The Forerunner School of Ministry— mike bickle

The Book of Revelation

The Revelation of Jesus: Bridegroom King and Judge (Rev. 1)

I. THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION: THE MAJESTY OF JESUS

A. The main theme of the book of Revelation is to reveal the personality, power, and action plan of
Jesus in preparing His Church to participate with Him in releasing God's glory in all the nations.

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants. (Rev. 1:1)

B. The Father commissioned Jesus to reveal more of His majesty to His Church. Jesus revealed
Himself as the Bridegroom King who judges all that hinders love as He takes over the earth.

1 . Jesus is a passionate Bridegroom who is filled with tender yet jealous love. Jesus will
come only in the context of a prepared Bride who lives in unity with Him and the Spirit.

7 The marriage of the Lamb has come ... His wife has made herself ready. (Rev. 19:7)

2. Jesus is a King who will intervene to save the earth by taking over the government of
every nation for the glory of God and the good of His people forever. Jesus will replace
all the unrighteous governments on earth with righteous leaders and laws.

75 The seventh angel sounded . . . voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world
have become the kingdoms of our Lord ... and He shall reign forever I" (Rev. 11:15)

3. Jesus is a righteous and wise Judge who works redemptively to confront oppressors who
hate God, in order to establish love across the whole earth (Rev. 16:5-7; 19:1-5).

3 Great and marvelous are Your [Jesus '] works . . . jus t and true are Your ways, O King
of the saints! 4 ... For Your judgments have been manifested. (Rev. 15:3-4)

C. The nations will hate Jesus and rage with anger against His love and truth (Ps. 2:1-3).

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The nations were angry and Your wrath has come. (Rev. 11:18)

D. There is no contradiction between Jesus as Bridegroom and Judge. Jesus has burning love and
fierce zeal to remove everything that hinders love. His love is expressed and promoted by His
redemptive judgments, as He removes all that hinders love by confronting the oppressors who
hate His leadership. The zealous Jesus of Armageddon who slays the oppressors in the
Antichrist's empire is the same Bridegroom God of love and tenderness.

E. We marvel and tremble in seeing what His love is capable of and how far it will go. So fierce is
His zeal for love that He became human and was crushed by the wrath of God. This is the same
love, zeal and wisdom that He manifests in killing oppressors who hate God at Armageddon. He
uses the least severe means to reach the greatest number of people at the deepest level of love.

F. Theme: Jesus returning to take leadership of the earth in deep partnership with His people
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him. (Rev. 1: 7)

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G. Daniel prophesied that the Messiah as the Son of Man (the God-man) would rule all the nations.
The Ancient of Days [Father] ... His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head

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was like pure wool ... Behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven

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He came to the Ancient of Days ... To Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples ... should serve Him ... 27 Then ... the greatness of the kingdoms under the
whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. (Dan. 7:9-14, 27)

H. As King of kings, Jesus will strike the nations to remove their wicked leaders and laws.

15 He should strike the nations . . . He Himself treads . . . the fierceness and wrath of God. u He
has on His robe ...a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev. 19:15-16)

I. Jesus is preparing His Church to operate in authority to bring a great Harvest of souls to God.

9 A great multitude . . . of all nations . . . and tongues standing before the Throne. (Rev. 7:9)

14 This gospel . . . will be preached in all the world . . . and then the end will come. (Mt. 24:14)

II. THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

A. The primary theme of book of Revelation is God's judgment against the Antichrist's empire that
will be released by the overcoming Church under Jesus' leadership . The secondary theme is
tribulation against the saints from the Antichrist (Rev. 12:12; 13:4, 8). In the book of Acts, some
were martyred, yet its primary theme was the acts of the Spirit through the praying apostles.

B. We need not fear the events in the book of Revelation as powerless victims seeking to escape
that time in history. We stand boldly as Jesus' Bride, who releases God's power.

C. The Church is not absent for the Tribulation, but under Jesus' leadership will release the
Tribulation by prayer. Jesus will not release it without the partnership of His praying Bride.

III. THE BOOK OF REVELATION: END-TIME BOOK OF ACTS

A. The book of Revelation is the end-time book of Acts, given to us in advance so we may walk in a
unified prayer focus by knowing the sequences of the seals and trumpets. We will engage in the
prayer of faith globally to bind and loose according to God's will (Mt. 16:18-19; 18:18-19).

18 On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 1
will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound
in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Mt. 16:18-19)

18 Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven ... 19 If two of you agree on earth ...it will be done. (Mt. 18:18-19)

B. The Mt. 16 context focuses on prevailing over the authority of hell. The Mt. 18 context focuses
on how the Church will function in unity. Imagine several hundred million intercessors in unity.

