Series Details
Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll as we continue our journey through the final book of the Bible. Revelation—Unveiling the End, Act 2: The Earthly Drama details how the end unfolds.
Understand John’s vision and the earth’s future chaos from God’s perspective.
For those who have not placed their faith in Christ, these disasters reveal a grim, hopeless future of God’s judgment. For believers, however, God supplies the assurance of ultimate deliverance and a glorious future with Him forever!
The book of Revelation provides a window into the future of our world from God’s perspective. In this second act of our three-part study, we move into the heart of the Tribulation period. As the seals are broken and the trumpets sound, we witness a time of unprecedented earthly chaos. While these events reveal a grim future for those who reject Christ, they offer believers an anchor of hope. This series reminds us that even in the midst of judgment, God remains in control, providing the assurance of ultimate deliverance for His people.
Message 1: A Glance Back to the Future
Sermon Summary Before diving into the judgments to come, we must keep our eyes on the central figure of the entire vision: Jesus Christ. In this message, Chuck explores selections from across the book of Revelation to ground us in the majesty and authority of the Lamb. By glancing at the final victory, we gain the perspective needed to navigate the difficult chapters of the earthly drama.
Key Facts & Themes
- The Centrality of Christ: Remembering that Revelation is primarily an unveiling of Jesus, not just a list of events.
- Prophetic Perspective: How understanding the end of the story provides peace for the middle.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Selections from Revelation: Key verses that highlight the glory and return of Christ.
Message 2: Let the Judgments Begin
Sermon Summary The Tribulation begins with the breaking of the first four seals, often referred to as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Chuck explains the significance of these events—ranging from deceptive peace and global war to famine and death. We see the start of God’s direct intervention in human history as He begins to deal with a world in rebellion.
Key Facts & Themes
- The Four Horsemen: Identifying the stages of early Tribulation judgment.
- The Fragility of Peace: How quickly earthly security can dissolve when God’s restraint is removed.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 6:1–8: The opening of the first four seals.
Message 3: More Seals Broken . . . More Lives Shaken and Taken
Sermon Summary As the fifth and sixth seals are opened, the focus shifts to the martyrs under the altar and the terrifying cosmic disturbances on earth. This message addresses the reality of spiritual warfare and the physical shaking of the heavens and earth, forcing every level of society to acknowledge the “wrath of the Lamb.”
Key Facts & Themes
- The Cry for Justice: The role of prayer and the presence of those who died for their faith.
- Cosmic Disturbance: Understanding the literal nature of the physical judgments on the planet.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 6:9–17: The fifth and sixth seals.
Message 4: An Interlude: Earthly Restraint and Heavenly Worship
Sermon Summary Between the sixth and seventh seals, God provides a dramatic interlude. This message explores the sealing of the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel and the vision of a vast multitude from every nation standing before the throne. We see that even in the midst of judgment, God’s heart for redemption is on full display.
Key Facts & Themes
- Divine Protection: The significance of God’s “seal” on His servants.
- Universal Worship: The beauty of a redeemed humanity gathered from every corner of the earth.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 7: The sealing of the servants of God and the great multitude.
Message 5: First Blasts of the Trumpet Plagues
Sermon Summary With the opening of the seventh seal comes a heavy silence in heaven, followed by the first four trumpet judgments. Chuck describes the ecological disasters that strike the earth’s vegetation, seas, rivers, and atmosphere. These plagues are a final warning to a world that continues to resist its Creator.
Key Facts & Themes
- Ecological Judgment: The direct impact of the trumpet plagues on the natural world.
- The Severity of God: Recognizing the intensifying nature of divine discipline.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 8: The seventh seal and the first four trumpets.
Message 6: Releasing Demons from the Abyss
Sermon Summary The fifth trumpet marks a shift from natural disasters to supernatural torment. This message examines the opening of the “bottomless pit” and the release of demonic forces led by Abaddon. We explore the terrifying reality of spiritual darkness when it is allowed to manifest physically on earth.
