The Writing of Revelation

INTRODUCTION

Last week we began the book of Revelation, which was really an introduction to the book.

We talked about:

the title Revelation (unveiling)

The beatitude of blessing to all who read and practice what it teaches

Numerology in Revelation

Tonight we are going to look at John’s encounter with Jesus and his commission to write this book

The grand purpose of the entire book: To be faithful to Christ despite earthly suffering in order to inherit final salvation

Revelation 1:9 “I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

We talked about this verse some last week.

We pointed out some things here, but one that catches our eyes in this verse is the word ‘tribulation’ especially in the context of the book of Revelation

John is not referring to some 7 year period that is coming at the end of this age.

The word ‘tribulation’ means affliction.

John, who is a fellow partaker in affliction, is on the Island of Patmos, exiled because of his preaching of the Word of God and testifying about Jesus

John is writing as a man experiencing affliction because of His faithfulness to the Lord, and is writing to other believers (fellow partakers of affliction) because of their faithfulness to the Lord.

So then the main purpose of this book is to call the followers of Christ to remain faithful despite suffering so that they will inherit their heavenly reward.

Here is a principle we can take away from this verse: All believers who are faithful to Jesus will experience suffering in this lifetime

John is a partaker of suffering

His audience is a partaker in suffering

And the call to follow Jesus, is a call to suffer like jesus did

Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

The cross was a symbol of punishment

QUESTION 1: What does suffering for Christ in our culture today look like? Or more specific: How have you suffered for Christ?

QUESTION 2: And when we experience suffering in this life what should our response be according to this verse??

perseverance!

It means we press on and wait for Jesus to deliver us

It means we must be people who do give up! We pick ourselves back up off the ground and we press on!

Leaving the faith, leaving the church, leaving Jesus is not an option!

No matter how difficult things get, quitting must never be an option!

If God is in control of this world as this book teaches, then God has allowed whatever difficult circumstance to enter our life for a reason

If we will hang on and let God use difficulty to shape us, we will benefit from it greatly!

Perseverance is one of the major themes of this book

Revelation 1:10-11 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.””

Here John is on the island of Patmos, he hears a voice giving him instruction to write these 7 letters which we will study over the next seven weeks.

This voice is Jesus, as we will see, and John has not seen Him in 60 years (atleast to our knowledge)

And when did John see Him? When he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day

I think that is pretty significant that John adds that this revelation came to him on the Lord’s Day

Most commentators agree that “in the Spirit” means some kind of spiritual trance that john fell into.

(We see this also in 4:2, 17:3, 21:10)

But it was the Lord’s Day when Jesus visited Him

TWO OBSERVATIONS:

John was faithful to worship even when he was alone on Patmos (no church, no worship team, no heat, no AC, no Scripture; HE STILL WORSHIPED….…What an example for us to follow)

Jesus came to him on the Lord’s Day

What day of the week is the Lord’s Day? 1st

Here are some things about Sunday:

Jesus resurrected on Sunday

Jesus first appeared to His disciples on Sunday

The early Christians gathered for worship on Sunday

And here John receives revelation on Sunday

Application: If Sunday means that much in the NT, shouldn’t we hold it in high regard too?

Revelation 1:12–16 “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”

Here we have a very symbolic picture of who Jesus is

Remember John is in a spiritual trance. So these things have symbolic meaning

The lampstands: represent the seven churches (similar to our lampstand for our advent candles)

The churches are depicted as shining lights for God in the midst of a hostile world

One like the Son of man in the middle of the lampstands: This refers to Jesus. We know Jesus called Himself the Son of Man

But notice Jesus is standing in the middle of the lampstands.

QUESTION: What do you think that means for the churches?

ANSWER: That He is not distant, but with them, supporting them, caring for them, providing for them

Long robe and golden sash: This represents his rule and authority.

When we think of the authority of Christ, He has it all.

Matthew 28:18 “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

White head and hair: this speaks of the infinite wisdom of Jesus.

His wisdom is infinite

Eyes like a flame of fire—speaks of His omniscience....He sees all things within each church.

Feet like fine brass—ability to crush any opponent.

His voice like many waters—Speaks of His power

The seven stars in his right hand: The stars represent the angels of the seven churches (v 20)

The right hand is a symbol of authority and power

It is a way of saying Jesus is in complete control

Out of His mouth went a two edged sword—The Word of God

And most likely this refers to His judgement

We will see this in Revelation 19:15 “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.”

His countenance was like the sun shining: This speaks of His glory

All of these things things introduce themes we should be looking for as we read this book.

The book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and these things will be revealed.

Revelation 1:17–20 “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. “Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. “As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

John’s response to Jesus is immediate fear and falling down in humility.

And I love Jesus’ response: Do not be afraid

Application: how often we need to be reminded of that as His followers. We have no reason to fear anything in this world so long as that same Jesus is in our midst.

The Jesus with glory like the sun, feet to crush any opponent, ability to sustain and uphold us, the power to keep us, all authority on earth.

That same Jesus says to us, do not be afraid.

“The Key’s of death and hades”

What do keys do? They gain access

Through Jesus’ death, He has defeated death and Hades and now has authority and power over them.

“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things”

John is now told to write in three categories:

The things which you have seen

The things which are

The things which will take place

The best explanation for this is that this is the orientation of the whole book.

Some things apply to (john’s past), some to John’s present) and some to the future

So we are not to divide it up in time slots

(v 20) ““As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

Seven stars: These represent angels who were put in charge over the churches. They met the spiritual needs of the churches.

Seven lampstands: These represent the churches

The main point is Christ is over them both.

In the midst of their precarious situation in an evil world that both despises and persecutes them, Christ is with them, protecting and vindicating them