Introduction to the Book of Revelation
Part 1, Chapters 1-3
7.22.20
Revelation 1:1-3 (NIV)
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
4 Guidelines for Understanding Revelation
- A blessing is promised for those that read it
- It is a prophetic writing
3. It contains many symbols
Mt 13:10-17
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a]
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
4. Much of Revelation is complicated
To whom and where was Revelation given?
- John
- Patmos
B. VISION OF JESUS 1:4-20
Revelation 1:5-8
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[b]
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”[c]
So shall it be! Amen.
So much of bible prophecy is about preparing us for the coming of Jesus
1st Coming Verses
Isaiah 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5, Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14, Zechariah 9:9, Psalms 22:16-18, Isaiah 53:3-7
Rapture Verses
John 14:1-3, Romans 8:19, 1 Corinthians 1:7-8, 15:51-53, 16:22, Philippians 3:20-21, 4:5, Colossians 3:4, I Thessalonians 1:10, 2:19, 4:13-18, 5:9, 23, 2 Thessalonians 2:1,3, 1 Timothy 6:14, 2 Timothy 4:1,8, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 9:28, James 5:7-9, 1 Peter 1:7, 13, 5:4, 1 John 2:28-3:2, Jude 1:21, Revelation 3:10
2nd Coming Verses
Zechariah 12:10, 14:1-15, Matthew 13:41, 24:27-31, 26:64, Mark 13:14-27, Luke 17:20-37, 21:25-28, Acts 1:9-11, 3:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, 1 Peter 4:12-13, 2 Peter 3:1-14, Jude 1:14-15, Revelation 1:7, 19:11-20:6, 22:7,12,20
What do they represent?
- Literal churches in Asia Minor
- Parable churches: represents types of churches over since the Day of Pentecost until now.
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Postives |
Negatives |
Do This |
Promise |
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Ephesus 2:1-7 |
Rejects evil, perseveres, has patience |
Love for Christ no longer fervent |
Get back to good things you started |
The tree of life |
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Smyrna 2:8-11 |
Gracefully endures suffering |
None |
Be faithful to death |
The crown of life |
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Pergamos 2:12-17 |
Keeps the faith |
Tolerates Immorality, idolatry, and heresy |
Repent |
Hidden manna and stone with a new name |
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Thyatira 2:18-29 |
Love, service, faith, patience has grown |
Tolerates cult like idolatry and immorality |
Keep the faith |
Rule over nations and receive the morning star |
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Sardis 3:1-6 |
Some have kept the faith |
A dead church |
Repent and strengthen what remains |
Be honored in garments of white |
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Philadelphia 3:7-13 |
Perserveres in faith |
None |
Keep the faith |
A place in Gods presence, a new name |
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Laodicea 3:14-22 |
None |
Indifferent |
Be zealous and repent |
Share Christ throne |
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Church age comes to a close
In Revelation 1-3 the church is mentioned 19 times then in Revelation 4, the church disappears and is not mentioned again until chapter 19.Where is the church at that time?It is not found in chapters 4-18.Those same chapters 4-18 describe the great tribulation period.The church plays no role on earth at that time.Why?The church is taken away, to be with her groom.This is the blessed hope, the great rapture of the church.The church doesn’t get mentioned until chapter 19 where she is with the Jesus and returning to earth for the millennium.
Next week be watching an excellent 84-min docudrama with role performances interspersed with commentary.
Hear and see how God has revealed the plan for reuniting with His bride, the Church.
Jesus invested about two-thirds of His ministry on Earth among the Galileans.His followers were mostly from Galilee; therefore, His teaching was in conformance with Galilean culture.How a Galilean betrothal and wedding were conducted as portrayed in this docudrama likely mirrors our reunion with Jesus the Bridegroom.
Table Talk:
- What kind of blessing comes with reading Revelation?
- What is the primary purpose of Prophecy?
- Which churches do you relate to?And what do these characteristics say about your relationship with the Lord? For example, have you ever experience being lukewarm and what did you do about it?