Study of Revelation and End Times (2)

Week 2 - What Must Soon Take Place

2 Weeks ago was just an introduction and therefore, if you missed the first week, you did not miss a lot of the study, but I do have some extra study sheets for any that were not here.

Tonight, we will begin digging into the study of Revelation and end times, as we mentioned two weeks ago, it is not just a study of Revelation, but also includes a large part of other Scriptures, like Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Matthew, and many other text throughout the Bible.

Background

Some background to help us understand the Book of Revelation a little better, the author is traditionally held to be the apostle John and that he wrote it from exile on the island of Patmos.

Most scholars support the date of the writing of the Book of Revelation for the mid 90’s A.D. around 95 or 96.

John received this revelation as we are told right in verse one of Revelation, from God sending his angel to his servant John.

Revelation 1:1 NASB95

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,

This revelation of Jesus Christ from God of things that must soon take place, came to John from an angel through a vision or a dream if you will.

As I have mentioned that when studying Revelation and end times, it deals with a lot of other Scripture, it is said, that John alludes to the Old Testament 245 times, citing about 20 Old Testament books - his favorites being: Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Psalms, Exodus, Jeremiah, and Zechariah.

With all of this there are no formal quotations from the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation.

Then there is the Olivet Discourse that Jesus gave in Matthew 24, that is all about end times and ties into the Book of Revelation.

Jesus in His Olivet Discourse was clearly anticipating what He was to show John in much greater detail than six decades later on the island of Patmos.

There are multiple different ways to interpret the Book of Revelation, but we are going to allow the Lord to lead us through this study, and direct us to learn what we need to learn.

We are told right from verse one that the Book of Revelation is about the revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave of what must soon take place.

A lot of people when they hear of end times, or the Book of Revelation, they think or begin to get frightened, they feel uneasy.

Dr. Adrian Rogers used to tell his congregation: “The child of God does not have to walk around with ‘headline hysteria.’ Instead of becoming frightened and panicked when it looks like the world is coming apart at the seams, Christians can turn to each other and say, ‘It’s getting gloriously dark.”

What did Dr. Adrian Rogers mean by that, well as the world looks like it is falling apart and getting dark with evil, it is getting gloriously dark because it is getting close to Jesus’ return, which for us as Christians is a glorious time.

As we seen two weeks ago, when we will be caught up in the clouds with those believers that have went on before us, and be changed into our glorified/heavenly bodies, with no more pain, no more diseases.

Therefore, it is getting gloriously dark! Amen!

As the Book of Revelation is a book of prophecy, which we know is to proclaim or speak forth the unknown or future events.

Have you ever wondered why the psychics who peddle their gifts on cable T.V. never win the lottery?

See a prophet of God is right 100 percent of the time.

Deuteronomy 18:22 NASB95

22 “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

If a person claims to be a prophet or is saying they are speaking from the Lord, or delivering something from the Lord, that God gave them a Word, and what they say does not come true, then that person did not speak from God.

As we begin this study of Revelation and end times, we must remember that the prophecies that we will be studying are not yet come, therefore, they have yet to be fulfilled.

Now as we look at other Scriptures throughout the Bible, we will come to some prophecy at times that part of them have been fulfilled, but parts have yet to be fulfilled, due to ts timing has yet to come.

Therefore, as these prophets are of God and their prophecies will be 100 percent fulfilled the timing just has not come.

With all of that, now let’s jump into Revelation and end times.

Tonight we will see four truths right from the first three verses of Revelation chapter 1.

Revelation 1:1–3 NASB95

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, 2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

1. Central Character or Person of the Book of Revelation - Jesus Christ

A matter of a fact when we read the Bible from Genesis through Revelation, we find that the central character, or person is Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Hero of the Bible, bringing salvation to humanity, and he is the hero of Revelation bring victory over Satan for eternity.

We often here people call it the Book of Revelations making it plural, but it is not it is singular Revelation. It is the revelation of One - the spotless, glorified Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

The English word revelation translates the Greek word apokalupsis. It is the word from which we get our English word apocalypse. Which literally means unveiling.

When we thing of an unveiling, we may think of the unveiling of a piece of artwork, or a statue, or a new design for a project.

But can you imagine the heartbeat of God the Father when He unveils His Son in all His glory to the world? Here is the unveiling, not a statue, but the Son of God, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords.

The second coming of Jesus will be much different, his first coming He was born in a barn laid in a feed trough, next time he will come in the clouds with angels.

The first time He came to a crucifixion, He is coming the next time to be crowned King of kings, and Lord of lords.

He came the first time and stood before Pilate; next time Pilate will stand before Him.

2. The Clear Purpose of Revelation.

In the first two verses of chapter one, the revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His servant what must soon take place.

Only God knows the future, and the clear purpose of the Book of Revelation was for Jesus to show His servants the future.

the word servant in verse one is translated from the Greek word doulos, which means slave or bondservant, those owned by another.

As Christians/born-again-believers we are owned by Jesus, we are owned by Jesus through His shed blood on the cross, He redeemed us on the cross, as the ultimate sacrifice.

We are told in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NASB95

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

We must then ask ourselves, are we a slave for Jesus Christ? Have we bowed our knee to Him? Have we crowned Jesus Lord of our Life?

If so, the Holy Spirit who resides in us will help us to rightfully understand what he would have us to know and understand about the end times and the Book of Revelation.

