The Book of Revelation

The Book of
Revelation
Study Guide
LESSON
ONE
THE BACKGROUND OF
REVELATION
2013 by Third Millennium Ministries

www.thirdmill.org
For videos, manuscripts, and other resources, visit Third Millennium Ministries at thirdmill.org.
CONTENTS
HOW TO USE THIS LESSON AND STUDY GUIDE ................................................. 3
NOTES ............................................................................................................................... 4
I. INTRODUCTION (0:20)........................................................................................... 4
II. HISTORICAL (2:36) ................................................................................................. 4
A. Author (4:25) ....................................................................................................... 4
1. The Apostle John (4:45)................................................................................. 4
2. Location and Experience (9:30) ..................................................................... 6
B. Date (15:13) ......................................................................................................... 7
1. Nero (15:30) ................................................................................................... 7
2. Domitian (21:42) .......................................................................................... 10
C. Audience (30:43) ............................................................................................... 12
1. Trade Guilds (35:13) .................................................................................... 13
2. Jewish Communities (36:07) ....................................................................... 13
3. Roman Government (36:59) ........................................................................ 14
4. Wayward Christians (37:43) ........................................................................ 14
III. THEOLOGICAL (40:28)......................................................................................... 15
A. Eschatology (41:08) ........................................................................................... 15
B. Covenant (58:18) ............................................................................................... 17
C. Prophets (1:04:10) .............................................................................................. 18
1. Covenant Ambassadors (1:04:28) ................................................................ 18
2. Potential Results (1:13:22) ........................................................................... 19
3. Apostle John (1:17:40)................................................................................. 20
IV. LITERARY (1:23:10) .............................................................................................. 21
A. Prophecy (1:23:32)............................................................................................. 21
1. Characteristics (1:27:40) .............................................................................. 21
2. Fulfillments (1:33:55) .................................................................................. 22
B. Apocalyptic (1:37:35) ........................................................................................ 23
1. Characteristics (1:37:50) .............................................................................. 23
2. Historical Development (1:55:03) ............................................................... 25
V. CONCLUSION (2:01:38) ........................................................................................ 26
REVIEW QUESTIONS ................................................................................................. 27
APPLICATION QUESTIONS ...................................................................................... 31
The Book of Revelation

Lesson 1: The Background of Revelation
2013 by Third Millennium Ministries www.thirdmill.org
HOW TO USE THIS LESSON AND STUDY GUIDE

This study guide is designed for use in conjunction with the associated video lesson. If
you do not have access to the video, the study guide will also work with the audio and/or
text versions of the lesson. Additionally, the lesson and study guide are intended to be
used in a learning community, but they also can be used for individual study if necessary.
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has been divided into sections that correspond to the video. Using the time
codes found in parentheses beside each major division, determine where to
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While you are watching the lesson

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outline of the lesson, including the time codes for the beginning of each
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After you watch the lesson

o Complete Review Questions Review Questions are based on the basic
content of the lesson. You should answer Review Questions in the space
provided. These questions should be completed individually rather than in
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questions relating the content of the lesson to Christian living, theology,
and ministry. Application questions are appropriate for written
assignments or as topics for group discussions. For written assignments, it
is recommended that answers not exceed one page in length.
2013 by Third Millennium Ministries

www.thirdmill.org
Notes
I.
Introduction (0:20)
Revelations context and setting can help us understand its original meaning and
apply its message to our own lives.
II.
Historical (2:36)
Different interpreters understand the symbols and imagery in different ways.
Confusion about the book of Revelation stems from our unfamiliarity with its
historical context.
A.
Author (4:25)
1.
The Apostle John (4:45)

The author of the book of Revelation identified himself as John.

Notes
5
Two reasons to affirm that the apostle John wrote this book:
Early Witnesses
Early church fathers identified the apostle John as the
author:
o Justin Martyr
o Irenaeus
o Clement of Alexandria
Vocabulary
There are many similarities between Revelations
vocabulary and Johns other works.
Some early critics disputed the apostle Johns authorship:
Dionysius of Alexandria
o The author of Revelation identified himself, but the
author of Johns other writings did not.
o Different literary styles and use of Greek.

