Structure of the Book of Revelation

[lastday]

Response to “Master's Perspective on Biblical Prophecy” by Robert L. Thomas

Structural Key to the Book of Revelation
My view of the primary Structural indicator of the Book of Revelation concerns its 100
verses describing events of the Lastday. We present the order of 22 major events of
the Structure of Lastday Events in the Forum called CENTERPIECE

Central to this orderly Structure of Events is the 7th Trumpet; for it contains the only
announcement of the appointed time to judge and reward the prophets and (resurrect
and rapture) all Saints...as Christ has begun to reign and “God's wrath has come to
destroy earth's destroyers”. The initial execution of God's wrath at the Last Trump
coincides with rejoicing in heaven that accompanies the 7th Plague's outpouring of the
wine of the cup of “God's anger and wrath”. Rev.16:18-21. See #15-17 of CENTERPIECE

What Determines the Exact Timing of God's Wrath Relative to the Last Trump?

God's anger mixes in the Cup of Wrath after the Plagues exhaust God's patience and a
3-Act Drama occurs in the Temple as the smoke of God's glory and power no longer fills
the Temple. Martyrs come out from under the Altar after the Great Tribulation and sit
in judgment on the Beast because the “Hour of Judgment had come”. Rev.14:7. But
“No one can enter the Temple until the 7th Plague empties in the air”. Rev.15:8.

Plague #7 suspends in the air until the 7th Trumpet climaxes the “open Temple” Drama.
Rev.11:19. The Last Plague remains suspended in the air as the Temple opens with 40
of 100 Lastday verses having already been fulfilled. [Rev.16:16-17 and 6:12-7:8 (16);
Rev.14:1-19 and 15:1-5 (24)=40]. At the end of Act 3 (7th Trumpet), “the Temple was
open and Ark of the Covenant was seen”. Rev.11:19.

This Structural view determines the relationship of the 7th Seal, 7th Trumpet and 7th
Plague. Dr. Thomas believes that the 7th of each series cannot “end simultaneously
without necessitating a parallelism of all 3 series en toto”. P.169. This is not true if
the 7th of each series ends on the Lastday...while the Last Plague suspends in the air!

Dr. Thomas assumes the 6th (and 7th) Seals are NOT “immediate precursors of the 2nd
coming...that material in the intercalations (Flashbacks inserted after Seal 7 from
Rev.8:6 to Rev.11:14) diverges widely from judgments" of the related 7th Seal, 7th
Trumpet and 7th Plague. But the Last Trump sounds after “no more delay” exists
to avenge the Martyrs! Six Trumpets revealed in the inner Scroll after Seal 7 opens
(and the text of Rev.10:1 to 11:11) support evidence displayed in a ½ hour of silence
within Seal 7!! After a gap of 1900 years between Rev.10:1-11 and Rev.11:1-11, the
42 month demonstration of God's Kingdom Power ends with the Two Prophets killed!!!

“God's mystery was finished in the days before the 7th Trumpet sounds”. Since the
signs of Seal 6 introduce events of the Lastday “after the Great Tribulation, no more
delay” remains as the 7th Trumpet is about to sound at the killing of the last Martyrs.
The Martyrs must appear before God in the open Temple after the 7 Plagues exhaust
God's patience. The 3rd woe (God's wrath) climaxes the 3½ (3 or 4) days that follow
the demonstration of God's Kingdom Power by Two Prophets. Rev.10:6-7; Rev.11:6-7.

This Structure for the Endtime and Lastday Apocalypse results from five Flashbacks
that climax with contiguous signs and events of Seal 6 on the Day of Wrath; and with
Seal 7, the Court of God's Judgment. They lead immediately to Christ's triumphant
Coronation and rejoicing in heaven; for “His reign has begun”! Rev.11:17; Rev.19:6.
The Master's Perspective fails to place the 7th of each series “after Great Tribulation”!

Hour of God's Judgment Immediately Follows 7th Seal, 7th Trumpet and 7th Plague

Dr. Thomas claims an absence of immediate wrath after Seal 7 and Trump 7 if the
Telescopic theory is true of “the 7th Seal containing 7 Trumpets and 7th Trumpet
consisting of 7 Bowls”. P.169. He assumes the (6th and) 7th Seal and 7th Trumpet
do not occur on the 12-Hour Day of God's Wrath. The key phrase, a storm theophany,
puts the 7th of each series on the Lastday for immediate outpouring of God's wrath!

