^{Last revised: 2/26/15}

Prologue: Christ communicating (1:1-8)
A. Superscription to the book (1:1-3)
B. Greeting and salutation (1:4-5a)
C. A doxology to Christ (1:5b-6)
D. The theme of the book (1:7)
E. The divine imprimatur (1:8)

I. Vision one: Christ in the church (1:9-3:22)

A. The revelator: the glorified Christ ( 1: 9-20 )
B. The seven letters (2:1-3:22)

1. The letter to Ephesus (2:1-7)
2. The letter to Smyrna (2:8-11)
3. The letter to Pergamum (2:12-17)
4. The letter to Thyatira (2:18-28)
5. The letter to Sardis (3:1-6)
6. The letter to Philadelphia (3:7-13)
7. The letter to Laodicea (3:14-22)

II. Vision two: Christ in the cosmos (4:1-16:21

A. The heavenly throne (4:1-11)
B. The seven seals (5:1-8:1)

1. The sealed book (5:1-14)
2. The six seals (6:1-17)

a) The first seal: the white horse (vv. 1-2)
b) The second seal: the red horse (vv.3-4)
c) The third seal: the black horse (vv.5-6)
d) The fourth seal: the pale horse (vv.7-8)
e) The fifth seal: the souls of martyrs (vv.9-11)
f) The sixth seal: the signs in heaven (vv.12-17)

3. Interlude: the two multitudes 7:1-17)

a) The 144,000 (vv.1-8)
b) The unnumbered multitude (vv.9-17)

4. The seventh seal: the silence in heaven (8:1)

C. The seven trumpets (8:2-14:20)

1. The six trumpets (8:2-9:21)

a) Preparation (8:2-6)
b) The first trumpet: hail, fire, and blood (8:7)
c) The second trumpet: sea turned into blood (8:8-9)
d) The third trumpet: star falling upon waters (8:10-11)
e) The fourth trumpet: sun, moon, and stars darkened (8:12-13)
f) The fifth trumpet: opening of bottomless pit (9:1-12)
g) The sixth trumpet: loosing of four angels (9:13-21)

2. Interlude (10:1-11:13)

a) The angel and the little book (10:1-11)
b) The measuring of the temple and the two witnesses (11:1-13)

3. The seventh trumpet: announcement of consummation (11:14-19)
4. Interlude (12:1-14:20)

a) The dragon, the woman, and her seed (12:1-17)
b) The two beasts (1):1-18)
c) Visions of assurance (14:1-20)

D. The seven bowls (15:1-16:21

1. The preparation: (15:1-8)
2. The first bowl: the sore on men (16:1-2)
3. The second bowl: turning of sea into blood (16:3)
4. The third bowl: turning of fountains into blood (16:4-7)
5. The fourth bowl: increase of heat of sun (16:8-9)
6. The fifth bowl: darkness (16:10-11)
7. The sixth bowl: unclean spirits (16:12-16)
8. The seventh bowl: consummation (16:17-21)

III. Vision three: Christ in conquest (17:1-21:8)

A. The mystery of Babylon (17:1-18)
B. The judgment of Babylon (18:1-19:5)

1. Angelic announcement of Babylon's fall (18:1-))
2. Warning to God's people (18:4-5)
3. Cry of vengeance {18:6-8)
4. The lament of the kings and merchants (18:9-19)
5. Outburst of praise (18:20)
6. The destruction of Babylon (18:21-24)
7. A thanksgiving for the judgment of Babylon (19:1-5)

C. The final triumph and consummation (19:6-21:8

1. The marriage of the Lamb (19:6-10)
2. The coming of Christ (19:11-16)
3. The battle of Christ and Antichrist (19:17-21
4. The binding of Satan, the resurrection, and the millennial kingdom (20:1-6)
5. The final destruction of Satan and death (20:7-15)
6. The new creation (21:1-8)

IV. Vision four: Christ in consummation (21:9-22:5)

A. The city of God (21:9-21)
B. The worship of God (21:22-27)
C. The blessings of God (22:1-5)

Epilogue: Christ challenging (22:6-21)
A. To obedience (22:6-9)
B. To reward (22:10-15)
C. To fellowship (22:16-20)

D. Benediction (22:21)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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¹Taken from Lorin L. Cranford, A Study Manual of the New Testament, volume 2. All rights reserved.