Revelation: An Introduction Part 1
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· 13 viewsAn Introduction part one to the Revelation of Jesus Christ
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Revelation: An Introduction Part 1
Revelation: An Introduction Part 1
Revelation: An Introduction Part 1 (Revelation 1:1-6; John 20:30-31)
Today we are going to begin our look at The Revelation of Jesus Christ. I have run from this moment for 8 years now. I have not neglected preaching through Revelation only because I am afraid to do so, but mostly because I am a coward; ya that’s the main reason. I know that when I come to certain portions of the Revelation many of you most likely are not going to agree with me. You know that I have not shied away from preaching on difficult passages before whether anyone agreed with me or not. So why am I concerned with The Revelation? Mostly because I don’t know the book of Revelation like I know Romans or Ephesians or the Gospels. I am somewhat concerned that I may be wrong about what I believe to be true. Just for the record that is the nature of this book. It is full of imagery, symbols and metaphors which causes the reader to be doubtful as to whether certain parts are to be taken literally or symbolically. Is woman literally given 2 wings to fly to safety in Revelation 12 or is that just a symbol of God’s preservation or is there an airplane as some say. Are there real scorpions in Revelation 9 or are they just symbolic of God’s judgment or are they actually tanks that attack? Those are the sorts of things one must wrestle with as they journey through the Revelation of Jesus Christ and it would be easy to get lost in those sorts of things. Revelation was written sometime before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Apostle John and that is as much history as I will give you this morning. Let’s go ahead and pray then we will begin to look at the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Before we get started into the Scriptures themselves I want you to know that we will be looking at many different principles and some very strange scenes intermixed with the principles. However I want first to make sure we understand what we will not be doing.
1. We will not be naming the Antichrist, the False Prophet or the Beast. People have been trying to do that since the end of the first century and they have to keep on changing the names of the characters because it just did not pan out to be correct. It has been Nero, the Pope, Hitler, Stalin, Henry Kissinger, Barak Obama and now some say Donald Trump or your least favorite politician; none have been correct. We will look at the qualities of these characters and not try to determine who they are.
2. Along those same lines the second thing we will not be doing is looking at the newspapers, news broadcasts, or internet articles to interpret “where we are” in the course of events in the Revelation. There is only one thing we know is going to happen at a specific time and that is the imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ and when that happens it is according to God’s time.
3. We will not be setting a date, either generally or specifically, concerning when Christ will return. No one has been correct yet and they never will be.
4. We will not be defining what the mark of the beast is. It wasn’t social security numbers as once believed, it is not the crypto-currency bitcoin, and (the most current fear) it is not an RFID chip that will be implanted under your skin when you get the Bill Gates vaccine for covid19. Because the mark of the beast is something that an individual voluntarily receives because he or she chooses to worship the Beast you need not fear accidentally or forcibly receiving it.
5. We will not be specifically defining the meaning of 666 only its symobology as best we can.
6. One last thing we will not be doing; we will not be agreeing on everything. But we will all seek to see and experience the wonder, the majesty and glory of Jesus Christ the One revealed in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. How we understand the Book of The Revelation is a secondary or even tertiary issue but the person of Jesus Christ is not He is preeminent.
Let’s go ahead and read our passage for this morning because it will lead to a discussion of the background of interpretation of the entire book. Revelation 1:1-6 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.[1]-[2] Any time you read anything you have to read it in light of what type of literature it is. You would read poetry differently than you would read directions for using your microwave. In the opening verse, the second word, we see that this is a book containing apocalyptic writing. Revelation or Apocalypse means an unveiling of what has been hidden or obscured. This clearly states that it is a revealing of Jesus. It can mean a revealing from Jesus but because John writes that it came from God to Jesus to an angel then to John then on to us I don’t think it is just a revelation from Jesus but a revelation of Jesus though it can be considered both. But you may be thinking: Wasn’t Jesus revealed in the Gospels? Only once in the Gospels was the veil of humanity pulled back for us to get a glimpse of the glory of Jesus and that was at the mount of transfiguration. The rest of the Gospels do declare the person of Jesus but His glory, His majesty, and His wonder was hidden under the veil of humanity. In the Revelation of Jesus Christ we will see that glory revealed in all of it splendor. Much of the symbolism in the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ is reminiscent of Daniel, Ezekiel and Amos. However it is not a puzzle book like Daniel is to some degree. God told Daniel to in Daniel to seal up the book until the later days but here in Revelation we are told in verse 3: 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. Clearly a blessing comes to those who read this revelation of Jesus and observe what is written. It is a blessing and an unknown, and unknowable secret cannot bless us.
