Prologue Revelation 1:1-8
Notes
Transcript
1 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, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 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.
4 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, 5 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 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 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.
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 Revelation of Jesus Christ
1:1-8
I. The Introduction (1:1-8)
a. The Title (1-3)
i. The Revelation
1. Apocalypse: “symbolic writing which is designed to unveil, for the benefit of its readers, divine truths which have remained hidden and secret…God’s ongoing self-disclosure.” (Smalley)
2. Paul received the gospel by revelation, that is divine disclosure (Galatians 1:12)
ii. of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him
1. Jesus is the source of Revelation
2. Jesus is the content of Revelation
3. God the Father is the ultimate source of the Revelation
a. Jesus in the gospel of John
i. John 8:26-28
ii. John 14:10
iii. John 12:49-50
b. The Word of God utters the words of God (John 1:1-4)
iii. to show his bond-servants
1. The explicit recipient is the church
a. In John’s Day-7 churches
b. Throughout Church History
2. The implicit recipient is the world
a. The judgment to come is relevant to those outside the church since they are objects of the judgment
iv. the things that must soon take place
1. Greek word “dei” translated “must.”
a. Some think it means a hasty consummation of history, that is wrong…(Maybe the first readers did)
b. It indicates the sure accomplishment of God’s purposes—The things must take place because God said they would. “soon” refers to the fact that the things that must take place are already in progress. How?
c. We must not relegate this book to the distant future, although some of the things have not been fulfilled.
d. We must understand this statement in light of the book of Daniel:
i. Daniel 2:28
ii. How did the New Testament Writers see the times that they lived in?
1. Acts 2:16-17; 3:24
e. In light of these things, we can bring this statement into the immediate presence
f. What is it time for, or what is going to soon take place?
g. Again, we must visit Daniel
i. Daniel 2:44
1. Started to be fulfilled at the first coming of Christ “realized eschatology)
2. Still in process to final consummation
ii. Daniel foresaw the inauguration of the kingdom and the final triumph. Therefore, the angel is bringing to John what Daniel previously prophesied years before.
v. and he sent the and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John
1. Angels play a significant role in the book of Revelation
vi. Who testified of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all they he saw
1. Word of God: the message from God
2. Testimony of Jesus Christ: the testimony of the message is given by Jesus Christ
a. The gospel of John helps us understand verses 1-2
i. John 21:24
ii. John 1:1-4
vii. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it
1. Blessings upon readers and hearers in Revelation
a. 1:3
b. 14:13
c. 16:15
d. 19:9
e. 2:6
f. 22:7
g. 22:14
2. Jesus in the gospel of Luke
a. Luke 11:28
3. Biblical hearing includes responding to the word in faith and obedience. The blessing only come as we actively respond to the word of God in faith and obedience
viii. For the time is near
1. Greek word for “time” is “kairos”
2. Two Greek words for time in New Testament
a. Kairos: refers to one, critical, and divinely ordained moment in the line of history as a whole. It speaks of a special time.
b. Chronos: “a period of time.” Clock time, Calendar Time…
3. Expecting Mothers know the difference between Kairos and Chronos time. After 9 months or so she realizes that the time has arrived to give birth. She starts saying to her husband who is asleep, “Honey, it is time, it is time. Wake up it is time.” He wakes up and he says, “It is 3:17, now go back to sleep.” He is thinking in Chronos time, but she is thinking in Kairos time.
4. It is important to note that Revelation is not Chronology, but Kairology
a. Not the 7 churches in the Preterist Past
b. Not the 10 nation confederation in the futurist future
c. Not some series of events in the Middle ages like the Historicist believes
d. Not some spiritual ideas floating around in space
5. It is now, it is for me, it is for you, and it is for us…
b. The Greeting (4-8)
i. The Seven Churches of Asia (see attachment)
ii. The Grace and Peace of the Trinity
1. God the Father (4a)
a. Exodus 3:14
b. Grammar is strange. Literally, “from He who is…” As if he is saying “Always He”
i. He is the subject of every sentence. He governs every other part of speech, and He Himself is governed by none.
ii. Hebrews 6:17 “unchangeable character of His purpose.”
2. God the Spirit (4b)
a. Seven Spirits
i. 1 Corinthians 2:10
ii. One Spirit in His essential nature
iii. Spirit equally present in each of the churches
iv. Sevenfold Gifts of the Spirit (Isaiah 11:2)
b. Imagery of the Tabernacle
i. Ark-The Father
ii. Lightstand-The Spirit
iii. Altar-The Son
3. God the Son (5-8)
a. Psalm 89:27,37
i. Prophet-Faithful witness (martyr) of the gospel of salvation
ii. Priest
1. first born from the dead
2. loves us and released us from our sin (Exodus Imagery)
iii. King-ruler of the kings of the earth
1. Kingdom of priest
2. Exodus 19:6
b. The completion of His work (8)
i. Daniel 7:13
ii. Zachariah 12:10
iii. Matthew 24:30