It's interesting to look at the book of Revelation as a chronology, because it mostly fits. However, it doesn't fit completely.
So here's a brief analysis. It's my own, but I've relied on lots of others.
1. Prologue: John's vision
2. Letters to the churches
(We, meaning theologians, think that the chapters in Revelation from 4 through 19 are about 7 years long. We base this on Daniel's prophecy in Daniel 9, where the angel tells Daniel that 70 "sevens," KJV, "weeks" are determined on the Jewish people; the "sevens" are thought to be periods of seven years each. All have occurred except one "seven," which leads to the expression, "70 weeks of Daniel," based on the KJV's interpretation of the word "seven." The remaining "seven," we think, is yet to be fulfilled in the future, and the book of Revelation deals with that "seven," or seven year period.)
3. Scene in heaven, the Lion and the Lamb
4. Six seals
5. (Parenthesis), selection of the 144,000
6. Seventh Seal, the 7 trumpets (it appears that the trumpets flow out of the seventh seal, and are a part of it)
7. The angel and the little book--the seven thunders
8. (Parenthesis): The two witnesses
9. 7th trumpet: Announcement of the end (everything else, it seems flows out of this trumpet, with all the end-time events now occurring swiftly)
10. (Parenthesis) The Dragon, the Woman, the Man Child; Satan cast out of heaven after war with Michael and his angels--Rev. 12
11.(Continued Parenthesis): The "Beasts."--Rev. 13
12. (Another parenthesis): The 144,000 on "Mt. Zion" (probably heaven)--Rev. 14
13. Two more angels (in addition to Michael); one announces the everlasting Gospel for those who will hear it, the other everlasting doom for those who won't--Rev. 14.
14. Announcement about the future: the reapers.
15. The seven last plagues (the bowls, or vials, if you have a KJV); terrible disasters...obviously God-engineered.
16. Call for Armageddon (this is one of the bowls).
17. Babylon, 17-18 (identification is difficult here; commentators of the 19th-20th century thought "Rome," but Babylon is a place in the Ancient Near East. It still exists. We shall see.
18. Heaven rejoices; Marriage supper of the Lamb; Return of Christ; (Armageddon: MAJOR fail--Beast / Antichrist tries to fight Christ. Doesn't work at all); Beast and False prophet into lake of fire (OW!); Satan bound with a huge chain in the bottomless pit;
19. 1,000 year reign of Christ.
20. Satan temporarily loosed; some prove they really want him instead of Christ. That ends as badly as Armageddon.
21. Eternity. New Heavens, New Earth; Everlasting joy and blessing.
22. Invitation: "Come, take the water of life; be part of God's family!"
When I get more time, I'll try to construct a simple diagram. I'll have to leave stuff out, since the events are fairly complex.
For now, if you want a complicated, but useful, diagram, here's a free one (I don't agree with everything in his charts, but they are a good start):
If you want to spend money, I've charted both Daniel and Revelation in my Kindle book on the same topic. You'll need a reader that's able to read Kindle comics for this (there were too many graphics for me to publish in text only). I understand that with the new update the "other" Kindles (other than the Kindle Fire) will be able to provide you with views of comic books and other graphical materials.
So here's a brief analysis. It's my own, but I've relied on lots of others.
1. Prologue: John's vision
2. Letters to the churches
(We, meaning theologians, think that the chapters in Revelation from 4 through 19 are about 7 years long. We base this on Daniel's prophecy in Daniel 9, where the angel tells Daniel that 70 "sevens," KJV, "weeks" are determined on the Jewish people; the "sevens" are thought to be periods of seven years each. All have occurred except one "seven," which leads to the expression, "70 weeks of Daniel," based on the KJV's interpretation of the word "seven." The remaining "seven," we think, is yet to be fulfilled in the future, and the book of Revelation deals with that "seven," or seven year period.)
3. Scene in heaven, the Lion and the Lamb
4. Six seals
5. (Parenthesis), selection of the 144,000
6. Seventh Seal, the 7 trumpets (it appears that the trumpets flow out of the seventh seal, and are a part of it)
7. The angel and the little book--the seven thunders
8. (Parenthesis): The two witnesses
9. 7th trumpet: Announcement of the end (everything else, it seems flows out of this trumpet, with all the end-time events now occurring swiftly)
10. (Parenthesis) The Dragon, the Woman, the Man Child; Satan cast out of heaven after war with Michael and his angels--Rev. 12
11.(Continued Parenthesis): The "Beasts."--Rev. 13
12. (Another parenthesis): The 144,000 on "Mt. Zion" (probably heaven)--Rev. 14
13. Two more angels (in addition to Michael); one announces the everlasting Gospel for those who will hear it, the other everlasting doom for those who won't--Rev. 14.
14. Announcement about the future: the reapers.
15. The seven last plagues (the bowls, or vials, if you have a KJV); terrible disasters...obviously God-engineered.
16. Call for Armageddon (this is one of the bowls).
17. Babylon, 17-18 (identification is difficult here; commentators of the 19th-20th century thought "Rome," but Babylon is a place in the Ancient Near East. It still exists. We shall see.
18. Heaven rejoices; Marriage supper of the Lamb; Return of Christ; (Armageddon: MAJOR fail--Beast / Antichrist tries to fight Christ. Doesn't work at all); Beast and False prophet into lake of fire (OW!); Satan bound with a huge chain in the bottomless pit;
19. 1,000 year reign of Christ.
20. Satan temporarily loosed; some prove they really want him instead of Christ. That ends as badly as Armageddon.
21. Eternity. New Heavens, New Earth; Everlasting joy and blessing.
22. Invitation: "Come, take the water of life; be part of God's family!"
When I get more time, I'll try to construct a simple diagram. I'll have to leave stuff out, since the events are fairly complex.
For now, if you want a complicated, but useful, diagram, here's a free one (I don't agree with everything in his charts, but they are a good start):
If you want to spend money, I've charted both Daniel and Revelation in my Kindle book on the same topic. You'll need a reader that's able to read Kindle comics for this (there were too many graphics for me to publish in text only). I understand that with the new update the "other" Kindles (other than the Kindle Fire) will be able to provide you with views of comic books and other graphical materials.
