Things to Come Introduction (060726)

Tonight, as an introduction, I want to consider, briefly, three questions:

Why are you interested in the book of the Revelation?

Is the book of the Revelation the only book of the Bible which is concerned with prophecy - events to come?

What is the purpose of the Revelation?

Why are you interested in the book of the Revelation?

It should not be because we fear having to go through the events described in the Revelation.

Believing in the pre-millenial, pre-tribulational return of Christ, in the rapture, means that we will not be on the earth to experience the events of the Revelation. (And, if you know Christ as your Savior, you should say a hearty “Amen!” to that.)

Let me stop here to define a couple of terms: pre-millenial & pre-tribulational.

The Bible teaches two comings of Jesus Christ:

The first coming of Christ is recorded for us in the Gospels. It was that time when Jesus Christ came to this earth as a baby. It was at His first coming that Jesus Christ suffered; He died on the cross for the sins of the world.

The second coming of Christ is specifically recorded for us in Revelation 19:11-18. At this coming, Jesus will come to reign. The antichrist will be defeated; Satan will bound; and Christ will reign upon earth for 1,000 years.

Pre-millenial return of Christ refers to this second coming of Christ which is again recorded for us in Revelation chapter 19.

When we talk about the pre-tribulational return of Christ we are referring to the rapture of the believers from this world which will mark the beginning of that 7 year period known as the tribulation.

At the rapture, Jesus Christ will not physically return to the earth. We will be meet the Lord in the air.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 KJV 1900

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Going back to the question…

Why are you interested in the book of the Revelation?

If it is not because we fear going through the events described in the book of the Revelation, what is it?

Turn to and read Matthew 24:1-8.

Jesus is just days away from His death upon the cross. The disciples want Jesus to be in awe of Herod’s Temple. Jesus says, “All of these buildings and structures are going to be destroyed.”

Notice the disciple’s question in verse 3:

Matthew 24:3 KJV 1900

…Tell us, when shall these things be?…

They wanted Jesus to set a date; to tell them when all of this was going to happen; when was the end of the world going to take place.

I believe that this is the real - or usual - reason that individuals want to study the book of the Revelation. They are looking for any information that they can to help them answer this question, “When will the Rapture happen? When will Christ return?”

While there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to know “When,” we do need to be careful. (And I’ll explain what I mean in just a moment.)

Side note: What Christ details in the rest of Matthew chapter 24 focuses upon events that befall the nation of Israel during the Tribulation. The references to the coming of Christ in this chapter are of Christ’s second coming which we’ve mentioned already takes place at the end of the Tribulation. These are not signs for us to use to look for the timing of the Rapture.

Turn to and read Acts 1:4-8.

After everything that had happened to them over the course of the previous 40 days, notice what the disciples were most concerned with:

Acts 1:6 KJV 1900

…Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Similar to the events surrounding Matthew chapter 24, the disciples wanted to know “When.”

Allow me to show you an old chart (from 1918) which illustrates why the disciples were thinking the way that they were.

The Second Coming of Christ The Second Coming of Christ

the Old Testament Prophets failed to distinguish between the “First” and “Second” Comings.

The Second Coming of Christ The Second Coming of Christ

From the prophet’s “view-point” he saw the Birth of Jesus, the Crucifixion, the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Antichrist, the Sun of Righteousness, the Millennial Kingdom, Ezekiel’s Temple and the New Heavens and the New Earth, as “Mountain Peaks” of one great mountain,

The Second Coming of Christ The Second Coming of Christ

but we standing off to the side see these peaks as belonging to two different mountains with the “Valley of the Church” in between.

Notice how Christ responded to the disciples’ question in Acts chapter 1:

Acts 1:7–8 KJV 1900

And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Christ said…

You don’t need to know.

You need to get busy.

Turn to and read Luke 19:11-13.