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C. As Moses released God's power in Egypt before Pharaoh and as the first apostles established the
Church in the book of Acts, so God's power will be released by the Praying Church. The book of
Revelation is a record of the acts of the Spirit through the end-time apostles and prophets.

D. The miracles of Exodus and Acts will be combined and multiplied on a global level. This John
14:12 prayer anointing will loose revival and the Tribulation, and will bind the works of Satan.

12 The works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do. (Jn. 14:12)

E. The book of Revelation is a canonized prayer manual that equips the Church to partner with
Jesus in confronting Satan's authority. Jesus is coming back only after the Church is prepared in
love, wisdom, and faith to release judgment against the Antichrist's empire.

F. Because the book of Revelation is canonized, the entire Body of Christ will eventually use it. As
Jesus' judgments progressively unfold according to their numbered sequence, the Church will
become greatly unified and focused in prayer. The momentum will build as the Church sees the
seals and trumpets unfold in numerical order. Nothing like this has ever happened in history —
where hundreds of millions are unified with an infallible prayer guide revealing Jesus' action
plan, including the coming glory and pressures. If the early apostles had the book of Acts written
in advance, they would have known in which cities revival and/or persecution would break out.

G. Jesus will come only in context to a praying Bride in unity with the Spirit. We cry, "Come, Lord
Jesus" differently after experiencing His love as the Bridegroom King.

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come !" (Rev. 22:1 7)

H. In Revelation 22: 17, John records the final unified global prayer focus that crescendos after the
sixth trumpet. All the saints will know that soon after the sixth trumpet is the seventh trumpet in
which Jesus will appear in the clouds, so the cry, "Come, Lord Jesus" will explode worldwide.

I. The end-time prayer movement under Jesus' leadership will release His power and judgments

against the Antichrist's reprobate empire (Rev. 5:8; 6:9-11; 8:3-5; 9:13; 10:6; 14:18; 16:7; 19:2).

4 The prayers of the saints, ascended before God ... 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it
with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. (Rev. 8:4-5)

J. As a warrior, John prayed out of his anger and pride for fire to fall on a city instead of praying

out of bridal partnership with Jesus who only always works to establish love.

54 Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them ... ? 55 He
rebuked them, and said, " You do not know what manner of spirit you are of ". (Lk. 9:54-55)

K. The spirit of prophecy and prayer is to make known the testimony of Jesus or what is on His

heart. Revelation was given to equip the Church to operate in the spirit of prophecy and prayer.

10 For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. n Now I saw heaven opened, and
behold, a white horse. He who sat on him ... He judges and makes war. (Rev. 19:10-11)

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L. The book of Revelation changed my paradigm of the end-time prayer and prophetic movement.

M. There are differing views of the book of Revelation. I honor and respect all Bible teachers who
love Jesus and His truth regardless of their view of the book of Revelation.

1 . First, some reduce Revelation to allegorical poetry , thus causing the Church to be
indifferent to Jesus' perfect end-time action plan.

2. Second, some with the pretribulation rapture theory hope to escape the final years before
Jesus returns. Some have a defeatist view that retreats in fear.

3. Third, some present Jesus' judgments as a contradiction to His love and salvation.

N. Satan wants the Church to be in confusion about Jesus' judgments, to divide the Church about

His loving leadership, to keep the Church unprepared in prayer, and to eventually be offended at
Jesus when His judgments surely come to pass instead of trusting in His loving leadership.

O. All heaven will rejoice as Jesus releases judgment against reprobate oppressors who hate God
and His people (Rev. 11:17-18; 15:3-4; 18:20-21; Ps. 82:8; 94:1-17).

1 A great multitude in heaven, saying, " Alleluia ... 2 For true and righteous are His judgments,
because He has judged the great harlot ..." 3 Again they said, "Alleluia !" (Rev. 19:1-3)

P. The Scripture defines false prophets as those who promise peace in a time of impending

judgment (Jer. 23:16-22; Ezek. 13:10; Zeph. 1:12).

Q. In the end times there will be a battle for the truth about Jesus. The Holy Spirit was sent to

glorify and exalt Jesus by guiding us into all truth about Him (Jn. 16:13-14). In the end times,
some believers will give heed to doctrines that lie about the person of Jesus.

1 The Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to
deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons ... 2 having their conscience seared. (1 Tim. 4:1-2)

R. The conflict in the end times will center on defining who Jesus is. Three truths about Jesus that
offend humanists include, first, His deity; thus, His right to establish absolute standards for
which the nations are accountable to Him for. Jesus is not tolerant and accepting of everyone's
view of righteousness and love. Second, that the only way of salvation is through Jesus. Third,
that He possesses the wisdom and love to judge sin in time and eternity.

Consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you,

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goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. (Rom. 11:22)

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The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs,
and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because
they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thes. 2:9-10)

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IV. THE FOUNDATIONAL ISSUE IN THE END TIMES: WHO IS JESUS

A. The most important issue to the early apostles was concerning the truth about Jesus. The same
issue will be emphasized by the Holy Spirit to the end-time apostles and prophets. The question
to the end-time leaders is, "Who do you say Jesus is?" Jesus has called His people to partnership
with Him through prayer that binds and looses in agreement with His Word.

13 He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" u They said,
"Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah ... " 15 He said, "But who do
you say that I am ?" u Peter answered ... , "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. " ...
18 On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 1
will give you the keys of the kingdom . . . and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. " (Mt. 16:13-19)

B. Jesus highlighted 24 distinct aspects of His majesty in Rev. 1-3. These 24 descriptions give us
the clearest picture of who He is (how He thinks/feels in Rev. 1) and what He does (action plan
for the Church in Rev. 2-3) in preparing (Rev. 6-19) for transition of all governments (Rev. 20).

10 1 heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, n saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last, " and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven
churches. .." 12 Having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven
lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded
about the chest with a golden band. u His head and hair were white like wool, as white as
snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a
furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars,

out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun
shining in its strength... 17 1 am the First and the Last. 1S 1 am He who lives, and was dead, and
behold, 1 am alive forevermore. Amen. 1 have the keys of Hades and of Death. (Rev. 1:10-18)

C. Jesus describes Himself in 24 distinct ways in Rev. 1-3, giving us 18 descriptions in Rev. 1 and
16 in Rev. 2-3, for a total of 34 descriptions. However, since 10 are used in both Rev. 1 and Rev.
2-3, we end up with 24 distinct descriptions. Jesus gives 8 descriptions in Rev. 1 that are not
mentioned in Rev. 2-3 and 6 descriptions in Rev. 2-3 not mentioned in Rev. 1 .

D. Jesus is fully God and fully man. The gospels emphasized His humanity with some reference to
His deity, whereas the OT emphasized His deity with some reference to His humanity. In Rev. 1,
we have a much fuller picture of Jesus as the God-man who is the Bridegroom, King, and Judge,
who will openly manifest His power to prepare His Bride, win the harvest and cleanse the planet.

E. Jesus is our Bridegroom King who judges all that opposes love is seen clearly in Rev. 19:11-21.
There is no contradiction in the "Jesus of Christmas" who brings peace and goodwill to all who
receive Him and the "Jesus of Armageddon" who confronts oppressors who refuse love.

11 He . . . was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. . . 13 He
was clothed with a robe dipped in blood ... 15 Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it
He should strike the nations. He will rule them with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of
the . . . wrath of Almighty God. u On His robe ...a name: King of kings. (Rev. 19:11-16)

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V. EIGHTEEN DESCRIPTIONS OF JESUS IN REVELATION 1

A. Jesus is the First and the Last : humanity. He is the first to be raised from the dead and the first in
authority (Col. 1:15, 18; Rev. 5:12). This is the title Jesus used most (Rev. 1:11, 17; 2:8; 22:13).
He spoke it in the context of His death and resurrection, calling us to resist fear of martyrdom.

* These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life ... 10 Do not fear
any of those things which you are about to suffer ... be faithful until death. (Rev. 2:8-10)

15 He is., .the firstborn over all creation.. . 1S He is the head of the body. ..who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Col. 1:15-18)

B. Alpha and Omega : deity with absolute completeness in wisdom and love. The Greek alphabet
started with "alpha" and ended with "omega." The common phrase "Alpha and Omega" means
the first and last letters, including all the letters in between to indicate completeness.

1 . This title sets forth Jesus as the sovereign Lord over everything that takes place in the
entire course of history. Jesus established an eternal plan for us in which nothing is
missing. His Bride has all the elements necessary for eternal love, joy, peace, and
fascination without sin yet retaining a free will. The government is right, the human
dynamics are right, and eternal rewards are right in varying measure according to love,
yet there is no jealousy — only gratitude in God's partnership with people forever.

2. Because of His wise leadership we will live forever with awestruck affectionate gratitude.

C. Voice like a trumpet : witness who faithfully warns the people of coming judgment. He is the
Faithful and True Witness telling us the truth (Rev. 1:5; 3:14).

6 If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are
not warned ... [their] blood I will require at the watchman 's hand. (Ezek. 33:6)

D. Son of Man : the God-man who rules all nations as the King of kings, seen in Daniel 7:13-14.

13 Behold, One like the Son of Man ... came to the Ancient of Days ... u Then to Him was
given dominion ... that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is
an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away. (Dan. 7:13-14)

E. Garment down to His feet : by wearing the robe of the high priest, Jesus shows Himself as the
sympathetic High Priest who made a way for us to live in God's presence.