So we see in the very first verse that this is apocalyptic literature but we also see in verse 3 that it is a prophecy. Now let me say this, prophecy is not simply a declaration of what will happen in the future, it can be that but that is not all it is. When God prophesied to fatherless Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and that from his seed all the families of the world would be blessed it was indeed foretelling of a coming event but how encouraging must it have been to this old man with no children. And not just that he would have children but that through him the One who had been promised in Genesis 3 would come. The same could be said about king David when God through Nathan prophesied that his son through Bathsheba would die yet later there would be a son who would build the Temple that David longed to build. I could go on through more Old Testament prophecies but the point is God’s prophecies are not simply information they are great comforts and encouragements for His people who believe and obey.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is apocalyptic literature revealing the glory and majesty of Jesus. It is a prophecy that does tell us coming events but more that that is an encouragement that our Lamb slain from the foundation of the world is the conqueror who makes us more than conquerors. But we can also see in verse 4 that it is also a letter. 4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: This letter has the format of all of the New Testament epistles of Paul, John, Peter, James and the author of Hebrews. It has an opening that we just read, it has a body from chapter 2 through 22:15 and a closing found in 22:16-19 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.[3] We can tell that this letter was intended to be taken with a sense of urgency because He begins it with saying that these things must shortly take place in verse 1 and that the time is near in verse 3 than in chapter 22:20 we read: 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus![4]
So we see that this is a revealing of the glory of Jesus that will bless us when we read and listen to it. It is a prophecy that will inform us of coming events but more than that it also encourages us as to the victory of the Lamb and His bride. And it is a letter that instructs us as to how to live in the time before He comes to take us to His home.
Historically there have been four ways to understand this apocalyptic and prophetic letter. I am not going to go into great detail in these approaches to understanding Revelation but I think we need to know what they are. As we go through the book I will not be referring to these approaches except to point out where they are applicable. Instead you need to know that I will be telling you my understanding. From that you are responsible to search the Scriptures remembering that these are not points of faith on which salvation is secured, therefore if I am wrong or if you are wrong we can lovingly disagree and celebrate that God’s Word spoke. So here are the historical approaches to understanding the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Preterist – Preterism says fulfillment of most or all of the visions occurred, from our perspective in the past. Much of it points to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and then the fall of the Roman Empire. Preterist interpreters appeal to statements that in Scripture stating that the events in the visions must occur “shortly” and “the time is near” and “behold I come quickly”. Therefore everything has occurred with the exception of the resurrection of the dead and the final judgment.
Futurist – Futurism says that everything in the visions of chapters 6-18 will occur in the period of the final crisis (tribulation) leading to the return of Christ. Chapters 19-22 foretell the second coming of Christ with all the accompanying events: general resurrection, last judgment, replacement of the earth and heaven with the new heaven and the new birth. In futurism the events of chapters 6-18 lead up to the consummation of history found in chapters 19-22.
Preterist say everything has happened, futurists say that everything is yet to come and the historicists (the third approach to understanding Revelation) says that the events in Revelation lay out a historical map of the history of the church beginning in chapter 6 through chapter 18. They believe the separate letters to the seven churches outline church history. Those who support this approach are always looking at events in the news, government and politics trying to figure out what chapter of Revelation we are in right now. The interesting thing is they always look towards the end of the book because everyone throughout history has thought that we are close to the end. So some events in Revelation have happened already and some will happen until the return of Christ according to the historical approach.
Idealism – Idealists say the visions of Revelation represent trends and forces, often spiritual and therefore invisible, which are engaged in the ongoing warfare of the kingdom of God and the devil’s kingdom of darkness, warfare that continues between the victory won by Christ in His suffering and exaltation and His glorious bodily return. The visions show not specific events but ongoing and repeated principles and patterns in this spiritual war. The principles are operative throughout the church age rather than a chronologically successive calendar of events.
I think a combination of these views is probably closest to the truth; this is called the Eclectic approach. The imageries in Revelation are multifaceted and are capable of having multiple fulfillments. Idealists maintain that general principles are expressed. If so, those principles had a particular relevance to the seven churches and their struggles in the first century just as the preterists insist. But the principles will also come to climactic expression in the final crisis of the second coming as the futurists expect. Christians throughout history are involved in the same spiritual war and so must apply the principles to themselves and their own time. Therefore, many passages have at least three main applications: to the first century, to the final crisis, and to the time in between. Since there is so much leeway in understanding we must have patience with one another as we seek to see the glory of Jesus in the Revelation.
I’m running out of time so next week we will continue with an introduction to the Revelation of Jesus Christ by looking at some of the themes and the purposes of symbols in this letter to the seven churches. But before we go I want to leave you with something you can carry with you this week in your thoughts and heart. All the way through the gospel that bears John’s name he sought to reveal Jesus as God, the eternal Son, the powerful Creator, the Word made flesh. He included seven miracles, seven I Am statements and there are 5 other sevens in John’s gospel all focused on revealing Who Jesus is. 1st and 2nd John is intent on that same revelation as is 3rd John in that those who know Him will be the “good and faithful” and will imitate the good and not the bad. In his Gospel John said in John 20:30-3130 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.[5] (That you might have life in His name.) Finally here in the Revelation of Jesus Christ John is going to expose Jesus in all of His glory to a people who are struggling with a world that wants to supplant the Lord; and John’s purpose has not changed and neither has the world even as we read Revelation today. In the Revelation Jesus is revealing Himself through Scripture that you may believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Do you believe? Do you have life in His name? Let’s pray.
[1] The New King James Version. (1982). (Re 1:4–6). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2] The New King James Version. (1982). (Re 1:1–3). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[3] The New King James Version. (1982). (Re 22:16–19). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[4] The New King James Version. (1982). (Re 22:20). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[5] The New King James Version. (1982). (Jn 20:30–31). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.