Revelation 1:1-3
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
If you have your Bibles let me invite you to open with me to the book of Revelation chapter 1.
We will begin reading in verse 1 and we will just read verses 1-3 to begin our time together this morning.
As you turn there, let me set the stage.
Its early in the morning on the Lord’s Day and your gathering together with the church in Ephesus, one of the seven who received a copy of this book.
Your church was planted approximately 25 or 30 years ago.
The oldest members still remember Paul’s preaching and Aquilla and Priscilla’s hospitality that marked the early days of church life.
Only a couple of the elders whom Paul helped train are still alive and serving in the church.
The last 25 years has been anything but easy.
In the early days of the church plant there were riot’s in the streets in opposition to the Christian movement.
But those early riots were nothing compared to the empire wide persecution that was to come when the Roman Emperor Nero began to blame Christians for a large fire which almost destroyed the city of Rome.
Whereas before, persecution was scattered, occasional, and localized…. Nero popularized and universalized a hatred for Christians which all the churches in Asia felt.
some of the young members in the church, were among the first second generation of Christians.
They were born to parents who believed in Jesus…,
And all they knew was the oppression,
the persecution,
and the hardship that being a Christian included.
Yet every Lord’s day, mom and dad, drug them to church,
to the gathering of the saints,
to read from the scrolls,
to sing songs,
to pray,
to take the Lord’s Supper,
and to fellowship with other Christians.
How do you think the young man or woman might be tempted in such a scenario?
They have heard from their parents this gospel of a resurrected Jesus, and the powerful testimony of the apostle Paul.
They have heard the promise that one day Jesus will return,
that he is the king of kings, and lord of lords,
and that it will all be worth it in the end.
But at the same time, they watch and experience the hardship of being a Christian in the Roman Empire.
They look around, and ti doesn’t necessarily feel like Jesus is the King of Kings who rules with all power and authority.
There is a temptation to give up,
to give in,
to wonder whether following Jesus is really worth it in the end.
and then one Lord’s day, an announcement is made, the church has received a letter from John the apostle.
He’s the last remaining apostle who saw the resurrected Jesus face to face.
He’s approximately 90 years old at this point.
and the last you heard he was exiled to the island of patmos for his preaching.
But, somehow, someway, he has written a letter and sent it back to the churches of Asia.
there must have been a buzz in the room with the thought that THE apostle John has written.
and so the church gathers….
and a hush comes across the room as one of the elders of the church begins to read aloud…
sentence, by sentence,
word by word….
beginning with this introduction…
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.
lets pray
Father, we ask that you would fulfill the promise of verse 3 in this room today and every Sunday hereafter as we study these words.
Would you bless the one who read aloud the words of this prophecy,
Would you please bless those who hear, and who keep what is written in it.
We pray by your grace and for your glory, in Jesus name, amen.
This morning’s sermon is simply an introduction to the book of Revelation.
Verses 1-3 introduces us to the kind of book we hold in our hands.
I want to make 5 observations about the book of Revelation that I think John is emphasizing as he leads us into the material.
firstly The book begins with no confusion as to who most ultimately is behind it’s writing.
#1 Revelation is God’s Word to God’s People
#1 Revelation is God’s Word to God’s People
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.
This book was given by God to John for the sake of God’s servants.
This is God’s word to God’s people.
It was first written to and for God’s people in the first century.
Seven real churches were to receive this book in a real historical moment of the late first century and they were to be helped by its content.
AND it was written for God’s people in the 21st century
Real churches are to read this book in the 21st century and be helped by its content.
And it was written for God’s people in every century in between their generation and ours.
When God gave John the words of this book he gave the book for a reason.
These words are powerful to accomplish God’s will in the life of his people across all generations.
These words were given
they were made known
they bore witness
they are the word of God sent to John and through John to us .. to do something in our hearts and minds and lives.
God’s word does not return void.
When he speaks,
it is live giving,
it is life changing,
and for some when God speaks it is even life-ending.
But what do these words in this book do?
Why were they given?
Well the introduction helps prepare us for what we will read.
In fact, the very first phrase of the first sentence tells us something about the nature of the book.
1 The revelation of Jesus Christ….
The word “revelation” is the greek word “apocalypse”
It means to reveal something.
or to uncover or to unveil something.
It is to make visible or to show what was previously invisible, unseeable.
I caught a video of Newly drafted football player, Travis Hunter’s wedding gift this week,
It was behind a big sheet with a bow tied around it and when Travis cut the bow, the veil fell down around the gift and the balloons lifted into the air… to reveal a blacked-out mercedes g-wagon.