The climactic nature of the 7th Seal, 7th Trumpet and 7th Plague (under a Flashback
structure rather than under the Telescopic theory) fulfills the 7th of all 3 on the Day
Christ comes to take His kingdom according to Dan.7...at the exact Kairos appointed
time for the Hour of Judgment at the 7th Trumpet! For Rev.16:18-21 follows the Last
Trump instantly after the Ark of the Covenant appears in the open Temple and the
Last Plague implodes with God's Cup of Wrath!! The 3-fold Storm Theophany of
accelerating intensity during the Hour of Wrath is One Storm, not three Storms!!!

All three phases of the Storm Theophany occur between Rev.16:17 and 16:18 while
the 7th Plague suspends in the air during the 3-Act Temple Drama. The 7th Trumpet
sounds immediately after the 7th Seal; and the 7th Plague implodes immediately after
the first of three blasts of the 7th Trumpet. Rev.8:5; Rev.11:19; Rev.16:18.

Just as the 7th Bowl announces the “absolute end” of God's patience (thumos; not
orgay) had come, so the 7th Trumpet sounds climactically when evidence from the
display of six trumpet judgments from within the open Scroll ends a half hour of
silence. Dr. Thomas thinks the "silence" concerns the immediate outcome of Seal 7!
P.171. Silence allows the display of internal evidence leading quickly to God's wrath.

Only then does the Angel of Fire offer the prayers of all the Saints to God mixed
with incense...immediately before the 7th Angel sounds and the Ark of the Covenant
appears. That alone explains why 7 Angels appear in the open Scroll 4 verses before
John records the evidence being displayed. The Angel's Verdict by coals cast to
earth demands an immediate announcement of God's wrath by the 7th Angel.

Even the Telescopic Structure has Recurring References to the 2nd Coming!

Five major Flashbacks complete the various references ("recapitulations") to the
2nd Coming that climaxes 100 verses on the Lastday. Flashback #4 to the 7 Last
Plagues must complete God's (patient) anger (aorist indicative) before God's decree,
"It is Done", signals the Day of Wrath has come! This leads to the Martyrs singing
the song of Moses at the Great and Wonderful Sign of Heaven's 4th scene in Rev.15:
1-5!! The Lamb opens Seal 6 to fulfill Rev.6:12-17 after the Plagues manifest God's
holiness in Rev.16:12-17. His vengeance must wait until the Last Martyr has been
killed and Last Plague suspends in the air until the first blast of the 7th Trumpet!!!

So the “sequence of visions revealed” only seems to “differ from the sequence of
events that fulfill those visions”. The Plagues exhaust God's anger before the Great and
Wonderful Sign appears showing they had demonstrated His righteous deeds. Rev.15:1-4.
The ensuing description in Rev.16 only seems to occur after the Temple of Taber-
nacle of Testimony opens and the smoke of God's glory and power suddenly clears for the
Three-Act Drama!

Plagues Prove God's Deeds are Holy and Just before they Exhaust His Patience!

Thumos means “patience” and makro-thumos translates as “long-suffering”.
The Plagues demonstrate God's justice and exhaust His patience before Martyrs exit from
under the Altar to sing their victorious song. “It's time for the nations to come to
Jerusalem to worship God”. With that petition, the Temple opens at Rev.15:5 for
the Drama described in Rev.7:9 to Rev.8:5 and Rev.11:15-19. The recognition of
"God's Day of wrath having come" occurs prior to the Temple Drama. Announcing
"His wrath had come" catalyzes heaven's rejoicing and 2nd blast of the Last Trump.

Dr. Thomas assumes the seals are “non-cumulative; each finishing before the next one
begins”. P.174. Yet he admits this is not true in the case of the Plagues. And the effects
of Trump #6 are continued in Plague #6 as 200 million soldiers cross the Euphrates River
to invade Israel. The peace taken from earth in Seal 2 lasts to the Day of Wrath in Seal 6!

