Revelation Chapters 4-22 Based On A Chiastic Reconfiguration Part 3: Period 3 (The last days circa 2967AD)

A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Revelation 4-22
Part 3: The last days (Period 3) (c. 2967AD)

Kuruvilla Thomas
Bangalore

Fig. 1

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

4. A Commentary on the Reconfigured Text, continued from Part 2.

In Part 1 of this paper, we reconfigured Revelation 4-22 and commented on the passages related to Satan's Fall from heaven and Christ's first coming (Period 1). Part 2 has commentary on Pre-Millennial Tribulations c 2017AD (Period 2) and Part 3, below, is a commentary on the Last Days c. 2967AD (Period 3).

4.3 Period 3. The "End of the Age" or the last days (circa 2967AD) (Ch 7:9-17, Ch 6:12-14 to Ch 7:8, Ch 8:1 to Ch 11:19, Ch 14:1-5, Ch 20:11 to Ch 21:1, Ch 21:9 to Ch 22:9, Ch 21:2-8)

4.3.1 Period 3 The Chiastic Structure of the Reconfigured Text

Chiasmus 1: The Great Multitude in White Robes in Heaven after the Rapture by Christ (Unknown date) (Ch 7:9-17)

Ch 7 9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” 13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15a Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple.

15b He who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center before the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Chiasmus 2: The 6th Seal: Great political upheaval (Ch 6:12-14)

Ch 6 12a I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.

12b The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14a The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up.

14b Every mountain and island was removed from its place.

Chiasmus 3: The wicked hide and the righteous are sealed with God's protective seal when the tribulations begin (Ch 6:15-17, Ch 7:1-8

Ch 6 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

Ch 7 1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

Ch 7 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. 5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, 6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, 7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, 8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

Chiasmus 4: The 7th Seal: The Angels prepare to blow the 7 Trumpets (8:1-6)

Ch 8 1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5a Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth.

5b There came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. 6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

Chiasmus 5: The First 4 trumpets (8:7-13)

Ch 8 7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night. 13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”

Chiasmus 6: The 5th Trumpet and 1st Woe: The Torture from the Locusts of the Abyss (Ch 9:1-12)

Ch 9 1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5a They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months.

5b And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer). 12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

Chiasmus 7: The 6th Trumpet and 2nd Woe: the Horses and Riders bring death (Ch 9:13-21)

Ch 9 13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.

16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number. 17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Chiasmus 8: The Little Scroll and The 7 Thunders: Introduction to the Final 3 1/2 years (Ch 10:1-11)

Ch 10 1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “Time will be no more! 7 Indeed in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”

Chiasmus 9: The Two Witnesses (Ch 11:1-14)

Ch 11 1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.

9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe has passed. Behold the third woe is coming soon.

Chiasmus 10: The 7th Trumpet and Third Woe: The start of Christ's Eternal Reign is a time of judgement (Ch 11:15-19)

Ch 11 15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small— and for destroying those who corrupt the earth.”

19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.

Chiasmus 11: The 144,000 are Raptured, and they Sing a New Song (Ch 14:1-5)

Ch 14 1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.

3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins, these following the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

Chiasmus 12: The Final Resurrection, The Final Judgement, A New Heaven and Earth (Ch 20:11-21:1)

Ch 20 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

13a The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Thanatos and Hades gave up the dead that were in them.

13b Each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then Thanatos and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Ch 21 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

Chiasmus 13: The New Spiritual Jerusalem descends from heaven (Ch 21:9-24)

Ch 21 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, by the measure of man the angel was using. 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.

19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21a The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.

21b The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. 22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The peoples will walk in its light. The kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

Chiasmus 14: Eternal Life in the Righteous City (Ch 21:25-27, 22:1-5)

Ch 21 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Ch 22 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, producing twelve crops, yielding a crop every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the peoples. 3a No longer will there be any curse.

3b The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Chiasmus 15: Epilogue to Period 3 (Ch 22:6-9, 21:2-8)

Ch 22 6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” 7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”

Ch 21 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6a He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. 6b To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

4.3.2 Period 3 Commentary

This Period begins with Christ's return in glory for the Rapture (Unknown date), it covers the period of the End Times Tribulation and Final Judgement, and ends with the New Spiritual Jerusalem coming down from heaven (2967AD). Note that the chiasmi of this Period are organized by topic and they are occasionally not strictly in chronological sequence. The Period is structured as a series of 15 chiasmi.

Chiasmus 1: The Great Multitude in White Robes in Heaven after the Rapture by Christ (Unknown date) (Ch 7:9-17)

A1 7:9-10 The faithful have been saved by God and Jesus and will be nurtured by them
X 7:11-15a The angels and the raptured faithful worship and serve God
A2 7:15b-17 The faithful have been saved by God and Jesus and will be nurtured by them

Christ arrives in glory to "rapture" out the faithful, so that they will not face the End-Times Tribulation (the rapture is not mentioned here, but see Matthew 24:29–31 in [3]). It is for this event that "no one knows the day or hour" (Matt. 24:36) - it will come as a "thief in the night" (Matt. 24:43, 1 Thess. 5:1-3).

Subunit A1: The faithful have been saved by God and Jesus and will be nurtured by them (7:9-10)

Chapter 7 9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

John is shown a vision of heaven with a Great Multitude in White Robes standing before the throne of God and before Jesus ("the Lamb"). We believe that this Great Multitude consists of the faithful of the world who were alive at the time of Christ's return; they had been taken up into the presence of God in the rapture - this is the first explicit mention of humans in the presence of God in heaven (cf. John 3:13). The Great Multitude carry the palm branches of praise and victory (John 12:13) and wear the white robes of righteousness (Rev. 3:4, 19:8).

Chapter 7 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

The presence of this Multitude in heaven implies that they have been judged and found worthy of heaven (even before the Final Judgement), and so they praise God and Christ, through whom they were saved from the tribulation and from eternal damnation (see also Matt. 24:31, Luke 21:36).

Pivot X: The angels and the raptured faithful worship and serve God (7:11-15a)

We propose that the events of this pivot occur after the events of the Subunits A1 and A2.

Chapter 7 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, 12 saying:
“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

All the spiritual beings in heaven worship and praise God at this gathering of angels and righteous humans in heaven (cf. Rev. 5:12).

Chapter 7 13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15a Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple.

This passage identifies the Multitude in the White Robes as the righteous who were alive at the time of Christ's return (see Rev. 3:10) and who were forgiven of their sins through Jesus' sacrifice ("washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb"). They have been taken up to heaven in the rapture before the End-Times Tribulation and now continually serve God. Note that this passage applies only to the living at the time - the dead will be raised only at the Final Judgement after the tribulation period (Rev 20:11-13).

This passage is framed as a conversation to draw attention to its significance. When the elder asks John who the Multitude are, John answers, "Sir, you know better than I do". The text, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation", can be taken to mean, "These are they who have been spared the great tribulation", indicating that the initial rapture of the righteous occurs before the End-Times Tribulation (see Luke 17:35-36).

Subunit A2: The faithful have been saved by God and Jesus and will be nurtured by them (7:15b-17)

Chapter 7 15b He who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.

The Multitude will soon reside in the New Spiritual Jerusalem that descends from heaven, where they will be protected by God from all harm (see also Rev. 21:3) - they are no longer under the curse of Eden (Gen. 3).