Notes
6
There are good explanations for why one author might have
produced works that look different.
No reason to conclude that John would never name himself

in his writings.
Stylistic differences can be explained.

o Revelation was written in an apocalyptic style.
o Different purposes for writing.
o Different relationships with original audiences.
The evidence favoring the apostle Johns authorship outweighs the

evidence against it.
2.
Location and Experience (9:30)

John wrote Revelation while he was in exile on the island of
Patmos.

Notes
7
Revelation is Johns record of and commentary on the visions he
received.
John wrote in obedience to a command from God.
God revealed visions to John and John wrote about his visions in
his own words.
B.
Date (15:13)
Revelation was probably written either during the time of Nero or
Domitian.
1.
Nero (15:30)
The Roman emperor Nero reigned from A.D. 54 to 68.
Nero blamed Christians for the fire of Rome in A.D. 64 and used
this to persecute Roman believers.

Notes
8
Arguments dating Revelation during the late years of Neros reign
are based on three things:
Seven Kings
o The seven heads of the scarlet beast represented
seven kings (Rev. 17).
o The seven kings were Roman emperors:
Julius Caesar
Augustus
Tiberius
Caligula
Claudius
Nero
Galba
o The sixth king was in power when John received his

vision (Rev. 17:10).
Temple
o John mentioned the temple in Revelation 11.
o The temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, two years

after Neros reign ended.

Notes
Persecution
o John wrote during a period of persecution.
o Nero was the first Roman emperor to persecute

Christians in a noteworthy manner.
Objections against dating Revelation during Neros reign:
Julius Caesar wasnt actually an emperor.
Its difficult to be sure that Revelation 11 refers to the

temple that was destroyed in A.D. 70.
There is no historical evidence that Neros persecutions

spread to Asia Minor.

Notes
10
2.
Domitian (21:42)
Scholars who favor a late date for Revelation place it during the
reign of Domitian from A.D. 81 to 96.
Church Fathers
o Irenaeus reported that Revelation was written
toward the end of Domitians reign.
o This date concurs with the testimony of some early

church fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria.
Seven Kings
Those who argue for a late date only count severe

persecutors of the church:
o Caligula (A.D. 37 to 41)
o Claudius (A.D. 41 to 54)
o Nero (A.D. 54 to 68)
o Vespasian (A.D. 69 to 79)
o Titus (A.D. 79 to 81)
o Domitian (A.D. 81 to 96)

Notes
11
Persecution
Christians were persecuted during Domitians reign.
Domitian persecuted the church outside Rome more than

any prior emperor.
Emperor Worship
Domitian required emperor worship.
The beast requires people to worship him in Revelation 13,

14 and 16.
There is no evidence that Nero demanded that people

worship him.

Notes
12
The view that John wrote during the time of Domitian has its
weaknesses:
C.
John never said that the seven kings were significant

persecutors of the church.
John never mentioned the destruction of the physical

temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Audience (30:43)
John addressed Revelation to seven churches in Asia Minor:
Ephesus
Smyrna
Pergamum
Thyatira
Sardis
Philadelphia
Laodicea
Christians in these cities faced pressures to turn from the true Christian
faith.

Notes
13
1.
Trade Guilds (35:13)

Trade guilds: groups of laborers and professionals that organized
for economic purposes.
Christians who refused to worship the patron deity were often

excluded from business dealings.
2.
Jewish Communities (36:07)

Judaism, unlike other religions, could legally be practiced
throughout the Roman Empire.
Christianity lost its legal status once Jews began to disassociate

themselves from Christians.
Christians felt pressure to conform to Judaism.

