Questions on Revelation
1. Was the book of Revelation written to conceal or reveal prophecy? Answer
2. Who is the Alpha and Omega? Answer
3. What was the location of the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3? Answer
4. What is the book of Life? Answer
5. Why does God say he HATES the Nicolaitans? Answer
6. Who are the 144,000 in Revelation 7? Answer
7. Which tribes of Israel are NOT listed in Revelation 7? Answer
8. Who is the king or angel of the abyss (Revelation 9:11)? Answer
9. Who are the Two Witnesses? Answer
10. What exactly is Armageddon? Answer
11. Why do the world's wealthy merchants and businesses mourn the fall of Babylon the Great? Answer
12. Why does the lake of fire exist? Answer
13. What musical instrument is used to announce the first resurrection of the dead? Answer
14. How many resurrections from the dead does Revelation mention? Answer
15. Why does God build a New Jerusalem? Answer
16. How huge is the New Jerusalem? Answer
17. How are the twelve apostles eternally honored in the New Jerusalem? Answer
18. What is the Bible's last promise? Answer
Answers on Revelation
1. The first verse of Revelation makes it clear that the book, given personally by Jesus to the Apostle John, was meant to reveal what was to happen in the near future.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John . . . (Rev. 1:1, KJV).
[How Can We Understand Bible Prophecy?]
2. Jesus calls himself the Alpha and Omega in the first chapter of Revelation.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty (Rev. 1:8, KJV).
Note that Jesus also referred to himself as the Almighty, one of many proofs that he is a member of the Godhead. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last one. The Lord also calls himself Alpha and Omega in Revelation 1:11, 21:6 and 22:13.
3. Revelation's seven churches are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. They all existed in what was then Asia Minor which today is located in the far western part of Turkey.
4. The book of life is first mentioned in Jesus' evaluation of the church at Sardis (Rev. 3:5). It is then referenced six more six times in Revelation (Rev. 3:8, 17:8, 20:12, 15, 21:27 and 22:19).
The book of life, created by God, contains the names of all those whom He deems worthy of receiving eternal salvation. Those not written in the book will not only not be allowed to enter New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27), they will be thrown into the lake of fire (20:15).
5. God mentions twice his hatred for the works and doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate (Revelation 2:6, KJV, see also verse 14).
The Nicolaitans, whose name means "destruction or victory over the people," promoted setting up a hierarchical, or top-down, form of governance within the church of God. One of the greatest examples of this belief becoming deeply embedded in a religious group is the Roman Catholic Church. God hates this form of government as it not only places men between him and his people, it stifles those he calls and keeps them from reaching their full potential as Christians.
6. The 144,000 are 12,000 physical descendants each from 12 Israelite tribes that are converted and die as martyrs as a precursor to the prophetic Day of the Lord.
7. There are two tribes of Israel not listed in Revelation 7. The first, and most glaring, omission is the tribe of Dan. We suggest reading our article on why Dan is omitted from Revelation as several theories exist as to what may have caused this situation.
The second tribe not listed in Revelation 7 is Ephraim. Jacob, on his deathbed, made Ephraim, Joseph's youngest son, the leading tribe of Israel. In spite of this preeminence, it is Joseph's oldest son Manasseh that is surprisingly listed in the chapter (see verse 6). It may be that the people of Ephraim are "hidden" within Joseph, who is also listed in the chapter (verse 8).
8. Revelation 9:11 states the following.
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon (Revelation 9:11).
The angel of the abyss, also called Abaddon and Apollyon, are all synonyms for God's great adversary Satan the devil.
[Different Names for Devil in the Bible]
9. The Two Witnesses are, as yet, two unknown individuals (not angels) whom God will select to preach and bear witnesses to the truth during the prophetic end time (Revelation 11:3 - 6). Their ministry will coincide with the work of the Beast and False Prophet who will rule the earth for 3 and 1/2 years.
10. The word "Armageddon" literally means, in Hebrew, the mount of Megiddo.
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon (Revelation 16:16, KJV).
The Mount of Megiddo, located in the broad valley of Jezreel, is the place where the devil will lead all humanity to vainly fight the return of Jesus Christ.
[Picture of Jezreel Valley Near Megiddo]
11. Business both great and small will mourn over the destruction of Babylon the Great because they grew rich from her sins. These merchants will bemoan the loss of their greatest customer!
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more . . . The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her (Babylon), shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing . . .
And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea . . . (Revelation 18:11, 15, 19, KJV).
12. The phrase "lake of fire" is found four times in Revelation (Rev. 19:20, 20:10, 14 - 15). The lake, which perfectly destroys anything thrown in it for all eternity, is initially used to kill the end time Beast and False Prophet.
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone (Rev. 19:20, KJV).
It will later be used to destroy Satan the devil and his demons (Revelation 20:10) and any humans who willfully and with full knowledge reject God and the salvation he offers (verse 15).
13. A loud trumpet, the seventh one blown by an angel, is sounded to announce that the first resurrection of the dead is to take place.
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever . . .
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints . . . (Revelation 11:15, 18, KJV, see also 1Corinthians 15:51 - 52 and 1Thessalonians 4:16 - 17).
14. Revelation directly mentions two resurrections. The first occurs when Jesus Christ returns to the earth as King of Kings (Revelation 20:4 - 6). It a resurrection of those, from Adam to Christ's return, who were called, converted and remained faithful to God.
A second resurrection takes place after Jesus' millennial reign. Known as the Great White Throne Judgment, all those who never had a full chance to receive salvation will be brought back to life and given a chance to live forever!
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works (Revelation 20:11 - 12, KJV).
A resurrection of all the incorrigibly wicked will also take place around the time of the Great White Throne Judgment (hinted at in Revelation 20:15, 21:8). It is unclear whether this is a separate third resurrection or part of the second. Those who knowingly and with full knowledge reject God will receive the eternal penalty of a second death through the lake of fire.
15. God builds a New Jerusalem after creating a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1). It is built so that he and Jesus, for all eternity, may dwell with all those resurrected and made into eternal spirit beings.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God (Revelation 21:3, KJV).
God and Jesus will place their thrones in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:22).
16. The New Jerusalem, created by God, will be a perfect cube. Its length, width and height will be 12,000 furlongs (Revelation 21:16). This translates, using modern measurements, into a city that is 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) square. It will have a total area of roughly 3.37 billion cubic miles (14 billion cubic kilometers).
17. The walls of New Jerusalem will be composed of twelve foundation stones. Each of these foundations will be made of a precious gemstone. On each of these huge foundations will be a name of one of the original apostles.
Each of the twelve apostles will be honored by having their names etched on one of the twelve foundation stones used for the walls of New Jerusalem.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb . . .
And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald . . . (Revelation 21:14, 19, KJV).
[Which Gemstones Represent the Apostles?]
18. The Bible's last promise, found in the last chapter of the book of Revelation, assures us that Jesus will surely come back to the earth in the near future.
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20, KJV).