The Church of Tolerance

Apocalypse

The world today sees this world and thinks… “Doom, Destruction, the END of all humanity!”

In fact dictionaries are now beginning to define it that way too!

Go to the Greek however… OR Wikipedia shockingly!… and you see the original meaning of this word:

To uncover / to make fully known / to reveal!

The book we are studying begins with the word “Apokalipsis” translated apocalypse or REVELATION.

This word is that witch the book derives its name, I think quite aptly. Follow along as we read from the last book in our scriptures Revelation 1:1-8

Apokalypsis:

“to make fully known”

The first 5 words define this book well… “to make Jesus Christ fully known”…

We see and discover Christ in a magnificent way in this book!

We will see the culmination of the scriptures, the prophecies, and the Work of Christ revealed and made known.

Revelation Holds a Blessing!

Blessed are those who Read this book...

Blessed are those who Hear this book...

Blessed are those who Heed this book...

I believe the heeding receives the greatest blessing

WHY??? because the time is near!

Thessalonians explains this well

The Rapture of the church is imminent!

Charles Swindoll: rightly states: we “can miss the blessing by reading it wrongly, hearing things it doesn’t say, or failing to put its big-picture principles into practice. We must all study this book with humility, seeking to balance careful reading, restrained and reasonable interpretation, and practical application.”

We see John himself in this book did not understand everything either

What we do need to understand can often be discovered in the text itself, the context in which it is given, and through parallel passages throughout scripture.

Remember this book is a bookend, a culmination of the things God had given over the ages to people in His Word!

This book is NOT written to confuse people, frighten the church, or even be the script for entertainment, rather God wants us to understand what He has graciously given us in His Word!

Notice who the recipients and the sender is in this book...

TO: The Churches

FROM: Father, Son, Holy Spirit

This is a message… scripture for the church, people and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ

Grace: given by God through Christ

Peace: because of Christ work at Calvary and because of what we see revealed about Him in this book!

LOOK at how John introduces who this book is from… It is beautiful!

THE FATHER: One who IS, WAS, and IS TO COME (see verse 8) Revelation 1:8

Revelation 1:8 NASB95

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

THE HOLY SPIRIT: Seven Spirits

The number Seven in scripture especially in the OT indicates the fullness of something or completeness. John has used the number seven in this way in Revelation. (seven bowls, seven trumpets, seven churches).

The seven churches would have been understood as representing all the churches of Asia, even though these were real locations with real concerns being addressed, and could have been a representation of churches worldwide.

In this instance it is not describing seven different spirits rather it is describing His spiritual perfection and completeness of the Holy Spirit. The number seven appears 54 times in the book (11 times in this chapter alone) and has to do with what is flawless or complete.

THE SON: Verses 5-6 describe Jesus Christ with his past and current works!!! What an amazing ASSURANCE

His sacrifice

His Resurrection

His Glory

His Return promised and reminded

Verse 8 We see His authority (Reason this book can be a blessing… Christ knows tomorrow!)

This book is such a blessing because it is from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit… THREE IN ONE!!!

The Setting of Revelation

As John writes this next section one of my first cell phones came to mind...

Took a picture of one of the most majestic sunsets I had ever seen (on a flip phone)

Even today with a better phone and camera… there is no way to capture what I saw that evening

John as he is commanded to write down what he SEES and HEARS is grasping for words to express these things

Revelation 1:9-20

The Setting of Revelation

The year is around 95 AD (almost 2000 years ago)

This is the apostle John exiled to this island for his faith and message of Jesus Christ

The churches are going through a time of tribulation (NOT to be confused with what is called the Great Tribulation that John will write about)

In the midst of this tribulation Christ brings peace and grace

Revelation is a message of HOPE to the people of God

The Vision of John

Christ has a message for His churches… and Revelation is that message!

The words we looked at in Matthew 16 last week come to mind… “I will build my church!”

Christ is the main character in Revelation and the Scriptures! He is revealed all the greater in this book!!!

John sees Christ in His glory… what a powerful scene!

We see things in this vision that may make us (and John) scratch our heads...

The lampstands and stars...

Scripture interprets this for us!

What an encouraging and comforting picture to see the stars in His hand

To see the Lamp-stands before God where He is keenly aware of them

A beautiful picture as the priest would care for the lampstands of the temple in the OT, now we see Christ as our High Priest caring for them (His Church)

Revelation 1:19 gives us the outline for this book...

Revelation 1:19 NASB95

19 “Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.

Seen… the vision he will see Chapter 1

Which Are… to the 7 churches about current situations Chapters 2-4

Will take place… these are the end time events Chapters 5-22

Verse 20 is such an encouraging verse to me as we begin our study of Revelation...

Christ wants us to understand what He is telling His church in this book

This is not to be some mystical puzzle for the ages

Christ wants to make Himself greater known to His church

May we embrace the blessings of this book as we read it, as we hear from it, and as we heed the message it has for us church! Let us discover our Lord, Savior, and High Priest Jesus Christ in a powerful way as we begin REVELATION!