Chapter 7 16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. 17a For the Lamb at the center before the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’

They will no longer be spiritually deprived ("hunger", "thirst"), or face spiritual attacks from Satan ("heat from the sun", where the "sun" represents Satan), for they will have Christ as their eternal leader and guide, directing them into spiritual rejuvenation and growth ("springs of living water") (see Rev. 21:1-22:5, cf. Isaiah 49:10).

Chapter 7 17b ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Under God's protection, they will no longer have reason to grieve, as they did in their earthly lives ("wipe away every tear from their eyes') (see also Rev 21:4).

Chiasmus 2: The 6th Seal: Great political upheaval (Ch 6:12-14)

A1 6:12a Great political upheaval on earth at the opening of the 6th seal
X 6:12b-14a Political upheaval in heaven: The fallen angels lose their power
A2 6:14b Great political upheaval on earth at the opening of the 6th seal

Subunit A1: Great political upheaval on earth at the opening of the 6th seal (6:12a)

Chapter 6 12a I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.

At the opening of the 6th seal, there is unprecedented political upheaval on earth (as represented by the "great earthquake") (see also Matt. 24:21, Daniel 12:1). ( There is a gap of around 900+ years between the opening of the 5th and 6th seals. The opening of the first 5 seals in Period 2 had resulted in the release of the 4 horsemen and the start of the Pre-Millennial tribulation.)

Pivot X: Political upheaval in heaven: The fallen angels lose their power (6:12b-14a)

Chapter 6 12b The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14a The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up.

While there will be literal signs in the sky and and on earth at this time (see Luke 21:25), this pivot figuratively indicates the end of the reign of the fallen angels over the earth. The sun, moon, stars and heavens represent Satan's fallen angels (see Deut. 17:3, 4:19, Acts 7:42, cf. Isaiah 34:4) that control the nations outside Israel. Their reign ends ("The sun turned black...the stars in the sky fell...heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up"), and they face judgement (see Matt. 24:29, Isa. 24:21-23, Psalm 82:6-8).

Subunit A2: Great political upheaval on earth at the opening of the 6th seal (6:14b)

Chapter 6 14b Every mountain and island was removed from its place.

There is great political turmoil among the nations of the earth (the "mountains" and "islands" represent the nations of the earth, and their figurative "moving" represents political turmoil - cf. Rev. 16:18-20).

Chiasmus 3: The wicked hide and the righteous are sealed with God's protective seal when the tribulations begin (Ch 6:15-17, Ch 7:1-8)

A1 6:15-17 The End-Times plagues begin: The wicked hide from God's wrath
X 7:1-3 The angels hold back the plagues until the 144,000 righteous are sealed
A2 7:4-8 The End-Times plagues begin: The righteous are protected from the God's wrath

The events of this chiasmus take place after the first 2 trumpets of the final plagues are are sounded (see 7:1 and 8:8-9 below) (these chiasmi are arranged according to themes, so they may not be strictly in chronological sequence).

Subunit A1: The End-Times plagues begin: The wicked hide from God's wrath (6:15-17)

Chapter 6 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

When they suffer the devastation of the first 2 trumpet plagues, the wicked in the world - all of them, from kings to commoners - are terrified and try to hide from the wrath of God and Christ. The "Fall on us..." language in vs. 16, is used in the Bible to indicate terror at God's wrath (for ex., see Hosea 10:8, Isa. 2:10). The "great day of their wrath" in vs. 17 indicates that this is the beginning of the final tribulation (this period of tribulation is one of the three great "Days of the Lord" - Isaiah 2:12, Joel 2:11).

Pivot X: The angels hold back the plagues until the 144,000 righteous are sealed (7:1-3)

Chapter 7 1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

The events of this pivot occur before the events of the subunits A1 and A2. The angel from God asks the 4 angels at the 4 corners of the earth (equivalent to the four points of the compass) that control the first two Trumpet plagues (the first two plagues that affect the land and sea are represented by "winds" - see Jer. 49:36,37) not to release these plagues until the people of God are protected with His seal. The angel with the seal comes up from the east, which seems to represent the direction of God's throne (see also Ezekiel 43:1).

Subunit A2: The End-Times plagues begin: The righteous are protected from the God's wrath (7:4-8)

Chapter 7 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, 6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, 7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, 8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

The 144,000 represent the firstfruits (see Rev. 14:4) of God's 'harvest' (the 'harvest' is the rapture of the faithful) - 12,000 are chosen from each of the New Israel's 12 tribes (note that the tribe of Dan is omitted, the tribe of Levi is listed as a separate tribe, and the tribe of Ephraim is called Joseph here). The reconstituted Israel of the time consists of the descendants of the original Israelites and faithful Christians of the First Resurrection.

These 144,000 will not be raptured out till the end (see Rev. 14:3–5), but the seal of God, that indicates His ownership, will protect them from the tribulations that come from His angels (see Rev. 9:4). The 144,000 will act as representatives of God and Israel on earth during the Final Tribulation period, since the rest of the faithful have been raptured out - these "firstfruits" are ironically the last of the righteous to be raptured out.

Chiasmus 4: The 7th Seal: The Angels prepare to blow the 7 Trumpets (8:1-6)

A1 8:1-2 The 7 angels prepare to blow their trumpets
X 8:3-5a God answers the prayers of His people
A2 8:5b-6 The 7 angels prepare to blow their trumpets

Subunit A1: The 7 angels prepare to blow their trumpets (8:1-2)

Chapter 8 1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

At the opening of the 7th seal, there is a moment of silence in heaven in anticipation of the series of momentous events that culminate in the End of the World and everything in it - this is the beginning of the Great End-Times Tribulation.

Chapter 8 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

The seven trumpets of the Final Tribulation are given to the 7 angels that stand before God (the blazing lamps of Rev. 4:5), some of the most powerful spiritual beings. Trumpets announce these tribulations to represent God's battle call against wickedness (cf. Joshua 6:16).

Pivot X: God answers the prayers of His people (8:3-5a)

Chapter 8 3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5a Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth.

We propose that this pivot is regarding the prayers of the righteous (represented by the golden censer and incense at the altar - cf. Rev. 5:8) for the souls of the sinners of the earth. The angel passes on these prayers, that arrive at the altar, to God ("the smoke...went up before God"), and God, in reply, will use these trumpet plagues to terrify as many people of the world as possible onto the path of righteousness ("filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth"); only those who refuse to repent in spite of these warnings (see 9:20) will be punished in the Lake of Fire.

Subunit A2: The 7 angels prepare to blow their trumpets (8:5b-6)

Chapter 8 5b There came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

The "thunder, rumblings, lightning and earthquakes" in the spiritual realm represent the power and judgment of God (see Rev. 4:5) as He prepares to unleash this Great Tribulation on the people of the world, those remaining after the rapture of the righteous.

Chapter 8 6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

It appears that the effects of these trumpet plagues will be literally as described (unlike the 'vial' plagues of Ch. 16 that are all figurative); we believe this because Rev. 7:1-3 lists similar plagues, and because too much physical detail is provided regarding plagues 5&6 below for them to be figurative. However, the manner in which the plagues are brought about seem to be figurative (for ex., "hail and fire mixed with blood" in 8:7). Unlike the tribulations of Period 2, these more 'apocalyptic' plagues are more obviously the result of miraculous acts by God and His angels. Note that these plagues of the trumpets have some similarities to those of Egypt (Exodus 7-12).

