APOCALYPSE A Most Unique Book Revelation 1:1-3 Pastor Jason Dennett s Notes

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1 APOCALYPSE A Most Unique Book Revelation 1:1-3 Pastor Jason Dennett s Notes The FUTURE, and what it might bring, has always been a topic of FASCINATION to people: How many people use HORISCOPES in America? Total amount of websites that come when searching "astrology" on google: 2 million Total number of professional astrologers in the U.S.: 7,000 Percent of Americans that believe in astrology: 33% Percent of astrology readers that are women: 75% How big are "Psychic Services" in the US: Number of businesses - 81,996 Number of employees - 85,004 Annual Growth Rate ( ) - 2.4% Annual Financial Profit - 2 billion dollars Though we're tremendously interested IN the future, we've so often been wrong ABOUT the future: "Theoretically, television may be feasible, but I consider it an impossibility--a development which we should waste little time dreaming about. - Lee de Forest, 1926, inventor of the cathode ray tube. "I think there is a world market for about five computers." - Thomas Watson, 1943, Chairman of IBM. "We don't think the Beatles will do anything in their market. Guitar groups are on their way out." - Recording company, 1962 "More than at any time in history, mankind faces a crossroads--one path leading to despair and utter hopelessness, the other leading to total destruction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly." - Henry Kissinger, Sec. of State The APOCALYPSE, or the book of Revelation, doesn't offer vain speculation but SOLID TRUTH! Revelation doesn't offer people fear and despair, but rather HOPE & VICTORY: Rev 1:1-3 NKJV - "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

2 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. Revelation is perhaps the MOST UNIQUE book in the Bible - 7 Reasons: 1. A unique PERSON as the focus: Jesus Christ! (v.1) "The Revelation of Jesus Christ.." The purpose of this book is profoundly simple: to reveal Jesus in a greater way to the reader! This is the Greek word "ἀποκάλυψις" or "apokalypsis" meaning "an unveiling, uncovering, a revealing". It has in mind the unveiling of a statue, by pulling off a large sheet that is covering it and...voila! You can now see and accurately understand it! Every major section of the book of Revelation, shows Jesus in a different, glorious fashion: Chapter 1: Jesus is the glorified resurrected Savior! Chapters 2-3: Jesus is the High Priest of His Church! Chapters 4-5: Jesus is the Lamb who was slain; the Redeemer who rescues! Chapters 6-18: Jesus is the great Judge of the earth! Chapter 19-20: Jesus is the conquering King of Kings! Chapter 21-22: Jesus is the exhalted Son of the Father in Heaven! How we need a revelation of Jesus! "The great fault of many professors is that Christ is to them a character upon paper; certainly more than a myth, but yet a person of the dim past, an historical personage who lived many years ago, and did most admirable deeds, by the which we are saved, but who is far from being a living, present, bright reality!" - Spurgeon 2. A unique PURPOSE: to reveal! (v.1) "..which God gave Him to show His servants - things which must shortly take place." Many people wrongly think that the book of Revelation is a sealed book, and God doesn't want us to understand it..huh?!? Dan 12:4 - "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end.." The Lord wants His people to understand His Word, but especially His Word concerning Jesus and these future events: John 16:13 - "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth...and He will tell you things to come.

3 The saints to whom John were writing were undergoing INTENSE PERSECUTION under Emperor Domitian's reign. Jesus wanted them to be assured that he was indeed in control of the present and future circumstances, and that His Kingdom was coming! These words "shortly come to pass" are the Greek words "ἐν τάχος" or "en tachos" meaning that once they start, they will quickly be finished and completed. We derive the word "tachometer" from this in English. Once Jesus' prophetic plan begins to "rev up" the end will come quickly! 3. A unique PATTERN: in signs! (v.1) "And He sent and signified it by His angel.." This is one of the things that confuses many people in the book of Revelation - it's symbols and signs! This is the Greek word "σημαίνω" or "sēmainō" meaning to signal someone. The Lord has seen fit to put the literal truth of this prophecy into signs and symbols, probably for many reasons: PROTECTION - The symbolic form wouldn't be understood by their enemies. PRESERVATION - Symbolic language has a stronger tendency to retain meaning. EMOTION - The symbols convey powerful feelings and emotion within them. CONNECTION - The symbols of Revelation are all from the Old Testament scriptures. In the 404 verses in this book, there are over 278 verses and over 800 connections to the Old Testament! 4. A unique PREACHER who wrote it: John the Apostle! (v.1) "..to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw." John, was the last living apostle at the writing of this letter, around 96AD. Peter had been crucified upside down; Paul was beheaded in Rome; Thomas was speared to death in India; James was beaten to death with a club after being pushed off the top of the Temple in Jerusalem; Luke was hung from a tree Greece; Timothy was beaten to death by pagan priests in Ephesus... He was now close to 100 years of age, and was the pastor of numerous churches in Asia Minor. John was a PASTOR, as he cared lovingly for his flock of believers. John was a PROPHET, as he declared future events and Jesus'

4 Return. John was a POET, as he communicated it in diverse color and deep emotion. John was a PREACHER, as he fearlessly taught the Word of God, and preached the Gospel. John the Apostle is the author of numerous books in the New Testament: Gospel of John - written so you would BELIEVE! (Jn 20:31) Epistles of John - Written so you would BE SURE! (1Jn 5:13) Revelation - Written so you would BE READY! (Rev 22:20) 5. A unique PROMISE attached to it: a unique blessing! (v.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." Only this book of Revelation promises a blessing on those who teach it, those who listen, and those who live it! This is the Greek word "μακάριος" or "makarios" and means "oh how happy happy!" There is a promise that if you diligently listen, learn, and live THIS book of the Bible, you will receive a very special blessing in your life. One night a father, who was reading the evening paper, was approached by his young daughter A unique PROPHECY: 95% of the book! (v.3) "..the words of this prophecy.." This book is a unique prediction of future events that are coming upon the earth - 95% of the 404 verses are predicting the future! The ONLY book in the entire scope of human history that can give 100% predictions of future events is the BIBLE! There are about 2,500 prophecies in the Bible About 300 of these have to do with a special Person called the "Messiah" Roughly 28.6% of your Bible is predictive prophecy! Isa 41:21-24 NLT - "Present the case for your idols," says the LORD. "Let them show what they can do," says the King of Israel. 22 "Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what's going to happen. 23 Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything--good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us. 24 But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves."

5 Rev 19:10 NLT - "For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus." 7. A unique PROGRESSION: a divine outline! (v.19) "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this." Revelation is unique in that in contains it's own "Divine Outline" for the entire book. This prophecy can be easily understood by simply remembering the 3 major divisions of the book: Part #1 - The PERSON of Christ (chapter 1) Part #2 - The PEOPLE of Christ (chapter 2-3) Part #3 - The PLAN of Christ (chapter 4-22) "An interesting map of North America is on display in the British Museum in London. It's an old mariner's chart, drawn in 1525, outlining the North American coastline and adjacent waters. The cartographer made some intriguing notations on areas of the map that represented regions not yet explored. He wrote: "Here be giants," "Here be fiery scorpions," and "Here be dragons." Eventually, the map came into the possession of Sir John Franklin, a British explorer in the early 1800s. Scratching out these fearful inscriptions, he simply wrote these words across the map: "HERE IS GOD!" "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." - Corrie Ten Boom.