Key Facts & Themes
- Spiritual Warfare Unveiled: The reality of the demonic realm.
- The Torment of Sin: How rejection of God leads to a literal hell on earth.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 9:1–12: The fifth trumpet and the plague of locusts.
Message 7: More Demons, More Deaths, More Defiance
Sermon Summary The sixth trumpet brings the release of four bound angels and a massive army that brings death to a third of mankind. Shockingly, the survivors refuse to repent. Chuck discusses the depth of human depravity and the tragic hardness of a heart that refuses to turn to God even in the face of absolute proof.
Key Facts & Themes
- The Hardened Heart: Analyzing why judgment doesn’t always lead to repentance.
- The Finality of Choice: The sobering reality of those who choose their idols over their Savior.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 9:13–21: The sixth trumpet and the army from the East.
Message 8: A Strong Angel, a Strange Assignment
Sermon Summary In another prophetic pause, John encounters a mighty angel with a small scroll. This message focuses on John’s “strange assignment” to eat the scroll—bittersweet in its taste. We learn about the dual nature of God’s Word: sweet in its promises but bitter in the judgment it must announce.
Key Facts & Themes
- Internalizing the Word: What it means to truly “digest” the message of God.
- The Bittersweet Task: The burden of the prophet to speak hard truths in love.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 10: The angel and the little scroll.
Message 9: Two Fearless, Future Witnesses
Sermon Summary God never leaves Himself without a witness. During the darkest hours of the Tribulation, He sends two powerful prophets to Jerusalem. Chuck explores the identity, ministry, and miraculous protection of these two witnesses, whose death and resurrection serve as a final sign to the world.
Key Facts & Themes
- The Power of Testimony: How God uses individual voices to proclaim His truth.
- Divine Vindication: The resurrection of the witnesses as a proof of God’s authority.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 11:1–14: The two witnesses.
Message 10: The Sounding of the Seventh Trumpet
Sermon Summary The seventh trumpet doesn’t bring a single plague but announces the final transfer of power: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord.” This message celebrates the coming reign of Christ and the heavenly worship that anticipates His total victory.
Key Facts & Themes
- The Sovereign Transfer: Anticipating the day when Christ takes His rightful throne.
- Heavenly Celebration: The elders’ response to the completion of God’s plan.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 11:15–19: The seventh trumpet.
Message 11: Exalting the Ultimate Evil Empire
Sermon Summary Revelation 12 pulls back the curtain on the “war in heaven” and the age-old conflict between the dragon (Satan) and the woman (Israel). Chuck explains the origins of anti-Semitism and the spiritual roots of the earthly drama, showing that the battles we see on earth have celestial origins.
Key Facts & Themes
- The Origin of Evil: Satan’s fall and his relentless pursuit of God’s people.
- God’s Preservation: How the Lord protects His own in the midst of the dragon’s wrath.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 12: The woman, the child, and the dragon.
Message 12: Antichrist: The Beast Out of the Sea
Sermon Summary The world’s final dictator arrives not as a monster, but as a charismatic leader promising solutions. This message identifies the “Beast out of the Sea”—the Antichrist. Chuck outlines his character, his rise to power, and his blasphemous claim to deity, warning us to be aware of the spirit of lawlessness.
Key Facts & Themes
- The Great Deceiver: Identifying the traits and strategies of the Antichrist.
- Global Influence: How the world is prepared to worship a counterfeit savior.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 13:1–10: The beast from the sea.
Message 13: Antichrist’s Lieutenant: The Beast Out of the Earth
Sermon Summary The Antichrist does not work alone; he has a “lieutenant” known as the False Prophet. This message examines the third member of the unholy trinity. We look at the deceptive signs, the forced worship, and the economic control exerted through the “mark of the beast.”
Key Facts & Themes
- Religious Deception: The role of the False Prophet in directing worship to the Antichrist.
- The Mark of the Beast: Understanding the economic and spiritual implications of this final ultimatum.
Primary Scripture Reference
- Revelation 13:11–18: The beast from the earth.
