Read Revelation 4 through 8 at Bible Gateway.
Rev 4:2-8:6 chiastic structure: The series of seven seals
1a) Rev 4:2-5:18, Introduction to the seven seals series;
1a) Rev 4:2-11, The glory of the Lord on His throne/ 4 living creatures + 24 elders worship Him;
1b) Rev 5:1, In the right hand of Him who sat on the throne, a book sealed with 7 seals;
1c) Rev 5:2-3, Who is worthy to open the book + break its seals/ No one in heaven, earth, under the earth;
central axis) Rev 5:4-5a, I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book + look in it. One of the elders said to me, Don’t weep;
2c) Rev 5:5b-6, The Lion of Judah is He who opens the book + its seals/ the Lamb who was slain;
2b) Rev 5:7, Then He came + took it out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne;
2a) Rev 5:8-14, The worth of the Lamb/ 4 living creatures, 24 elders, angels, all creation worship Him;
1b) Rev 5:13-14, Worship in heaven: all creation worships Him who sits on the throne + the Lamb;
1c) Rev 6:1-17, The first six seals;
1a) Rev 6:1-8, The Lamb opens the first four seals;
1b) Rev 6:9, Fifth seal: souls who had been killed for the Word of God + testimony of the Lamb;
central axis) Rev 6:10, They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
2b) Rev 6:11, Rest until their fellow servants + brothers, who would also be killed, should complete their course;
2a) Rev 6:12-17, The Lamb opens the sixth seal/ Hide us from the great day of His wrath;
1d) Rev 7:1, 4 angels at 4 corners of the earth holding 4 winds/ no wind to blow on earth, sea, tree;
central axis) Rev 7:2a, Another angel ascended from the sunrise, having the seal of the living God;
2d) Rev 7:2b-3a, He cried aloud to the 4 angels: Do not harm the earth, sea, or trees;
2c) Rev 7:3b-17, The first interval period;
2b) Rev 8:1, When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for half an hour;
2a) Rev 8:2-6, Conclusion to the seven seals series: the 7th seal is the 7 trumpets;
1a) Rev 8:2, I saw the 7 angels who stand before God/ 7 trumpets were given to them;
1b) Rev 8:3a, Another angel came + stood over the altar, having a golden censer;
1c) Rev 8:3b, Much incense was given to him that he should add it to the prayers of the saints;
central axis) Rev 8:3c, On the golden altar which was before the throne;
2c) Rev 8:4, The smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints went up before God out of the angel’s hand;
2b) Rev 8:5, The angel filled the censer with fire of the altar + threw it on the earth/ Thunders, sounds, lightnings, an earthquake;
2a) Rev 8:6, The 7 angels who had the 7 trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Return to revelation index of studies
My book The Revelation of Jesus Christ Revealed, based on these studies but greatly expanded, is now available at Revelation Revealed Online. You may also be interested in reading the Book Extras and joining in on the Discussion.
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