in Adam | Revelation 22:14 - Access to the Tree of Life is regained in Christ |
| Paradise | Genesis 3:23 - The First Paradise was closed | Revelation 21:24-26 - New paradise is opened |
| Victory | Genesis 3:13 - Initial victory of the serpent | Revelation 20:10 - Ultimate victory of the Lamb |
These two books act as bookends, presenting a full narrative of God’s plan—from the fall of man to ultimate redemption and restoration.
Revelation is rich with intertextual connections to other prophetic books, especially Daniel and Matthew 24 (the Olivet Prophecy). In Daniel 2, we find the gateway to end-time prophecy, where King Nebuchadnezzar has a troubling dream that he demands be interpreted without first revealing its content. God gives the interpretation to Daniel, a servant in the Babylonian court from the royal line of Hezekiah. The dream outlines a succession of empires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece under Alexander the Great, and Rome—culminating in a final iteration of the Roman system characterized by political and economic power. This final kingdom is ultimately destroyed by the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God’s eternal Kingdom. Daniel 2:43–45 declares that “the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass,” setting the tone for the apocalyptic literature that follows.
Daniel 7 builds on this foundation with a vision of four beasts, representing these same empires in symbolic form. The chapter ends with Daniel deeply troubled and keeping the matter in his heart, reflecting the gravity of what was revealed. This vision directly parallels Revelation 13, which describes a beast rising from the sea with power to wage war against the saints and dominate the world for 42 months. Revelation 17 goes on to unlock the mystery of this beast, providing further context for God’s plan and judgment. Together, these passages reveal a unified prophetic narrative focused on preparing believers for Christ’s return.
The Olivet Prophecy in Matthew 24 also integrates tightly with Revelation. Spoken by Jesus from the Mount of Olives, this prophecy outlines the signs of the end times: widespread religious deception, wars, famines, pestilences, natural disasters, betrayal, hatred, false prophets and rampant lawlessness. Yet Christ also emphasizes endurance, the preaching of the gospel, and hope. This sequence mirrors Revelation 6 and 8, where similar events unfold: warfare, famine, death and cosmic signs all culminating in final judgments and the ultimate return of Christ. Both passages share a structure and message rooted in divine truth from the Alpha and Omega.
Further comparisons between Daniel 7 and Revelation 4–5 show a consistency in heavenly imagery and themes. Revelation 13 even borrows specific symbolism from Daniel’s visions. Notably, Daniel received his visions around 600 B.C., Jesus taught in A.D. 30, and John recorded Revelation approximately 60 years later—nearly 700 years after Daniel. Yet these texts, though separated by centuries, are united in describing events that are relevant today and increasingly imminent.
Ultimately, these books are inspired by the same God and serve the same purpose: to reveal His plan, inspire faithfulness, and prepare His people for the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom. The harmony between Revelation and other distinct parts of the Bible once again shows God’s amazing ability to reveal His prophetic plans to us. Through these texts, we are reminded of the urgency to watch, pray, remain faithful, and live with hope anchored in the certainty of God’s coming Kingdom.
In our next Daily Dose we will explore the chiastic pattern that Revelation is written in and how that helps us unlock truths from the book.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