Lastday events continue after Seal 6 opens; and the Temple opens on one of 3 or 4
days after the Great Tribulation; after predictive time ends. Matt.24:29; Mark 13:24;
Rev.10:6-7. The Martyrs enter the Temple for the first time to praise God and the
Lamb in Rev.7:9-11...after “the last plague exhausts God's anger” as of Rev.16:17.
Martyrs sing the song of Moses after God's patience was exhausted; then they enter
the open Temple. Rev.15:1-5.

Why Is there a direct relation in Seals 6 and 7 to the manifestation of wrath at the
7th Trumpet? The 144,000 are rescued after Great Tribulation on the Day of Wrath.
Martyrs come out out from under the Altar on the Day of Wrath. They sing the song
of Moses and enter the Temple after the Plagues exhaust God's patience. They hear
the 7th Trumpet sound that "God's wrath has come".

Their hope of standing in the presence of God and the Lamb will be the greatest
challenge for faithfulness unto death; for Act One of the Temple Drama reveals the
special reward they earn after “coming out of great tribulation washed in the blood
of the Lamb”. They earn the reward promised to the Church in 3:11-12. A final
Mini-Flashback reveals their reward of serving God as pillars in heaven's Temple
will last 1,000 years. That's the reason for referring to their Millennial Reign with
Christ for the first time, and only time, in chapter 20. Rev.3:12; 7:14-17; 20:4-6.

God's Wrath will begin with the announcement of the “time appointed” for their
reward immediately after the Court of Seal 7 when the 7th Trumpet Angel sounds
that “God's wrath has come; for God's mystery was finished”. The prophetic time
of 1260 days will have expired...and 3 or 4 days that remain for the last Martyr to
be killed. All the Martyrs enter the Temple in Rev.7 after the 7 Plagues “exhaust
God's patience and manifest His deeds are holy and true”. “After these things, I
looked and behold”...its Three-Act Drama occurs instantly in heaven's open Temple.

After the Great Tribulation of Rev.13, 144,000 Jews are bodily redeemed from earth
in Rev.14. Sealed with the name of the Lamb they are taken to heaven to sing the
song of the Lamb...at the same time all the Martyrs come out from under the Altar...
join in praise to God and the Lamb...and hold Court before Christ is crowned as King.
Rev.7:9 to 8:5 and 11:15-19. Daniel shows an intimate connection between Seal 7's
Court on the Day of Wrath and Christ's Coronation and Reign. The reward to Martyrs
is included in the Last Trump's proclamation on the Day Christ comes with all
the Saints and with the Ark of the Covenant! Dan.7:13,14,22-27; Rev.11:15-19.

Sealing of 144,000 Jews Occurs with Father's Name; Then the Lamb's Name

The First Mentioned Event on the Day of the Lord following the Opening of Seal Six

Dr. R.L.Thomas surmises the 4 winds held back long enough to seal the 144,000
refers to “delay between Seal 6 and the first 2 Trumpet Judgments” because release
of the 4 winds affect the same elements of earth, sea and trees. P.175. These signs
and sealing with the Lamb's name occur “in the days after Great Tribulation...after
God's mystery was finished”. Mark 13:24; Rev.10:6-7. Before the 144,000 enter the
Temple after being sealed, they must first be rescued from Mt. Zion to sing the song
of the Lamb. Rev.14:1-5; Rev.15:1-5. [So Rev.7:1-8 immediately precedes 14:1-5]!

The 144,000 Jews were already sealed with the name of the Father and protected
from the pain of the locust attack in the 5th Trumpet. Their sealing with the Lamb's
name (Rev.7:1-8; 14:1) on the Lastday precedes the triumphant presentation by these
Firstfruit unto God by the Son of Man who redeems them from earth on the last day
(“all believers rise up to meet Jesus on the last day”...each group in their own order.
John 6:38; I Cor.15:23). They "present the Son of Man to the Ancient of Days" for
His coronation as King of kings. Dan.7:13-14; Rev.11:15-17. They join the Martyrs in
the Temple to praise God and the Lamb after singing the song of the Lamb. Rev.7:9-11.

God's promised vengeance on the wicked occurs after 6 Trumpets and 6 Plagues
reveal their refusal to “repent”. The Trumpets and Plagues indicate God's patience
was exhausted and therefore His wrath imminent! The Plagues are part of the Great
Tribulation since the blood of the saints was still being shed while wicked men, who
“deserved to drink of the bloody waters, blasphemed God to the very end”!! Even at
Plague 6, with armies at Armageddon, Saints are urged to “watch with their clothes
intact” while waiting for Christ's any-moment presence!!! Rev.16:15-16.

