The Revealing of Jesus Christ

Are we living in the end times? It’s a question that is being asked a lot these days.

A few weeks ago, I preached about the fact that prophecy is given to give us a blessed hope concerning the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ.

Today, we will start a fresh journey into the book of Revelation.

Revelation 1:1–3 HCSB

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His slaves what must quickly take place. He sent it and signified it through His angel to His slave John, 2 who testified to God’s word and to the testimony about Jesus Christ, in all he saw. 3 The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near!

3 KEY WORDS

Revelation

Revelation 1:1 HCSB

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His slaves what must quickly take place. He sent it and signified it through His angel to His slave John,

Revelation- Revealing- Jesus Christ. Not revelations. The word apocalypse means “revealing” . We might say pulling back the curtain to show what’s behind.

Came to John, I believe the same one wrote John’s Gospel, 1,2,and 3, John. He would have been much younger than Jesus when he walked on earth and now he is an old man.

It came by mode of angels. Just as they were there when the world began, they will be there when it ends. Just as they were involved in His first coming they will be in his second.

We sure need this Revelation of Jesus.

Today we see Jesus as:

Disdained. He and his followers are often scoffed and mocked.

Ignored. Sometimes its easier to just ignore Jesus. Someone has said that the Word of God will keep you from sin, but sin will keep you from the Word of God. and since the Word of God is about Jesus, some people just ignore what the Bible teaches about Him.

Reinvented. I’m not sure, but this may be the most dangerous. IT picks and chooses what you like and don’t like about Jesus until the Jesus you believe in, is not the Jesus of the Bible but one you made up to suit your whims.

Even if we have a good understanding and faith in the Scripture, we will miss much about the full glory of Jesus Christ without the book of Revelation.

We can see him as a great man, a good teacher, and even as a suffering Savior. But if we want the full picture of who He is in His Majesty and and glory, we see it in the Revelation.

In these first 8 verses we see Him as the faithful witness, the first to be resurrected, the ruler of Kings, the Alpha and Omega, and the one who as is and is to come.

Blessing

Revelation 1:3 HCSB

3 The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near!

Blessing- Happy Fortunate There is blessing to the one who reads (it could be said reads aloud) and the one who hears. And KEEPS. We might think of keep as a word that is synonymous with doing, but this is more. It is protecting or guarding also.

So I need to speak a word to the faction that says “I don’t like the Revelation” or “That book scares me” or as I was told as a middle school boy “The Revelation is not meant to be understood” John says there is a blessing to reading and hearing the reading of the Revelation.

And I need to speak a word to those of you who love every detail of every prophecy and follow closely the teaching of TV preachers who find prophetic fulfillment in every world event. I WILL NOT be tying blood moons, or Apache helicopters, or assassinations of Jewish Israeli Prime Ministers to a particular prophetic significance.

Prophecy

Revelation 1:3 HCSB

3 The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near!

Revelation 22:7 HCSB

7 “Look, I am coming quickly! The one who keeps the prophetic words of this book is blessed.”

Revelation 22:10 HCSB

10 He also said to me, “Don’t seal the prophetic words of this book, because the time is near.

Revelation 22:18–19 HCSB

18 I testify to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this prophetic book, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, written in this book.

Only prophecy book of the New Testament.

Verse three says that the time is near.

Revelation of Jesus Christ to show what will take place.

Verse 1 says soon. quickly- or soon- or shortly- Repeated in 22.6

the word is tachos. You can remember this by I need tacos quick.

While there are several interpretations, I believe that this means the event is near, not that it is a fast event.

This leaves an important question- Did these things happen “soon” as in soon after John’s writing them down?

In order to help us understand this we should remind ourselves of the Words of Peter.

2 Peter 3:8–9 HCSB

8 Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:14 HCSB

14 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found at peace with Him without spot or blemish.

Why hasn’t it happened yet? So people can repent. God is so loving and so patient.

What should we do? Be found at peace with him without spot or blemish.

Jesus paid it All.