As in other wars for souls, the fraction 1/3 appears in several of these 'trumpet' tribulations (see Zech. 13:8-9, Rev 12:4, Ezek. 5:12, Rev. 13:18 in Part 2 ). It appears that 1/3 of the population of earth was raptured out, and so, during the first 4 plagues, the earth's habitable land and some of its resources are proportionally reduced. Another 1/3 are killed through the 6th plague (Rev. 9:18), probably because they were hopelessly wicked. And God endeavours to reform the remaining 1/3 through the works of the Two Witnesses during the last 3 1/2 years.

Chiasmus 5: The First 4 trumpets (8:7-13)

A1 8:7-9 The trumpet plagues that destroy the environment: Trumpets 1,2
X 8:10-11 The trumpet plague that kill people: Trumpet 3
A2 8:12-13 The trumpet plagues that destroy the environment: Trumpet 4

Subunit A1: The trumpet plagues that destroy the environment: Trumpets 1,2 (8:7-9)

Chapter 8 7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

At this first trumpet, a punishing plague from God (represented by a precipitation of "hail, fire and blood"), destroys the land and vegetation on a third of the earth (this tribulation is also mentioned in Rev. 7:3, cf. Exodus 9:13–35).

Chapter 8 8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

At the second trumpet, another plague from God (represented by something like a meteorite) kills marine life and destroys ships in a third of the oceans (this tribulation is also mentioned in Rev 7:3, cf. Exodus 7:14–24).

Pivot X: The trumpet plague that kills people: Trumpet 3 (8:10-11)

Chapter 8 10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

At the third trumpet, an angel from God (a "star" typically represents an angel - see Rev. 1:20), called "Wormwood" ("Apsinthos" in Greek), turns the water of a third of the earth bitter and poisonous so as to cause death to many (cf. Exodus 7:14–24, Jeremiah 9:15).

Subunit A2: The trumpet plagues that destroy the environment: Trumpet 4 (8:12-13)

Chapter 8 12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

At the fourth trumpet, a plague of darkness blocks a third of the light reaching the earth from the heavens (cf. Ex. 10:21–29).

Chapter 8 13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”

The tribulations of the last three trumpet plagues are more intense, so they are called Woes; the threefold repetition of the word "Woe!" indicates the superlative, the greatest of woes. This announcement comes from a messenger (the "eagle" represents a messenger) who broadcasts this message to the whole world (he is flying in "midair"/overhead and announces it with a "loud voice" - cf. Rev. 14:6).

Chiasmus 6: The 5th Trumpet and 1st Woe: The Torture from the Locusts of the Abyss (Ch 9:1-12)

A1 9:1-5a About the Creatures from the Abyss
X 9:5b-6 The Agony of the Torture from the Creatures of the Abyss
A2 9:7-12 About the Creatures from the Abyss

Subunit A1: About the Creatures from the Abyss (9:1-5a)

Chapter 9 1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.

At the 5th trumpet, and 1st Woe, an angel from heaven rapidly descends to earth ("fallen from the sky to the earth") (cf. Rev 20:1) with a spiritual "key" to release the creatures of this plague from the Bottomless Pit ("shaft"), the Abyss. The Abyss is a place on earth for the punishment for spiritual beings (see also Rev 20:1-3, 11:7, Luke 8:31, 2 Peter 2:4), where the beings endure torture, apparently by the creatures of the Abyss.

Chapter 9 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.

The "smoke from the Abyss" represents the suffering (see "smoke of their torment" in Rev. 14:11) caused by the creatures of the Bottomless Pit, and this great suffering will now spread to the rest of the world - so much smoke is released that "the sun and sky were darkened". For this plague, these infernal spiritual creatures take on a terrifying physical form that is primarily a combination of locust and scorpion (a similar description of this plague can also be found in Joel - see Joel 2:4-11 in [5]).

Chapter 9 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5a They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months.

Certain limitations are placed on these creatures: they can only harm people and not vegetation (unlike normal locusts); they cannot touch those that have the seal of God, such as the 144,000 (see Rev.. 7:3); they can only torture but not kill; and they can only operate on earth for a limited time of 5 months.

Pivot X: The Agony of the Torture from the Creatures of the Abyss (9:5b-6)

Chapter 9 5b And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

The people of earth suffer so intensely from these terrifying creatures that they long for death, but the creatures do not kill them (cf. Exodus 10:1–20). In spite of this agony, most of them do not repent of the sins and do not turn to God.

Subunit A2: About the Creatures from the Abyss (9:7-12)

Chapter 9 7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.

These spiritual creatures from the Abyss take on a strange, fearsome physical form (see also Joel 2:4-11); they have the power to torment the people of earth for a period of 5 months (see appendix below for an analysis on the start and end dates of this plague). We believe that their description in this passage is literal.

Chapter 9 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

The Abyss and these creatures from it are controlled by God's angel, the Destroyer, called Abaddon (in Hebrew) or Apollyon (in Greek). ( The use of the Greek name, Apollyon, indicates that the Greeks of the time had correctly identified this angel; however, Apollyon was not one of the gods they worshipped, because he is not an angel of Satan.)

Chapter 9 12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

This plague of intense suffering of the 5th Trumpet is the first of three Woes. The next two Woes bring death and destruction.

Chiasmus 7: The 6th Trumpet and 2nd Woe: the Horses and Riders bring death (Ch 9:13-21)

A1 9:13-15 The mounted troops kill 1/3rd of mankind, but the people of earth do not repent
X 9:16-19 A description of the mounted troops
A2 9:20-21 The mounted troops kill 1/3rd of mankind, but the people of earth do not repent

Subunit A1: The mounted troops kill 1/3rd of mankind, but the people of earth do not repent (9:13-15)

Chapter 9 13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God.

At the 6th trumpet, and the beginning of the 2nd Woe, a devastating plague of death is initiated by a voice from the "horns of the altar". Since the golden altar is a place for communication between righteous humans and God, we propose that the "horns of the golden altar" in heaven ("before God") represent the angels responsible for receiving prayers ("horns" represent centres of power) (the "altar" also speaks in Rev 16:7). The angels of the altar unleash this cruel plague because they receive very few repentant prayers from the people of earth after the first 5 Trumpet plagues.

Chapter 9 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

The 4 angels of God that administer this Trumpet plague are released at the Euphrates - the Euphrates is considered the centre of the earth (see Psalm 72:8) (note that the first two Trumpet plagues come from the corners of the earth - Rev. 7:1).

Chapter 9 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.

This sweeping massacre, the most disastrous of them all, apparently occurs around the same time as the events of the next chapter, Rev. 10, around 3 1/2 years before the end of the world (2967AD). These angels and the creatures they control have been kept prepared for this assignment, and the time of its occurrence has been preordained right down to the hour (see appendix below for an analysis on the date of this event).

Pivot X: A description of the mounted troops (9:16-19)

Chapter 9 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.

These 4 angels at the Euphrates control an army of 200 million 'mounted troops'. The large number of executioners indicates that their massacre of 1/3rd of the population of earth will take place in a short time ("this very hour" in vs 15).

Chapter 9 17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

Like the 'locusts' of the previous Trumpet plague, these 'mounted troops' seem to be spiritual beings that have taken on a physical form of a bizarre and terrifying description, but unlike the 'locusts' they bring death and not just suffering.

Subunit A2: The mounted troops kill 1/3rd of mankind, but the people of earth do not repent (9:20-21)

Chapter 9 20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.

