Revelation Study Week 1: Chapter 1:1

First Things First

Have you ever bought a book and immediately went to the last chapter and read it. What happens when you do that? Are you confused? That is what reading the book of Revelation is like without first knowing what the rest of the Bible is about.

New Living Translation 1:1-3

1This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, 2 who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.3 God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.

Some Title this book the Revelation of John, when actually it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

The NLT does us an injustice by it’s choice of words in vs 1… “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ.”

The Greek wording is more accurately “revelation of Jesus Christ” but of Jesus Christ can have two meanings,

It could mean about Jesus Christ

It could mean belonging to Jesus Christ

Which is the better understanding?

One author says it best when he says:

“In the final analysis, however, the original, Greek-speaking audience of the book may not have worked as hard as we do to differentiate the two concepts (the grammar itself does not clarify any difference). The message is from Jesus Christ, but ultimately Jesus is the focus of everything in the New Testament, whether directly or indirectly. His purposes in history also reveal his character and invite us to worship him.”

The next thing we see in vs 1 is that although this revelation belongs to Jesus, it did not originate with Jesus. vs 1 says “which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John who faithfully reported everything he saw this is his report of the word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ.”

The revelation goes from God to Jesus then to his servants via an angles and then John. God - Jesus - angle - John

Brings up a few questions

“When did Jesus first receive this revelation?” We know he didn’t know when the son of man would return While he was on earth.

Who are the servants? All who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

must soon take place…how soon? The greek word here is “tachei” and also means suddenly or quickly. Ultimately it is God’’s timing.

John who? The fact that he did not need to identify himself lead most to believe he was the well known apostle.

What was he reporting? Every thing he saw!

It is important to note that John is writing what he saw. He did not try to interpret it, just writing it down.

The last thing we notice in this opening segment is that there is a blessing, a beatitude. This is the first of seven in Revelation.

God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church

Because there was no personal copies of Scripture in the 1st century, reading aloud in the church this prophecy was the only way one would hear it. It would be safe to say all who read this is blessed, even more so those who share it with others.

and he blesses all who listen to its message

There is also a blessing that comes with those who listen to what was written

and obey what it says

Finally there is a blessing for those who would obey what was written. Some would argue that listening and obeying goes hand in hand for what good is listening if it doesn’t change something about you?

Revelation 1:4–8 (NLT):

4 This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia.

Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.

All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

7 Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven.

And everyone will see him—

even those who pierced him.

And all the nations of the world

will mourn for him.

Yes! Amen!

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

This is the actual start of the letter. It has all the elements of a first century letter; the address, greeting and benediction. These four verses can be divided into three sections

Salutation vs 4-5a

A doxology of adoration 5b-6

Announcement of victory 7-8

Salutation

From John, the apostle

To the seven churches in the province of Asia (resent day Turkey). While there is 7 churches listed and letters written to them, the idea is that this is for all those who are God’s servants, remember vs 1…to show his servants. We also read at the end of each of the specific letters in chapters 2 & 3 anyone who has ears are to hear what the spirit says.

After addressing John goes into the greeting Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.

The grace and peace is not from John, for he cannot give that but from the trinity…

from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come - the Lord God

from the sevenfold spirit before his throne - Is it actual seven spirits? Is it the Holy Spirit?

Most likely derived from Isaiah 11:2-3

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,

The spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counsel and strength,

The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

3 And He will delight in the fear of the Lord,

And He will not judge by what His eyes see,

Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

from Jesus Christ

the faithful witness…[“to these things” not in the greek]

the first to rise from the dead…wait he wasn’t the first to rise from the dead!

NKJV & NASB firstborn of the dead - first to be born after death with incorruptible body, and heir to all things

ruler of all the kings of the world

Revelation 1:5 (NASB95): the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

Doxology of Adoration

All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Praise for the Son…

He loves us (because he loved us he…)

He freed us from our sins (because we are free from sin…)

He made us a Kingdom of priests

Jesus talked extensively about the Kingdom of God. As Priests we are able to go directly into the presence of God, we are also to intercede for those who can not.