Revelation 1.1-8

Recap:

Genre: Epistle, prophecy, and apocalypse

Most likely not written by John the Apostle, but another church leader named John

Early Church writers point to a date within Domitian’s reign.

John is on Patmos when he receives the Revelation.

He may have been elsewhere when writing it.

At Last, Too The Text!

Broad Structure of Revelation

Vision of Son of Man Rev. 1.9-20

Seven Letters Rev. 2-3

Vision of Heaven Rev. 4-5

Judgement Cycle Rev. 6-20

Vision of Victory Rev. 21-22

Through out the centuries, interpreters have outlined Revelation in many ways. These are the main commonalities.

INsert photo from p. 243.

Revelation 1.1-8

Revelation 1:1–8 ESV

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that 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, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

We must be discerning in our reading of chapter 1.

How we see chapter 1 , dictates how we will read the entirety of the text.

We can call this the Inaugural Vision

Revelation 1.1

Revelation 1:1 ESV

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

Revelation

apokalupsis, ἀποκάλυψις - what is revealed, a disclosure; (Lk 2:32; Ro 16:25; 1Co 1:7; 14:6; 2Co 12:1; Gal 1:12; Eph 1:17; 2Th 1:7; 1Pe 1:7; Rev 1:1)

(DBL Greek)

Remember, Revelation is an unveiling of something. Not specifically future oriented.

Of Jesus Christ…

Revelation is about Jesus, the same Jesus we see in the Gospels.

The proposition “of” tells us two things about the Revelation

The apocalypse is both from Jesus and about Jesus.

We’ll see in a few verses what the Revelation says about Jesus.

So the contents of the Revelation say something about who Jesus is.

This gives us a chance to check our presuppositions.

What foreign systems are we bringing to the text?

Are they warranted? (Gospel Concord)

Are they binding upon the person of Christ in Revelation?

… which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place.

servants - remember, there is a primary 1st century audience.

God is showing these things to John for their response.

This is just like what we see in other Epistles.

Soon to take place

Here and in 22.6 -7 there is explicitly seen an immanence of what is to happen.

A natural reading of the text shows that John, inspired by the Holy Spirit is writing with an urgency for the audience.

we must answer the question, what good would it be for God to communicate distant events to a suffering audience?

Revelation 1.2

Revelation 1:2 NASB95

who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

John is the prophetic figure by whom this Revelation will be conveyed to the 7 churches (v. 4).

Like the prophets of the OT, John is going to relay what he has seen on and heard from God.

as the word of God, the message is divinely authorized.

Revelation 1.3

Revelation 1:3 NASB95

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

blessed - John writes as like other prophets, to elicit response

That response is Obedience to God even with the pressure of the entire might of Rome on one’s back.

each of the seven churches is called to obedience

Ephesus Rev. 2.5

Revelation 2:5 NASB95

‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.

Smyrna Rev. 2.10

Revelation 2:10 NASB95

‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Pergamum Rev. 2.16

Revelation 2:16 NASB95

‘Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.

Thyatira Rev. 2.25

Revelation 2:25 NASB95

‘Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.

Sardis Rev. 3.2

Revelation 3:2 NASB95

‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

Philadelphia Rev. 3.11

Revelation 3:11 NASB95

‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Laodicea Rev. 3.18, 20

Revelation 3:18 NASB95

I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Revelation 3:20 NASB95

‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

The Time is near…

the end days are not imminent.

They are here, and have been since day one of the incarnation

1 John 2:18 ESV

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

John too is writing in a specific time to a specific audience struggling with those who reject Jesus having come in the flesh.

John seems to think that he was in the last hour.

The fullness of redemption began with the arrival of the incarnation and IS coming to consummation in the second coming of Jesus.

Revelation 1.4

Revelation 1:4 NASB95

John to the seven churches that 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,

Epistolary elements seen here

Him who is and who was and who is to come - God.

The “great” emperors of Rome claimed to have supreme power of the known world.

Subversive Rhetoric

John is going to writ against the might of Rome.

The Emperors painted themselves as the saviors of the World.

the peoples they conquered were “brought” into civility.

John however sees:

...the brutalization of peoples, the [plundering] of the earth’s resources, and idolatry. Rome is after Rome’s glory alone. Rome represents the perversion of an insatiable appetite for pleasure. John believes God is the true sovereign and is on his throne, so Rome is judged already... Stevens, 228

Domitian is not who is, was, and will be. God is.

God was there long before Rome, is there sovereign over Rome and will be there long after Rome.

The Seven Spirits

John is most likely referencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit

there are different perspectives, but the biggest supporting argument comes from Rev. 4-5 where the spirits are seen to be receiving worship.

for more reading checking this article: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/7-spirits-in-revelation/

Revelation 1.5-7

Revelation 1:5–7 NASB95

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

What does John have to see about Jesus?

Further, what does the Revelation affirm about Jesus?

faithful witness

At Gethsemane Jesus was faithful in continued observance of God’s will.

There is model for the recipients to follow in their own Christian walk.

The church is called to faithful in her witness even under penalty of death.

firstborn from the dead

Jesus, being resurrected attains security of resurrection for believers.

Rome can attempt to kill you, but in Christ there is security.

1 Peter 1.3-6

1 Peter 1:3–6 NASB95

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

ruler of the kings of the earth

Even now, Jesus is reigning and there is nothing Rome could do about it.

Jesus tells Pilate that his Kingdom is not of this world.

In the resurrection of the Slain Lamb, Jesus has inaugurated his kingdom.

loves us

the churches are reminded of the faithful love of Christ.

God keeps his promises.

Their suffering is not in-vain and its not unseen.

freed us from our sins

central to the beauty of the Gospel is redemption.

in Christ, salvation history has and is coming to an apex.

The saints have the righteousness of Christ and stand before God as such.

by his blood

“the cross is the apocalypse of God’s love” Stevens 252.

it is by the blood of Jesus Christ that Redemption is attained.

the giving of a perfect sacrifice for sins and the payment we could not give and have salvation.

the Blood of Jesus will be key in understanding Revelation. More on that later.

a kingdom of priests

Two things to note here:

First, Jesus does not come with an army to establish his kingdom, but priests.

in the Jewish wars, the faithful went on to fight Rome

but in the coming of Christ’s kingdom, the faithful continue to stedfastly proclaim Christ. A lot different that Rome’s salvation.

Second, the priest hood is universalized to all deliverers not the elite.

in Asia Minor, it was an honor for a city to have a temple of the Imperial Cult.

It was an honor for a person to be a priest of the temple.

this was usually given to the elite and it was a sign of status.

Second Coming Allusion

John appropriates and innovates on OT texts here.

Dan. 7.13; Num. 11.25, Ps. 104.3, Isa. 19.1

John sees the second coming as one that is public and triumphant.

Very comforting for those believers who are immersed in Imperial propaganda.