Even in these last days, God, in His great love, sends these terrible plagues to prod the rest of mankind into changing its ways, but, as in the case of Egypt, the wicked refuse to repent - they continue to worship demon gods and their idols, and continue to do the evil things that come with it.

Chapter 9 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

The sins listed here are those typically committed by demon worshippers: "murder" refers to human sacrifices to gods (see 2 Kings 23:10); "magic arts" is seeking the aid of demons (see Micah 5:12); they commit sexual perversions as part of demon worship (1 Cor. 10:7-8); and they steal from others, partly for their own greed (1 Timothy 6:10), and partly to amass wealth and power for their gods (see Rev 17:4 for example). (See also comment on Rev. 21:8 below.)

Chiasmus 8: The Little Scroll and The 7 Thunders: Introduction to the Final 3 1/2 years (Ch 10:1-11)

A1 10:1-4 The undisclosed events of the final 3 1/2 years: The 7 Thunders
X 10:5-7 The Archangel announces the End of the World and the Final Resurrection (2967AD)
A2 10:8-11 The undisclosed events of the final 3 1/2 years: The Little Scroll

This interlude in Ch. 10 occurs before details on the final 3 1/2 years of the End-Times Tribulation are revealed to John, and we believe the predictions in this chapter are introductory to those final years. See appendix below for a detailed analysis of the dates relevant to these final 3 1/2 years.

Subunit A1: The undisclosed events of the final 3 1/2 years: The 7 Thunders (10:1-4)

Chapter 10 1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3a and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.

We believe that the mighty angel delivering this message is the Archangel Michael, the raptured Messiah, and we believe this for a few reasons: this angel's appearance is similar to Michael's in other passages (Rev. 1:12-16, Dan. 10:4-6); it is fitting that the same angel that predicted the resurrection 3 1/2 millennia prior, in Dan. 12:7, should confirm it here; and according to 1 Thess. 4:16, the final return by Christ for the judgement will be announced by the "shout of the Archangel", as in vs. 3.

The clouds that enrobe the angel signify that he used a short-term transport mechanism to move from the spiritual world into the physical so as to make this great announcement known to the world (cf. Matt 24:30, Rev 1:7...). The rainbow represents God's benevolent reign over humans through the Messiah (see also Genesis 9:9-16, Rev 4:3); the angels face shines like the sun, for he brings the light, the truth from God (see also Rev 1:16). The angel's legs of fiery pillars seem to represent his power to judge and rule righteously (cf. Rev 1:15) - the pillars represent spiritual strength and the fire represents purifying judgement. The sea and land often represent the physical and spiritual realms respectively in prophecy (Rev. 12:16, 13:1), so Michael's standing on sea and land may indicate that his momentous messages are for both realms (see also Dan. 12:5,6). The Little Scroll presumably contains predictions about the Third Woe (see corresponding Subunit A2 below) and it lies open to indicate that its contents will be revealed at this time, 3 1/2 years before the End of the World. Michael speaks with an authoritative ("like the roar of a lion") loud shout, indicating that his message will be transmitted to all the universe, both the spiritual and the physical realms.

Chapter 10 3b When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

The message of the "7 thunders" appears to be regarding the tribulations from God (hence the name, "thunders" - cf. 8:5) during the final 3 1/2 years at the time of the ministry of the Two Witnesses of Ch 11 - the tribulation of the thunders will be a part of the Second Woe. The message of the "7 thunders" will presumably be revealed at this time, 3 1/2 years before the End of the World, but for now their message is sealed up.

Pivot X: The Archangel announces the End of the World and the Final Resurrection (2967AD) (10:5-7)

Chapter 10 5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “Time will be no more! 7 Indeed in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

The angel swears by God ("him who lives for ever and ever...") with his raised right hand (indicating the importance of his message) and his feet on the land and on the sea (indicating that his message is for both the physical and spiritual realms), in a pose reminiscent of the angel who swears by God with his raised hands in Daniel 12:5-7.

In our reconfiguration of Daniel 10-12 [4], we showed that the angel in Daniel 12 had predicted that the date of the resurrection lay 3 1/2 millennia in the future. The angel in this vision confirms that prophecy by predicting that in 3 1/2 years, at the sound of the 7th trumpet, the heavens and earth will come to an end ("Time will be no more!") (see 20:11), and the 'mystery' of the Final Resurrection will be accomplished - the 'mystery' whereby the dead are raised imperishable, as predicted by the prophets (see 1 Cor 15:51,52, see also Daniel 12:2, Isaiah 26:19...).

Subunit A2: The undisclosed events of the final 3 1/2 years: The Little Scroll (10:8-11)

Chapter 10 8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.

We propose that this Little Scroll contains predictions regarding the events of the 3rd Woe that begin at the 7th Trumpet. John takes the Little Scroll, reads it ("eats") and understands ("digests") its meaning (cf. Ezekiel 3:1-3). John is joyous at this great revelation regarding the momentous events of the last days ("sweet as honey" - cf. Psalm 119:103), but he is pained when he comprehends the terrible fate of the wicked ("my stomach turned sour").

Chapter 10 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”

John is charged with disclosing the dreadful contents of the scroll to the world at a later date, presumably at this time, 3 1/2 years before the End of the World.

We take this to mean that the apostle John is one of the Two Witnesses; Jesus seems to hint that John will be raised in the First Resurrection and be alive until his coming (John 21:22-23). Another prophet who is predicted to be a part of the First Resurrection is Daniel (Dan. 12:13). It is fitting that the two great prophets, beloved of God (Dan. 10:11) and Jesus (John 13:23), play a significant role during the Millennial Reign and in the End-Times.

Chiasmus 9: The Two Witnesses (Ch 11:1-14)

A1 11:1-2 The "Gentiles" in the New Jerusalem: The "Gentiles" are given the outer courts and the city
B1 11:3-6 The Two Witnesses and the wicked: The Witnesses try to reform the wicked
X 11:7-8 The Two Witnesses are killed in the Old Jerusalem by the End-Times beast
B2 11:9-12 The Two Witnesses and the wicked: The wicked gloat over the death of the Witnesses
A2 11:13-14 The "Gentiles" in the New Jerusalem: Many "Gentiles" in Jerusalem are reformed through an earthquake

Subunit A1: The "Gentiles" in the New Jerusalem: The "Gentiles" are given the outer courts and the city (11:1-2)

Chapter 11 1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.

John is given a measuring stick ("reed") and told to measure the temple in the New Jerusalem ("holy city") of the Millennial Reign; measurement is an act of claiming ownership and control (cf. Zech 1:16), and God wants only the faithful in the temple and at the altar. The 'Gentiles' - those that worship other gods - are given control of the holy city and the outer courts for 42 months (42 months according to the Hebrew calendar, around 3 1/2 years - see details in appendix).

The world was ruled from the New Jerusalem during the Millennial Reign, and so this renunciation of the city and outer courts indicates that the Messiah (the King of kings) has been raptured and Israel's reign over the world has ended; however, control over spiritual matters, represented by the temple, remains with the faithful of God, specifically the Two Witnesses and the 144,000.

Subunit B1: The Two Witnesses and the wicked: The Witnesses try to reform the wicked (11:3-6)

Chapter 11 3 And I will appoint my Two Witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

The Two Witnesses prophesy while clothed in sackcloth (to represent their sincere plea for repentance from the wicked - cf. Jonah 3:8) for 1260 days (almost 3 1/2 years - see details in appendix), exhorting the people to change their ways and turn to God.

