Revelation 1:1-6

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Introduction

Prologue

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

Greeting to the Seven Churches

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7

Well, we finally begin our march through the Book of Revelation, verse by verse, chapter by chapter. If you weren’t here for our survey of the book, or haven’t had to a chance to listen to all six introductory messages I encourage you to go online and do so. It should help immensely, first, to understand our preterist approach to the book, and second, to understand the overarching storyline of the book before getting into the weeds of each chapter. Hopefully you’ll find that having a birds eye view of the book will make the next year or two that much more helpful as we walk through chapters 1-22.

Occasional letter

Now, before we start in on chapter 1 I want to begin with a few introductory remarks related to the book. At the outset it’s important to keep in mind that this book is what scholars call an occasional writing, or an occasional letter. What they mean is that John is writing a letter that “deals directly with the historical occasion and circumstances of the original audience.” (The Book of Revelation Made Easy, Kenneth Gentry, p. 16) In other words, John is writing to a particular people, at a particular time, under particular circumstances, and it therefore deals, first and foremost, with that historical occasion, the original audience’s historical occasion. That this is not a letter addressed to some future generation, thousands of years removed from John’s day.
This letter is, first, addressed to specific churches that existed in John’s day. It’s addressed to seven churches that were present in Asia Minor, an area in southwest Asia that’s currently occupied by the nation of Turkey. And the Apostle John is writing from an island called Patmos just 20-30 miles offshore. Today these churches no longer exist, and only fragments of their cities remain today. Like the Apostle Paul writing letters to the church in Corinth, John is writing to seven churches in Asia Minor. In fact, John is probably intimately connected to these particular churches, he may have even had a hand in planting many of them.
Now, this isn’t to say that John didn’t also have the church at large in mind when he wrote, we’ll see later that he certainly did, but it’s important for us to realize that the visions given to John were given at a particular time, for a particular people, in particular circumstances. John is writing while the church is under unprecedented persecution, and later refers to himself as a fellow partaker of that persecution. This letter is written during a time when persecution against the church had increased exponentially. While the church had faced persecution from its beginning, at the hands of unbelieving Jews, by AD 64 the Roman Empire, under the Emperor Nero, began to persecute the church as well, and Rome obviously had a greater ability and a far greater reach for which to snuff out the church.
So, as we walk through John’s Apocalypse, keep in mind that the book’s relevance to that first century church is primary. And while we’ll see that the book is still relevant to us today, that it was first and primarily relevant to the church in John’s day.

Matthew 24 expanded

I also want to reiterate that the events described in this book coincide with the events that Jesus described to his disciples in his Olivet Discourse, which is recorded in three out of the four Gospels. If you weren’t here while we were preaching through Matthew chapter 24 I encourage you to go back and listen to those five messages. I make the case that Jesus wasn’t referring to the destruction of a future rebuilt Temple (that many are looking for today), but that he was referring to the Temple in his own day, the Temple that would later be destroyed in less than 40 years time, during Rome’s siege against Jerusalem in 70 AD. And it’s in this first chapter of Revelation that we’ll find a textual connection between what Jesus said in Matthew 24 to his disciples, and what John records for us here.

Date

Therefore, when we come to the Book of Revelation we find that John is writing about those same events that Jesus had predicted only a few decades earlier, but that in John’s day, those events had since come near, and are now soon to take place. John probably wrote this letter sometime in the mid 60’s, shortly after Nero’s persecution of the church had begun in 64, but before Rome’s war against the Jews that began in AD 66.

Apocalyptic

We’ll also see very quickly that the vision John sees and records for the churches is described using language that immediately seems foreign to us, a style of prophetic literature known as apocalyptic language. The Greek word apokalypsis is translated ‘revelation’ for us there in verse one. As I’ve already pointed out, we don’t have a modern literary equivalent to apocalyptic literature today, therefore we’re immediately confounded by it when we read books like John’s Revelation. Therefore, we’re going to have to work very hard to learn this style of literature and language, to become acquainted with its imagery and its symbols.
John is drawing from a library of images and symbols found throughout the OT, much of which we’re admittedly unfamiliar with, so we’ll have to learn as we go in order to understand what John intends to show us. We will have to be careful not to treat this book as if it were a kind of historical narrative like the Gospels, that are otherwise straightforward and presented in familiar literary style. That when John describes characters as beasts and dragons that we’re not to assume that a literal serpent or a literal animal is meant, but that John is using these images symbolically to describes other realities.

