Revelation

Here we are, the first week of this brand new year.

Welcome 2025.

I hope, that this new year be one full of good health, joy, laughter, closeness to family, and prosperous for all of us.

I pray good reports over all of our houses this year.

Many of you know that I have a background in the trades, that goes back about three decades

The HVACR trade to be specific.

I had a close friend who once wanted to get into the trade as well.

So he enrolled in a technical college to take the course, but to my surprise, he only lasted one day.

That’s it. He quit after the very first day.

When I asked him why he quit, he told me that the very first assignment by the professor was to memorize all of the technical electrical symbols.

He said there seemed to be so many, it was overwhelming, and he was convinced, he didn’t have the brain power to learn it all.

So, he dropped out of the program.

In this new year, on this first Sunday of the new year, we are starting off in the last book of the New Testament.

The Book of Revelation.

But, because there is so much to cover and to understand, it may seem overwhelming to some, and they might also feel the desire to give up and quit.

The reason why I bring this up, is because, the Book of Revelation is full of symbols and technical terms making it easy to get confuse and loose track of unless you are familiar with them.

So, I would like to use this first message to familiarize ourselves with some of these symbols and technical terms to better understand what we can from the Book.

So, don’t get scared and quit, we’ll get through them together.

Many criticize the Scripture saying that Jesus never wrote even a single book in the Bible.

Well, that’s simply not true.

As a matter of fact, The Lord Jesus did write a book.

It’s called the Book of Revelation, The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Revelation has a total of 404 verses,.

There are some quotes from the New Testament, but, 265 of the 404 verses are Old Testament quotes.

“The Old Testament says, “Behold He comes.” The New Testament Gospels say, “Behold He died.” Acts says, “Behold He lives.” The epistles say, “Behold He saves.” But the Book of Revelation says, “Behold He reigns”

Chuck Missler, Learn the Bible in 24 Hours (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2011).

The book may be the last in the Bible, but the entire Bible find its climax in this book.

So, it appears God indeed, saved the best for last.

The oldest manuscripts of the book have the Greek word Apokalupsis = Which means “Uncovering, Unveiling, or the exposing, which is where it gets it’s English name, Revelation.

It was indeed a Revelation, as a matter of fact, it was a two-fold Revelation.

1-The revealing of the person of Jesus, who He was, Is, and Is to come, on the one hand, and

2-The revealing of His plans for creation and humankind.

Most serious Bible scholars hold to the tradition that it was the Apostle John that wrote the words told to him by an angel as dictated by Jesus Christ Himself.

Tradition holds that it was the Apostle John, the one whom Jesus loved, John 13:23

He is the writer of the gospel that has his name, and three Johannine epistles, and the one that wrote the Book f Revelation in around 90-95 AD

AD standing for the Latin Anno Domini, or Year of our Lord.

Contrary to that view is the view started by Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, not to be confused with Dionysius Exiguus - the Monk whom gave us the use of AD or Anno Domini for the years after the life of Jesus and BC or Before Christ, before the Life of Jesus.

This Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, quoting a catholic priest in an online article Q & A, titled, ‘Who wrote the book of Revelation’ … “accepted the book of Revelation as inspired but did not accept that the author John was the same as John the Apostle (Church History, VII, 25).

(https://www.catholic.com/qa/who-wrote-the-book-of-revelation)

Instead those who hold this view lean towards the author being another John, another Christian who happened to be on Patmos.

But, early church fathers such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria, all of whom were of the time shortly after John’s writing on the Island of Patmos.

All agree that he was sent to the island of Patmos, which was sort of like the infamous American Alcatraz Island; it was a prison at the time.

The author says as much in

Revelation 1:9 (NKJV)

9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

He was sent there by the Roman Emperor at the time, Domitian at some point during his reign between 81 AD and 96 AD.

In fact, Eusebius, writing about John and the apocalypse wrote the following,

“It is said that in this persecution the apostle and evangelist John, who was still alive, was condemned to dwell on the island of Patmos in consequence of his testimony to the divine word.”

(Eusebius of Caesaria. “The Church History of Eusebius.” In Eusebius: Church History, Life of Constantine the Great, and Oration in Praise of Constantine, edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert. Vol. 1. A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series. New York: Christian Literature Company, 1890.)

Emperor Domitian was one who demanded to be worshipped as god, and was the brother of Emperor Titus who destroyed the temple about twenty years earlier.

These dates agree with the concensus that John, the apostle wrote the Book of Revelation somewhere between 90 AD - 95 AD.

There is however, a small movement that holds that the Apostle John is still alive today; that he never died.

This view is not new, and has its roots all that way back to

John 21:19–23 (NKJV)

19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”

22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”

Mormonism is one of the groups that believe the Apostle John is still alive, among others.