Chapter 11 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”

The Witnesses are the "olive trees" of Zechariah 4 that are continual sources of "oil" / God's wisdom during the Millennial Reign (see Zech. 4 verses 2-3,11,14). Before the Church was raptured, the Witnesses had fed their "oil" to the "lampstand" that was the worldwide Church (Zech. 4:2-4), but now they themselves are "lampstands" that burn the "oil" of God's wisdom and bring "light" to the world through their words and deeds (see also Matthew 5:14-16). The Witnesses aid the raptured Messiah / Archangel Michael with his work on earth ("stand before the Lord of the earth") (see also Zechariah 4:14).

Chapter 11 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.

These Two Witnesses have supernatural abilities ("fire comes from their mouths") to defend themselves from anyone who tries to stop their work or harm them.

Chapter 11 6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

During their ministry, they have the power to torment the people of earth with all manner of dreadful plagues (powers like those of Elijah and Moses - 2 Kings 1:10, 1 Kings 17:1, Exodus 7:20), for in these final 3 1/2 years, God will use these Two Witnesses, with their abilities of persuasion and torment, to try to win over the souls of the remaining wicked.

Pivot X: The Two Witnesses are killed in the Old Jerusalem by the End-Times beast (11:7-8)

Chapter 11 7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.

After the Two Witnesses finish their work, they are killed by a "beast" that comes out of the Abyss; since the Abyss is a prison on earth for spiritual beings (see Rev 20:1,2), this "beast" consists of a group of fallen angels, led by Satan. This beast gathers a vast army from around the world, led by Gog and his nation, Magog, for a final assault on the people of God (see details in commentary on Rev 16:13-14, 20:7-10 in Period 2) (this beast is not the 7-headed Beast of Period 2 in Rev 13&17, because that Beast had been thrown into the Lake of Fire - Rev. 19:20).

Chapter 11 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.

After the beast kills the Two Witnesses, their bodies lie in the public square of the old city of Jerusalem (the new Jerusalem of the Millennial Age is located elsewhere); this Old Jerusalem ("great city"), where Jesus was crucified, had figuratively turned into Sodom (a place of idol-worship and profligacy) and Egypt (a land of oppressors). ( Note that after killing the Two Witnesses, this beast army moves on to attack the New Jerusalem - Rev 20:7-10.)

Subunit B2: The Two Witnesses and the wicked: The wicked gloat over the death of the Witnesses (11:9-12)

Chapter 11 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

Representatives from the nations gloat over the dead bodies of the Witnesses for 3 1/2 days and refuse to honour them with with a proper burial. The wicked inhabitants of earth, instead of mending their ways, celebrate the death of God's prophets with gifts.

Chapter 11 11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

The Witnesses are resurrected after 3 1/2 days and are taken up to heaven in a cloud - the cloud represents a mechanism for ascension to the spiritual realm without experiencing death (cf. Acts 1:9). The wicked who had fought the Witnesses are now terrified at this miracle by God.

Subunit A2: The "Gentiles" in the New Jerusalem: Many "Gentiles" in Jerusalem are reformed through an earthquake (11:13-14)

Chapter 11 13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Immediately after ("that very hour") the resurrection and ascension of the Witnesses in the Old Jerusalem, an earthquake kills a tenth, or 7,000, of the "Gentiles" (non-Christians) who occupy the New Jerusalem (see 11:2 in Subunit A1 above), and those who remain are terrified into turning to God.

Chapter 11 14a The second woe has passed.

The deaths from the millions of horses and riders (Rev 9:13-17), and the tribulations of the 7 Thunders (Rev 10:3-4) during the 3 1/2 year ministry of the Two Witnesses form the 2nd Woe that began at the 6th trumpet.

These statements demarcating the woes indicate that these woes are sequential and do not run in parallel, unlike some of the other tribulations (for instance, the vial plagues of Rev. 16) (cf. Rev. 9:12).

Chapter 11 14b Behold the third woe is coming soon.

The tribulations of the 3rd Woe will begin at the 7th trumpet.

Chiasmus 10: The 7th Trumpet and Third Woe: The start of Christ's Eternal Reign is a time of judgement (Ch 11:15-19)

A1 11:15 Christ's Eternal Reign begins, The Third Woe
X 11:16-18 The angels praise God and announce the Final Judgement
A2 11:19 Christ's Eternal Reign begins, The Third Woe

Subunit A1: Christ's Eternal Reign begins, The Third Woe (11:15)

Chapter 11 15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

At the sounding of the 7th and final trumpet, in 2967AD [4], the Eternal Heavenly Reign of Christ over the faithful begins. Loud voices and praise greet the 7th trumpet, as opposed to the silence on the opening of the 7th seal (Rev. 8:1-6), when the End-Times Tribulation began. We believe that the "Lord" in this passage is Jesus Christ and "his Messiah" is the Archangel Michael; it appears that the Archangel will rule for Christ in heaven as he did on earth.

This 7th trumpet also announces the start of the Third Woe, which is described in the Little Scroll (Rev. 10:8-11).

Pivot X: The angels praise God and announce the Final Judgement (11:16-18)

Chapter 11 16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.

The 24 elders (representing all God's angels) praise and worship the eternal God ("who is and who was") for taking absolute control over mankind for Christ's Eternal Reign.

Chapter 11 18a The nations were angry, and your wrath has come.

The trumpet plagues were meant to reform the people of earth, but instead of turning from their wickedness, most of the people ("nations") became angry with God. So now they will all be destroyed during this Third Woe ("your wrath has come").

Chapter 11 18b The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small— and for destroying those who corrupt the earth.”

The 24 elders announce the upcoming Final Judgement. After the Final Resurrection, when the dead are raised (the 'mystery' of Rev. 10:7), Christ will judge them during the Final Judgement. Those who are deemed righteous will be rewarded, and those who corrupted the earth with their wickedness will be destroyed in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:11-15,1 Thess. 4:15-17, 1 Corinthians 15:52 ).

Subunit A2: Christ's Eternal Reign begins, The Third Woe (11:19)

Chapter 11 19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.

God begins His Eternal Reign over mankind through Christ and his Messiah. The "ark of his covenant" in the temple appears to indicate that there will be a New Heavenly Covenant between God and the righteous of mankind. The "lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and the earthquake" in the spiritual realm represent the power and judgement of God (cf. Rev. 4:5, Rev 16:18, Rev. 8:5) as He begins His reign. The "hail" represents severe punishment from God (cf. Rev 16:21), for at this time of the 3rd Woe, the remaining wicked, who are still alive on earth after the first 6 trumpet plagues, are punished and destroyed forever.

Chiasmus 11: The 144,000 are Raptured, and they Sing a New Song (Ch 14:1-5)

A1 14:1-2 The 144,000, the chosen firstfruits, are raptured
X 14:3 They sing a New Song of the redeemed
A2 14:4-5 The 144,000, the chosen firstfruits, are raptured

Subunit A1: The 144,000, the chosen firstfruits, are raptured (14:1-2)

Chapter 14 1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.

Christ ("the Lamb") arrives in Zion (the New Jerusalem of the Millennial Reign) to take the 144,000 firstfruits up into heaven finally - ironically, the firstfruits are taken up last (1 Thess. 4:16,17). The 144,000 are chosen from the tribes of the New Israel of the Millennial Reign and sealed with the protective seal of God (see Rev. 7:3-8) that identifies them as belonging to Him. The 144,000 are greeted in heaven with a sound of great joy from the angels ("like rushing waters", "a loud peal of thunder" - see also Rev. 19:6) and chorus of praise with harps (see also Psalm 33:2, 137:2,3).