I share this verse two weeks ago, 1 Corinthians 2:14

1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB95

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

We have the Book of Revelation, the prophecies throughout the Bible of end times, to show us things to come, these things prepare us, to warn us, to encourage us, and enable us to go forth and share the good news of Jesus Christ.

3. The Comforting Promise of Revelation

In verse three, we see 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.

A lot of people skip reading the Book of Revelation because: it is scary, it is hard to understand, it is futuristic, and so forth.

But if we will read it, we will be blessed, because there are blessings in it, and we will see that in the end Jesus is in the ultimate victor, as Christians we are on the winning side, we win.

We are to hear what the Book of Revelation has to say, it is one thing to read it and another thing to actually listen and hear what God is saying to us through the Scriptures.

Revelation 13:9 NASB95

9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

There is a difference in hearing and listening, there is a difference in reading the Word of God and actually hearing and listening to what God is saying to us through the Scriptures.

See it is not just are we hearing it with our eardrums, but are we listening and understanding what God is saying through the Scriptures? Did it sink in?

In verse three we are told to keep what is written; when we read the Scriptures, we must listen for God to speak to us through it, and write it on our hearts, keep it.

Many times, we read Scriptures, like that of prophecy, the Book of Revelation and we read it with a curious mind, but God wants more than just a curious minds when we read the Scriptures, he wants us to listen, write is on our hearts and obey it.

There are three Blessings we can receive by Studying Prophecy and the Book of Revelation:

1. It will unlock the Mystery of History

The world is in such a mess today because things are out of place.

The King (Jesus) belongs on His throne.

The bride (the church) belongs with the groom.

The criminal (Satan) belongs in prison.

One of these days, when the King is on the throne, the bride is with the groom, and the criminal is in prison, we will understand the way things are meant to be.

Revelation unlocks the mystery of history.

2. It will bring Sense to our Suffering

What do you say to a Christian brother or sister who is suffering such unbearable pain that even the strongest medicine cannot take it away?

What do you say when you stand beside a husband at the graveside of his darling bride, and he holds the hand of their only child?

What do you say to a mother when her little baby is carried away by the angels to heaven and her arms are empty?

In times like that there is not much to say, but there is one we can turn to, and this is not God’s final plan.

Revelation 21:4 NASB95

4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

3. It will bring Stability in Chaotic Times

I think we can all agree we are living in some chaotic days.

But we must remember, Hebrews 13:8

Hebrews 13:8 NASB95

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Revelation 1:8 NASB95

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

When we read the Book of Revelation and prophecy, we need to see that God brings stability in times of chaos.

There was a man who loved to study the Book of Revelation, but had no Bible degree, and was criticized by a theologian who said you do not understand the Book of Revelation.

The theologian went on to say it is a puzzle, nobody can understand it. The man said, I understand it; the theologian said, oh yea, what does it mean? The man said, it means we win.

We can look at too many things throughout Revelation and prophecy and get discouraged or confused but if we will look forward to Jesus’ second coming, we will see that we win, and it brings stability in these days that we live in.

4. The fourth truth is - The Certain Prophecy of Revelation

What did John mean that the time is near?

It does not mean that the time is immediate. it means that is is imminent.

Jesus Christ can come at any moment. We are not waiting for some event to take place before Jesus can return; He can come whenever the Father chooses.

We are always living on the edge of eternity. And we are to be living on ready Jesus may come tonight.

1 Peter 4:7 NASB95

7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

James 5:8 NASB95

8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

We read these two verses and we may think did the Apostles think they were living in the last days? Were they wrong? No, they were not wrong.

2 Peter 3:8 NASB95

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

As we looked at this verse two weeks ago, we could say in God’s timing we are only in day two and 86 seconds post Jesus resurrection.

No matter what, every Christian should be living their life as if Jesus is going to return at any moment, because in all reality, we do not know, and it could at any second.

As we study Revelation and end times, there are times that there is difference of opinions on when things will happen, different point of views.

Daniel 12:4 NASB95

4 “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”

Specifically the last part of that verse.

Dr. Richard Swenson a futurist, physician-researcher, author and educator was being interviewed on the radio by Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, and more recently of Family Talk.

The two men were discussing how history is coming to a climax. Dr. Swenson spoke of a principle called exponentiality, which means that our civilization is moving faster and faster.

Things are coming at us so quickly that our minds are numbed with the speed of these changes. For example, we cannot un-discover things that have been invented, such as television, the internet, genetic engineering, robotics - they are all quickly filing into our memory bank.

If we drew a line of technological advancement of knowledge from 0 to 1975, that line would be relatively flat.

But from 1975 to the present day, that line would go straight up. We have advanced more in the past 30 years even then in the last 2000 years.

2 Timothy 3:12–13 NASB95

12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

One thing that we can be certain of is that everything in God’s Word will come to pass, now the exact timing, we may not be certain on, but we can be certain that if His Word says it then it will happen.

Yes, there are somethings that are prophesied that I do not particularly want to be here for during the tribulation, but I also know that there are promises in His Word too, that I can stand on, and I know that He does not fail or go back on His promises.

As we have seen in the first three verses of Revelation, these revelation are of Jesus Christ that God gave to His servant John because they must take place soon.

If we will read, listen too, and keep the things in the prophecies and revelation of Jesus Christ then we will be blessed.

Next Week

We will look at how some different things will help us understand and interpret what prophecy and Revelation is teach us.

Things like - literal/symbolic, figures of speech, and numbers among other things.