The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Part 2

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. 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 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book 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.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that 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.

The Things Which You Have Seen (1:1–20)

Big Idea: The Revelation of Jesus Christ is all about making the glory of Christ Known.

The Recipients (1:4, 11)

Revelation 1:4 ESV

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,

Revelation 1:11 ESV

11 saying, “Write what you see in a book 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.”

John is the writer

God is the author

The seven churches are the recipient.

Ephesus

Smyrna

Pergamum

Thyatira

Sardis

Philadelphia

Laodicea

This would have been primarily a Gentile audience, though certainly some Jewish audience would have been included.

In truth, though we call this the BOOK of Revelation, it is really a letter. The longest written letter, but a letter nonetheless.

These seven churches were chosen.

They were not the ONLY churches in that district. Colosse, Hierapolis, Troas would also have been in the area.

These seven were chosen , most likely because they represent seven different types of churches that existed then and now.

These were, however, seven literal churches that existed during that day. They are in the area of modern day Turkey.

Some have speculated that the seven churches represent seven distinct ages of the church throughout the years. That throughout the years, the church as a whole was represented by one of these churches.

The theory is intriguing, but I am not sure it can be substantiated.

It is more likely that these seven churches represent seven types of churches that existed then, that have existed throughout the ages, and that now exist.

The Sender (1:4-8)

Revelation 1:4–8 ESV

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 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Out of typical order, John acknowledges grace and peace being sent by God, The SPIRIT (7 Spirits before the Throne refers to the Spirit), and the Son.

The reason is probably to make it easier to elaborate on Jesus and the image of Jesus that John receives in the next verses without having to do fancy gymnastics to get there.

Jesus Christ, The Faithful witness

Why would Jesus be called the Faithful Witness?

Deuteronomy 18:15-18.

Deuteronomy 18:15–18 ESV

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

Moses made the promise that one would come who would perfectly and faithfully represent God. Jesus did that.

Peter, speaking in Solomon’s portico will cite this passage.

Acts 3:17-26.

Acts 3:17–26 ESV

17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Peter clearly understood that Jesus was the fulfillment of this prophecy.

What’s more, Jesus perfectly performed the task and faithfully witnessed to all that His Father asked Him to.

John 14:9.

John 14:9 ESV

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Jesus WAS the promised prophet

Jesus DID faithfully perform the ministry that prophet.

Everything He said and did WAS accurate, true, and real in complete obedience to HIs father.

Jesus Christ, The Firstborn of the dead

What does it mean that he was the firstborn from the dead?

We see the same designation for Christ in Colossians 1:18.

Colossians 1:18 ESV

18 And 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.

To be the firstborn, to be preeminent means that he was the most significant one to be raised from the dead.

It means that he was of first importance, first in authority and power.

While he was NOT the first one to be raised from the dead, He WAS the most important and significant one.

Furthermore, NONE did so on their OWN power and authority…

John 10:17-18.

John 10:17–18 ESV

17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

By His own authority He lay His life down and by His own authority, He took it back up again.

He IS the firstborn from the dead…

First in authority - the right to lay it his life down and take it up

First in Power - Sufficient to save all from their sins.

His death and resurrection was the only one to have such impact and power, sufficient to satisfy his Father’s wrath against mankind.

Hebrews 10:14.

Hebrews 10:14 ESV

14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

His single death saves all who believe. One life for many!

This makes Him the firstborn from the dead.

Jesus Christ, The ruler of kings on earth.

Revelation 19:15-16.

Revelation 19:15–16 ESV

15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

He IS and ALWAYS SHALL BE the ruler over the kings of the earth.

Hebrews 1:1-13.

Hebrews 1:1–13 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 7 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” 8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” 10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

There is no king with greater authority or power than God, than Christ.

He is the King OVER Kings. He is the KING TO Kings.

Jesus, this firstborn from the dead, the faithful witness, the ruler of the kings of earth…

Jesus, the Lover

Revelation 1:5 ESV

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

Jesus loves us (Agape) and has freed us from our sins by HIS OWN BLOOD.

Here is the heart of the gospel. Sinners are forgiven by God, set free from sin, death, and hell by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. God made Him our substitute, killing Him for our sins, so that the penalty was fully paid for us. God’s justice was satisfied and God was able then to grant righteousness to repentant sinners for whom Christ died.

John F. MacArthur Jr., Revelation 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 26.

God love for us is deeper than we can possibly imagine.

I always love to return to Paul’s doxology, what I like to call, a real life example that life is a musical…

Romans 8:31-39.

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is Christ we love and serve.

This is the Christ we see in Revelation…the lover of His people.

Jesus, the Kingdom Maker

He has made us a kingdom

Revelation 1:6 ESV

6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

God has called us and brought us into His kingdom.

This is not referring to the millennial kingdom but the Kingdom of God that is the sphere of God’s rule which the believer enters at the moment of repentance and salvation. This is the kingdom that Jesus spoke so often of during his earthly ministry and throughout the gospel accounts.

1 Thessalonians 2:9-11.

1 Thessalonians 2:9–11 ESV

9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children,

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

The kingdom referred to here in Revelation 1:6 is that which God has already brought us into. His own kingdom.

WE ARE the kingdom of God.

Now…and forever shall we be.

Jesus, the Priest Maker

He has made us priests to God

Revelation 1:6.

Revelation 1:6 ESV

6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We see this as well in 1 Peter

1 Peter 2:4-5.

1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

We have been made priests of God, in the kingdom of God, to serve the KING of all.

Priests are ones set aside to serve God.

