STUDY THEME: VICTORY IN JESUS NOW AND FOREVER.

"THE LORD'S CALL TO FAITHFULNESS." REV. 1: 1-18

PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO REVELATION 1. Feb. 6, 2000

Today we begin a fascinating 11-session study in the Book of Rev. "The Lord's Call to Faithfulness," the first unit of four lessons, is based on Rev. 1-3. This first lesson includes and introduction to Rev. and examines "Reasons to be Faithful" to Christ.

The Question is, Why should my church be faithful to Christ?

The Lesson Bible Truth is that the living Lord wants His church to be faithful to Him even during times of challenge, difficulty, and uncertainty.

The Life Outcome is to help us contribute to our church's being faithful to the Lord even during times of challenge, difficulty, and uncertainty. Each of the four lessons in Feb. will deal with FAITHFULNESS.

Following the resurrection of Jesus Luke wrote in Acts. 1:3 that Jesus met with His apostles off and on for some 40 days "speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, teaching them out of the Scriptures." He appeared to various followers some 10 times during that 40 day period. In His teaching Jesus had left one point untouched, hat is, the time when the Lord would restore the kingdom to Israel. In Acts 1:6 the apostles asked Him "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" and in Vs. 7 Jesus replied, "It is not for you to know times or season which the Father has put in His own authority." After commanding them to remain in Jerusalem until the power of the Holy Spirit came upon them, Jesus then ascended back to heaven. Two millenniums have passed and people are still guessing as to when Jesus will return.

The Book of Revelation was written by John the son of Zebedee, called St. John the Divine, in AD 95 just prior to the death Domition, the great persecutor of the church. . Emperor Domition who ruled Rome from AD 81 to 96. We usually speak of Nero as the great persecutor of the Christians but his successor Domition made Nero look like a S.S. boy in comparison.

Revelation begins with John the Revelator, the last surviving apostle and an old man, in exile on the small, barren island of Patmos, located in the Aegean Sea some 70 miles S.W. of Ephesus. The Roman authorities had banished John there because of his faithful preaching of the Gospel. This small island, some l0 mi. long and 5 mi. wide. was used by the Romans as a place to deposit criminals and dissidents.

While on Patmos, John received a series of visions that laid out the future history of the world. When he was arrested, John was in Ephesus, ministering to the churches in the surrounding cities, seeking to strengthen their congregations. He could no longer minister to them in person, and following the divine command in vs. 11, John in Vs. 4 addressed Revelation to them. Some 60 years had passed since the crucifixion of Jesus and the churches had begun to feel the effects of persecution; at least one man, probably a pastor, in Rev. 1:13 had already been martyred and John himself had been exiled. His brother James had been killed at the command of Herod Antipas some years before. But the storm of persecution was about to break in full force upon the seven churches so dear to the apostles heart. Revelation was written for those who were in danger of abandoning their faith, either because of present persecution or impending danger or allurements of a godless world.

To these churches, Revelation provided a message of hope; God is in sovereign control of all the events of human history, and though evil seems to prevail and wicked men all powerful, their ultimate doom is certain. Christ will come in glory to judge and rule. The Golden Age is not in the past but yet to come.

The historical portion of the Book in Vs. 1-3 introduces us to the nature of the book, its source, the time of its fulfillment and its practical application.

1. PLEASE READ REVELATION 1: 1-3.

Revelation is the Greek work apocalypses, from which we get our word apocalypse. Except when our word is used as a title for this book, it is used of judgment and doom--and these things are part of the book's message. But the Greek word means "to unveil," "lay bare," "disclose," or "reveal" what has been hidden or unknown. The superscription in my bible reads "The Revelation of St. John the Divine"; however, the actual inspired text reads "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." The Book Revelation is about Him, but more to the point, He is its source. The Book of Revelation was revealed by Jesus Christ. We are to take the text as a direct word from God thru John the inspired writer. The Book was never intended to be a puzzle or mystery which no one could understand. The write expected his message to be understood.

Notice he channels and recipients of the revelation. It was given to Jesus Christ by God. Christ used his angel to show it unto his servants. The Revelation was channeled by his angel unto his servant John. John in turn bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that He saw. John had a divine source for his information and a divine subject for his discussion. The ultimate source is the Heavenly Father.

The word SIGNIFIED in Vs. 1 is a key word in describing the nature of the Book of Revelation. Strictly speaking, it means to make known by some word or sign. Thus it is admirably suited to the symbolic character of the book. The Greek title of the book, the Apocalypses, is also reflected in our word apocalyptic. The word Apocalyptic is used to describe the kind of vivid symbolic language found in Revelation.

 

Please do not approach this study with the mind-set that "I'm not going to understand this Book." Jesus said in 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."

Vs. 3 is the first of the seven beatitudes of Revelation. The other six, each containing the word BLESSED are found in Rev. 14: 13; 16:15; 19: 9; 20:6; 22:7and 14.

