Revelation

Q: What do we think of when we hear the word or of concept of the Apocalypse?

Introduction: The title of the book is Revelation, not Revelations. Furthermore, it is not the Revelation of St John the Divine as in KJV. It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Revelation or Apokalypsis in Greek, means “unveiling, laying bare, disclosure”.

In other words it’s Jesus revealing Himself to his church and reminding us that He is in control and has a plan.

The book was written around 96 AD in a time of horrible persecution by Rome. Roman Emperor Nero had declared that he was God and commanded all to declare “Nero is lord”. He was dipping believers in wax and using them to light the City. Later Domitian continued the reign of terror on the church.

It was written by John. Who also wrote the Gospel of John and the 3 epistles of John. John was in his 90’s when he received the Revelation. He was the last remaining of the 12 apostles all had been martyred and was the last eye witness of Jesus.

John writes in 1:9 that he was on the Island of Patmos when he wrote it. Patmos was a Penal Island some 50 miles off the coast of Ephesus. According to tradition he had been sent there by the emperor Domition after having survived execution by boiling in oil.

Interestingly John tells us why he wrote each Book and Epistle.

John 20:31: that we may believe.

1,2,3 John, 1 Jn 5:13: that we might know, have assurance.

Revelation 1:1-3, what will soon take place and that the time is near. In other words “be ready”.

The book has been interpreted in 4 different ways.

Preterists – understand the book to all relate to the first century church.

Historists- see the message as pertaining to the entire church age to the end of the age.

Futurists- Place the meaning all in the future and end times.

Idealists- see everything in symbolic pictures of truth.

For our purposes we be using aspects of all four and following the books outline given in 1:19

“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

what is seen now by John, what is now (Church age), and what will take place later, Greek- Meta Tauta, hereafter or after these things…after the Church age.

Chapter 1 is the introduction and purpose, 2-3 are the Church, and 4-22 pertain to the future, after the church.

Read v1-8

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.

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

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

V1- 2 First notice, where the message comes from. The revelation is the message but it was given by God (Father), to Him (Jesus), to show his servants.

Servants is Doulos in greek, bond slave. The message is to all who are Christ followers.

Then he ”made it known” (NIV) or signified it (NKJV) to his servant John. Signify indicates “signs”.

Q- Have you ever thought or felt that Rev is to difficult to understand? Why?

There is a lot of symbolism and appears to be some type of code. The key to understanding the Rev is knowing your bible. The vast majority of symbols are defined elsewhere in the Bible. There are about 400 references to the O.T. and specifically Genesis.

Q- Can anyone name a few? Tree of Life, Satan, Babylon, Sin, Israel, etc.

Q- Do you ever feel that you would like more direct revelation from God?

Be like John v2, testify to what you have seen, the Word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Remember the parables He will give more to the faithful and take from those who are not.

V3 – Blessed is he who reads and hears. Reading aloud, praying out loud.

And take heart or care to what is written in it. Lit: to guard it

V4-8

First, this not the Asia we would normally think of. It’s the area of today Turkey. Why just these 7 churches? V10 lists them but others existed in Asia.

When we get there we will see each church also signifies a particular portion of church history though they would not have know it at the time, often the Lord has both a near and far meaning in what he says. Secondly, for purposes of the vision here in Ch 1 they form a sort of circle being about 50 apart with Christ being in the center. Finally, 7 is the number of completion or perfection. Q- Examples?

Grace and Peace- Greek and Hebrew greeting, Karos and Shalom. Note: we won’t have Peace with God until we have experienced the Grace of God.

Note: Our greetings have deeper meanings in the original- Hello, Puritan: Heaven Hi- Hell Low.

V4 from Him Who was, Who is, and is to come. Refers to the “I Am of the OT” Always existing One – speaking of who? The Father.

Seven Spirits from His Throne- Holy Spirit- 7 fold ministry

Is 11:2 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—

the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and of might,

the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—

3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.

V5 ..and from Jesus, First born from the dead. Firstborn in Priority not precedence. Cults misuse the term Firstborn to take away the Deity of Christ.

Example: Ephraim and Manasseh, Gen 48:13-23

To Him how loves us and freed us (Washed Us) from our sins. Not just covered, they are gone. “Though our sins be as scarlet they will be white as snow”.

V6 Kingdom of priests, or Kings and Priest to serve His God and Father. God has work for us to do in the Mellenium.

V7 Coming with clouds, referring to the second coming, not the rapture, and speaking of the multitude of witness as in Heb 11.

Every eye will see Him…only in this time is this technology available, or God will use another miraculous method.

Those who pierced Him…refers to Zec 12:10

All peoples of the earth will mourn. I would like to see Bill Marrs on that day.

V8 Alpha and Omega, the A to Z, beginning and ending. Who is speaking here? Next week….