Life 66

“The Revealing Of The Almighty”

Revelation 1:4-8

The Revelation of Jesus can be summed up in two statements:

1. Who is Jesus?

2. He is coming again!

Greeting Vs 1:4a

Author - John the Apostle

To: the seven churches in the province of Asia (Modern Day Turkey):

Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea.

Grace and peace to you - very familiar greeting seen often in Pauline literature

Grace - God’s riches at Christ’s expense.

Peace – shalom; Sabbath rest/The peace of God.

The Trinity Vs 1:4-5a

7 Titles of the Godhead.

1. Who is

2. Who was

3. Who is to come

4. Seven spirits around the throne

5. Faithful witness

6. Firstborn

7. The ruler of the kings of the earth

God the Father

1. Who is,

2. Who was

3. Who is to come

God the Holy Spirit

4. Seven spirits from before His throne

God the Son

5. Faithful witness - the work of the Holy Spirit; Witness of the Father

6. First born from among the dead - The work of the resurrected Christ

7. Ruler of the kings of the earth - the ruler of all who is God the father.

Revelation of Jesus

From this place in verse 5 to the end of verse 8 there is a steady revelation of Jesus in all his fullness.

His plan of redemption - 5b

“Him who loves us”

Him who loves us – present tense, continuous love

Has freed us - past tense - the work is done on the cross once for all.

By his blood - at the cost of his blood is literal; love in action

His purpose for the believer - 6a

“has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father.”

Ex. 19:6 - “you are to be for me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. (1 Peter 2:9)

We are royalty - adopted by the King.

We are sons of Adam.

We are given the privilege of being sons of God because of Jesus John 1:12

Note we are a kingdom - it is together that we are complete.

His praise for eternity - 6b

“to him be glory and power for ever and ever.”

1:6 - Glory and dominion

4:11 - Glory honor and power

5:13 - blessing, honor, glory, power

7:12 - blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, might

Jesus, the Almighty, is coming again! Vs 7-8

Vs 7-8 - An over view of the entire book

“Look, he is coming with the clouds” - 7a

The idea of Jesus coming in the clouds first seen in Daniel 7:13

In the N.T. Mark 13:26, 14:62, Matt. 24:30, 26:64

“Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him;” - 7b

This will not be a secret catching up of Christians but a grand entrance - 1 Thess. 4:13-18

To those waiting anxiously His coming is a long-awaited reunion of love.

To those who refused Him, His coming will be a time of grief and mourning.

“All the people of the earth will mourn because of him.” - 7c

Zech 12:10

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

So shall it be! Amen! “So be it!”

“I Am” - Vs 8

“the Alpha and Omega, who is, and who was, and who is to come;”

The speaker is the one in context just referred to. It is Jesus

I Am Alpha and Omega - The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.

to pass.

1:8 - Alpha and Omega, who is, and who was, and who is to come

1:17 - the first and the last

2:8 - the first and the last

21:6 - the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end

22:13 - the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end

“the Almighty!”

12 times in N.T. 9 of those in Rev.

Ruler over all things.

2 Peter 3 - he is not willing that any should perish.

You don’t even realize the slow coiling of the serpent’s grip around your heart as it grows colder. He has you deceived into thinking you are in control as he squeezes the very life out.

The Study of Revelation - “The Revealing of Jesus Christ”

Introduction and 1:1-3

Why is the book of Revelation so important?

The only portion of scripture that promises a special blessing for the reader and listener. (Rev.1:3)

Apocalypse - An unveiling

Name of Book is singular - Not Revelations

Proper name: The Revelation of Jesus Christ

What is the background of the Revelation?

• Author - John the apostle (John, 1,2,3, John) Rev. 1;1, 4,9,21:2, 22:8

• Where written - Patmos Rev. 1:9

• Time of writing - approx. 95 A.D..

• To whom was book written? - to the 7 churches 1:4, 11

To all believers 1:1, 3; 2-3

Outline 1:19

What you have seen - chapter 1 - the vision

What is now - chapter 2-3 - in John’s time, the churches.

What is to come - Chapter 4 -22 - 4:1 after these things

What is prophecy?

Prophecy - seeing God’s whole plan in perspective. Not just future issues.

How do we interpret prophecy?

1. Is it consistent with the entire Bible?

2. Time.

In every textbook the answers are always found in the back!

Never enter the Word but by prayer.

How do we interpret the Book of Revelation?

1) Historicist view - It has been fulfilled in the course of past history.

2) Idealist view or Symbolic - the book is entirely symbolic.

