Sermon Tone Analysis

Revelation Series #6

 

*Front Row Seat: Taken to the Beginning of The End*

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Revelation 4:1

 

 

Remember the outline that Jesus gave us for this book.

He told John to write down:

1.    the things which you have seen

2.    the things which are now

3.    the things that will be after this, or after these things

 

With that outline he covers two of the three points in the first three chapters.

Chapter 1 is “the things which you have seen.”

That’s the revelation of Jesus Christ as it’s laid out for John in front of him there.

Chapters 2 and 3 are “the things which are now” talking about the church, and not only the church in John’s day but the church all the way up until the end.

He (Jesus) says write the things which will be “after these things” or after those letters to the churches, after the understanding of the church.

This brings us to the next of the three divisions of this book, the largest division that starts in chapter 4 and goes all the way to the end.

Obviously, there are different ways to break down chapters 4 to the end but it is one section, “the things which will be after these things.”

We are going to focus on only one verse today, verse one.

But we are going to get there in a minute.

Turn to Matthew 24.

We are going to look at several scripture before we come to Revelation 4:1.

We are going to talk about the phrase or term, whether you buy into it or not, The Rapture of the Church.

The word rapture actually comes from a Latin word, “raptume” which literally means “to take away” or “to transport” or “to snatch away”.

When you think of someone who is “enraptured”, perhaps a boy with a girl, you think of someone who has been “carried away” by his love for her or by seeing her.

Good and accurate use of the word.

The word rapture is never found in the scriptures.

It is a word that is used to explain an understanding of the scriptures.

As we go through this study we will talk about a lot of the ways to view this.

I’ll share the conclusions that I’ve come to and why I’ve come to those conclusions.

There are sections, and this is probably one of the chief ones, where there is room for disagreement.

Many times we grow up believing what we were taught.

But at some point along the way, we have to “put aside childish things” and believe things for a reason.

And because somebody said so is not a good enough reason.

We want to study it for ourselves and come to a conclusion that we feel is an accurate conclusion that matches up with scripture, resonates with the Spirit that dwells within us, God’s Spirit.

If you were to talk with most people about the rapture of the church, most believe will be one.

The *when* and the *why* are where people disagree.

There are three ways that people look at the rapture.

1.    Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

That means taking out the church before what the Bible is going to call, beginning in and after chapter 4, the tribulation and the great tribulation: the tribulation being the first 3 ½ years and the great tribulation being the last 3 ½ years.

So, the “when” of a pre-tribulation person would be before the tribulation.

Why do those people believe it is going to happen before the tribulation?

They believe that it’s going be what is referred to in Revelation 3:10 when it says, “because of your faithfulness I will save you from this hour of trial.”

We will look at several other scriptures about this: “God has not appointed you for wrath,” II Thessalonians 5. “There is therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” Romans 8:1.

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Mid-Tribulation Rapture.

In other words, 3 ½ years in, they believe the church will be taken out.

Why?

Much of the same reason as before, they don’t believe God has destined us for the greatest of His wrath, but they don’t see it happening in the first 3 ½ years.

Some would relate the two witnesses that we study later not as real people, but as the church.

#.

Post-Tribulation Rapture.

They believe at the end of the seven years, but before Jesus comes again, the final battle and judgment, that the church will be caught up and then come right back down.

Why would they put it at the end?

Most probably because they don’t believe it’s going to happen before the tribulation and they don’t believe it’s going to happen in the middle, but they do believe it’s going to happen because the scripture says it will.

READ Mt. 24:3-14

What are the signs of the end:

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Extreme deception (false christs)

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Wars and rumors of wars

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Famines and earthquakes in various places

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Gospel to the whole world

 

Now, we would all agree that all these first three things are happening and they seem to be happening increasingly, more and more and more.

But, has there ever been a time since Jesus was here that these things have not happened?

No.

There is no doubt that these things are pictures of getting close to the end.

At the same time, they have always been happening.

We need to be careful when we say, “Oh it has to happen now because of . .

.”

We are assuming that we know what Jesus says we won’t know.

That is the end.

The time of the end.

Jesus said that no one knows the time, only my Father who is in heaven.

As we’ve said, as a means of illustration, that there is a clock in the back room of God’s office and it’s counting down to the end.

God knows exactly when it’s going to happen.

Jesus said the gospel will be preached to the whole world and then the end will come.

Imagine what that sounded like to the disciples.

As little as their understanding of the world was for them to think that they had to get the gospel out to the whole world.

Differing times during history when people must have thought, “We’ll never get the gospel out to the whole world.”

Yet today, look at this prophecy in particular; when Billy Graham preaches and they broadcast it in 23 African nations all at the same time, when multiple millions of people can see and hear the gospel at the stroke of one channel on the television, when people can sign onto the internet anywhere in the world and find the gospel, it’s getting close.

One other thing is I don’t think we can ever say, “Jesus could not come today.”

Because He could.

Certain things may have to happen for the tribulation to kick in to full gear, but it doesn’t have to be before Jesus comes and takes His church out.

Turn to I Corinthians 15 – when you think of the word “mystery” what do you think of – unknown, unsolved problem, something we can’t figure out.

Do you think of evil, suspense, danger?

When we think of a mystery we think of a riddle, an enigma, evil, suspense, being scared.

When the scripture talks about mystery it’s not really talking about that, it is talking about something that is only known in the mind and heart of God.

And it is only revealed when God wants to reveal it and how God wants to reveal it.

So when we talk about a mystery in scripture we are not talking about something that is unknown to God.

It will be revealed when and as He wants it to be revealed.

When He reveals His mystery He does it to encourage us and to give us strength.

READ I Cor.

15:51-57

 

Let me stop here.

We quote that verse a lot but if we don’t see what comes on either side of it we don’t understand where the victory comes from.

The victory comes in understanding this mystery.

The power comes in knowing what God is trying to get us to see.

READ I Cor.

15:58

 

Great verse.

We quote that verse, “stand firm”, but why should I stand firm if I’m scared to death?

It is hard to stand firm when you are fearful.

Paul wrote these things and we’re going to read something else Paul wrote.

Then God gave John a revelation so we don’t have to be afraid.

Let’s talk about this mystery.

Go back to verse 51 and following.

What’s the mystery?

“We will *not all* fall asleep.”

Remember he is not talking about lying down and taking a nap.