Notice what prompted Christ to give this parable:

Luke 19:11 KJV 1900

…because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

This is not the parable of the talents (that we find in Matthew 25); this is the parable of the pound. Here, in this parable, each servant is given the same amount: one pound.

The emphasis in this parable is placed upon this phrase, in verse 13: “…Occupy till I come.”

One writer records…

Exploring the Gospel of Luke: An Expository Commentary c. The Shining of the Savior’s Presence (19:1–27)

They were to get busy, to take a pragmatic business approach to their responsibilities.

Exploring the Gospel of Luke: An Expository Commentary c. The Shining of the Savior’s Presence (19:1–27)

Until the Lord comes back, it is our responsibility and privilege to get on diligently with His interests in the world.

And, based upon Acts 1:8 we know what we are to occupy ourselves with; what we are to be busy with…

Acts 1:8 KJV 1900

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

So, our desire in studying the book of the Revelation should not be merely to answer the question, “When,” but to challenge ourselves with the fact that time is short and we need to be about the Father’s business declaring the Gospel message!

So, the first question…

Why are you interested in the book of the Revelation?

Is the book of the Revelation the only book of the Bible which is concerned with prophecy - events to come?

I think that we all understand that the answer to that question is “No.”

There were pre-exilic prophets such as Isaiah.

There were exilic prophets such as Daniel.

There were post-exilic prophets such as Malachi.

However, by and large, these Old Testament Prophets were concerned with the nation of Israel. Again, as we see from this chart, these Old Testament Prophets did not “see” the “valley of the church” (as it is marked on this chart).

So, I can understand, at times, why we might be a little disinterested in these Old Testament Prophets; much of what these Old Testament Prophets “does not concern us.”

And that leads me to the last question…

What is the purpose of the Revelation?

Turn to and read Revelation 1:1-3.

The first purpose of the book of the Revelation is to reveal Christ.

The second purpose of the book of the Revelation is to “shew [make known] unto his servants [not just John] things which must shortly come to pass.”

Unfortunately, we tend to focus on the second purpose of the book of the Revelation and neglect the first purpose which is to reveal Christ!

Why is the main purpose of the Revelation to reveal Christ?

The Jews, during Christ’s first coming, recorded in the Gospels, rejected Christ, their rightful King and Messiah.

Luke 19:14 KJV 1900

But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

John 1:11 KJV 1900

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Mark 15:11–14 KJV 1900

But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

At Christ’s second coming, of which the book of the Revelation is concerned, they will recognize Christ for Who He is!

Revelation 1:7 KJV 1900

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Turn to and read Philippians 2:5-11.

How is Christ revealed in the book of the Revelation?

Let’s begin in chapter 1…

Jesus Christ is God!

Turn to and read Revelation 1:4-5.

These two verses make a distinction between God the Father (vs. 4) and Jesus Christ (vs. 5).

Compare this with 2 John 1:3

2 John 3 KJV 1900

Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

However, now look at verse 8. Jesus Christ is described in the same way in which God the Father is described in verse 4: which is, and which was, and which is to come.

Jesus Christ is Almighty!

Revelation 1:8 KJV 1900

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty [omnipotent].

What do these characteristics have to do with the book of the Revelation?

These two characteristics lay the foundation for what happens in the book of the Revelation.

Because Jesus Christ is God He has the right to do what He does in the book of the Revelation!

Because Jesus Christ is almighty He has the ability to do what He does in the book of the Revelation!

These two characteristics, along with others, will be demonstrated throughout the book of the Revelation.

However, the Revelation of Jesus Christ that we will see throughout this book is “nothing new.”

These characteristics have been clearly seen from the creation of the world.

Turn to and read Romans 1:20.

Romans 1:20 KJV 1900

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

In the book of the Revelation, Jesus Christ will be revealed as King. Everyone, not just the Jews, will be “forced” to recognize Him as King.

The dispensation of God’s grace will be over and God will, as we will see in the book of the Revelation, deal with mankind in judgement.