Intro to Revelation

So the first thing we need to get right is that is not Revelations with an S, It’s not Plural, It’s not many Revelations it is The Revelation of John

Then we will discover through the book of Revelation where a lot of songs and hymns have been written from scriptures

It references the Old Testament more than any other New Testament book. Some scholars say over 4-500 times. It is the only book in the NT to make significant use of the book Ezekiel.

Old Testament books that are important in Revelation are Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah

Revelation derived from an old Greek word apokalypsis which means unveiling or revealing

Who wrote it—- the obvious answer here is the apostle John on the island of Patmos, who wrote the Gospel John and 1st 2nd and 3rd John, while some of this is debated and maybe others had their hand in writing some— most give John all the credit for all

Who will the readers be— this book was primarily written to the seven churches and those that were within those seven churches. So we need to keep that in mind. We tend to have a problem reading the book because don’t understand apocalyptic language but back then they were very familiar with it. You see that’s why i believe in a different view point than others. It was written to them and they were to be ready and prepared. They unveiled what John wrote to them and prepared themselves and were comforted by his words and warned… for what you ask. The first thing would be the destruction of the temple in 70ad. The second thing would be the persecution of Christians which came from that and we would see someone disappear or go underground for some quiet time. And 3rd the return of the messiah. So why would John write a letter to the 7 churches and warn them and then wait for now 2000 years and who knows maybe 4000 years or maybe 8000 years for those things to come to pass.

Some of yall are in agreement with me as i say that but when we read your not going to agree with me.

We’re not going to study this book and look for the signs of the end of times like, false teachers, famines, pestilence, earthquakes, signs in heavens, persecution,lawlessness.

When was it written—— this is the great debate that takes you deep into your end time views. Most of you will never study deep enough to determine which dating you would agree with. You therefore choose a side of belief to determine your dating.

If you believe it was around 90ad then it has to be toward the end of the reign of Domitian and that puts you in the futurist premillinial camp.

If you believe it was around 70ad then is has to be during the reign of Nero and before the fall of Jerusalem and that puts you in the preterist postmil, ahmil camp which we will get to further on down the road.

There’s many things we will see from Revelation

I believe we will see some Symobolism as we see with the 3 and 7 to start with. 7 means completion and 3 is divine wholeness- who is who was who is to come and the lamp stands and other things. But then i believe for the most part we have to take it literally.

2. Apocalyptic occurrences to the churches and those to come

3. Prophecy such as Christ return

I never realized this but there were more churches in asia Ephesus was actually one of them and so was colossi

Revelation 1 ESV

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.

Write therefore the things you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.

That’s where we will try to get to

There are several views on how to look at Revelation

Scroll over and read off executable outlines

Preterist done

Historicist newspapers, what the

Futurist much needs to be fulfilled and most Christian’s living when Christ returns

Idealist nothing historical but good will triumph

I will close with this- be careful with your interpretation— it has led false teachers and prophets and authors and film makers and preachers down roads to lead people astray and into cult worship.

No matter what our focus is that we have a savior and messiah and one day he’s coming back and either we will be with him or he’s coming for ya so get your heart right not your eschatology