The Seven (Revelation Week 1)

Growing up, I was never great at anything… In high school, I had a statement in my social media bio’s that read, “Athletic enough to hang.”

I love admiring the skills of people who are really good at niche things… Because of that, I am always interested in expanding my toolbox of particular skills.

I’ve chased so many hobbies and sports over the years. Anything from playing competitive pickleball to being hired as a freelance photographer!

One day, Caroline and I were about to go to the grocery store and for some reason I began to grow in a desire to learn how to bake.

I thought to myself, “How cool would it be if people got excited that my cake was at the table?!”

During our Publix run, I gathered all the needed recipes and that night, I set out on an adventure to bake my first cake.

After it came out, let me tell you, it was beautiful. Even Caroline was shocked. I was SO excited.

But then… we tried it.

When it comes to the book of Revelation, we often approach it, if we ever do, with assumed tools and the result leads us in places we never intended to be if not careful.

I mean, what do we do when it comes to the dragons, bowls, beasts, and trumpets?

Here is the deal, Revelation isn’t as hard as you think.

Chapter one verse one summarizes the entire book for us.

Revelation 1:1 “The revelation of Jesus Christ…”

It doesn’t say it’s a book about identifying the antichrist.

It doesn’t describe doom and despair.

It is about Jesus.

If we never approach this book, we are missing an opportunity to learn more about Jesus.

This book was written to comfort the church, not to confuse us.

It strengthens our faith and should lead us to worship!

In order for us to really grasp the book, because of it’s general reputation and misuse among many, we really need to start with how many get it all wrong.

Assumptions shape perspective. (2021 Tampa)

Assumptions about Revelations is shaped by our culture and/or upbringing.

Far to often, many approach this book with questions it was never intended to answer.

For example…

Three wrong assumptions we bring to Revelation

We Assume Prophecy = Prediction

When you hear the word prophecy, what do you think of?

Many people think about predictions that share what will happen, when it will happen, and how it will happen.

Revelation becomes our spiritual weather man for the ages to come.

But this is not how the Bible treats prophecy.

Prophecy is when God’s truth is being proclaimed- when a call to repent, remember God’s character, and the urge to remain faithful is declared.

Pastor Chris Dotson defined it best…

“Prophecy is not primarily about foretelling the future. It is about forth-telling the truth.

1 Corinthians 14:3 ESV

3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

It is meant to build us up, not break us down.

1 Corinthians 14:24–25 ESV

24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

Prophecy simply unveils God’s truth.

So when you read phrases about churches in chapters 2 and 3 like, “You have forsaken the love you had at first,”

This is not a prediction… it is Jesus simply examining the soul of His church and prescribing a path forward!

If you hope to learn about a timeline in this study, you are going to miss the point.

This book doesn’t help us count the days, it helps us to walk faithfully.

We Assume the “Last Days” = the Final 24 Hours

The New Testament uses this phrase, not to describe the final 24 hours, but to discuss the days post ressurection Sunday…

We are currently in them and have been for over 2,000 years.

Acts 2:16–17 ESV

16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

The Spirit descended upon the apostles at Pentecost fulfilling the prophecy of the prophet Joel.

Hebrews 1:1–2 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.

Paul urges Timothy with the same understanding…

2 Timothy 3:1 ESV

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

These means Revelations is for every generation that lives post ressurection until the day of the return of Jesus.

We need this book.

We Assume Revelation is a Chronological Roadmap

This is probably the most widely accepted assumption.

We want the chart that shows everything in a timely order!

But Revelations is actually not a linear book…

It is layered.

For example:

the world ends multiple times.

Once in chapter 6, 11, 16, and 19-21.

These are obviously not a sequence of events…

We like to think about things like this in the West…

A -> B -> C -> D

This is not how it was written…

Ever been to the same stadium or arena and sat in different seats?

You are looking at the same court or field but the different seats reveal different angles…

Think of it like Russian Nesting Dolls.

This is how it is written…

A

B D

C

The books return to the same key truths after offering a different angle of the same message.

In order to approach this book correctly, we have to avoid the wrong starting questions and start asking the right ones…

If you begin your study with “Who is the antichrist” and “what new headline is being represented in this book” we will end in the wrong place!

The first question to ask is…

What am I reading?

In order for us to understand the book of Revelation, we must first understand the genre of the book.

This question, “what am I reading” is about genre.

If you received a notification on your phone stating “Lightening strikes in Miami,” your initial response is determined by the app it is appearing from!

ESPN - Tampa Bay Lightening.

Weather App - Actual thunderstorms…

The genre determines the questions that follow…

Who scored? What is next?

How many were injured? Is the storm over?

The genre of the letter is as follows…

Revelation is a letter to the church, a word from God, and a vision of Jesus.

Revelation is a letter to the church.

It is an epistle…

Revelation 1:4 ESV

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

This book was written to real churches, in real cities, facing real conflict.

The conflict is the battle between God’s kingdom and the kingdoms of this world.

There were cultural pressures that believers were under that stemmed from false teachers and governing authorities.

This letter, containing symbols, numbers, and visions, was to speak to the churches in the midst of their tensions.

Revelation as a Word from God.

Remember our talk of prophecy…

Revelation 1:3 ESV

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.

Revelation is calling the people of God to return to God…

This involves heart examination and a call for faithfulness.

It is not primarily about forecasting the future.

Revelation is a vision of Jesus.

Ever heard of the word apocalypse?

This word usually brings up feelings or ideas about the end of the world… However, the original greek word actually means “revealing.”

An apocalyptic book is a writing that pulls back the curtain on what is happening in the unseen- the spiritual realm.

John, the author, uses symbols, numbers, and images to reveal these things through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

I can describe something to you as best as possible, but when a picture is seen, it changes everything…

With these three in mind, we now must understand that this book is meant to, through it’s revelation, change you. It’s meant to jolt you awake to the realities of our world the unseen world.

The spiritual battles around us.

How do I read it?

With obedience, wonder, and discernment.

Obedience means we listen and respond.

Hot and Cold/Lost your first love

Wonder means we come expecting to be drawn into awe, overcome by the beauty of Jesus.

Jesus as the lamb on the throne

This leads to worship.

Discernment means we weigh was we read, not always trying to measure every detail.

Beast, seals, bowls, numbers, creatures.

This keeps your grounded.

If you read Revelation like it’s a secret codebook, you’ll end up distracted and confused. But if you read it like it’s a mirror for the soul, the images start to carry real weight. (Dotson)

One Essential Takeaway

If we don’t arrive at Jesus, we’ve gone the wrong way!

Revelation 1:1 ESV

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ

It is about nothing else… It is all about Jesus.

Will you respond to the truth that…

Our world is broken.

Jesus is our salvation.

Our world will be redeemed because….

Jesus is King.