The Book of Revelation Sequence of Events and the Timeline

NEW TIMELINE CHART! I have created a very detailed chart of the timeline from the Birth of Christ to His return and into eternity.

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Download a high resolution jpg image of the chart:
new timeline detailed chart

The text below is a companion document that lists the events in the order that they happen, from the Book of Revelation

I'm including links in some of the text below for easy study references.

How to read Revelation – It cannot be read as if it’s a sequential timeline of events and be understood! We must first understand that it’s a series of visions given to John that are mostly happening all at the same time but conclude at the same time, at the same event (Jesus returns, pours out His wrath on the wicked people of the world and takes over ruling the world!)

The book of Revelation can be divided into these three distinct categories:

  1. Things John has seen.  In chapter one John records having seen Jesus Christ Himself.  The things seen and heard during this experience are the "things which thou hast seen".

  2. "Things which are" represent things that are in John's present world.  Chapters 2 and 3 are letters to the seven churches “which are in Asia”. These churches existed at that time in Asia.  Some people, assuming that the entire book of Revelation is prophetic, have put forth a theory that the seven churches must be church "ages" of the future.  That is simply not true.  The truth is that the messages to the seven existing churches of that time are the "things which are".

  3. Revelation 4:1 begins the "things which shall be hereafter".

Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Rev 12:1-5 starts with the birth of Christ of the woman who is a symbolic representation of Israel - then v6 leap to the end time

Rev 4 begins the vision of heaven and we see this symbolic representation several times throughout Rev (5, 7, 8, 14, 15, 19, new heaven 21-22)

Rev 5 continues the vision from 4 and starts the vision of the Seals

Rev 6 Seals 1-4 (*)

Rev 8 the first 4 trumpets (**)

(*) No one can say the Seals are these for sure, but it is almost certain based on all prophecy fitting together like a hand in a glove, and the historical facts.

(**) Again, we can’t say for sure any of the Trumpets have blown yet, and it’s less certain than the Seals, but the first four Trumpets may have already blown!

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Any of these could happen next:

Rev 7 the sealing of the 144k will be prior to 5th trumpet for sure, but other than that it could be during final 7 years

Rev 9 the beginning of the 3 woes:

The Confirmation of the Covenant will be when the world comes together to sign a peace treaty and confirm the borders of Israel and the status of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount

My best guess for the year that the Confirmation of the Covenant will happen:

Rev 11 the temple may be rebuilt during the first half of the final 7 years, but it could be built just prior, and when John measures the temple where it's tread underfoot for 42 months

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Rev 12 v6

Rev 6 The 5th seal timeframe could be during the tribulation, just before the wrath of God, but likely not since they're told to rest until their fellowservants are slain, so likely early in final 7 years or early in the final 3.5 years (the time of the tribulation)

Rev 17 power of the 10 kings given to the Antichrist

Rev 13 The Antichrist brings several kings together for political and military union

Rev 13 The false prophet teams up with antichrist for religious union

Rev 12 v7-17 war in heaven

Daniel, Matthew and 2 Thess "Abomination of Desolation" is at this time

Rev 11 The final 3.5 years

Rev 13 the antichrist and false prophet take over the world using Satan's power

Rev 11 The two witnesses with have power for 1260 days

Rev 14 final warning about worshiping the beast (the Antichrist and his new world order)

Rev 11 two witnesses are killed

Rev 14 The 144,000 are with Jesus as the "first fruits"

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Rev 10 There will be delay no longer

Rev 10 The Seventh Trumpet BEGINS to sound

Rev 14 The Rapture

Rev 15 Those that had gotten victory over beast

Rev 7 Great Multitude

THIS IS THE DAY OF THE LORD!

The Day of the Lord in Isaiah:

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The Day of the Lord in Joel:

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The Day of the Lord in Matthew 24:

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chart of seal trumpets and vials

Study the chart and compare what occurs in each scripture.  Each of the passages are describing the same events that occur immediately after the Tribulation at the Battle of Armageddon (same as the Battle of Gog and Magog).

Notice that the Seal, Trumpet and Vial all have an earthquake and the wrath of God is come upon the earth.  Matthew shows the same events that also are shown in the 6th Seal and the events in Matthew happen immediately after the Tribulation, which is when the battle of Armageddon takes place.  The islands and mountains moving, the great hail, God's wrath and the earthquake from Ezekiel are the same as the 7th Vial and except for the hail not mentioned in the Seal, it's also the same.  Likewise the 7th Trumpet has the same events except for mountains moving.  The battle of Gog in Ezekiel is the same event as the battle of Armageddon.

The conclusion is obvious.  All of these events happen at the same time but they are described in several places in the bible.

Rev 14 The wrath of God begins

Rev 15 temple filled with smoke during the wrath

Rev 8 v3-5 prayers of saints during events (probably the whole 7 years)

Rev 16 beginning of the Vials - the Wrath of God

Rev 17-18 The judgement of the great whore

Rev 19 vision of heaven again with 24 elders

Rev 6 The 6th Seal is the wrath of God

Rev 11 The 7th trumpet finishes sounding

Rev 16 The 7th Vial is the end of the wrath of God

Rev 19 The battle of Armageddon

Rev 19 The marriage supper of the Lamb

Rev 8 v1 The 7th seal

Rev 19 The Antichrist and false prophet thrown alive into lake of fire

Rev 20 Satan chained up in the bottomless pit for 1000 years

Rev 19 Jesus rules with rod of iron...

Rev 20 The saints rule with Jesus for 1000 years

Rev 20 At the end of the 1000 years, Satan is released and deceives the nations again

Rev 20 The final battle of Gog and Magog

Rev 20 Satan is cast into lake of fire with the Antichrist and false prophet

Rev 20 The great white throne judgment day

Rev 21-22 Eternity with God!

My Revelation study goes over everything in this document and goes into much more detail. Please take a look at it, here: Chapter 10 - Understanding Revelation and the timeline of events

For a full study, read Book 1 on my web site:

Start Reading Book 1 »