Behold, He is coming; Revelation 1:1-3

Don’t ever prophesy,” said American humorist Josh Billings, “for if you prophesy wrong, nobody will forget it; and if you prophesy right, nobody will remember it.”

Introduction: I am not going to stand here and tell you that I understand this book completely, I am the same as you are. God has put it on my heart to look at the Revelation of Jesus Christ and extract what I am able with the Holy Spirits guidance, and share it with you.

John’s prophecy is primarily the revelation of Jesus Christ, not the revelation of future events. The unveiling of The Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The revealing of the Truth, the Words spoken in the past coming to light.

There are several different schools of thought regarding the interpretation of the book of Revelation:

John’s prophecy is primarily the revelation of Jesus Christ, not the revelation of future events

There are several different schools of thought regarding the interpretation of the book of Revelation:

A. The Preterist school sees the book as having already been fulfilled by AD 312 with the conversion of Constantine

B. The Historical school sees the book as â panorama of the history of the church from the days of John to the end of the age

C. The Idealist school sees the book as a conflict of the age-long principles of good and evil with non historic elements

D. The Futurist school sees the book from chapters four on as proclaiming prophecies yet to be fulfilled--This is the view I believe.

Who wrote the book?

The author of Revelation mentioned his name, John, four times throughout the book (, , ; ). Christians throughout history have given almost unanimous affirmation to the identity of the book’s author as John the apostle, who had been exiled to the island of Patmos during the reign of the Roman emperor Titus Flavius Domitian. The emperor had demanded that he be worshiped as “Lord and God,” and the refusal of the Christians to obey his edict led to severe persecution. Tradition says that it was Domitian who sent John to the Isle of Patmos, a Roman penal colony off the coast of Asia Minor.

during the reign of the Roman emperor Titus Flavius Domitian. The emperor had demanded that he be worshiped as “Lord and God,” and the refusal of the Christians to obey his edict led to severe persecution. Tradition says that it was Domitian who sent John to the Isle of Patmos, a Roman penal colony off the coast of Asia Minor.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 566). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Some traditions say that the Romans dropped John into a vat of boiling oil, but when the apostle did not die, they instead banished him to the barren rock of Patmos.

The title of the book, Revelation, comes from the Greek word for apocalypse and refers to an unveiling or a disclosure of something as yet unknown. This title is certainly appropriate for the book, a work so interested in making known the events of the future.

Usually when people mention the book of Revelation, they immediately think about judgment. And without a doubt, much judgment occurs in the book. However, Revelation does not end with judgment. Instead, it provides a striking bookend for the entire Bible, which begins in Paradise and ends in Paradise. All in between is filled with preparation for us to listen to, apply to us individually, and prepare for the return of a Savior, our Savior, to take us to live with Him forever. HE WILL RETURN.

a Behold, He is coming

More than judgment on the evildoers, Revelation is a book about hope for the faithful in Christ.

7 Behold, He is comingMore than judgment on the evildoers, Revelation is a book about hope for the faithful in Christ.

More than judgment on the evildoers, Revelation is a book about hope for the faithful in Christ.

*****We are beginning in chapter one, verse one. As Christians, we should have a desire to know how this book ends, the final chapter, but we avoid Revelation a lot. Let’s read the first 3 verses......

(NKJV) 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 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.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter One: A Very Special Book (Revelation 1)

The word signified (Rev. 1:1) is important; it means “to show by a sign.” In Revelation, the noun is translated as sign (Rev. 15:1), wonder (Rev. 12:1, 3), and miracle (Rev. 19:20).

*****As we study Revelation, expect to encounter a great deal of symbolism, much of it related to the Old Testament. These first 3 verses are known as the introduction and the Benediction, or blessing.

I. The Revelation was given by Christ Himself (v.1).

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,

A. It was received from God to show to Believers.

The Revelation was given by Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus Christ is the Author of the Revelation. God reveals certain things even to Jesus.

Note: it was given to Jesus Christ by God the Father. When Jesus Christ was upon the earth, He said the following about His return and the end of the world:

Note: it was given to Jesus Christ by God the Father. When Jesus Christ was upon the earth, He said the following about His return and the end of the world: "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father" ().

II. The Revelation concerns things that must shortly take place (v.1).

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,

A. Events that had not been revealed yet.

While on this earth, Jesus had given insight into future events; His crucifixion, His burial, His resurrection, and His return. He said He would come back.