Jesus’ revelation to John

Now, that being said, let start in there with verse 1,

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

Notice, first, that this a revelation of Jesus Christ, in other words, John is recording for us what Jesus has revealed to him. And in verse 1 we read that this vision was handed down, first, by God to Christ, then from Christ to John, and finally from John to the church, who are the servants of Christ, in the form of this letter, that this letter was handed down to the church, for the church, by God.

What must soon take place

Then John says that it was handed down to the churches in order to show his servants the things that must soon take place. Now, the second half of verse one is paramount to understanding John’s letter, because it’s a fundamental clue as to the timing of the events described in John’s Apocalypse. Considering the circumstances of this letter and to whom it was written we must realize that anyone reading it in John’s day would have naturally assumed that it was intending to describe events in their day that must soon take place - this exegesis 101. This is a letter written to a particular people at a particular time under particular circumstances, and John tells them that this vision was given to him to show them the things that must soon take place.
We’ll also see shortly in verse 3 that John reiterates this point, that,

3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

and if that isn’t enough, John concludes his letter with these same time references. He says in Revelation 22:6,
Revelation 22:6 ESV
And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”
and then again in Revelation 22:10 when the angel tells John,

“Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.

And if you’re at all familiar with the Book of Daniel, when he is given visions of future events like the Apostle John, he’s told more than once to “seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.” (Daniel 8:26, 12:4) Which is the complete opposite of what John is told to do at the end of his vision. Rather John is told, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” And I emphasize this point because the timing of these events is foundational to understanding John’s book, and how it applies to us today. Is the primary purpose of the book for us to have a detailed outline of yet-future events, and to look for them in the newspapers? Or is the purpose of this book something else? Well, knowing what events John is referring to is essential to answering those questions.
Now, some argue that John isn’t referring to any single set of events in history at all, but that he’s simply providing enduring principles and lessons for the church throughout all ages. And while this perspective might be tempting in order to avoid answering the question of what events John is referring to, I don’t think advocates of such a interpretation are rightly handling the text. First, John gives the churches addressed in his letter a clear indication that these events are near (language that very clearly indicates temporal proximity), therefore I think it would be strange if these events weren’t soon to take place if John didn’t intend his readers to think so, otherwise why use this language?
Second, John describes his letter as a prophecy. And while prophecy isn’t only a forthtelling of future events, as we’ll see in a minute, it does usually include the forthtelling of future events. Moreover, to treat Revelation as though it were merely enduring principles and lessons for the church isn’t how the church has historically interpreted other prophetic and apocalyptic books, like Daniel and Ezekiel. While John’s Apocalypse does certainly have application to the church in all ages, to divorce it’s prophecy from a specific set historical events I think is a mishandling of the text.

Blessed

So, again, John is referring to events that are soon to take place, events that are near in his own day, which is why he bookends his letter repeatedly with near term indicators. John’s audience is being given this letter and this vision, so that they might be encouraged, that they might be warned, and that they might keep what is written in it. Which brings us to verse 3,

