The Revelation of Jesus Christ Pt. 1
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Today, I want to begin a study of the book of Revelation. It’s amazing, many Christians will not read or seek to study the Book of Revelation—they go into the study thinking that it is too difficult and makes no sense! Even many preachers will not touch on the subject of Revelation. So the people do not hear the word of God, they are not blessed by the study of God’s revelation to us, and thus we are not challenged, inspired, encouraged, and equipped!
Lehman Strauss wrote, “Man has attempted to do with this book the very thing that God, in the book, told him not to do, namely, ‘Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:10). It was written to be read and understood.”
The Bible is one book from the first book to the last, and must be studied that way. One core problem with different denominations that err in their doctrine is that they place emphasis on certain parts of Scripture and forget the rest of the book.
Genesis is completed by the book of Revelation.
* In Genesis, we find the entrance of sin and the curse; In Revelation, its end.
* In Genesis, we find the dawn of Satan and his activities and his doom in Revelation.
* In Genesis, the Tree of Life is relinquished and in Revelation, it’s regained.
* In Genesis, Death makes its entrance and in Revelation, its exit.
* Genesis records the beginning of sorrow and in Revelation, it’s banished.
* Genesis records the commencement of prophecy and Revelation records the consummation.
In the Book of Revelation we find:
A warning to the churches about the dangers of sin and disobedience;
A revealing of the power of God that will overcome Satan;
A magnification of the majesty of the Lord Jesus and heaven’s worship around His throne;
A revealing of the end of human history;
the rise of the Antichrist,
the false peace in the world,
the coming tribulation,
the Second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, His 1000 year reign on earth,
the doom of Satan, the judgment on mankind,
the eternal joys of the new heaven and the new earth,
the eternal agony and separation from God in hell for those who reject the Lord!
Revelation is a book of prophecy! At the opening, there is an announcement and at the close, there is an answer! The Apostle John testifies at the beginning and Jesus testifies at the end. It is a book that is to be understood.
Many people have said that they are afraid of Revelation because it speaks of the future. That seems ironic because people crave to know the future. As Christians, we are not to fear the book of Revelation, avoid it, ignore it, belittle it or dread it. We are to embrace it, study it, be blessed by it and warn the lost of what it contains.
I’m going to go ahead and let you know that there are many views on how to look at the book of Revelation.
The preterist is a view that is concerned with the past and they believe that the prophecies in the book of Revelation have all been fulfilled - I don’t believe that.
The presentist is a view that the events outline in the book of Revelation are not actual events, just a collection of allegories and stories designed to depict the struggle between good and evil. - I don’t believe that either.
The futurist is a view that sees the events as being future in nature. This is also known as the prophetic view. It’s a literal view of Scripture, meaning, this view believes what the Bible says in verse 3...
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
This, I believe - why do I believe this and not the preterist or presentist view? Because the prophetic view is the only one supported by Scripture.
These first three verses give a solid introduction to the content and the purpose of this book; that’s what we are going to look at this morning.
The Person of Revelation
The Person of Revelation
Revelation 1:1 (KJV 1900)
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ...
The first words of this Book reveal the title of this Book. This is the “Revelation of Jesus Christ.” This is not a book of “revelations,” but the book of Revelation. Though there are many things revealed in the Book—in essence the Book is about Jesus Christ. He is the central Person of Revelation.
Revelation: apokalypsis ap-ok-al’-oop-sis disclosure, appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation, an unveiling. This Book is about the Lord Jesus Christ—He is unveiled in this Book.
In the Gospels we read about the meek and mild Jesus Who came as the Lamb of God.
In Revelation we see the exalted Son of God Who will come again as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!
David Jeremiah wrote, “The primary focus of the Book of Revelation is not to paint a picture of the end times, though it does help us do that. It is primarily to unveil the Lord Jesus Christ in His role as coming King over all the earth.”
He is the primary focus and main character of this Book. The Lord is the Person of Revelation.
When Jesus was here the first time, He was veiled. He was not recognized by most people as God, even though He was and is God in the flesh, Phil. 2:5–8. I preached on that a bit this past Wednesday evening...
The Bible tells is in 1 Cor. 2:8 that if they had known Who Jesus was, they would not have crucified Him.
When the world looked at Jesus all they saw was His poverty, His humanity. They saw a carpenter from Nazareth. Some saw a man with strange and dangerous teaching.
