INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: The Book of Revelation is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Revelation means the act of disclosing or discovering to others what was before unknown to them. Thus we see in this book Jesus is going to reveal some things to us. Where did Jesus receive this revelation? From GOD. And what does John do with the Revelation he receives? Revelation 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. John preaches the Word of GOD, He preaches the Testimony of Jesus, and he tells people about the 3 ½ years he spent with Jesus and what he saw in vision. What is the Testimony of Jesus? Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy, the Gift of prophecy. Through whom did the prophets of the Old Testament testify? 1Peter 1:10-11 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. What does the bible pronounce upon those who hear and keep the words of this book? Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; Who is this person that “Is, and Which was, and which is to come”? Revelation 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come This phrase represents the eternality of GOD. He has always been, and always will be, and can never die. The 7 Spirits There are two popular opinions about who the “7 Spirits” before the throne of God are. Some hold that the 7 Spirits is the holy Spirit of GOD; the number 7 simply representing the multiple and complete modes of this Spirit. Some problems I have with this is #1. This is referring to Multiple spirits, the word spirit is plural. How many Spirits does GOD have? 1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. #2. These Spirits are before the throne of GOD, or in front of his throne, clearly as a separate entity. Where is the source of the holy Spirit? Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me The holy Spirit constantly proceeds from the Father. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THESE SPIRITS ARE 7 ANGELS. Are Angels Spirits that minister blessings from the Father to his Children? Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? What are also called Spirits? Heb 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. Are there 7 angels before the throne? Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. "It is said that this is in accordance with what was usual among the Hebrews, who were accustomed to speak of seven presence-angels, or angels standing in the presence of Jehovah. Thus in the book of Tobit, (xii. 15,) Raphael is introduced as using this language, "I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One." The apocryphal book of Enoch (chapter 20) gives the names of the seven angels who watch; that is, of the watchers (compare Barnes Notes on #Da 4:13,17) who stand in the presence of God waiting for the Divine commands, or who watch over the affairs of men." Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Notice the contrast between GOD and Jesus Christ. Jesus is called the Faithful Witness the First begotten from the dead, the prince of the kings of the earth. Why is Jesus called the “First begotten from the dead”, when others had been resurrected before he? What type of death did Jesus die? Psalms 88:5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. The dead that God remembers no more are the dead who die the second death. Jesus died the second death, our sins were laid upon him, and he was judged as a guilty sinner, and the wrath of GOD was poured out upon him, and he died a judged sinners death. Thus Jesus is the first to die this death, and the last to be raised from it. Jesus is also the first to be resurrected and given eternal life. Why did Jesus die this death? Because he loved us, and he wished to wash our sins away in his own blood. How do we receive the merits of his death? Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. You must believe the gospel with your heart, and you must confess Jesus as your Lord. What else must we confess? 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. What is used to cleanse us? 1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. What has Jesus made those who have been washed in his blood? Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Right now we are kings and priests of a heavenly Kingdom. We are children of the King, and heirs of the promise. Right now we must act as priests for the Lost. We are to intercede for them, and pray for them, and share the knowledge and will of GOD with them. John was looking forward to the soon coming of Jesus Christ, how was he expecting him to come? Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Is this describing when Jesus will come to gather his people? Mat 24:30-31 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. In verse 8 some one begins to speak who is it? Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. In some of your bibles this may be in RED print, but this is not Jesus speaking. Again this is the person that is described as “Which is, and Which was, and which is to come”. This is repeatedly used only in reference to the Father as we have seen in verse 4. Revelation 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. Revelation 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. The speaker now is John, who says he is our brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. But he also said that he is our brother in the patience of Jesus Christ. What is the Patience of the Saints? Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. John was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos for preaching the word of GOD and prophesying (Testimony of Jesus). John hears a voice that sounds like a trumpet and the voice describes himself as thus. Rev 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. When John hears the voice like a trumpet and he turns what does he see in vision? Revelation 1:12-14 Revelation 1:12-14 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; He sees Jesus in vision, wearing the garments of a high priest. Many will look at this and say, “See, it was Jesus whose voice was like a trumpet and said, “I am Alpha and Omega”.” But What type of voice does John say Jesus has? Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. How does Jesus describe himself? Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. WHAT DOES JESUS TELL JOHN TO DO IN VERSE 19? Revelation 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; Here is a key verse in understanding the book of Revelation; for it gives the sequence of the book. The first chapter is what John ‘hast seen’. The next section will do with the things that ARE, or was currently going on during the time the book was written. And finally “which shall be here after” that is the things the future holds. Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation deals with what was the current condition of the church. Then Chapter four begins the prophecy of the future events. For Revelation 4:1 clearly explains: “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” The events in Chapter 4 till the end of Revelation carry the reader from the time of the Apostles, till the end of time as we know it. It covers the whole history of God’s Church, and NOT simply the final 3 ½ years of its history. Just as the dream of Daniel 2 covered human history from the time of Daniel, until the second coming of Christ. Daniel 2:29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. Revelation 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Here Christ explains some of the symbols used in the book of Revelation. Stars represent angels or messengers, and candlesticks represent the churches; as the Church is to be the light of the world. Christ was the light of the world when he walked the earth, and his Body, those in whom he abides, are now the light of the world. We must always explain these symbols with the bible, for the bible is the key to understanding any cryptic prophecy. BACK HOME |
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