3) Preterist view or Spiritual view - the book is descriptive of the problems and persecutions of the early church existing at the time of writing.

4) Futurist view or Literal view - interpret the book literally. Much of book occurs in the future..

Rule of Bible study - Take the words literally unless there is indication that the words are symbolic or figurative. Assume nothing.

Hosea 12:10 - God uses types or models not just words.

What makes this book different from any other?

7 Beatitudes or blessings 1:3, 14:13, 16:15, 19:9, 20:6, 22:7, 22:14

Significance of 7 - completeness

Seven churches 1:4, 11,20

Seven letters 2,3

Seven Spirits 1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6

Seven candlesticks 1:12, 13, 20, 2:1

Seven stars 1:16, 20, 2:1, 3:1

Seven lamps 4:5

Seven seals 5:1, 5:5

Seven horns 5:6

Seven eyes 5:6

Seven angels 8:2, 6

Seven trumpets 8:2, 6

Seven thunders 10:3,4

Seven thousand 11:13

Seven heads 12:3, 13:1, 17:3, 21:9

Seven crowns 12:3

Seven angels 15:1, 6,7,8, 16:1, 17:1, 21:9

Seven plagues 15:1, 6,8, 21:9

Seven vials 15:7, 17:1, 21:9

Seven mountains 17:9

Seven kings 17:10,11

Seven beatitudes 1:3, 14:13, 16:15, 19:9, 20:6, 22:7, 22:14

Seven years of judgment 11:3, 12:6, 14, 13:5

Seven divisions of seven letters 2-3

Seven “I am’s” 1:8, 11, 17, 18, 21:6, 22:13,16

Seven songs in heaven 4:9-11, 5:-13, 7:9-12, 11:16-18, 14:2, 3, 15:22-4, 19:1-6

Let’s get started! Rev. 1:1-3

Rev. 1:1

The Revelation of Jesus Christ given in order to bless His servants

Servants - doulos - slave by choice

Coming quickly - tachometer - once these things start happening they will happen rapidly

quickly used 7 times

1:1 - soon

2:16 - quickly

3:11 - quickly

11:14 - quickly

22:7, 12, 20 - quickly

angel - messenger

Made it known - signs, codes, symbolic of reality.

Rev. 1:2

who testifies - John’s testimony

Gospel - Believe - John 20:21/Life received/Salvation/The Prophet

Epistles - Be sure -1 John 5:13/Life revealed/Sanctification/The Priest

Revelation - Be ready - Rev. 22:20/Life rewarded/Redemption/The King

Rev. 1:3

Special promise to: The reader/The hearer who takes it to heart

Central Theme - Redemption - the restoration of that which was lost to the original owner.

Gen. 1-2 creation with a couple of chapters in Ps. Job, Is.

Gen. 3 - Rev. 20 - redemption

Rev. 21-22 - the new creation.

God has revealed his son, his plan, your future.

The ultimate question: Will you believe and take it to heart?

What does it mean to be a "Christian"? That word means, "Little Christ". Could your character be so similar to Jesus that people call you a little Christ? That's God's goal; to conform you into the likeness of His Son Jesus!

Step 8 is the ultimate step in becoming a transformed person. Do you rejoice when persecuted for righteousness sake? The darkness hates the light and it will hate anyone who is of the light. It is a sign of being light when the darkness hates you!

Step 7 to a New You is learning to be a peacemaker. Peacemaking sounds easy but it is hard work. It doesn't just sit back and avoid conflict but instead peacemakers step into conflict in order to bring peace, just like Jesus did when He came to earth from heaven.

Step 6 to a new you is being pure in heart, unmixed with anything. When we are pure in heart we can see God and really know Him. In this episode you'll learn 7 steps to a pure heart.

What does it mean to be merciful? Why should we show mercy? Don't I have a right to pay someone back for a wrong done to me? If you want to be a "New You" being merciful is the key 5th step!

Step 4 to a New You is to hunger and thirst for God. Is God what you yearn for, like a starving person? Why or why not? In this episode Pastor Greg teaches why it's important to hunger and thirst and how to develop that hunger.

What does it mean to be meek? It doesn't mean weak or fragile. It means having strength but under the control of another. Meekness is step 3 to a NEW YOU!

Step 2 to a New You is to learn the necessity of mourning over our sinful condition. If we KNOW we're in trouble it makes us poor in spirit. The reaction to that condition is mourning. Pastor Greg explains why the is a good place to be for those who mourn will be comforted.