Summary: Revelation is not only to be read, but it is to be applied to our thinking and how we live. It is an urgent prodding to the church to tell others about what Jesus has done, and will do, and how we can know His salvation through grace.

Alpha and Omega, Part 24, Revelation Part 1

What is the purpose of the Revelation?

Revelation 1:1-3

Introduction

- Last week we examined Jesus through the eyes of David

- Challenge was to see David laying out for us the coming Christ

-- It challenges us to be intentional, be focused, to “get on with” our mission

- What’s the urgency? Revelation shows us one very clear picture:

-- It gives us a preview of God’s wrath for humanity’s disobedience

-- We know God gives us grace through His sacrifice of Jesus – that this is

-- APP: The ultimate representation of love & forgiveness for our rebellion

- Today, we begin our journey into the book of Revelation

-- I ask for your prayers as I prepare these messages (I am writing them new…)

-- Wed nights resume on July 26, will be “part 2” of that Sunday’s message

-- My hope is that we will finish this by the December – but I want to be flexible

-- Admit: It’s good to have a schedule, but I’d rather toss it out if God leads

- The handout in your bulletin is a roadmap for the book of Revelation (slide)

-- It gives us a visual summary of the events, signs, and the key timelines

-- We will always be able to print more, but hopefully this will help you

-- You’ll notice it coincides with chapters, so it’s “easy” to follow along

- Currently, we reside in the church age on the left-hand side (Ch. 1, 2, and 3)

-- IMP: The one thing we do not have is the date of the rapture (kicks off Ch 4)

-- Life Lesson: Check out Matthew 24 … Jesus simply says: Be ready!

-- We are not in charge of knowing everything, and so in this we must have faith

-- BIG: To know God knows what He is doing – our job is to believe/serve Him

- Big heads up to all: Here is the key to studying this series:

-- You can’t believe “In the beginning” and not believe “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”

-- PER. CHAL: We cannot pick & choose what we like and disbelieve the rest

-- EX: If you believe God created in 6 days, must believe in its ending OR

-- EX: If you believe Jesus that Jesus is your Savior and eternity is promised …

-- Then you must believe in what is to come at the “end of time” (Revelation)

- Fair enough? Everybody with me?

- Let’s dive in … Read Revelation 1:1-3 / Pray

- TR: Three things to see in the form of an introduction …

Point 1 – John is the author and revealer of Jesus’s words

- John identifies himself 4 times in this book: Ch 1 vv. 1, 4, and 9, and Rev. 22:8

-- This is the disciple John, the same one who wrote the Gospel, one “Jesus loved”

- He uses words that are specific to how John wrote (Galilean, spoke Aramaic)

-- Aramaic would have strongly been influenced by the Greek language

-- EX: He calls Jesus (in the Greek) the “Logos”, which means “the word”

-- John 1:1, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” What is the word? It is … Jesus Christ.

- The exact date of the manuscript is uncertain, biblically speaking

-- Most likely, this was written about 95 or 96 A.D. (Jesus ascended in 33 A.D.)

-- Some have interpreted it earlier – perhaps during Nero’s time, around 68 A.D.

- But there are two reasons this earlier timeline does not work out:

1. John was exiled to Patmos where he got this vision, but Nero didn’t exile

-- When Nero persecuted, it was in your face and direct – he thrived on violence

-- He blamed the Christians for Rome’s downturn & took joy in destroying them

-- He martyred hundreds if not thousands of believers – he didn’t exile them

2. Also, the state of churches differs from Paul’s view: approx. 60 or 70 A.D.

-- Revelation pictures the churches have been established for decades

--- For example, he speaks directly about what’s happening in the churches

--- Sardis is dead, and Ephesus has lost its first love … Paul doesn’t speak of these

-- Paul’s writings speak of hope, strengthening, building, cooperating, etc.

-- APP: Paul had a much more encouraging; John was matter of fact reporting

- However, we must conclude that John had three reasons for writing:

1. To allow Jesus to proclaim “Behold, I am coming quickly”

2. To allow Jesus’s followers to declare that “He is coming quickly”, and,

3. To give the church and the world “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”

- As v1 clearly shows … this entire book is about Jesus telling what’s to come

-- Greek: dei meaning “it is necessary” & ginomai meaning “to come into being”

-- Greek: tachos meaning “quickness or speed”

- KEY HERE: Revelation must be read and be allowed to speak for itself

-- IMP: It must be biblically interpreted … this means it testifies to the Word

-- To fully grasp it, you must use the same source to understand it’s meaning

-- Commentaries are good, preaching is good, study is good, but ultimately …

- The main source is God’s word: this means digging in & finding the truth

-- Symbols have lots of meaning – they can be interpreted in lots of ways

-- But literally, the best legend to use is the one you have in our hands

- Don’t miss: The message, this revelation, is very special to God

-- It is so special; we are even blessed to read and study and ask for clarity (v3)

-- But we also receive addition instruction to follow it at the end (wisdom)

-- Revelation 22:18-19, “And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.”