Pivot X: They sing a New Song of the redeemed (14:3)

Chapter 14 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

The 144,000 sing a new song in heaven, the new song of the redeemed (see also Rev 5:8,9); only the 144,000 have the privilege of singing this song that is reserved for the firstfruits of the harvest of mankind.

Subunit A2: The 144,000, the chosen firstfruits, are raptured (14:4-5)

Chapter 14 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins, these following the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

These men are pure both physically and mentally, they are offerings without blemish, chosen from the faithful and offered as firstfruits of the final harvest of the righteous to God and Christ. They will aid Christ in his new role as eternal ruler over mankind ("follow the Lamb").

Chiasmus 12: The Final Resurrection, The Final Judgement, A New Heaven and Earth (Ch 20:11-21:1)

A1 20:11 Christ reigns over a new world: The old corrupted earth and sky are destroyed
B1 20:12 The Final Judgement: The books
X 20:13a The Final Resurrection
B2 20:13b-15 The Final Judgement: The wicked are punished
A2 21:1 Christ reigns over a new world: A new earth and sky are created for the righteous

We propose that the 3 momentous events of this chiasmus occur in this chronological sequence: the Resurrection [X]; the Judgement [B1,B2]; the renewal of heaven and earth [A1,A2].

Subunit A1: Christ reigns over a new world: The old corrupted earth and sky are destroyed (20:11)

Chapter 20 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

Christ takes his place on his great white throne ("white" representing righteousness) from which he will rule over the new earth and sky. The corrupted heavens (sky/space) and earth are removed ("fled from his presence"), as they no longer have utility ("there was no place for them") (see also 2 Peter 3:10-13, Rev. 21:1).

Subunit B1: The Final Judgement: The books (20:12)

Chapter 20 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

The dead are raised up at the Final Resurrection (see 20:13 below), and they now stand ready to be judged at the Final Judgement (see also 1 Cor. 15:52, Matt 25:31, John 5:22,23). The Book of Life is a list of those who are judged worthy of entering Christ's heavenly kingdom (see Rev. 3:5), and the "books" are a record of peoples deeds. So while the Book of Life determines a souls destination, the "books" will be used to reward or punish all souls at that destination, according to their works (2 Cor. 5:10). Everyone is judged based on the contents of these books (see also Matt. 25:31-33, 2 Thess. 1:7-9, Dan. 12:2). However, it is primarily the resurrected dead that are judged at this Final Judgement, because the End-Times living have been implicitly judged through the rapture. This is the third major "judgement day" after those of the First Resurrection and the initial rapture (Matt. 24:40).

Note that the only souls spared judgement during these end-times are those of the First Resurrection at the start Christ's Millennial Reign, primarily those that gave up their lives for God (Rev. 20:4-6). Other Christians may be saved from sin and forgiven by the blood of the Lamb, but they will face this judgement - they will be judged on the extent to which they manifest the Fruits of the Spirit (see Gal 5:22-23, the "works" of James 2:14-17).

Pivot X: The Final Resurrection (20:13a)

Chapter 20 13a The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Thanatos and Hades gave up the dead that were in them.

This pivot that predicts the Final Resurrection can be considered introductory to this chiasmus. The oceans ("sea") apparently have a region for the dead (presumably for non-humans, like the Rephaim - see Job 26:5 in Hebrew); and Thanatos and Hades are regions under the earth in the realm of the dead, with Thanatos for the good and Hades for the wicked (see Luke 16:23). The dead from all these regions, both the good and the wicked, are raised for the Final Judgement.

Subunit B2: The Final Judgement: The wicked are punished (20:13b-15)

Chapter 20 13b Each person was judged according to what they had done.

Each person is judged according to the books (20:12); the righteous are rewarded with eternal life in the new earth and sky and in the New Jerusalem from heaven, while the wicked are punished in the Lake of Fire.

Chapter 20 14 Then Thanatos and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

Thanatos and Hades are demonic spiritual beings that control eponymous regions in the realm of the dead (see also Rev. 6:8, Rev. 1:18). After the realm of the dead is emptied, these two demons are thrown into the Lake of Fire, for in the heavenly kingdom, there will be no more death (see also 1 Cor 15:26). ( Note that Thanatos and Hades are also the names of Greek gods of the underworld.)

Chapter 20 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Those deemed unworthy of entering Christ's Heavenly Kingdom are thrown into the Lake of Fire, the second death. ( The Lake of Fire is a spiritual realm and so the "fire" figuratively indicates mental/spiritual torment - Daniel 12:2, Rev. 20:10.)

Subunit A2: Christ reigns over a new world: A new earth and sky are created for the righteous (21:1)

Chapter 21 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

With the old earth and sky removed (see 20:11 in Subunit A1, Luke 21:33), a new physical earth and sky are created (cf. 2 Peter 3:12-13). This new earth will not have the great oceans of today that cover most of the earth (it may be that the oceans of our earth grew to their present size during the Great Flood - a result of man's corruption).

( Note that the passage in 21:2-8 has been moved down to the epilogue as part of a cryptotranspose.)

Chiasmus 13: The New Spiritual Jerusalem descends from heaven (Ch 21:9-24)

A1 21:9-11 The New Jerusalem shines with the glory and righteousness of God
B1 21:12-14 The walls and gates of the city
X 21:15-18 The dimensions of the city
B2 21:19-21a The walls and gates of the city
A2 21:21b-24 The New Jerusalem shines with the glory and righteousness of God

Subunit A1: The New Jerusalem shines with the glory and righteousness of God (21:9-11)

Chapter 21 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

John is taken to the "top of a mountain", a superior spiritual vantage point from which he could better see the Holy City (cf. Ezekiel 40:2). The New Spiritual Jerusalem, is described as 'descending from heaven', presumably to indicate its spiritual nature. This Jerusalem is called a Bride of Christ to indicate that Jesus will be its ruler (the New Israel that consisted of faithful Christians and Israelites was the bride of Christ during his earthly reign - Rev. 19:7-9). This vision of the eternal Jerusalem of Christ is revealed to John by one of the "vial" angels (see 15:7) - the "vial" angels had also shown him Satan's kingdoms (Rev 17,18,13) and destroyed them in Period 2 (see Rev 15,16).

Chapter 21 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

This new city is in the spiritual realm (see also 1 Cor.15:35-49), and so the physical details of the city in these passages represent spiritual qualities; they give humans an inkling of the glory that awaits those who overcome (1 Cor. 2:9). This great city shines with the glory of God (like a "precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal"), because God will reside in it.

Subunit B1: The walls and gates of the city (21:12-14)

Chapter 21 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.

The people of God in this city are apparently divided into 12 tribes (see Rev. 7:4-8) and each tribe is represented by a "gate". An angel is assigned to each tribe ("gate") to watch over it (cf. Eze. 48:30-35).

This new world that is created for the righteous has both physical (Ch 21:1) and spiritual (Ch 21:2) dimensions, and these "gates" indicate that the righteous will be able to move between the two realms. So the "gates" in all directions (east, north, south, west) indicate that it will have easy transport between the spiritual Jerusalem and the physical earth and sky (of vs 1,2).

Chapter 21 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The city-walls appear to represent the salvation that permits humanity to enter the Holy City and to be in the presence of God (see also Isaiah 60:18,26:1). The foundations of the city-walls have the names of the 'founding fathers' of Christianity, the 12 disciples of Christ, representing salvation through Christ (see Eph. 2:20, Matt. 19:28).

