Book of Revelation
Teachers
Lesson Summary
The class opened with a review of Revelation’s major symbols, identifying the dragon as Satan, the first beast as the Roman Empire, the second beast as imperial worship, and the prostitute as Rome itself. Larry Johnson linked these images to a recurring cycle of persecution, repentance, and divine judgment, emphasizing that the book’s purpose is to prepare believers for spiritual warfare rather than to provide a timetable for Christ’s return. He anchored his points with Matthew 24:36, explaining that even the Son does not know the exact hour, and reinforced this by discussing Revelation 20’s thousand‑year reign, the binding and eventual release of Satan, and the final great white‑throne judgment. Continuing, the teacher traced God’s merciful pattern throughout Scripture—from the ten plagues in Egypt to the Babylonian exile, from the patience shown to the Canaanites to the delayed judgment after Jesus’ crucifixion. He argued that this mercy repeats in each age, allowing opportunities for repentance while also warning that persecution will persist. The session closed with a reading of Revelation 21:1, portraying the new heaven, new earth, and the elimination of the sea (symbolic evil), underscoring the ultimate hope of eternal peace for the redeemed.
Key Scriptures
But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.