Notes
14
3.
Roman Government (36:59)

The Roman government demanded that Christians worship the
emperor and Roman gods.
Christians who refused to worship these idols were at risk of being

accused of atheism.
4.
Wayward Christians (37:43)

Problems in the churches of Asia Minor:
Balaam (Rev. 2:14)
Nicolaitans (Rev. 2:6,15)
Jezebel (Rev. 2:20)
Wayward Christians were pressuring other Christians to participate

in false practices.
Some Christians gave up their faith and rejoined pagan religions.

Notes
III.
15
Theological (40:28)
The book of Revelation affirms the theology of every book in the Bible that was
written before it.
A.
Eschatology (41:08)
The early church was experiencing great tension because Jesus hadnt
returned yet to finish his work.
John wrote to reassure his readers that Jesus was building his kingdom,
and that he would certainly return.
Eschatology: the study of end times or last things.
Eschatology refers to the study of the period from Christs first coming to
his return (Heb. 1:2 and 1 Peter 1:20).
Old Testament prophets foretold that the Messiah would come and usher
in Gods kingdom.

Notes
16
Jewish theologians divided history into two great ages:
This age
The age to come
Jesus frequently relied on this two-age view of history in his preaching.
Through Christ, God was bringing the final defeat of his enemies and the
final blessings for his people.
The two-age view of eschatology is particularly evident in the writings of

the apostle Paul.
Inaugurated eschatology: the age to come has begun, but it hasnt yet
come in all its fullness.

Notes
17
The churches of Asia Minor were struggling with the reality of Christs
victory and the continuing presence of evil in the world.
John wanted to help Christians cope with the theological tensions created
by the New Testaments outlook on eschatology.
B.
Covenant (58:18)
A three-fold pattern characterized all divine covenants:
Benevolence
Loyalty
Consequences
God established Davids dynasty as the conduit of Gods blessings and

judgments for his people.

Notes
18
Jesus Christ is the Son of David who fulfills the new covenant.
Gods covenant people have always included both faithful and unfaithful
people.
John reminded his audiences of the nature of life in covenant with God.
C.
Prophets (1:04:10)
1.
Covenant Ambassadors (1:04:28)

Biblical prophets served as imperial ambassadors of Gods
covenant.
Prophets reminded Gods people of their covenant obligations and

of the consequences of their behavior.

Notes
19
Gods covenant required loyalty and provided consequences for
obedience and disobedience.
God indicated his strong intentionality by adding assurances to his

prophecies.
2.
Potential Results (1:13:22)

God may reconsider his blessings in order to address his peoples
disobedience.
Most prophecies of judgment are extensions of Gods benevolence

to his people.
Five ways that a prophecy might be affected by its recipients

responses:
Revoked (Joel 2:12-14)
Delayed (2 Kings 20:1-7)

Notes
20
3.
Reduced (2 Chronicles 12:5-12)
Increased (Daniel 9:1-27)
Unmodified (Daniel 4:28-33)
Apostle John (1:17:40)

When John wrote the book of Revelation, he was acting as Gods
covenant ambassador.
Each letter affirms the greatness and benevolence of Jesus Christ,

then stresses loyalty, and offers blessings or threatens curses.

Notes
IV.
21
Literary (1:23:10)
A.
Prophecy (1:23:32)
To make sense of the book Revelation we have to identify its genre.
John specifically called the book of Revelation a prophecy (Rev. 1:3).
1.
Characteristics (1:27:40)
Typical forms:
o Message of rebuke
o Oracle of woe
o Proclamation of blessing
o Promise of vindication
o Declaration of Gods plan
o Conversation
o Prediction
o Lawsuit
Johns prophecies in Revelation functioned in the same

ways as the prophecies of the Old Testament.
Imagery:
Language that describes things in ways that incite
imaginative sensory experiences.

Notes
22
The book of Revelation makes frequent use of imagery.
Revelation draws a lot of its imagery from the Old

Testament.
2.
Fulfillments (1:33:55)
Direct
Prophecies can be directly fulfilled when the events they
predict come to pass as stated.
Contingent
Occurs when the outcome of a prophecy is modified in
light of the way human beings respond.
Typological
Typology: The treatment of past persons, institutions or
events in Scripture as foreshadows that prefigure later
persons, institutions or events.