It is not by chance that the Book of Revelation is last in the Bible. A new Christian ought to become well-grounded in the earlier books before coming to this challenging book. However, he or she ought not to ignore it but to read it and to hear the words of this prophecy. The book is a revelation, a prophecy, and a letter.

The word Keep can mean "take to heart," "heed," "or to obey." It constitutes a call for obedience, a call to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only. The Book of Revelation has a practical purpose. Obeying the message of the book, which is a message from the risen Lord, constitutes a challenge for faithfulness. It is not designed to satisfy curiosity, but to stimulate courage and steadfastness as well as hope.

The Greek word for time often is translated "season." It does not indicate the passing of days, months, or years. Rather it describes special times, whether long or short, in God's revelatory plan. Here the word seems to refer to the special time when God brings down the curtain on human history. We are to be faithful to Christ because He has revealed His Word of truth and expects people who receive it to be faithful in living it.

2. PLEASE READ REVELATION 1: 4-6.

The inscription in Vs. 1-3 has set forth the divine source, the prophetic character, and the blessed purpose of the Revelation. Then follows the salutation, in which the writer John, addresses the seven churches that are in Asia. The salutation indicates that the entire book and not merely the portion in Ch. 2 & 3 containing the seven letters, is intended for the churches of Asia.

John's use of the number seven alerts us to this, for in Hebrew numerology it symbolized completion or perfection. You will notice the repeated use of the number 7 throughout most of the book. The churches, which are enumerated in Vs. 11, wherein seven cities that formed a rough circle in the province of Asia. This also makes us aware that John was including all the churches in the province of Asia in his book.

Grace and Peace were the common components in salutation in Christian correspondence in the first century. Grace is God's unmerited favor that come sot us because of what God in Christ has done for us in saving us. Peace is more than the cessation of hostilities. It describes a vibrant, positive quality of well-being that is ours because of the grace that comes to us thru Christ. These gifts are brought from the Father, from the Holy Spirit, and from the Son, Jesus Christ. This is the triune-God-head, or the TRINITY. God's eternal nature is expressed in the phrase who is, and who was, and who is to come. He is the great I Am.

Grace and Peace also issued from the seven spirits before God's throne. Because seven is a complete or perfect number; John probably referred to the Holy Spirit.

Three distinct and beautiful titles identify Jesus in Vs. 5. He is the faithful witness. Jesus resurrection is the focus of the second title, the firstborn from the dead. Paul used the phrase for Jesus in Colossians 1:18 "the firstborn from among the dead." The idea is that Jesus as the first to arise form the dead never to die again. His resurrection guarantees His followers' resurrection.

The title KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS in Rev. 19:16 may have been an outgrowth of John's third description of Christ in Rev. 1:5: the ruler of the kings of the earth. He is sovereign over all earthly kings. Jesus came to earth the first time as an humble, suffering servant. Unknown to most of the world. His second coming will reveal Him as King of Kings.

John's statement that our salvation was made possible by his blood agrees with the them that runs thru the whole New Testament. He freed us from our sins to live for Him. We often sing "What can wash away my sin; nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again; nothing but the blood of Jesus."

Vs. 6 states the result and he purpose of our marvelous redemption. We have been made a kingdom and priests. As priests we represent God to people and people to God. Priests serve God.

Our priesthood has more than privilege attached to it. Because of it, we are to serve others in Christ's name. God must get the glory from all we do. Whether in our priestly activities or in our service in Christ's name, the glory and the power belong to God. As priests, we are to be faithful to Christ by representing Him to others.

A Baptist lady was telling of riding on a plane reading her Bible when the man in the other seat asked, "Are you a nun." "O no," she replied, "I am a priest." This gave her the opportunity to turn to Rev. 1:6 and witness to the man of Jesus Christ.

3. PLEASE READ REVELATION 1: 7-8.

This coming of Christ for the establishment of the perfected Kingdom of God is the great central theme of the Book. It is not fulfilled alone in the movement by which the purposes of God are being wrought out on the stage of history. There is not only this divine process; there is also a final crisis. The return of Christ is not to be interpreted as an evolution; it points to an event. There is too be an actual, personal, visible reappearance of our risen and ascended Lord. Of that event, there are phases which are blessed and full of comfort and hope.

As portrayed here, however, it is a coming in judgment. There is no mention of repentance or of faith on the part either of the Jews who once rejected Him or of the gentile nations who have refused to obey him. Here they see Him in who they have not believed; here the mourning is in despair. This is an announcement of the last scene in which the judgments predicted in this book reach their climax, and when by the defeat of His enemies Christ establishes His universal rule. The phrase "Coming with the clouds" in Vs. 7 is symbolic of Christ's deity. All who are alive at the time of His coming will see Him. This is not the rapture, this is the coming to establish His millennial reign on earth. By implication, His coming will be victory for people who have been faithful to Him.

To this solemn prophecy, containing the main burden of His message, the writer adds the authority of the divine name. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty ." Only here and in Ch. 21:5 is God represented as the Speaker. "The Alpha and the Omega," the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, are mentioned to denote, not the eternity of God, but His all-inclusive power. He is "the Almighty." He has controlled the events which culminate in the Advent. That event to is in his power, as will be that new order, "A new heaven and a new earth." which the return of Christ will introduce.