-- It is a stark warning, but again, God is very serious about His Word (we must be)

- TR: Might ask, “Why is this book so important to the entire world?”

Point 2 – God gives us this message to know Him and to look forward

- Greek, the word a-pok-a-lupsis is used to describe it; it means uncover or unveil

-- Basically: It means to pull back a curtain and show us what is behind it

-- This is the key to remember – we get to see what is already determined, in place

- This is much like the vision Isaiah gets of God’s temple - of what IS in Heaven

-- Isaiah 6:1-4, “It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.”

-- John gets a clear look at Jesus, and at what is to come through God’s Spirit

-- For the believer this should provide comfort / assurance of God’s 100% control

- Key to remember: The revelation is given to us by Jesus Himself

-- It is being shown to John, through an angel – under Jesus’s authority

-- The angel is not identified, but it can be derived that it is very close to Jesus

-- Greek: aggelos; a messenger (commonly called an angel)

- And ultimately, the entire revelation comes from God the Father

-- RE: When Jesus was on Earth, He was given the message from God

• This became His teachings which we have recorded in the Gospels

• Those laid the foundation for our faith and acceptance of Him as Lord

- Now watch this: Jesus said in Mark 13:32, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”

- Consider: While Jesus was on Earth, He did not know these things

-- He did not share them with the disciples; so that we would know them either

-- But, after He ascended into Heaven, God revealed these things to Him

-- If this were not so, Jesus would have told a lie … which He did not!

- His mission was to show us the Father – to show us grace/salvation

-- And now He’s going to complete the vision for all believers, est. hope for future

-- Crucial thing to grasp: This vision is fully God’s, through Jesus, for you and me

- TR: If we are hearing this complete message, what is our purpose with it?

Point 3 – Our focus is to know and understand what God said

- The revelation concerns future events, events that are yet to happen

-- Naturally, each believer would look for these things to happen “very soon”

-- The idea is that it would be swift and quick – and happen at any time

- BUT … remember that God’s clock is different than ours

-- We studied in Genesis 1 & 2 when He laid out the parameters of time

-- The only way to do that would be to be outside of the thing being established

- Today, we can be assured of one thing: Jesus has not yet returned

-- The church has not been removed, and the anti-Christ has not taken power

-- We have not seen a world-wide religion where mankind is forced to worship

- Unpack: Yes, there have been MANY people on world stage who have been evil

-- Many who have lived in the spirit of the anti-Christ; destructive, cruel, anti-God

-- But as we study it will become clear: the things prophesied have not happened

-- FACT: No one has declared they are God and had the entire world worship him

- However, as the time draws closer the lead up events will become far worse

-- No one can say today that this world is not “falling apart” (ref to Rom 1)

- But the one thing we have is our hope in Christ and His future (His Revelation)

-- He is the foundation and why we must know what’s coming to declare it

- Our primary focus of Revelation has three pieces to it:

• Read (must dig in and see what is said)

• Hear (must be willing to hear the words of the prophecy)

• Keep (must strive to retain the things which are written)

- It is never enough just to read and hear … but we must commit to it

-- APP: We must be willing to know what this says to testify to it

-- I’m not an alarmist, but when you read this book – discernment is required

-- I’m also not a conspiracy theorist – which means truth must be applied

- But the biggest thing to recognize is this:

-- God is not going to allow this world to continue to rebel against Him

-- RE: He already put to death His Son so that we could escape judgment

- Even in 2023, no believer is wise to ignore or neglect this book

-- Yes, it can be complicated – yes it can be mysterious – but so can books like:

-- Nehemiah, 1 & 2 Peter, Ruth, Luke, Philippians, Genesis (we’ve studied them!)

-- Those books say what they say b/c they are God’s truth … just like this is!

BIG IDEA

- Revelation is not only to be read, but it is to be applied to our thinking / living

- I’d like to give us a prelude to next week … read Revelation 1:4-8

-- Let us never forget who He is, or what He has done for you and me

-- And most importantly … this book is all about Jesus, as Savior and King

-- What John uncovers for us is truly spectacular … it is Jesus as Lord

- And for that reason, we will take our time and experience this together

- Pray