Revelation Surprise God Has Something to Say Chapter 1:1-3 III An Introduction to the Book C. An Introductory Analysis 1. The Title of the Book Verse 1 2. Method of Interpretation Verse 2 3. Beatitude of Bible Study Verse 3 4. Conclusion In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1 ESV). Introduction: One of the characteristics I ve been noting these days is how Scripture has become meaningless as it is twisted and bent to conform to men s ideas versus God s intent. We see this in the cults. Most, even the eastern cults, are likely to use the Bible to support their positions. We see how sinners use it to try to justify their sin. We even see believers play fast and loose with it to support their own brand of theology. Even we, as individuals, need to make sure that we depend on the Holy Spirit for understanding, because we to bring our own church background to our few of the Word. And while this may be ok, we need to let Scripture be the test, not our theology. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Peter 1: 20-21 NAS). This abuse of Scripture, of God s word, is seen very frequently with the book of Revelation. It has been used to exercise power over people s lives, material possessions, and their minds. It has been used as the basis for movies, books and other entertainments having nothing to do with it s true intent. But Revelation is God s word, and in the same sense as seen in John 1:1, it is also Christ as the Word. Revelation is the warning of the coming judgmental works of Christ. It can, and should be used as a warning to fallen individuals of the coming destruction. It was in this way that in the seventies many were saved as the book The Late Great Planet Earth, exposed them to Christ, the judge. This morning we begin our study of Revelation with God s own introduction. 1. The Title of the Book: As we have already said the title of the book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
[THIS IS] the revelation of Jesus Christ [His unveiling of the divine mysteries]. God gave it to Him to disclose and make known to His bond servants certain things which must shortly and speedily come to pass in their entirety. And He sent and communicated it through His angel (messenger) to His bond servant John (Revelation 1:1 AMP). The view of revelation, as expressed here, is singular in the Greek - apokalypsis - It means a disclosure or unveiling as in the pulling aside of a sheet or parting of a curtain, etc. The revealing is of Christ as judge at his second coming. He is shown exercising His authority over three areas. First, he is judge of John. Next, he is judge of the seven churches. Finally, he is judge of the peoples and nations of the earth. God provides a revelation of Who Christ is in the role of judge. The revelation is through Him and it is to believers. This alone shows that the book is not to be considered closed, but is to be read and understood. The Greek word for revealed is identical with the word used in 1 Corinthians 1:7: you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, (2 Thessalonians 1:7 8 ESV). (also see 1 Peter 1:7 and Galatians 1:12). Therefore, the use of this word points out that the book is not a revelation from Christ as much as a revelation of Christ. Consequently, the book is a revelation from God, the Father, of God the Son. The revelation is presented in the form of word pictures, symbols, and direct and indirect representations. The pattern of Scripture reflects Christ revealed at the first coming in a manager into poverty, onto the cross, saving mankind from sin. Scripture demonstrates the reality of the Christ, versus the numerous false christs. The consequence of Christ s work on the cross, in addition to the propitiatory aspect, is God s exaltation of Him. who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Philippians 2:6 10 ES ESV). The results of that exaltation make up much of Revelation. Servants = bond slaves, slaves. The concept presented shows that the relationship between Christ and believers is that of a master to slave. Remember the bondservant is an Old Testament concept. ) 18 (
if he [slave] says to you, I will not go out from you, because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same (Deuteronomy 15:16 17 ESV). Under the Law, one could sell one s self into slavery for a debt. The individual had the right to chose remain a slave when the debt was paid off. A hole would be pierced through the ear with an awl and this would signify that the individual would remain a slave. The believer is a bond servant of Christ by his own choice. The next phrase, which must shortly come to pass, appears incongruous as some two thousand years have already passed since the giving of the vision. The concept in the Greek carries the idea that when the prophecies begin to be fulfilled, that they will move systematically through to the end. There will be no gap between the beginning of fulfillment and the conclusion that is similar to the one in which we still live. Events will come to a speedy conclusion. And, keep in mind that once this period begins nothing will be able to stop it. Just as 2 + 2 equals 4, it is logical and consistent to recognize that God s will cannot be frustrated. The events we will see in Revelation are of a different sort than the actions we see when Israel was told to enter the Promised Land. The actions of the Hebrew people affected the way the prophecies related to occupancy of Canaan were fulfilled. They could have entered the land immediately after leaving Egypt, but because of sin wandered in the wilderness for forty years. There will be no postponement of the fulfillment of the prophecies of Revelation, once they begin to occur. Note that the revelations provided are given in a series of steps: God, the Father Christ Jesus, the Son An Angel (messenger) John, the Servant Servants (believers) Revelation was sent and signified, that is given as symbolic of reality. It must be interpreted in context of Scripture. first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone s own interpretation (2 Peter 1:20 ESV). The word angel means messenger. The means that the word can be used as we understand it, a created heavenly being. But, it can also be understand to refer to a human messenger. This is the use of the word when describing a nurse as an angel of mercy. We must look at the context to decide which is applicable, and we don t need to be dogmatic on our conclusions. Because of the context, here I think that we can best understand the angel of verse 1 to be a supernatural messenger, while the angels of the seven churches may be referring to pastors. God uses the signs and symbols as intermediators between the senses of John and the content of the visions. He uses them as a way to convey truth. This being the case, it is safe to believe ) 19 (