Though we are not to try to predict the time of Christ's return, we are to be prepared for it and are to expect it at any time. Beyond this, we are to be faithful in our task of telling others of God's redemption.

Vs. 9-11 enlarge upon what John has written in the previous verses. The seven church are named for the first time.

4, PLEASE READ REVELATION 1: 12-18.

It is the Christian Sabbath, the Lord's day." Possibly the aged apostle has been thinking longingly of his dear friends in the cities of Asia, across the sea, gathering in their accustomed places of worship. Suddenly he is seized with a spiritual estasy. He hears behind him "a great voice, as of a trumpet." He turns and is overwhelmed by a vision of his living Lord. John now described his experience of encountering the risen Christ.

In picturesque, symbolic language drawn heavily from the imagery in Ezekiel and Daniel, John described Christ in all His majesty, strength, and glory standing in the midst of His churches. John was terrified, but he received words of peace and hope for perilous times.

What He saw is the opening vision of the book. He first saw seven golden lampstands, which symbolized he churches John addressed in His book. Again the use of the complete number seven meant that John was indicating all the churches in the province of Asia.

In the midst of the lampstands was an awesome figure of One John described as being "like a son of man." By the time John wrote these words, the title "son of man" was tied closely to Christ. In the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus often used this title for Himself. It was His favorite self-designation. John indicated that in his vision the resurrected and ascended Christ was standing in the midst of the churches. He was there to direct, protect, and judge the churches as the letters to the individual churches indicate. In Vs. 13 John described Christ's clothing. This description of Christ's clothing suggests His high priesthood, dignity and divine authority.

Christ's physical appearance also was awesome. In Vs. 14 John described Him as having his head and hair white like wool. Daniel had described our Lord in Dan. 7:9 as "the Ancient of Days" with clothing as white as snow, the hair of His head was white like wool." These words may have alluded to Jesus deity and wisdom.

John described Jesus' divine majesty in all its power and it was terrifying to him. The Lord's voice was like the sound of rushing waters. It conveys the ideas of majesty and glory.

The seven stars in Vs. 16 are identified in Vs. 20 as the angels of the churches. These angels or messengers generally have been identified as the pastors of the churches. That Christ was holding them in His hand indicates His divine protection of these church leaders.

John's description of a sharp double-edged sword coming out of Christ's mouth in Vs. 16 may seem grotesque to us and would be if we took it literally. The imagery, however, is that of Christ's word by which He conquers. This is true throughout Revelation. Though it seems militaristic, the phrase refers to the victorious power of God's eternal Word. Being double-edged it is a sword of blessing or cursing and judgment.

In John's vision, Christ's face was so radiant that he scarcely could look at it. Christ's face was not only dazzling, but it also was blinding like the sun shining in all its brilliance. This description points to Christ's glory and victory. John's vision was majestic and awe-inspiring. The vision of the risen Lord moved him so deeply that he fell to the ground. Then Christ said to John, "Do not be afraid." John was overcome by the tremendous fear, but the living Lord was able to overcome his fear and to comfort him.

John's reaction to his viewing the majestic revelation of the exalted Lord conveys a wonderful truth. Christ can comfort us during troubled times. So often in His earthly ministry He calmed and comforted His disciples when they were nervous or afraid. he will do the same for people who serve Him today. His message to us is the same as it was to John. He assures us that He is kindly disposed toward us. We are to reverence Him, but believes have nothing to fear from Him. He is our advocate.

Christ first identified Himself to John as the First and the Last. He was present in the beginning and He will be present when the last trumpet sounds. He was God's agent in creation. He always has existed, and He always will exist. He is the Eternal Sovereign.

Christ further identified Himself as the Living one. The translation in Rev. 1:18 could be "I am the One who lives continuously." The Living Lord referred to His death and resurrection: "I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever!" Jesus apparently wanted to make His identity clear as the ever-living one.

The keys of death and Hades also are in Christ's possession. The words death and Hades are almost synonymous here. Hades often translates the Hebrew term sheol for death or grave. The word commonly indicated the place of all departed dead. Not even Christ's followers can escape the inevitability of physical death. Yet Christ holds the keys to death and the grave, and He will unlock the chains that hold people in bondage. Thru His death and resurrection, He has overcome our ultimate and final enemies.

In His resurrection Christ triumphed over death and came out of Hades, the grave. So in 1 Cor. 15:54-55 Paul can write, "Death is swallowed up in victory. "O death, where is your sting? O hades, where is your victory?"

For we believers to be faithful to Christ, we need to renew our awareness that we serve the majestic, exalted, living Lord in whom peace and hope are found. Because of who He is and what He is capable of doing, He is worthy of worship and praise.

NEXT SUNDAY FROM REVELATION 2 LET'S SEE IN WHAT WAY CHRIST EXPECTS OUR CHURCH TO BE FAITHFUL. A.V. DAUGHERTY 1-06-00