A short “delay” between Seals 5 and 6, during which the rest of the martyrs are killed,
ends “in the days when the 7th Trumpet is about to sound that God's wrath has come”.
Rev.10:6-7. The 3 or 4 days, in which Two Prophets lie dead in Jerusalem, qualify as
the days for ending the delay of “chronos-time” as the last Martyrs are killed. The Two
Witnesses manifest God's Kingdom Power until day #1260; so a few (some) who must
“taste death after seeing God's Kingdom manifested in power”, know they are about to
be rewarded for 1000 years in heaven. Mark 9:1; Rev.12:10-11; 7:14-17; 20:4-5.

Dr. Thomas assumes Seal 6 occurs before the 5th (and 6th) Trumpets and that Seal 7
“includes 5 months for the 5th (and 6th) Trumpets”. P.176. But these Trumpets are not
part of God's wrath! They constitute Satan's wrath. They, like the Plagues, allow men to
repent;and prove that they refuse to repent. Rev.9:20-21; Rev.16:9-11. The 7th Plague
implodes in the same hour as destruction of Armageddons in Rev.19. Plague 7 implodes
as soon as the 7th Angel sounds the Trumpet! God's Cup of Anger and Wrath causes
mountains to complete their disappearance and islands to complete their flight.

Six Trumpets and 6 Plagues are part of Great Tribulation ending before Seals 6 and
7 open with God's mystery finished “in the days before the 7th Trumpet sounds”. Mark
13:24; Rev.10:6-7. The inner Scroll, not Seal 7 itself, contains the 7 Trumpet Angels
who were standing before Seal 7 opens. Only 6 Angels had sounded their trumpets
before Seal 7 opens to display the nature of their judgments fulfilled prior to the half
hour of silence!

Why the Seven Angels Appear before the Angel of Fire Renders the Verdict

The 7th Angel waits to blow the Trumpet from within the open Temple as soon as the
Angel of Fire renders the Verdict symbolized by coals of fire cast to earth. Rev.8:1-5.

All 7 Angels were standing within the sealed Scroll; but appear during the silence to
reveal incriminating cause to judge those having killed a third of mankind in the 6th
Trumpet (also 4th Seal)! The wicked had already gathered to Armageddon in the 6th
Plague. Only Plagues 6 & 7, Seals 6 & 7 and the 7th Trumpet are finished “in the days
after the Great Tribulation”!! The Three-Act Temple Drama occurs on the Last Day!!!

The Drama separates Plague #7's emptying and its sudden implosion of deadly contents
under the frightening catastrophes of a darkened sun and bloody moon of the 6th Seal
...as the Lamb had already launched the Day of Wrath.

Completion of the devastation caused by the Cup of God's Wrath follows heaven's
rejoicing over Babylon's fall. This occurs as soon as the Last Trump's 1st blast sounds
that “Christ's reign has begun and God's wrath has come”. Rejoicing and preparation
for the Lamb's wedding follows as Saints dress in the fine linen of their righteous deeds.
Rev.19:8. Therefore, the action in Rev.11:15-19 triggers the action in Rev.19:11-15.

The Lamb descends with “a shout, the voice of the archangel and a (2nd ) blast of the
Trump of God”. I Thess.4:13-17. He raises the dead, gathers the elect out of the 4 winds
from earth and sends the angels (at the 3rd blast) to finish the gathering from all ends of
heaven to Jesus at the “Synagogue” in the sky. Matt.24:31; 2 Thess.2:1.

During the interval between Rev.16:17 and 16:18...as deadly catastrophes cause men's
hearts to fail...and the Martyrs and resurrected Witnesses and 144,000 Firstfruit * of
the Endtime Harvest appear before God and the Lamb...a quake in a tenth of Jerusalem
kills 7000 of the Beast's elite guard. None of the Saints are killed during these signs nor as
the “great trumpet” sounds a 3rd time for angels to “complete the gathering of the elect
out of the 4 winds”...winds held back to seal 144,000 Jews prior to the “Hour of Trial on
all the inhabitants on all the face of all the earth”. Matt.24:31; Luke 21:34-35; Rev.3:10.