The last view the world had of Jesus was that of a convicted criminal dying in sorrow, shame and suffering on a Roman cross.
But let me tell you something this morning, the book of Revelation tells us that the world hasn’t seen the last of the Lord Jesus! He is coming again, and when He comes the second time, He is not destined for a cross, but for a crown. He is not coming as a suffering Lamb, but as a Sovereign Lord. He is not coming in shame and poverty, but in splendor and power. There is coming a day when Jesus Christ will come and be revealed to the whole world. They will see Him as He truly is.
This is the clear teaching of the Scriptures, ya’ll remember just a minute ago? The Greek word for Revelation? Apokalypsis? - well, 1 Cor. 1:7 (The word “coming” is “apokalupsis”.); 2 Thes. 1:7 (The word “revealed” is “apokalupsis”.); 1 Pet. 1:7. (The word “appearing” is “apokalupsis”.) Do you get the picture? Jesus is coming and the world will see Him as He really is…This is what Revelation is declaring here in the first chapter!
Look at who Revelation is from:
Look at who Revelation is from:
Revelation 1:1 (KJV 1900)
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him...
The Revelation has been handed down from the Father. God the Father passed on to God the Son the Revelation. John didn’t make it up—he didn’t get overheated on the Isle of Patmos—he wasn’t delirious, light headed, or on the verge of a mental break down! The Lord Jesus received from the Father what He would pass on to John.
◾ The Lord first received a crucifixion; then He received a coronation.
◾ He received shame; then He received splendor!
◾ He was given a tree; then He was given a throne!
◾ He came and stood before Pilate; now Pilate will stand before Him!
◾ He received ridicule and rejection; now He has received Revelation!
Revelation does not tell us of the day and the hour when Jesus will come. It does, however, give a full revelation of the glory He will display and receive in the future. - That’s what God wants us to focus on! - Jesus!
Look at who Revelation is for:
Look at who Revelation is for:
Revelation 1:1 (KJV 1900)
1 ...to shew unto his servants...
John sent these letters to the seven churches in Asia as he was directed.
This book is for God’s servants—lost people are puzzled by the contents, professors and educated people alike have trouble receiving and believing this Book.
Revelation is given by God through His Son to His servants. It is given to show His servants.
Lehman Strauss wrote, “It takes the circumcised ear of a willing bond-slave of Jesus Christ to hear with the understanding the truths set forth in this book. It was never God’s intention to hold back the meaning of the Revelation, but rather to show, to exhibit, to make known its meaning. All who willingly submit to Christ will have little difficulty with this book.”
The saints of God will learn about their future destination, their fight with the devil, and their foes ultimate doom! They would be shown things that will soon take place!
The Purpose of Revelation
The Purpose of Revelation
Revelation 1:1 (KJV 1900)
1 ...to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass;...
The word “shortly” indicates swiftness. The events in this book will come to pass swiftly when they begin to unfold. The Lord also wants us to realize that His return is soon, it is imminent.
The Lord Jesus tells us the reason for giving the Revelation to John.
It was to show His servants those things that must shortly take place. God is in control of history—He is Sovereign and He reigns.
It may look dark—and it is going to get darker—before the Day breaks!
We are to trust God and live for the Lord Jesus and His glory! If persecution comes—it will—we are to stay faithful to the Lord! Let us be faithful to the Lord Jesus—worship Him, bless His name, live for Him and trust in Him!
We are told why this book is so important in the last phrase of verse 3. It says, “for the time is at hand”. The word “time” in this verse does not refer to time on a clock; it means “due time; a season; an era of time”. God is telling us that we are nearing the end of this things and this book will give us help and hope as we see the end approaching.
If the time was near 2,000 years ago, why haven’t these things come to pass?
First, God’s clock does not operate like our clock.
2 Pet. 3:8, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
God does things in His Own time and on His Own schedule.
Second, God is giving lost sinners time to be saved in this age of grace, 2 Pet. 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
If you do not know the Lord Jesus—today you can and should trust in Him! He came to earth the first time to take away our sins—He died, rose again, and now reigns forevermore. To all those who come to Him and trust in Him He will receive and give everlasting life. The future for those that don’t know the Lord Jesus is bleak, awful, indescribable, and horrible! For the saints of God—He has given us this word to equip us and prepare us and encourage us.