Revelation introduction

Bible reading

Revelation 1 CSB

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, whatever he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near. 4 John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has set us free 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 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. So it is to be. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” 9 I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man, dressed in a robe and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest. 14 The hair of his head was white as wool—white as snow—and his eyes like a fiery flame. 15 His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of cascading waters. 16 He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth, and his face was shining like the sun at full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, 18 and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

We are now nearing the end of our Garden to Garden City journey.

And over teh last few weeks we have been looking at some of the key doctrines, some of the key ideas in the new testament writings.

We saw firslty how we are justified, how our sins are forgiven. This happens because of Jesus work on the cross.

Then we saw how our justification enters us into a new family, the church family, whom we are to love and serve.

Then we saw last week, how we are to live in these times. How our justification, being made right before God, how our gratitude for that, serves as teh engine room of our own obedience.

And as we obey God, as we live more and more for him, in light of his mercy, we are being sanctified - that is made more saintly.

Ad so now we turn our eyes to the final book of the Bible - Revelation. And here we see the final big picture question - what comes next.

So let’s start first of all by thinking together about how we are to read revelation.

How to read Revelation

You see it is one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted book of the Bible.

And that is partly because Revelation is a kind of weird book with locusts and dragons and mosters from the sea, and partly because of what is going on in our hearts.

You see the book is written in what is called an apocalyptic genre. So it uses all kinds of symbols for thoughts and ideas. But we can deal with, and as we explore it over the next few weeks we are going to look at some of these symbols and see that they too tell a story.

But perhaps the bigger difficulty is about what is going on in our hearts when we read revelation. You see reveletion is a book that shows us the certainty of our future, in a way that needs interpretatoin.

And like everyone, we want to pin down the future, because then we feel in control, we feel like we are on top of things.

If we knew JEsus was coming back on the 17th of September, 2058, then we have control over our lives.

and in our hearts, we start to think, well if thats teh case i can just quickly do some repentence, pray the sinners prayer on the 16th of september 2058, and i can live the rest of my life as i choose.

And so much ink has been spilt on where exactly we are in the timeline of Revelation.

Books and papers and seromns and diaries have been ritten on the subject.

But that is all pointless, because Revelation is the conclusion of a story that has been written from the Garden of Eden.

It is the end of our story, and it is not trying to tell us when these things will be happening.

IT is the end of teh story that tells us WHY all teh things in revelation is happening.

So as we think about HOW to read revelation,

the first interpretive principle we have to understand is

that in the garden garden city story

- Revelation is about the kingship and majesty of Jesus.

Revelation is about Jesus’ kingship

Revelation is a book about the majesty,

the glory

and the power of Jesus Christ

the risen and ruling king.

When we lose sight of this,

we lose sight of the main character of the book.

Imagine for example if you were to watch your favourite book or movie,

and you took out the main character.

It would not make sense.

It would fail completely.

It would just be a book of random snippets

that don’t make sense.

But that is often how we read the bible.

We forget the main character – Jesus.

And this is particularly true of Revelation

When we try to read revelation

apart from seeing Jesus as the main figure in the book,

it too wont make sense.

If we try to read Revelation

without seeing that this is primarily a book about Jesus,

about his majesty,

his glory,

his power and his victory,

then we have gone very far astray.

Revelation is a book that is full of surprises,

full of drama,

full of symbolism

, full of twists and turns.

And we have to be careful

that we don’t try to push too much on the details of the book

and the various visions.

But in the end, the book points us to Jesus coming back in glory and power and how the world will one day be when he fixes teh world.

Revelation is about Jesus.

That’s principle 1.

Principle 2 is Revelation is not a modern book.

Revelation is not a modern book.

We can’t take the way we read stories today, and impose our expectation that that is just how all stories work, and put it on Revelation.

While the book does move from one point to another,

it is not a history book.

The story unfolds in a cyclical pattern,

kind of like a spiral that expands ever outward into eternity.

And as we explore this book

, we have to remember that.

Secondly it is a book full of symbols

. As we go through

, we are going to be looking at a number of different symbols

and try to explain them.

But we have to remember not to be too ambitious here.

Not every symbol makes sense form our perspective.

Not every image is meant to mean something.

Somewhat like parables

, the point is in the story,

not in the details.

And so we need to remember not to try and read this book by trying to understand every symbol, every detail.

WE have to see the forest, by not focussing on the trees.

Thats priciple 2.

Its about Jesus’ Kingly return,

ITs not a modern book.

Principle 3,

It is a book written to encourage the church in persecution

we have to keep in mind that this book was written primarily

to encourage the church during

a time of persectution.

John here finds himself on the island of Patmos,

where he had been exiled for preaching the gospel.

