The Design of Revelation

There have been various schemes put forward over the centuries to explain the design of the book of Revelation.

Albert Barnes outlined the book by seven major themes:

1. Introduction, Rev 1
2. Epistles to the seven churches, Rev 2-3
3. Preparatory vision, Rev 4
4. The external history of the world, Rev 5-11:18
5. The internal history of the church (the antichrist), Rev 11:19-20:15
6. The final triumph of the church, Rev 21-22:5
7. Epilogue, Rev 22:6-21

Notes on the New Testament, Explanatory and Practical: Revelation, pp. lv-lxii.

Philip Schaff summarized the various schemes for the outline of Revelation throughout the centuries from the church fathers.

History of the Christian Church, Vol. 1, pp. 841-852.

LeRoy Froom saw the prophecy of Jesus in Mat 24 as encompassing the entire scope of world and church history from the destruction of the Temple to His return, only greatly summarized, and John’s vision following the same scope from his own day (as the Temple had already been destroyed prior to his vision), fleshing in many details.

The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, Vol. 1, pp. 141-144, 155-156.

In Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown’s Commentary, “Introduction to Revelation,” more schemes are introduced.