God intended them to be understood. Never be confused, God wants and intends us to read and understand His revelation of Christ. This is not a closed book. 2. Method of Interpretation: who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw (Revelation 1:2 ESV). John is the one who is baring witness here. Bore witness is defined as to bare witness or to testify. He is witnessing to the vision as something he saw himself and this is an account of that vision. The word of God relates to the continuity of prophecy from the Old Testament to the New. God s prophetic word came through the prophets in the Old Testament. It come through the Apostles in the New. With the completion of Scripture, God had nothing further to say to mankind regarding His program and how it is to be carried out. This is not to say that God doesn t have things to say to us related to specific issues in our own lives. Scripture demonstrates that God s program is continuous. It began in eternity. It will end in eternity. And, it can be traced within time and space, including this period in which we live. The testimony of Christ is to the works of God. They are carried out by Christ, as shown throughout the book. Christ in this way is again identified with the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1 ESV). All that is found here therefore is the Word of God, just as much as any other section of Scripture. It is given to us as individuals and it is given to us as a church. 3. Beatitude of Bible Study: The book of Revelation is unique in all of Scripture. It is the only book that gives a specific blessing to its reading and application. This blessing is one of seven found in the book. In addition to this one we also read the following: I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. (14:13 ESV). Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed! (16:15 ESV) Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (19:9 ESV). Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand year (20:6 ESV). ) 20 (
Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book (22:7 ESV). Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates (22:14 ESV). The first to be blessed here is the one who reads the book. In the early church this would have been the one who was the public reader. Generally the members of the body were unable to read and so had to be read to. The ones who hear are obviously the members of the congregation. Consequently those who read and hear the words of this prophecy are blessed. The word of prophecy refers to the entire book. It seem appropriate then to understand this blessing as coming to those that teach from the book, and in turn received by all who hear, study and apply the teachings of God. This means that those that are responsible for the teaching of the local body, and refuse to teach from Revelation are guilty of keeping blessing from their body and from themselves. We don t really know that the specific blessing is, but it is very clear that the fact that God blesses means that what is here is of extreme importance. The giving out of this word makes one worthy of receiving this divine blessing. But, it isn t enough to give out or receive the words of the book. we must keep them. Keep = watching over or guarding as a treasure. It can also mean, to give heed to. We can t keep the words of prophecy as one would the words of a law, because they will regardless of our actions. But, we can and must take the principles and apply them to our lives. We must have the understanding of God s program as it affects our lives. We must give heed to these words and guard them, that is understand them. Finally, we must keep them because the time is at hand. The season for the return of Christ is always imminent. The Lord can return at any time. The imminent return of Christ and the resultant home is a basic principle of Scripture as a whole and a specific one of Revelation. 4. Conclusion: There are three basic points I want us to take from these first three verses. First, we are to not neglect any portion of scripture even though it may be difficult to comprehend. Second, our primary goal of all study must be application for our own lives. Finally, if we are to be truly blessed in our study of scripture then our application must include the passing of Truth to others. As we have already noted many ignore Revelation because it is difficult to understand. But clearly, since God imputes a blessing to its study, we must not be daunted. Remember that it is the Holy Spirit that gives understanding to God s word. and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:15 17 ESV). ) 21 (
Too often we have forgotten that we are capable of understanding God s word in total dependency on His Spirit. We have become lazy and depend on others entirely. Certainly God provides us with teachers who are godly men, but the final responsibility for our understanding is ours. As we have previously seen in the first epistle of John: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1 ESV). Second, we must never forget that all the Bible study in the world, is useless unless we do something with it. The whole point is that God s word touches our lives. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12 ESV). Christ constantly reminds us in His letters that we must apply His word. He constantly repeats the phrase, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The point here of hearing is applying. The warnings He gives are to be heard and in turn generate change. Just as Nineveh heard God s word, repented and was saved, so too are our lives to be changed, but God s word cutting into our hearts. Finally, the most important application is the touching of lives of other so that they too can be saved and receive the hope of an eternity with the Lord. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! (Romans 10:14 15 ESV). We are called to bring the message of good news. And the good news is that it is possible to escape the coming judgment. For all are lost and in need of a savior. Let us close with Peter s warning, and hope: first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation. For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heaven- ) 22 (
ly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:3 13 ESV) ) 23 (