For Israel, they were set aside to serve in the temple. The Levites were the priests and caretakers of the tabernacle and temple. They were not given an allotment of land in the promised land. Rather they were distributed throughout the tribes to be the caretakers of all things temple, to offer sacrifices. They were set apart to serve God.

As priests, we have been set aside AS HIS SERVANTS to obey Him and work for His glory!

As priests of God, we have responsibility to exercise the duties of that role. It is a servant role, one entrusted with the care of God’s people and God’s priorities.

Jesus, Returning With the Clouds

Revelation 1:7.

Revelation 1:7 ESV

7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

Jesus once promised his disciples that he would be coming back for them.

John 14:2-3.

John 14:2–3 ESV

2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

This is the fulfillment of that promise.

Revelation 22:12, 20.

Revelation 22:12 ESV

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

Revelation 22:20 ESV

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Further, is the fulfillment of Daniel’s visions…

Daniel 7:13.

Daniel 7:13 ESV

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

And Jesus’ own words

Matthew 24:30.

Matthew 24:30 ESV

30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 26:64.

Matthew 26:64 ESV

64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

This is not a private return. Nor is it momentary.

Every eye will see Him and will know.

This event is NOT the one where Jesus directly addresses the concern of the church regarding when Jesus was returning for them. That is the rapture and is a different event.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - The Rapture

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 ESV

16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

THIS event in Revelation is AFTER the rapture and is when Jesus returns to bring judgment upon the world for their sins and to establish His rule in Jerusalem.

It is referring to Jesus’ SECOND coming

What was his first coming?

His birth and incarnation

The rapture is the churches “go time.” The second coming, we will be with him on the clouds as he returns.

We will get into the rapture and second more as we progress through our study of this book, but it is important to know that this coming in the clouds is referring to the second coming and NOT the rapture.

Jesus will come WITH THE CLOUDS.

Clouds in scripture frequently symbolize God’s presence.

Consider the PILLAR of cloud in the wilderness…

At the giving of the Law, a THICK CLOUD was covering the mountain

When the Lord would communicate with Moses in the Tent of Meeting, the Pillar was said to have descended upon the Tent.

Both the Tabernacle and the Temple were filled with a cloud symbolizing God’s glory at their dedications.

Jesus ascended TO heaven on a cloud

Believers will ascend to heaven in a cloud

THUS, Christ will return IN/WITH the clouds.

The clouds represent His presence and the blaze of his glory which would kill us if we saw it in full.

Jesus will return WITH THE clouds.

Jesus, the Object of Every Eye

EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM and will WAIL on account of Him…EVEN THOSE who pierced Him

This will be a PUBLIC reappearing. VERY public.

Every eye will see him….

Every eye will WAIL on account of Him

This term WAIL, sometimes translated MOURN, means to cut (off), to beat one’s breast in an act of mourning and sorrow.

This is most likely referring NOT the soldiers who did the actual piercing but THE UNBELIEVING JEWS who instigated his death.

Zechariah 12:10–13:1 ESV

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. 11 On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; 13 the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; 14 and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves. 1 “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.

Zechariah 12:10-13:1 speaks of a day when Israel will look upon him they have pierced and mourn…and their mourning would be that of repentance.

Here in Revelation, I suspect a mixed reason for this mourning.

The 144,000 who will be sealed and sent to proclaim Christ during the tribulation, will see many come to repentance through their proclaiming.

The second coming will be a day of salvation for them…

…even as it is judgment for those who refuse to repent.

For those who have repented, the mourning could be mourning for having missed the truth for all those years and time.

The mourning could be others REPENTING as Zechariah speaks of

The mourning for the rest, because we know there will be others who DO NOT repent, will be a mourning of rage against God, a mourning of impending judgment they know is coming, a mourning of rebellion.

EITHER WAY, all who see will wail on account of him…either in salvation or judgment.

God then declares….

Jesus, the Alpha and Omega

Revelation 1:8 ESV

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

Alpha, first letter of the Greek Alphabet

Omega, last letter

He is the FIRST and the LAST

The BEGINNING and the END.

He IS ALL THINGS.

He WAS

He IS

HE IS TO COME

He is eternal.

He IS THE ALMIGHTY.

And we will see just how might he is throughout the revelation given to us in this book.

Why these names?

We know that God has many names. We know that Christ has many?

Why use these names in the introduction of the book of Revelation?

Because these names reflect the way we will see Christ, the way we will see God throughout the book of Revelation.

They coincide with the themes we will consider throughout the book as the king, ruler, supreme authority, vindicator and justifier of the saints.

Conclusion

Big Idea: The Revelation of Jesus Christ is all about making the glory of Christ Known.

The Things Which You Have Seen (1:1–20)

The Prologue (1:1–8)

The Revelation of Jesus - (1:1-2)

The Blessing (1:3)

The Recipients (1:4, 11)

The Sender (1:4-8)

The Vision of the Glorified Christ (1:9–18)

John, the Witness (1:9-11)

The Son of Man (1:12-18)

John’s Commission to Write (1:19–20)

Application

Which truth about Jesus that we considered today stood out to you the most and why?

How does the faithful witness of Christ impact your day to day life? How does it help you grow spiritually?

What rights and responsibilities does the firstborn have? How does this translate to our understanding of Christ as the firstborn from the dead and how does it impact our life in Christ?

Why is it good to reflect upon and meditate on the truth that Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords?

What are the implications of being part of the kingdom of God? How does that affect our daily living?

What are the implications of being priests to God? How does that affect our daily living?

What about the future of Christ’s return most excites you? Most terrifies you?

How does the name/title, Alpha and Omega, give you hope, courage, and confidence for the day to day living in this life?

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