Very different unveiling then the opening of gifts after my wedding… where we opened gifts like a toaster oven for which we were very thankful.
The book of revelation reveals much more than a mercedes g-wagon
#2 Revelation Reveals Jesus’ Present Glory and Future Return
#2 Revelation Reveals Jesus’ Present Glory and Future Return
This is the “revelation of Jesus Christ”
In fact you could make an argument that the most important structure markers for the book are these massive, elaborate, cosmic sized descriptions of the resurrected Jesus ruling from the heavenly realms.
This book doesn’t reveal the historical stories that come from Jesus’ life on earth.
Thats what the gospels do.
This book doesn’t primarily explain and provide commentary to the teachings of Jesus, thats what the epistles do.
This book pulls back the curtain that divides the human, fleshly, finite realm of existence on planet earth,
and allows us to see the other worldly, glorious, spiritual realm of the heavenly places where Jesus is right now enthroned and is awaiting the determined moment at which he will return to earth in all of his glory to establish his forever kingdom. .
We see these big grandiose visions of Jesus in
chapter 1
chapter 4
chapter 5
chapter 19
chapter 20
Each passage not only visualizing for us the glory of Jesus,
but providing this theologically rich symbolism that helps us to meditate
on who Jesus really is,
what Jesus has already accomplished,
what he is presently doing,
and what he has promised to accomplish in the future.
Notice the language pointing to the future in verses 1 and 3.
Revelation 1:1 (ESV)
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place.
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 pulls back the curtain, not just on Jesus’ present glory, but the future glory.
Jesus is depicted as a returning warrior who will secure full and final victory over all of God’s enemies.
There is coming a day where the world will be judged thoroughly,
and the world will be made new with no more sin, no more Satan, no more death, no more rebels against God.
And One of the things that makes Revelation unique, is that it doesn’t just tell us that Jesus will have total victory Over all evil.
revelation shows us
look back at verse 1 and 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.
The book of Revelation is unique in that John is commanded to write what he sees.
John is given a compilation of visions and dreams that overwhelm the senses.
In a couple weeks we will read John’s account of how these visions came to him.
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….
God is giving John heavenly day dreams and visions about spiritual realities.
His book articulates for the mind’s eye what John beheld.
And at times, its as if he is grasping for earthly vocabulary to describe the heavenly reality that he is seeing.
The visions themselves are intentionally full of symbolism.
This is very important for our interpretive approach to the book of Revelation.
#3 Revelation Reveals Through Cycles of Symbolic Imagery
#3 Revelation Reveals Through Cycles of Symbolic Imagery
The phrase “made it known” in verse 1 comes from a root Greek word associated with the idea of “sign” or “symbol” (v.1)
It means to reveal through the use of a symbol.
This book is full of symbolism that points us to greater realities beyond the symbol itself.
New Testament scholar G.K. Beale helpfully offers us this interpretive key for whats to come.
“The popular approach to Revelation - ‘interpret literally unless you are forced to interpret symbolically’ should be turned on its head… Better put, the reader should expect that the main means of divine revelation in this book is symbolic.” - G.K. Beale
So As we work through the book of Revelation
We are going to read about dragons, and beasts, and locusts, and bowls, and seals, trumpets, and horseman, and a great prostitute sitting above the waters of the earth…
We are going to see patterns of significant symbolic numbers:
the number 4,
for the 4 corners of the earth
and the 4 winds
will signify for us the fullness and comprehensive reign of God over the whole earth - all four corners.
the number 7 will symbolize the perfection or completeness of whatever is being referenced… like the seventh day of creation when all the work was finished…. and it could be said it was very good… the number 7 points to completion.
We will see
seven churches
seven seals
seven bowls of God’s wrath
seven trumpets
seven angels
The name christ appears 7 times
we are referred to has God’s servants 7 times
the name Jesus 14 times
Jesus is also referred to as the Lamb 28 times which is 7x3 (for those who need the mathematical help)
The seven spirits are mentioned four times…
We know that there is only one Holy Spirit… but in revelation the Holy Spirit is referred to as the seven spirits… so as to emphasize the perfection or the fullness of God’s Spirit which fills the four corners of the earth.
the number 12 symbolizes the full and final salvation of God’s people.
the 12 tribes of Israel
the 12 apostles of Jesus
the number 12 is referenced 12 times in the description of new Jerusalem in chapters 21 and 22
the fullness of the people of God are symbolized by multiples of 12 and 12,000 and the complete number is described as the 144,000.
These aren’t literal numbers of how many saved people there will be.
These are symbolic numbers which communicate the fullness of God’s people being drawn into salvation at the completion of human history.