This vision is meant to encourage the church that Jesus is in control,

no matter what it might seem like here on earth.

YOu see there are these 7 lampstands in John’s vision.

Now Revelation explains to us

that the lampstands represent the 7 churches in asia minor.

As we go through the book,

often an angel or the Lord Jesus

himself

will explain what each of the symbols are.

And here we have the 7 lampstands standing for the 7 churches.

But we also have to understand that 7 is a highly symbolic number in this book of revelation.

It represents perfection.

IT represents fullness and completeness.

So while at one level what follows is written to these 7 specific churches,

John wants us to understand

that what follows

is applicable and relevant to all churches everywhere.

The full number of churches all across the world.

And so among the lampstands is one like the son of man.

Now this is Jesus’ favourite title for himself.

He uses it many

many times

in the gospels when he refers to himself.

So Jesus himself is standing among the churches.

And this is encouraging to us.

Where the pure gospel is being proclaimed.

Where people are working towards the Lord’s ends,

where we gather together as his people

– Jesus is there present with us.

He is present with us when things go well,

and even when things go poorly.

These 7 churches were churches under persecution.

We might well get tempted to think that when people turn against us,

or when there is much opposition to the message of the gospel,

we might think that Jesus has abandoned us.

That he isnt blessing our ministry,

that he is not in it with us.

But here we see Jesus among his churches.

He does not forsake his church. He is present with us here today as well.

*perhaps apply it?*

The presence of Christ is with his church today.

We stand on the other side of a major election win for our premier today. This is a man who is militantly against the church, who has outlawed prayer in certain circumstances where people actually seek it, where churches and ministers face jailtime or hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, for failing to comply.

We live in a time where Christiantiay continues to be marginalised and villified.

And living in a time like this, we can ask - Where is Christ? I thouguht Jesus was the king reigning on high. Doesn’t he care what ahppens to his church?

Well here we see teh answer - Jesus is right there, standing among the lampstands, present with his people.

And his presnece encourages us in specific ways.

John is writing to give the church hope, because Jesus is there in very specific ways.

The church has hope because of Jesus.

And so John gets this glorious vision of Jesus.

He speaks to John,

And John turns, and there is Jesus, standing in his majesty.

He stands between the lampstands, he has a robe with a golden sash. He has this perfect snowwhite hair - Kinda Like gandalf the white if you’re into Lord of the rings.

But unlike Gandalf, Jesus’ eyes blaze with fire, his feet are bronze, his voice booms like falling water. He has a sword coming from his mouth. His face shines radiantly - like the son.

That is teh vision John gets of the glorified Christ, who has ascended into heaven.

And this glorified majectic Christ is standing among the 7 lampstands.

Now notice how Jesus is described.

And here we get into the parts of the vision we need to interpret and understand.

He has this golden sash wrapped around his chest.

Thiis a vision of the clothing a piest would wear.

Jesus fulfils the old testament priesthood.

He is our great high priest,

and he is our high priest

because he does the atoning work for us.

The church has hope, because Jesus is there, being our heigh priest.

He is there in the inner sanctuary,

interceding for us before God.

No longer do those of us who believe need to fear the Lord’s wrath.

God has fully punished all our sin

in his atoning sacrifice.

That is what the sash is supposed to remind us of.

But the church also has hope, because

Jesus is profoundly wise.

His head and hair were white like wool,

white as snow.

We shouldn’t miss this.

John here is describing Jesus the son,

like Daniel the prophet describes God the Father in Daniel chapter 7.

John wants us to see something of the agelessness of Jesus,

his eternal wisdom.

Just like God the Father is the one who is and was and is to come,

here we see the agelessness and eternal nature of Jesus.

In the old testament days,

in Israel the old were revered for their maturity,

for their wisdom.

Proverbs for example tells us that a white head is a crown of glory.

Wisdom that comes with age was greatly esteemed.

And John here gives us a picture of the profound wisdom of Jesus.

And this gives us hope, because we can know that in his ruling Wisdom, Jesus lets the church go through things. Things which we would not chose for ourselves, but things which he in his profound wisdom knows we need.

We can trust that Jesus has our best interests at heart

– he loves us and wants our best.

When someone is wise, they know which path will bring about the greatest good.

And if Jesus is the wisest of all,

we can trust that whatever path he has put us on,

will ultimately bring about the most good.

This becomes incredibly important,

especially during difficult times of suffering.

What we want, what we think is best for us during our suffering is just to get out of suffering.

To stop the difficulty and the pain.

But the Bible’s wisdom,

godly wisdom

tells us that suffering

actually shapes us much more effectively

and much more profoundly

than health and wealth ever could.

It gives us depth,

It gives us certainty when future thigns go wrong

It shapes us often into radically different people.

You will have met people who have had a sort of charmed life.