Jesus, God’s Word, gave and still gives us preparation for the events yet to come. He shows us where our future lies with Him and also without Him.

He does not tell us the details of the end of time.

III. The Revelation was given to John (v.1-2).

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.

A. He sent and signified it by His angel

The word signified () is important; it means “to show by a sign.” In Revelation, the noun is translated as sign (), wonder (, ), and miracle ().

III. The Revelation was given to John (v.1-2).

A. He sent and signified it by His angel

The ESV translation says, “He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,”

The angel messenger is not named but some believe he was Gabriel, who brought messages to Daniel, Mary, and Zechariah

The book came from God to John, no matter what the various means of communication were; and it was all inspired by the Spirit.

He sent and signified it by His angel

The angel messenger is not named but some believe he was Gabriel, who brought messages to Daniel, Mary, and Zechariah

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Walvoord, J. F. (1985). Revelation. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 928). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

The word signified () is important; it means “to show by a sign.” In Revelation, the noun is translated as sign (), wonder (, ), and miracle ().

The book came from God to John, no matter what the various means of communication were; and it was all inspired by the Spirit.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 567). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. The book came from God to John, no matter what the various means of communication were; and it was all inspired by the Spirit.

The word signified () is important; it means “to show by a sign.” In Revelation, the noun is translated as sign (), wonder (, ), and miracle ().

B. A Servant of God, as John was, should also do as John did.

John faithfully described what he saw as the Word of God

John faithfully described what he saw as the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, hand that believing you may have life in His name.

The Incarnation of Christ

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

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and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.

John was at the Cross, he was at the tomb, he knew Jesus was the Savior and he told everyone. These were things that he himself saw.

John uses the language of a legal witness called to appear in a courtroom. His role is simply one who reliably testifies to everything he saw. This is John’s way of affirming that the book is “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” Here also he gives two subtitles to his book: the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Christians call the entire Bible the Word of God; the Book of Revelation self-consciously claims this for itself. The noun testimony is closely related to the verb testifies. We are to think of two courtroom witnesses to the truth of the message: Jesus himself and John.

John was at the Cross, he was at the tomb, he saw Jesus after the Resurrection, he knew Jesus was the Savior and he told everyone. These were things that he himself saw and he will also be a witness of the things that he will see.

*****And the last thing we look at is.....

IV. The Revelation blesses the man who reads, hears, and obeys the message (v.3). 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.

A. Blessed is the man who reads

(KJV) 27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

B. Blessed is the man who hears

(KJV) 5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

(KJV) 7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

(KJV) 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

(KJV) 15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

C. Blessed is the man who obeys

They were not only to hear the Word, but they were also to keep it—that is, guard it as a treasure and practice what it said. The blessing would come, not just by hearing, but also by doing

(KJV) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

They were not only to hear the Word, but they were also to keep it—that is, guard it as a treasure and practice what it said. The blessing would come, not just by hearing, but even more so by doing (see ).

D. We do not know when the end is.

22 But ybe doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For zif anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But ahe who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, bthis one will be blessed in what he does.

D. We do not know when the end is.

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D. We do not know when the end is.

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The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.D. We do not know when the end is.

Urgency is demanded because Revelation speaks of the end of the world: there is no recourse beyond these pages. Present freedom of the will must be exercised to make it through a window of opportunity rapidly narrowing. Once closed, opportunities of repentance and service become eternal regret. Heaven and Hell beckon their future residents

*****As we have looked at the first 3 verses of “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”, what should the book mean to us, you and me, in our life? .....

Urgency is demanded because Revelation speaks of the end of the world: there is no recourse beyond these pages. Present freedom of the will must be exercised to make it through a window of opportunity rapidly narrowing. Once closed, opportunities of repentance and service become eternal regret. Heaven and Hell beckon their future residents

16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

*****As we have looked at the first 3 verses of “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”, what should the book mean to us, you and me, in our life? .....

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The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

*****As we have looked at the first 3 verses of “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”, what should the book mean to us, you and me, in our life? .....

Conclusion: It should mean assurance to believers, we know what is going to happen to us. We know what we will be doing. It also means that we will be blessed if we read the book of Revelation now. We know that God wins. We know that whatever happens to us on this earth, we have a eternal home with Almighty God in heaven.