There is a literary genius to the description of these visions that John is receiving from God.
Babylon, the word used to describe the evil kingdom of man, is only referenced by name - 6 times…,
the number of the beast is declared to be 666
why the number 6 in a book full of 7’s?
Its the symbolic falling short of perfection… 7.
The way of the evil kingdom is 6
it does not measure up to the fullness of the perfection of God which is symbolized by 7…
So these numbers are not a secret code given for us to exercise some bizarre calculation so that we might unlock some secret knowledge about the nuclear warhead codes of whatever communist regime is the threat at the moment.
These numbers are known symbolic figures for ancient Jewish literature and are incorporated to make discernible theological points.
Listen again to commentator G.K. Beale as he describes the significance of these numbers throughout the book:
This is what he writes.
“The overall figurative effect of this repeated complex patterning is that the reader is left with the impression of God’s all-encompassing will being like an elaborate spider-web in which satan and his forces are caught. Though they attempt to free themselves from divine sovereignty, they cannot escape ultimate death. The repetition of the numbers highlights the idea that nothing is haphazard or accidental. The analogy of a chess game is also appropriate. The sacrificial move of Christ at the cross puts the devil in checkmate (deals him a mortal wound); the devil continues to play the game of rebellion, but his defeat is assured.” - G.K. Beale
Now, why inspire a book like this?
Why not just tell us what we need to know and move on?
Why the visions?
Why the symbols?
Why the repetition?
Why the grand cosmic story with all of its striking imagery?
Here is my answer.
Because God loves you.
Verse 5 gets into Revelations first description of Jesus and listen to what it says about him.
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
Revelation is given to us in this form in part because he loves us.
This book is given for our good.
He doesn’t want you to just know certain facts about God’s sovereignty…
He wants you to marvel at the extent of his majesty…
He wants you to feel the wonder of these images, and to tremble at the wrath of God in these images.
He wants you to follow after the footsteps of John who at the first vision of Jesus in chapter 1 the text tells us,
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,
That’s more than head knowledge, that’s a kind of life shaping beholding of the glory of Jesus.
I was a little shook this week by the news that broke about a previous theology professor I had in bible college.
It was in his class that I first gave serious study to the doctrine of salvation.
It was in his class I first learned doctrinal words like justification, sanctification, and glorification.
But even though he was lecturing on theology, It was exposed this week, that all along he was praying on a young woman, manipulating her, and abusing her.
There is a difference between knowing certain facts about theology, and knowing the God of your theology.
There is a difference in reading a sentence about skiing in the rockies…,
and the overwhelming of your senses as you glide through the snow covered mountains.
There is a difference between reading a cook book and Eating thanksgiving dinner with your family.
And there is a difference between knowing that Jesus is returning in theory,
and living and breathing and dying like the king is truly coming To make all wrongs right.
That professor knew the many theories about interpreting revelation…, but he certainly did not live in the fear of the King who is coming who will slay the wicked Once and for all.
Revelation helps us to see with our eyes and feel with our hearts God’s reality and the certainty and severity of the final victory to come.
#3 Revelation Reveals Through Cycles of Symbolic Imagery
#3 Revelation Reveals Through Cycles of Symbolic Imagery
But that imagery is not brand new imagery.
The symbols aren’t brand new un-interpretable symbols.
They are consistent with the whole story of the Old Testament.
They point to the Bible as one big story with the resurrection of Jesus serving as the climax of human history and the his return as the glorious conclusion.
#4 Revelation Reveals Through Old Testament Allusions
#4 Revelation Reveals Through Old Testament Allusions
One commentator argues that there are more Old Testament allusions in Revelation than there are in the rest of the New Testament books combined.
What do I mean by allusions?
I don’t mean necessarily direct quotations.
I mean the whole book is infused with the language, the pictures, the patterns, the verbiage, the stories of the Old Testament coming to their fulfillment in Jesus.
It’s everywhere.
I counted 8 Old Testament allusions or references in the first 8 verses.
In fact the language and the words used in the first 3 verses very closely parallel the words used in Daniel chapter 2.
Turn with me there briefly.
In the book of Daniel, the people of God are existing in exile under the rule of an evil King.
Its in Daniel that daniel was thrown to the lion’s den for praying to true God,
and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are thrown to the fiery furnace for refusing to worship an idol.
In Daniel chapter 2, the evil king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream.
and he wants interpretation…
so he threatens all of his wise men and says if someone can’t tell me what the dream was and what it means, I am going to kill them all.
and God reveals the meaning of the symbolism in the dream to the prophet Daniel.
And this is what Daniel says to King Nebuchadnezzar.