You know the type

– they are fairly well off,

good at sport

intelligent,

beautiful,

nothing seems to be difficult in their lives.

And we envy them

, because wouldn’t it be good to be them.

But the reality is that people like this,

very often have no capacity to deal with life

as it is experienced by others.

When real difficulty comes,

they are ill equipped.

Suffering when interpreted through gospel lenses

shapes us into Jesus.

When we suffer,

we become more like him

and that is after all the goal of the Christian life.

To be like Christ.

Complete even in sharing in his sufferings.

And the truth of the matter is,

If we knew everything Jesus did

, if we were as wise as he was,

we would choose to be in exactly the same circumstances we are in right now.

We would choose our suffering

We would choose our hardship

Because any alternative would be worse.

If we were as wise as Jesus would,

we could see that our current circumstance

will be for our good in the long run.

So the church can have hope,

because Jesus has this priestly sash,

And because he is profoundly wise.

But we can also have hope

because the other things John describes.

:

So quickly : his flaming eyes..

This is supposed to show us his penetrating insight and knowledge.

We are supposed to see that our unholy deeds

cannot be hidden from him.

This gaze seeks out our sin and wants to burn it up.

Nothing can be hidden from him.

This is either encouraging – if someone has wronged us,

the Lord knows, and he will deal with that sin.

Or it is terrifying – all sin will have a reckoning.

We see he is powerful and permanent.

V15 tells us that his feet were like bronze as it is fired in the furnace.

This evokes this picture of surety,

of solidness

of permanency.

And he has the strength to match his solidness

. His voice is powerful,

when he speaks in his glory

it has the sound of cascading waters.

When Jesus speaks,

he does to with authority.

His word is not to be taken lightly.

WE cant just think that because he died on the cross,

because our sins are taken care of

that we can now just ignore it when he speaks to us.

Jesus speaks to us with authority through his word.

Every time we read or open a Bible,

this is God’s word.

This is him speaking to us.

We can’t mess with that.

We cant just pick and chose which commandments

and which parts of scripture we like

and get rid of the rest.

When Jesus speaks,

it has weight,

it has authority

, it has power.

It roars through the universe,

like the rushing of water.

So Jesus has all this power, and wisdom and strength and authority.

And with all of this, he stands among the lampstands, he stands and is present with the church.

*there is more, which we cant go into*

But there is this vision of the glorified Christ, fighting for and protecting hsi church.

That is teh vision of Jesus we have to have in our minds as we enter the book of Revelation.

Jesus, the glorified and risen Christ is present with his church.

And that gives us hope that no matter what this world throws at the church, Jesus is present with us.

So with all that being understood, how are we supposed to respond? Well John gives us the answer.

But one thing we must not miss, is John’s reaction.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, 18 and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

When I saw him,

I fell at his feet like a dead man.

Friends, make no mistake.

As one commentator wrote:

“To see Jesus today as he is,

in his glory,

and for us to see us as we truly are,

sinners

, is more than we can take.

In our sinful condition,

the magnificence of his glory would overwhelm us as it did John. “

But notice friends, that John did not die.

Why?

Jesus gives us the answer:

even though Jesus is so glorious,

even though he is so powerful

, even though he is so mighty,

and wise,

and smart and perceptive,

he does not come to destroy.

He holds out his hand,

and said fear not.

I am the first and the last

. I am the living one.

I was dead, but look I am alive for ever

, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Jesus has overcome death.

He has already taken Johns sin on himself and paid for it.

He, even in his glory can touch john,

without destroying him.

John, as a sinful being,

should have been destroyed by the holy God

who cannot stand sin.

But here we see Jesus,

stooping down in his fully glorified state,

and touching john gently.

Friends this is grace.

This can only be because Jesus has already paid the price.

And you might find yourself in one of two different camps.

Maybe you are in the john camp

. Where Jesus in his glory and goodness seems so far removed from who you are today.

And this might well make you feel so inadequate

that all you want to do

and the only way you can see yourself

f is in the dust on the floor on the island of Patmos.

Jesus has a message for you – fear not,

because he is alive forever.

You need not worry,

because he does look at you with gentleness.

Or perhaps you are on your face on the floor,

because Jesus is just too glorious,

and he can see you for who you really are.

Maybe you know you are unworthy to stand in his presence,

because of your sin.

Friend Jesus has a message for you too.

He is king,

he is coming back,

and you do not have forever to make up your mind to follow him or not.

Today is the day,

fall before him,

turn from your ways and trust him as king.

He is coming back to make all things new.

To misappropriate a phrase,

make sure you are on the right side of history.

Christ is coming.

For those who trust in him it will be a day of joy.

For those who do not

, it will be a day of terrifying reality.

But he is coming. So get ready.

Amen.