3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

It was typical in early Christian congregations to have the Scriptures read allowed. It obviously wasn’t possible for everyone to have their own copy of the texts, without something like a printing press, and many often wouldn’t have been able to read, so it was normative to have these texts read aloud. So John gets their attention by saying blessed are those who hear, and who keep the words of this prophecy. John tells them that they will be blessed if they listen to and to obey the words of this prophecy.
And what’s important for us to realize here is that prophecy is not merely a foretelling of future events, but it’s primarily a forthtelling. In fact, forthtelling is the primary component of prophecy, it involves exhortation, rebuke, and encouragement. This is why John tells them to listen and keep the words of this prophecy. Otherwise it would be strange to keep the words of this prophecy if prophecy where merely a foretelling of future events. Prophecy isn’t intended to satisfy the curiosity of prying eyes into future events, but prophecy is given to build up and to sustain the church, and to demonstrate God’s sovereignty over all things.
When you read the prophetic literature of the OT you see this at work. All prophetic foretelling is ultimately meant to exhort, rebuke, encourage, and give hope to God’s people. That’s why this prophetic literature still remains applicable to us today even when the events it describes have since passed. This is why John’s Apocalypse, while it describes events that took place in the first century is still relevant to us today.
At least seven times John tells the church that they will be blessed despite their persecutions and suffering. At first, he says here, blessed is the one who reads, hears, and keeps the words of this prophecy. Then in chapter 14 he says, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on, blessed indeed, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them! In chapter 16, blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed! In chapter 19, blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. In chapter 20, blessed is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. And then in chapter 22, blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates, for outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murders and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
All of these beatitudes are meant to encourage the church as they face unprecedented persecution and suffering. That while their circumstances may seem hopeless that, in fact, they are blessed if they hold fast and keep the words written in this prophecy.

The number 7

Then we read, starting in verse 4,

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

Here John makes his address to the seven churches in Asia Minor. And its at this point we begin to see the number seven. There were certainly seven literal churches in Asia Minor that John was writing to, but as we’ll see going forward there’s great significance to John’s use of the number seven. Most of us know that the number seven signifies completeness or fullness in the Bible, that it’s probably the most prominent symbol in all of the Scriptures. However, I suspect its use remains awkward for most of us, since we don’t have a modern equivalent of the Bible’s use of numbers as symbols. When we use numbers we typically intend to be literal and precise, however, this isn’t always the case with the Bible. The Israelites certainly marched around the city of Jericho for seven days, and seven times on the seventh day, carrying seven trumpets, but there was a greater significance that we are intended to see.
Likewise, John’s writing to seven church is not by mistake, or without further significance. We’re about to see seven lampstands, seven stars, seven letter, seven seals, seven bowls, seven heads, seven mountains, seven trumpets, and the list goes on, so what’s the significance of the seven churches?
Well, I suspect these seven churches are supposed to signify the fullness of Christ’s church, that is, all of the churches, likely even the church in all ages. As we’ll see later, at the end of each letter to each church, it says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Notice, it isn’t only to these specific churches that these letters appear to be directed, but to anyone who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (plural). The message is certainly directed at these churches, but also seemingly to all the churches, the expectation that other congregations would profit from this letter is anticipated. And probably not only congregations in John’s day, but for the church throughout all ages. While we must be careful not to rip the letters of the 7 churches out of their historical context, the message of Revelation is also meant to be applied to all.

Salutation

John then greets them with a rather long salutation. He says,

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

At first, he greets them with grace and peace, a common salutation that’s intended to remind the church of God’s favor toward her, and the peace that she has as the result of her reconciliation with God, that her sins have been forgiven. The hallmark of any Christian is a deep concern for sin, and its offense against God, therefore, the Bible often reminds us of God’s grace toward us and the peace we have in Christ.

I am who I am

But then, notice who the greeting is fundamentally from, that John’s greeting issues ultimately from the triune God himself. And notice the descriptions that John uses, 1) Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, 2) the 7 spirits who are before his throne, and 3) Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first born from the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. And the point here is that these names and descriptions are intended to comfort a suffering church.
Him who is, and who was, and who is to come is descriptive of God’s personal name, Yahweh, which literally means I am who I am. In other words, John is referring to God’s unchangeable nature. Malachi 3:6 says, “For I, Yahweh, do not change.” And God’s unchangeable nature is meant to be a stabilizing force within the church. While their circumstances seem bleak and formidable, and always changing, God’s nature does not. The church can have absolute certainty of its future and of its preservation, because God is unchangeable. God is not defined by external circumstances and God is not at the mercy of any external force, therefore neither is his church.
This is as relevant today as it was then, God has not changed, nor will he. Despite the rise of wicked rulers, crumbling economies, and attacks against the Christian worldview at every level of society, God remains unchanged, his purposes not thwarted, and his church invincible. This doesn’t mean we will not suffer, but it does mean the church will not fail.