Notes
23
B.
Apocalyptic (1:37:35)
1.
Characteristics (1:37:50)
Apocalyptic literature: Highly symbolic literature that reports
divine revelations, usually received through private
disclosures, about the interactions among natural, preternatural and
supernatural realities, and their impact on the past, present and
future.
Highly symbolic
Symbol: A sign or other representation that points to
something beyond itself.
Biblical apocalyptic literature makes frequent use of

symbols. Some are:
o Descriptive
o To illustrate a point
o Traditional representations
The purpose of the symbols in Revelation was not to

confuse Johns readers, but to communicate truth to them in
a compelling way.

Notes
24
Reports divine revelations
Received through private disclosures
Deals with interactions among natural, preternatural and

supernatural realities.
o Natural: the universe where we live
o Preternatural: beyond nature
o Supernatural: above nature
Throughout the Old and New Testaments we find glimpses

into the spiritual forces that influence the history of the
world.
Biblical apocalyptic literature heavily concentrates on

natural, preternatural and supernatural matters.

Notes
25
Describes the impact of natural, preternatural and

supernatural realms on the past, present and future.
Revelation lifts the veil on the spiritual realities around us

so we can see Gods cosmic plan to bring salvation through
Jesus Christ.
2.
Historical Development (1:55:03)
Many elements that became prominent in biblical apocalyptic

literature appear in the earliest books of the Old Testament.
During the intertestamental period, apocalyptic literature fully

developed into a distinct genre.

Notes
26
New Testament apocalyptic literature uses a style that is very
similar to intertestamental apocalyptic writings.
The final development of biblical apocalyptic literature is best

exemplified by the book of Revelation.
V.
Conclusion (2:01:38)

Review Questions
1.
Why should we have confidence in the traditional view that the apostle John
wrote the book of Revelation?
2.
Give reasons for dating Revelation during the time of Nero and reasons for dating
Revelation during the time of Domitian.

Review Questions
28
3.
Who was Johns audience for the book of Revelation, and what was his purpose
in writing?
4.
Explain the biblical doctrine of eschatology.

Review Questions
29
5.
What is the biblical concept of covenant?
6.
How did the apostle John fulfill the role of prophet in the book of Revelation?

Review Questions
30
7.
What are some reasons why the book of Revelation fits in the genre of prophecy?
8.
What is biblical apocalyptic literature?

Application Questions
1.
How does affirming that the apostle John wrote Revelation impact the way we
read the book?
2.
What types of suffering or persecution have you undergone for your faith in Jesus
Christ? How does this compare with the experiences of Johns readers?
3.
What temptations and pressures to turn from Christianity are Christians in your
country currently facing?
4.
In what ways have you been encouraged through reading the book of Revelation?
In what ways have you been rebuked?
5.
How should the fact that we are in the last days deepen our dependence on
God?
6.
As we live in these last days, how are you anticipating the return of Jesus in
your current circumstances and areas of ministry?
7.
What are some ways that Gods benevolence should encourage us to be loyal to
him?
8.
How have the prophecies of the Bible motivated you to remain faithful towards
God and to keep your covenant obligations?
9.
How can the truth that some of Gods blessings are contingent on our obedience
encourage us in our treatment of others?
10.
How should the involvement of angels and demons in the real world affect the
way we live and do ministry?
11.
What hope and encouragement should we gain from the assurance found in
Revelation that Jesus will return and consummate his kingdom?
12.
What is the most significant thing you learned in this lesson?


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The Book of

2013 by Third Millennium Ministries

HOW TO USE THIS LESSON AND STUDY GUIDE

Before you watch the lesson

While you are watching the lesson

After you watch the lesson

2013 by Third Millennium Ministries

Different interpreters understand the symbols and imagery in different ways.

The Apostle John (4:45)