Pivot X: The dimensions of the city (21:15-18)

Chapter 21 15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, by the measure of man the angel was using.

The angel measures Spiritual Jerusalem as an act of taking ownership (see also Rev. 11:1, cf. Zech 1:16), and the golden measuring rod indicates that this ownership goes to God and Christ. This Jerusalem is not so much a city as a spiritual world that accommodates all those who are in the Lambs Book of Life (cf. John 14:2).

The length, breadth and height of this "cube-shaped city" are all 12,000 stadia, and the thickness of the walls are 144 cubits - the number 12 (and its multiples) is commonly found in the dimensions and features of this city. Since this is a spiritual city, we believe the dimensions are representative, and not literal, and we propose that they represent a count of human souls in some way (the "measure of man" as in Rev 13:18). The thickness of the walls may represent the number of humans deemed worthy to enter this city. The area (length x breadth) of the city may represent the same thing - the number of human souls living in the city ("measure of man") (see John 14:2); its great height may indicate that there are ample "public spaces" for the residents to interact in this city.

Chapter 21 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.

This "city" is made of the purest gold (the gold is "pure as glass" but not transparent like glass) and the walls are made of brilliant jasper (see also, vs 11). Since this pivot is regarding the residents of this city, we take this pure gold and brilliant jasper to represent the righteousness and glory of the people in it.

Subunit B2: The walls and gates of the city (21:19-21a)

Chapter 21 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

The foundations of the "city-walls" are made of 12 types of precious stones, as on Aaron's priestly breastplate (Exo. 28:15-31), representing the salvation of the 12 tribes of Israel; this aspect of the wall's foundation appears to indicate that faithful Israelites are also eligible to enter this city (like the Christians in 21:14 of the corresponding Subunit B1 above).

Chapter 21 21a The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.

The gates of the city represent the 12 tribes living in the city (see 21:12 in the corresponding Subunit B1 above), and each gate is made of a pearl to indicate that all 12 tribes are precious in God's sight (cf. Matthew 13:45-46) .

Subunit A2: The New Jerusalem shines with the glory and righteousness of God (21:21b-24)

We propose that this subunit is itself structured as a chiasmus. The pivot [21:22-24a] is regarding the righteousness of God and Christ, and the subunits [21:21b] and [21:24b] are regarding the righteousness of the human residents of this city.

Chapter 21 21b The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

The great street, the public square, of the city is made of pure gold ("pure as glass", but not transparent like glass) indicating that the interactions between the people of the city will be righteous.

Chapter 21 22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24a The peoples will walk in its light.

God, in His righteousness ("light"), and Christ, its shepherd and guide ("lamp"), will inhabit and lead Spiritual Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 60:19) (note that the spiritual world does not require "light" in its literal, physical sense for perception). So the temple, which represented the presence of God on earth (for ex., see Psalm 18:6), is no longer required. The people of this city will live according to the teachings of God and the example set by Christ ("walk in its light").

Chapter 21 24b The kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

The best from among mankind (the "kings" figuratively refers to the truly great - the elite of God) will live in this city, bringing their personal glamour to it ("glory and honor" - vs 26), so that the residents will live among the exceptional. Not only will Spiritual Jerusalem shine with the Glory of God and Christ, its residents will contribute their mite to its brightness.

Chiasmus 14: Eternal Life in the Righteous City (Ch 21:25-27, 22:1-5)

A1 21:25-27 The righteous city: The righteousness of its people
X 22:1-3a A Healthy and Eternal life through the Water of Life and the Tree of Life
A2 22:3b-5 The righteous city: The righteousness of its leaders

Subunit A1: The righteous city: The righteousness of its people (21:25-27)

Chapter 21 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Only those who are judged worthy by Christ can enter this brilliant city - those whose names are in the Book of Life (see Dan. 12:1, Rev. 13:8...), those who are saved through his blood (see Rev 12:11), the faithful of God. The wicked and their evil ("night" - in vs 25) are excluded from this city (see Rev. 21:8), so there is no need to guard against them (all the "gates" and "doors" inside this safe city are left open - vs 25).

Pivot X: A Healthy and Eternal life through the Water of Life and the Tree of Life (22:1-3a)

Chapter 22 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2a down the middle of the great street of the city.

This river with its pure Water of Life represents abundant and proper spiritual nourishment (cf. John 4:13,14) coming from God and Christ (cf. Gen. 2:10); the river flows through the great street (see Rev. 21:21), the public square, indicating that it is easily accessible to the people of the city.

Chapter 22 2b On each side of the river stood the tree of life, producing twelve crops, yielding a crop every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the peoples. 3a No longer will there be any curse.

The Tree of Life (cf. Gen. 3:22-23) grows by the river on the public square, so that it is easily accessible. Its leaves heal and rejuvenate the residents of the city so that they live forever. These trees bear 12 crops, one for each month, indicating a continuous and plentiful supply of leaves (cf. Ezekiel 47:12). So taken together, the Water of Life and the leaves of the Tree of Life lead to a healthy and eternal spiritual life. Humanity will no longer be under a curse - as it has been from the time of Adam, when they were separated from the Tree of Life (Gen. 3:22-24).

Subunit A2: The righteous city: The righteousness of its leaders (22:3b-5)

Chapter 22 3b The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5a There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.

God and Christ will lead and guide this city according to their plan. The faithful will "see His face", for, as in Eden, they have direct access to God (cf. John 14:9). God's name will be on their foreheads, indicating that they will be eternally dedicated to Him (cf. Rev. 3:12, Rev. 7:3). The righteousness of God will be their "light", and evil ("night") will be banished (cf. John 8:12, Rev 21:24).

Chapter 22 5b And they will reign for ever and ever.

God and Christ will reign over the righteous forever.

Chiasmus 15: Epilogue to Period 3 (Ch 22:6-9, 21:2-8)

A1 22:6-7 The righteous will be blessed: In Period 2
B1 22:8-9 About the prophecy: The recipient
X 21:2-5a The New Jerusalem from heaven
B1 21:5b-6 About the prophecy: The senders
A2 21:7-8 The righteous will be blessed: In Period 3

Subunit A1: The righteous will be blessed: In Period 2 (22:6-7)

Chapter 22 6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place. 7a “Look, I am coming soon!”

The angel reaffirms the authenticity of the revelation from God, averring that its predictions will occur soon (in Period 2). The predictions in this revelation begin in Period 2 - Period 1 is historical (see also Rev 1:1).

The angel, the Messiah, says he will come soon (in Period 2) to lead the world during the Millennial Reign.

The Seal

The words "soon" (2 instances) in this passage form a part of the seal of this prophecy, as it ties this Period 3 to the time of the Pre-Millennial Tribulation in Period 2 when this prophecy is unsealed (see Rev. 22:10-12 in Part 2). ( Note that we consider these 2 instances of the word "soon" as part of 1 link from this Period 3 to Period 2.)

Chapter 22 7b Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

This revelation from John, after it is reconfigured and interpreted, clearly lays out what lies ahead, particularly during the reign of the Beast in Period 2: the battles and the victories, the tribulations and the joy, the punishments and the rewards. While all of scripture is a blessing, those who understand and accept this revelation are explicitly called blessed, because, based on its detailed prophecies that are unsealed ahead of time, they can make wise decisions that lead to eternal life (see also Rev 22:10 in the epilogue of Period 2 and Rev. 1:3 in the introductory passage).