Sevenfold Spirit

Then John describes the Spirit of God in verse 4, as “the seven spirits who are before his throne.” Now, this certainly seems like an odd description of the Holy Spirit, in fact, it’s seems so strange, that to us we might ask if John is speaking of the Holy Spirit at all! However, his description isn’t altogether without warrant. John appears to be drawing from the prophet Zechariah in Zechariah chapter 4, when the prophet sees the church as a lampstand with seven lamps. These lamps are described as being filled with oil through seven spouts, and God tells Zechariah that He supplies them with oil “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.” (v. 6) Likewise, we see the Spirit of God described here as the seven spirits of God, or the sevenfold Spirit (as it could be translated), because it’s by the fullness of God’s Spirit that the church is sustained and empowered, like the supply of oil to a lamp. Like the Apostle Paul says elsewhere in Romans 5:3-5,

we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

God empowers and sustains the church by the fullness of his Spirit.

Faithful witness

Then in verse 5 John refers to Jesus, and he does so using three descriptions instead of just one. He says,

5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

His first title, “the faithful witness” is filled with meaning. The overarching application, of course, is that Christ set an example for the church in John’s day to follow (and for us), as the faithful witness. That “if the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18) That “they hated me without a cause” (John 15:25), and so you likewise “will be hated by all for my name’s sake.” (Luke 21:17) That Jesus, despite being rejected, hated, mocked and even put to death, remained a faithful witness.
And his example is intended to give the church strength to follow him, even unto death if necessary. And the church in John’s day, especially under Nero’s persecution, faced paying a high price for their allegiance to Jesus. As I’ve mentioned before, it was during Nero’s persecution that many of the apostles were killed, at least Peter and Paul that we know of, being crucified upside down and beheaded. Church history seems to indicate that John himself may have been exiled to the Island of Patmos after Nero failed to have him killed using boiling pitch.
In John 7:7 Jesus said, the world “hates me because I testify about it, that its works are evil.” That Jesus was hated for bearing witness to the truth. (John 18:37) Then in Acts 1:8 Jesus told his disciples, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Thereafter we read in Acts 4:33 that “with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” In Acts 10:42 while Peter was preaching to the Gentiles he said, “[Jesus] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.” And then later in Acts 20:21 Luke writes that Paul was “testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
These letters to the seven churches were from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, and his faithful witness is intended to set an example for the churches to follow, as they have been commanded to be his witnesses even to the ends of the earth. Jesus does not expect them to go where he has not, but rather his faithful witness has paved their way, and ours also.

Firstborn from the dead

John also refers to Jesus as the first born from the dead there in verse 5. The idea here is that of Jesus’ preeminence, that in everything Jesus is preeminent, or supreme. Colossians 1:18 says that, “he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” Psalm 89:27 says it like this, “I will make him My Firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” In other words, Caesar is not king, Jesus is king.

Ruler of kings on earth

In fact, John goes on and says, he is “the ruler of the kings on earth.” We all remember Matthew 28:18 when Jesus commissioned his disciples and began by saying “all authority in heaven and on earth have been given to me.” The one who is preeminent has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, and is therefore the ruler of kings on earth. Jesus is not only savior, but sovereign over all, sitting at the right hand of his Father in heaven until all of his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. Jesus is Lord over all.

Conclusion

Again, this greeting in verses 4-5 is intended to remind the churches of just who their God is. To give them hope and encouragement, to give them courage in the face of seemingly unassailable circumstances, and confidence in Christ as the supreme ruler of kings on earth, not Cesar.
And this is why John breaks into what seems like a doxology of praise there in verses 5-6,

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer

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