Revelation Part 31

As we return to our overview of Revelation and end-time prophecy, we will go over a summary of what we have covered so far. For more details or to reread previous segments on Revelation and prophecy, check out this link.

Previously, we explored the introduction to the book of Revelation and its structure and framework, as well as the image of God and why that is relevant regarding the book of Revelation.  

Next, we looked at the messages to each of the seven churches. The church of Ephesus was known for its doctrinal soundness and hard work, but it had lost the passion and devotion it once had for God and others. The church in Smyrna was materially poor, though the believers were rich in faith and character that developed through enduring hardship. The church of Pergamum was a congregation struggling with worldliness, syncretism, materialism, immorality, and idolatry. Thyatira had a counterfeit spirituality that had an outward appearance of godliness but lacked true obedience. The Church in Sardis had gone from tolerating sin to becoming spiritually dead; they were admonished to be vigilant and repentant. The church of Philadelphia was encouraged to continue to endure and to hold fast to what they had. Lastly, Laodicea was apathetic and complacent, and neither hot nor cold, which Christ warned them against lest they lose eternal life.

At the end of each letter addressed to each church, Christ declares, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” These letters are messages to churches that existed at the time, and by extension to every believer in every era. They call each of us to ask: What kind of church are we? What is our spiritual personality? Are we strong and healthy, or weak, unhealthy, or even spiritually sick? Do we reflect Christ’s character, or fall short of His standard?

The church is made up of individuals. Each of us has the personal obligation to consider the instruction of Jesus Christ to the churches as we contribute to the strength or weakness of the congregation we attend.  

Revelation 4 and 5 include the wondrous description of the throne room of God. This is the room to which our prayers ascend. It is worthy of study as we consider the context in which we pray. Revelation 5 shares that there is a heavenly choir that sings praises and rejoices when God issues a judgment and as He moves forward with His plan.  

Next, we discussed the prophetic Day of the Lord. This “day” is not a literal day but a prophetic period of God’s decisive intervention in history. It carries a personal warning to each of us. Jesus Himself told His disciples: 

“Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44).  

Afterwards, we began looking at the seven seals, with the first being opened in Revelation 6. The first four seals opened correspond directly to Matthew 24, which Christ described as “the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:8, New International Version). They are religious deception, wars, famines, and pestilence. The first four seals, also called the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” paint a sobering picture of deception leading to war, war breeding famine, famine breeding disease, and the cycle ending in death. The fifth and sixth seals are tribulation and heavenly signs, which then lead into the seventh seal being opened in Revelation 8. This is where we will continue our in-depth study. Please use the infographic below, which can be helpful when looking at the sequences of events during the end times. 

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 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.