Subunit B1: About the prophecy: The recipient (22:8-9)

Chapter 22 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.

John avers that it was he who saw this vision.

Chapter 22 8b And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”

When John realizes that this great vision is ended, he falls at the feet of this angel, to honour him and show him gratitude. But the angel, who is the coming Messiah and the Holy Spirit [2], redirects his worship to God (see also Rev. 19:10). The Holy Spirit and the angels that aid him are primarily messengers who do as God instructs - they are superior to humans, but not by much (Psalm 8:5). ( Note that the epilogue to Period 2 has a similar passage in Rev. 19:10.)

Pivot X: The New Jerusalem from heaven (21:2-5a)

Chapter 21 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

The New Spiritual Jerusalem, prepared as a "bride" for the beginning of Christ's reign, comes down from heaven. This prediction, also found in 21:9,10, is repeated here so that the pivots of the epilogues of all three Periods allude to this New Spiritual Jerusalem, for this is the ultimate reward for the righteous.

Chapter 21 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”

Humans will have the great God of all things in their midst in this spiritual "city" (see also 22:3-5), as it was in the garden of Eden.

Chapter 21 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

There will no longer be suffering or death ("tears are wiped"), for humans will once again have access to the spiritual Tree of Life (see also Rev. 22:2, Isaiah 25:8) - this allusion to the Tree of eternal Life can also be found in all three epilogues. The curse of Eden (Gen. 3) is lifted ("the old order of things has passed away").

Chapter 21 5a He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

God, the One on the throne (see Rev. 4:2,3), creates a new heaven and earth and takes full control of it.

Subunit B2: About the prophecy: The senders (21:5b-6)

Chapter 21 5b Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

John is told to write this down, to indicate that this is a solemn promise, "trustworthy and true", from God to the faithful. ( John is similarly told to "write down" a promise in the epilogue of Period 2 in Rev. 19:9.)

Chapter 21 6a He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. 6b To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

The declaration, "It is done", indicates that this is the end of this revelation (we adopt this interpretation so that it is in keeping with the topic of this subunit).

Jesus distributes "water from the spring of life" to those who are lacking in spiritual nourishment (the "thirsty") at no cost (as opposed to the high price of following Satan) (see also Rev. 22:1-2,17, John 4:14).

This passage identifies two sources of this revelation: God, "the Alpha and the Omega", who is from everlasting and the creator of all; and the coming Messiah, the angel that delivers this message, "the Beginning and the End" (see explanation of Rev. 22:13 in Part 2). Jesus' name, "the First and the Last", is not mentioned here (as it is in 22:13), presumably because it is he who has primary responsibility for distributing the Water of Life from God (see Rev 7:17) - so the passage in vs 6b implies that Jesus is also one of the sources of this revelation.

Subunit A2: The righteous will be blessed: In Period 3 (21:7-8)

Chapter 21 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

In Period 3, the victorious will inherit the New Jerusalem with its Tree of Life, all the good things promised in Rev 21:1-22:5, and they will live with God (see also Rev. 21:3).

Chapter 21 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

This list of behaviours describes those who worship Satan and demon gods (see also Rev. 22:15). They are known to be: cowardly (rejecting God for fear of worldly loss - Matt. 19:24), unbelieving (they do not believe that Jehovah is the one true God), vile (for the detestable things they do as worship - Rev 17:2,4), murderers (for human sacrifices to their gods - 2 Kings 23:10), sexually immoral (they commit sexual perversions as part of demon worship - 1 Cor. 10:7-8), practitioners of magic arts and witchcraft (seek the aid of demons - Micah 5:12), idolaters (worship demons - Num. 25:1-3, 1 Cor. 10:20) and liars (for their gods are liars - John 8:44).

Some of these wicked had lived outside the New Israel during the Millennial Reign (Rev. 22:15), but now, in Period 3, are all thrown in the Lake of Fire.

Conclusion

With this chiastic reconstruction of the text, we have shown that Revelation 4-22 contains prophecies on several distinct Periods. This Revelation spans the entirety of human existence of 7000 years on earth. While it primarily details the Periods of tribulation at the start and the end of the Millennial Reign, it also touches on significant events before the Millennial Reign (in Rev. 12), namely: The Fall of Satan and the Fall of Man; Christ's first coming; and the End of the Old Covenant in 70AD.

Notwithstanding a reconfiguration, this prophecy remains complex and difficult. However, the primary message of this Revelation to John is simple: Worship the One True God only, and remain faithful and obedient to Him, even unto death, and win Everlasting Life.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Appendix

A. End-Times Date calculations

We attempt here to calculate more accurate dates, down to the day, for the events of last 4 years of the end-times.

The End of the World: occurs on 19 Oct 2967AD, the 24th day of Tishri (from Dan 10:4) in the Hebrew year 6728 (see parse of Dan 12 [4]).

The Gentiles take control of the New Jerusalem: Jerusalem and the outer courts are handed over to the Gentiles for 42 months (Rev. 11:2); we will treat these 42 months as 3 1/2 Hebrew years (ignoring leap months, as we have done in the case of the reign of the Beast of Rev. 13 - see under Rev 13:5 in Part 2 ). We presume that these 3 1/2 years end on the first day of Tishrei in the Hebrew year 6728, around 25 Sept 2967AD (the start of a year that is closest to the End of the World date above). These 3 1/2 years begin on April 3, 2964 (the 1st day of Nisan, Hebrew year 6724).

The Fifth Trumpet and the Plague of Locusts: The locusts of the fifth trumpet torment the people of earth for 5 months (Rev 9:5). We believe this torment ends at the same time the Gentiles are given control of Jerusalem, April 3, 2964 (the first day of Nisan, Hebrew year 6724), and this plague begins 5 months prior on November 7, 2963 (first day of Kislev, Hebrew year 6724).

The Ministry of the Two Witnesses: We propose that the Two Witnesses begin their 1260 day ministry on the same day that the outer courts are handed to the gentiles on April 3, 2964 (Rev 11:3). They are killed 1260 days later on 15 September 2967AD. They are resurrected and ascend to heaven 3 1/2 days later on 19 September 2967AD (Rev 11:11). Shortly after that the End-Times beast army attacks the New Israel.

B. The Sequence of Events for the Last 4 years of the End-Times

We synthesize the calculations of appendix A into this sequence of events.

c. Nov 7 2963 (1st day of Kislev, 6724): The plague of the locusts begins at the 5th trumpet and lasts for 5 months (Rev. 9:1-11).
c. April 3, 2964 (1st day of Nisan 6724): The plague of the locusts ends. At the 6th trumpet, the plague of the mounted troops occurs (Rev 9:12-21) and the plague of the 7 thunders begins (Rev. 10:4). The New Jerusalem and the outer courts of the temple are handed over to the Gentiles for 3 1/2 years (Rev. 11:1,2). The Two Witnesses start their 1260 day ministry.
c. 15 September 2967AD: The end of the 1260 day ministry of the Two Witnesses.
c. 25 Sep 2967AD (1st of Tishrei 6728): The end of the 3 1/2 year ("42 month") Gentile control over the New Jerusalem (Rev. 11:1,2). The 7th trumpet is blown and the 3rd Woe begins, as described in the Little Scroll (Rev. 10).
19 Oct 2967AD (24th day of Tishrei 6728): The Resurrection, Judgement and the End of the World.

References