Questions on Revelation 1 to 11
1. Was the book of Revelation written to conceal or reveal prophecy (Revelation 1)? Answer
2. Who is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1)? Answer
3. Where were the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 located? Answer
4. Why does God say he HATES the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2)? Answer
5. What famous Biblical tree makes a reappearance in Revelation 2? Answer
6. What is the key of David (Revelation 3)? Answer
7. What is the book of Life (Revelation 3)? Answer
8. What do Revelation 4's four living creatures symbolize? Answer
9. What do the seven spirits of God represent (Revelation 5)? Answer
10. What do the four horsemen of the apocalypse symbolize (Revelation 6)? Answer
11. Who are the 144,000 in Revelation 7? Answer
12. Which tribes of Israel are NOT listed in Revelation 7? Answer
13. What special prophetic "day" is begun in Revelation 8:1? Answer
14. What is wormwood (Revelation 8)? Answer
15. How hard, in the end time, will man's heart be toward God (Revelation 9)? Answer
16. Who is the king or angel of the abyss (Revelation 9:11)? Answer
17. Why does the little book John ate taste sweet in his mouth but makes his stomach bitter (Revelation 10)? Answer
18. Who are the Two Witnesses (Revelation 11)? Answer
19. What musical instrument is used to announce the first resurrection of the dead (Revelation 11)? 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 . . . (Revelation 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 (Revelation 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.
[Map of Revelation's Seven Churches]
4. 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).
[Why Did God Hate the Nicolaitans?]
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 a top-down form of government (especially among Christians) 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.
5. Jesus promises that those who overcome will be rewarded with access to the tree of life (Revelation 2:7). This famous tree made its first appearance in the Garden of Eden. Access to the tree, after Adam and Eve's sin, was forbidden with cherubim guarding it with a flaming sword (Genesis 3:24). The tree was destroyed in Noah's flood.
Revelation 22 further clarifies that only those who obey God's commandments will have the right to eat from the tree of life.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (Revelation 22:14, see also verse 2).
6. The Bible does not tell us directly the symbolism or meaning of the key of David.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth (Revelation 3:7).
That said, Jesus is said to possess the keys of the grave and death (Revelation 1:18). The key likely represents Jesus' possession of power in the Godhead.
7. The book of life is first mentioned in Jesus' evaluation of the church at Sardis (Revelation 3:5). It is then referenced six more six times in Revelation (Revelation 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).
8. Bible commentaries vary regarding the meaning of Revelation 4's strange spiritual beasts. One speculation is that they represent some of God's attributes like majesty, omnipotence, faithfulness, intelligence and sovereignty. Another view is that they symbolize Christ as revealed in the four gospels.
Yet another interpretation is that the four spiritual beasts are angels who constantly extol God's perfect attributes.
The four beasts harken back to Ezekiel's vision of heaven where he witnessed four spiritual creatures which each had four faces. Each of these created beings had the face of a man, a lion, an ox and an eagle (Ezekiel 1:5 - 10).
9. It is not entirely clear what the seven spirits of God symbolize. They may represent Jesus' ability, as a member of the Godhead, to know anything at any time.
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth (Revelation 5:6, see also 1:4, 3:1, 4:5).
[What Are the Seven Spirits of God?]
10. The four horsemen of the apocalypse ride four distinct spiritual horses.
The first horse, which is white, represents religious deception on a massive scale. The second horse, which is red, symbolizes bloodshed and war carried out by humans on a worldwide basis.
The third horse, black colored, represents famine that brings with it starvation. The fourth, and last, horse is colored pale green or greenish. It symbolizes a whopping one fourth of all humanity dying due to all the calamities that have so far come upon the earth.
[The Greatest Biblical Famines!]
11. 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.
12. 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).
13. Revelation 8:1, which reveals the prophetic seventh seal being opened, is the start of the dreaded Day of the Lord.
The Day of the Lord is the period when, during the end time, God's wrath is poured out on the earth. The purpose of this day is to punish those who worship the Beast power.
[What Is the Day of the Lord?]
[Timeline of Man's Last Days!]
14. Wormwood is a plant, or more precisely a low woody shrub, with small green leaves and greenish-yellow flowers. Wormwood has a bitter taste and a strong aroma. It is sometimes Biblically equated with gall (Jeremiah 9:15, 23:15).
The wormwood of Revelation, however, is likely a meteor or other large object that strikes the earth. Its collision with our planet will cause one third of the drinking water to become bitter like the plant. Many of those, in the end time, who drink waters poisoned by wormwood will die (Revelation 8:11).
[Symbolism of the Number One Third]
15. Satan's most masterful deceptions in all human history will be the basis for humanity's anger against God (see Revelation 11:18). Human hearts will be so incredibly hardened by sin that they will refuse to repent even in the face of unparelleled trials and suffering.
Man's rebellion against his Creator will become so severe that humans will not be allowed to commit suicide in order to escape the wrath of the Almighty!
And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them . . .
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver . . . (Revelation 9:6, 20, see also 16:9 - 11).
16. 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]
17. Biblical commentaries vary regarding the symbolism of the little book tasting sweet but then causing bitterness.
Based on Ezekiel 2:7 - 3:3, the sweetness John mentions likely represents the word of God. The bitterness comes due to the bitter judgment and sufferings John must proclaim will come upon the earth for its unwillingness to obey God.
18. 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.
19. 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).
Amazing Facts About Revelation