Sixty of 100 Lastday Verses Fulfilled after Temple Opens for Three-Act Drama!
CENTERPIECE
From this “Hour of Trial” all believers will be delivered and a remnant of millions of
the “tribes of earth” survive as they “beg to escape and to prevail to stand before the
Son of Man; for they will know God's kingdom is near as all these things happenS”
(Singular verb with plural noun reveals a totality of Luke 21:25-36 climaxing on the
Lastday with 60 of 100 verses fulfilled after the Temple opens for the 3-Act Drama)!

[Temple Drama: Rev.7:9-8:5; 11:12-19 (22). Heaven Rejoices: Rev.18:20-19:10 (15);
Hour of Trial: Rev.16:18-21; 16:15; 19:11-21; 14:20; 20:1-3 (20); Flashback to Court
of Judgment, the First Resurrection and (1000-Year) Reward. Rev.20:4-6 (3); Total: 60].

Of every 2 survivors until the Hour of Trial, one may be “kept alive”, enter the Kingdom and
attend the Lamb's wedding supper as invited guests. Rev.19:9. At the Last Trump, on a 3rd
or 4th day after God's Mystery was fulfilled, the Kairos (appointed) Time comes for God's wrath
and for 3 R's: Resurrection; Rewards for Saints, both small and great; and Retribution to all who
“disobey the Gospel on the Day Christ comes to be glorified in all who believe”. 2 Thess.1:10.

[*The Greek word for Firstfruit, Strong's #536, aparchay, is singular but usually translated
as two words, "first fruits". I prefer to use one word because the reference in Rev.14:4
applies to the special group of Believing Jews who make up the first ones gathered above
on the Lastday to stand before God and present the Lamb of God to the "Ancient of Days".
They are a special offering by the Son of Man showing His worthiness to be King of kings!]

Go next to Day of the Lord
or return to Topical Order

Published Senior Experience, First Baptist Church, Norfolk, Va. Sept/Oct/08. Mel, lastday.net
References: "Master's Perspective on Biblical Prophecy" by Dr. Robert L.Thomas

[wesley]

Hi, again. Haven't written you in awhile. What's the purpose of seeing the Ark of the Covenant,
when the temple door opens? After the Ark is seen, the last plague implodes. If the last plague
(the storm, lightning, thunders, quake and mountains disappearing) is the Hour of God's wrath,
are the hot coals off the Altar in Seal 7 a prior symbol of His wrath?
Are those who present the Son of Man to the Ancient of Days the saints of the Old Testament or
of the New? This chapter is interesting. Thanks for your devotion. Wesley

Wesley,
I think the sight of the Ark suggests that Christ's "power and authority" are to be immediately
displayed by avenging the saints, rescuing all believers who survive to the end and destroying
those who are destroying the earth. The "wrath of the nations has come as well as God's wrath...
and the appointed time" for 3 R's: Resurrection, Rapture, Rewards. Rev.11:18

I believe the Levitical priests among the 144,000, who have just been rescued from earth and
have joined the martyrs in presenting the Lamb as the victorious Son of Man to the Ancient of
Days and shared in the Act of Christ's Coronation, will bring the Ark with them from heaven in
that same Hour for the new Millennial Temple. All the saints, OT and NT saints, will accompany
Christ and be rewarded at the point of their meeting at the Synagogue in the sky...just prior
to the Hour of Twilight when Israel's Messiah will break through the clouds to rescue and restore
His former People from among the nations.

Since the Angel of Fire casts the coals of fire off the Altar to earth at the consummation of Seal
7's Court Scene, it must signify the immediate sounding of the 7th Trumpet that "God's wrath
has come and the time" to deliver His people. That's why the implosion of the 7th Bowl Plague
occurs while the saints "rejoice in heaven and prepare for the Lamb's wedding" just before
Heaven opens and Christ descends and gathers all the saints for the wedding on earth...to which
the restored people of Israel will be "invited as guests". [The Hour of Trial may begin with the
destruction of Babylon the Great during the final rejoicing in heaven and climax, in my opinion,
as Christ appears with all the saints during the Twilight Hour. All who beg for mercy are "kept alive"
miraculously]. Thanks Wesley. Mel