19 Having boldness to enter the Holiest ... 20 by a new and livins way ... through the veil, that
is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest ... 22 let us draw near. (Heb. 10:19-22)

14 We have a great High Priest . . . Jesus the Son of God ... 15 For we do not have a High Priest
who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet
without sin. u Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy
and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:14-16)

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F. Girded about the chest with a golden band : breastplate of the high priest (Ex. 25:7; Lev. 16:4)

G. Head and hair white like wool, as white as snow : the Ancient of Days has white hair (Dan 7:9).
Jesus' eternal preexistence was with pure, perfect wisdom and dignity (Lev. 19:32; Prov. 16:31).

9 The Ancient of Days was seated . . . the hair of His head was like pure wool. (Dan. 7:9)

H. Holding the seven stars in His right hand : Jesus holds the seven stars (apostolic leaders) as His
promise to anoint, direct, and protect them. He is tender towards us when we feel inadequate or
like a failure. Jesus holds His leaders as He helps us to do that which He entrusts to us.

I. Walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands : manifest power with consequences because

of His goodness and holiness. He walks in the midst of the candlesticks (church; Rev. 1:20) in
His deep involvement with us. He walks with us, aware of our needs, frailty, and pressures.

3 1 will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way. (Ex. 33:3)

J. Eyes like a flame of fire : His knowledge searches and penetrates all things as fire penetrates

metal. He is fully God, with eyes like fire to impart holy love and remove all that hinders love.
He has eyes of love and zeal for His people as a Bridegroom. He imparts love and holiness.

18 The Son of God, who has eyes like aflame of fire, and His feet like fine brass ... 20 1 have a
few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel ...to teach and seduce My
servants to commit sexual immorality ... 21 1 gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality,
and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery
with her into great tribulation ... 2i I will kill her children with death, and all the churches
shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. (Rev. 2:18-23)

K. Feet like fine brass : judgment of sin. His feet are like fine brass and judge all His enemies. His
commitment is as a mighty warrior to trample over Jezebel in victory. He will bring all His
enemies under His feet (Ps. 110).

L. Voice as the sound of many waters : powerful, as in Gen. 1, and directs the armies of heaven.
11 The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great. (Joel 2:11)

M. Sharp two-edged sword coming out of His mouth : releases the Holy Spirit and judgment. He has
zeal to fight for us against all that opposes us with the sword of His mouth. The breath of Jesus'
mouth is another way of expressing the power of His words.

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The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph. 6:17)

Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. He Himself

will rule them with a rod of iron. (Rev. 19:15)

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N. He who lives : He came back to life. He has power over death and gives eternal life. He was

"dead and came to life" after He experienced the suffering of a cruel death. He understands our
humanity and suffering and possesses power over death, knowing the way to victory. Our view
of death is different from Jesus' because He is rooted in eternity.

O. Countenance like the sun : exhilarates His Church and is a weapon against His enemies, since it is
impossible to look directly into the sun. He is the Morning Star that fills us with brightness.

* Then the lawless one [Antichrist] will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the
breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. (2 Thes. 2:8)

P. Keys of the kingdom : authority over Hades and Death, and key of David to establish the

kingdom. He has the key of David to open and shut all necessary doors.

VI. SIX DESCRIPTIONS OF JESUS IN REVELATION 2-3 (NOT MENTIONED IN REV. 1)

A. Son of God (Rev. 2:18): He has all power as the eternal, omnipotent God.

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Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! (Rev. 19:6)

B. Has the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 3:1): Jesus has authority to release the diverse ministries of
the Spirit to equip and revive us.

C. Jesus is holy (Rev. 3:7): two primary applications: His holiness as a man and as God. As a man,
Jesus lived set apart fully to obey the Father. He understands what it means to walk out costly
commitments among sinful people. He is sympathetic (Heb. 4:15). As God, He is transcendent
(wholly "other than"), or infinitely superior to all. He is worth whatever it costs to obey Him.

* He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. (Heb. 5:8)

D. Jesus is true (Rev. 3:7): reliable in giving extravagant promises. They seem too good to be true,
but He is faithful to follow through with us, for His promises are sure.

E. The Amen (Rev. 3:14): He requires agreement with us as the way to finish what He started in us.

F. Jesus is the Beginning of the creation of God (Rev. 3:14): He is first in cause and authority. The
power and authority over all creation "begins" with Him (Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16-17; Rev. 1:8; 21:6).

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