27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked,
28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:
29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be.
30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.
If you could read this paragraph in the greek translation of these Old testament verse…
you would see over and over again the exact same words for “revelation” and “make known,” or “show” just as they occur in verses 1-3 of Revelation, as well as the emphasis on what will be in the latter days.
Whats the point?
Well firstly, its a hint at the parallels that we will continuously see between the prophecies of Daniel and the fulfillments of Revelation.
Between the people of God in exile in Babylon,
and the people of God’s experience with evil kingdoms even today.
It’s also a hint that just as God spoke through that vision through symbols interpreted by the grace of God.
This vision of symbols given to John will be interpreted only with the help of God’s grace.
Over and over and over again…. the visions themselves will point us to what God has already done and said in previously books of the bible… and its by understanding those books that we can better understand this book.
You cannot fully understand and appreciate this inspired book at the end of the Bible without having a good understanding the inspired books that led to this one.
Our habit throughout this series will be a constant flipping backwards to show how the Old Testament helps us to understand Revelation’s message.
The use of the Old Testament in Revelation is a testimony to the beauty and the wonder of the Bible we hold in our hands with its multiple authors across 2,000 years bound together by one consistent story about God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
If you interpret this book through the lens of the news headlines rather than through the lens of the Old Testament its alluding to, your interpretations and applications for this historical moment will be wrong.
#1 Revelation is God’s Word to God’s People (of every generation until Jesus returns)
#2 Revelation Reveals Jesus
#3 Revelation Reveals Through Cycles of Symbolic Imagery
#4 Revelation Reveals Through Old Testament Allusions
And lastly,
#5 Revelation Blesses He Who Hears and Keeps What’s Written
#5 Revelation Blesses He Who Hears and Keeps What’s Written
verse 3 is an absolutely striking way to begin the book.
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.
The book of Revelation contains within it a number of promised blessings to the reader.
Can you guess how many promises of blessing in the book? ….. 7 blessings.
The perfect number.
The complete number Of blessing Is for the reader and the keeper of these words.
This sentence is so important for our Christian lives.
God mediates his blessing to his people through the Scriptures he inspires.
The book of revelation is beginning with the same promise that the book of Psalms begins with.
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
God’s blessing is tied to our meditation on God’s Word.
But its not like a supernatural, superstitious sort of spiritual exchange.
We don’t go to the blessing ATM and withdraw blessings in relation to number of verses read.
The word of God in Revelation brings blessing to our lives not just by reading, but by reading and keeping what we have read.
That means we hold to what we read, guard what we read, obey what we read, cherish what we read.
There is real blessing to immersing ourselves into this book, internalizing what is in this book, and living in light of what we find in this book.
There is something about beholding the glory of Jesus in the present and meditating upon his future return, that brings blessing into our present.
Conclusion:
To the non-believer
this book brings you blessing, because it warns you of coming judgment.
It brings you blessing because it introduces you to the Jesus who died for sinners,
and took the wrath of God on himself,
so that you don’t have to experience the fullness of the coming wrath of God.
It brings you blessing because you have the opportunity to read about what is going to happen before it happens.
You have the grace of this moment to repent of your sins and believe before it is too late.
If you are not confident that you are a believer in Jesus, forgiven by his sacrifice for your sins, I want to encourage you to speak with someone this morning.
Standing in the back wearing blue lanyards, we have people willing to pray with you, answer your questions, or just talk with you.
If you feel moved that you need prayer or conversation as we sing these last songs, please feel the freedom to go and speak with one of them in the back.
To the believer in the room.
this book brings you blessing because it lifts your eyes to eternal reality.
You may be suffering at the hands of the kingdom of men.
you may be tempted to give up or give in to the temptations of the enemy.
you may be so consumed with anxiety and fear and depression that its hard to function today.
But Revelation lifts your eyes to a glorious future for all those in Christ…
Revelation lifts your eyes to the devestating end for all those who reject Jesus.
and that future reality when its real to you,
it changes life in the present.
The book helps you to grasp on to future hope and bring it into your present reality.
If your confident about your eternal future in Christ…,
then you can sleep well tonight in the blessing of God’s care for you.
And their is no better way to live in this broken world…, than to live the blessed life full of hope, joy, and the certainty of future victory in Jesus.
Revelation helps us to live and die like the King is coming.
And that is the best way to live.
Christian, if you are looking for a simple takeaway from these introductory verses… it doesn’t get simpler than this.
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.
Read and Keep what is written.
God’s Word is God’s gift to us to help us endure to the end.
Lets pray that God would help us to read, and hear, and keep what is written in the coming days.