(https://learningfromchrist.com/is-john-still-alive-john-21/)

But, this view is very limited and doesn’t carry much more weight than mere speculation.

Besides, the early church fathers agree that he was freed after the death of Domitian, and he then returned to Ephesus and to his ministry until he died.

Some even claim his tomb is in Ephesus.

(https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-John-the-Apostle#ref116464)

Nevertheless, protestant Christianity as I know it, doesn’t hold this view, nor do I, that John is still alive after 2000 years.

So, the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation on the Island of Patmos, after having been sent there by Emperor Domitian on account of his refusal to stop preaching about Jesus.

There are four major ways the Book is viewed.

The Preterist View

Historical View

Allegorical View

Prophetic View

The Preterist believe that the things written in Revelation were specifically written to those in that time and were already completed.

The Historical View holds that the book serves only a matter of history.

Others hold the view that it was supposed to be interpreted as allegories, or metaphors, figures of speech, etc. - The Allegorical View

And the Prophetic view holds the events written in this book are prophecy.

Those that hold this view, believe it tells about things that will be happening in the future.

Depending on which view you hold, it will bring you to one of these two positions about end times eschatology.

You’ll either be A-Millennial Which means you take the 1000 years of Jesus reign to be figurative.

A-Millennial - The Greek prefix “A” before the word, means, “Not”

or,

You believe that the Book of Revelation speaks of a literal 1000 year or Millennial reign.

And that these things in the book will happen before the millennial reign,

which is Pre-Millennial.

You’ll have to decide for yourself which one you are.

The Book is addressed to seven churches,

Ephesus = Desired one

Smyrna = fragrant; aromatic

Pergamos = Strongly United

Thyatira = Used to be called Semiramis, Place of Nimrod

Sardis = Remnant

Philadelphia = Brotherly Love

Laodicea = The Rule of the People

Although the book is addressed to these churches, each letter ends by admonishing the reader, by saying, those who read this book will be blessed.

Revelation 1:3 (NKJV)

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Also, as we get into the Book, you’ll notice that at the close of every letter to these (7) churches, are the words,

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”

That’s you and I church, and all of those listening online right now, and all of those watching this a recorded stream afterward, or even those watching after the rapture happens.

Note: If you are watching this after the Rapture has happened, or if you believe the rapture has happened, my only advise to you is, Pray, Pray, Pray to Jesus for Mercy.

(Digress)

The Book of Revelation has three main divisions,

The Church Age - The age we are in right now. (Chapters 1-3)

Rapture & The Second Coming - Is the age we are expecting and waiting for. (Chapters 4-19)

After the Millennium Reign of Jesus. - This is the Age where the Bible doesn’t give much detail other than it’s paradise with Jesus. (Chapters 20-22).

Now, whether or not it was indeed the Apostle John who wrote the Book of Revelation, or John the Presbyter, or another Christian named John,

is of secondary consequence,

The fact is, he was sentenced to prison for his faith.

Before we continue on after getting through all of the technicalities, we need to understand this point.

It was written to us from imprisonment for the faith.

John took it to the extreme.

When ever I teach on “Socially Sensitive, hot button issues,’ I always get accused of taking my faith to the extreme.

Like for instance, when ever I speak on the subjects of UFO’s, Alien, The Giants of the Scripture, or Paganism, Halloween, or even Yoga,

The insults come flying out,

“You’re so radical.”

“You’ve taken it to the extreme,” etc.

I always respond, “You mean like Jesus?”

I mean after all, He went to the cross for His faith.

So did all of the Martyrs that have died for their faith, even those who have gone to prison for their faith.

So, when they accuse me of that, I proudly say, “Guilty as charged.”

That’s exactly what happened to John.

Instead of recanting, and instead of conforming to the world powers at the time, he stood fast on his faith in God, and suffered for the Kingdom of Christ.

Brothers and sisters, I know today’s message was a lot of brain food.

But there is still a very necessary lesson in this message by learning from the example of the Apostle John’s rigid, unmovable faith, even if it meant his freedom.

Persecution is coming, if you believe like I do, the words in this precious book, persecution is definitely coming.

Do you have the faith enough to withstand the coming persecution?

If not, this should serve as an alarm bell going off.

We should all be practicing our resolve when it comes to the coming persecution.

I’ll close with these profound words from our esteemed and anointed first Lady,

Of Anna First Baptist Church on the Book of Revelation.

My wife Yadi, said this about the Book of Revelation:

“The Book of Revelation is not a gospel of love, but rather a preparation book for the world to come.”

Are you ready for the end to come?

If not, there is something seriously wrong with your spiritual walk.

We all need Jesus, now is the time.

As we prepare to continue on in our survey of the Book of Revelation, I would like to ask you to read the Book from now until we meet again.

We’ll read through it several times before the end of our walk through the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Invitation,