The Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation Chapter 1 Session 5 10 January 2009 1

Review • Chapter 1 • The Introduction (vs. 1-3) • The Salutation and Occasion (vs. 4-10) • “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” • Is it “Jesus being revealed”? • Is He the object? • Is it “Jesus giving a revelation”? • Is He the source? 2

Review The Seven Spirits of efei He has made us kings and priest (Chaps 4 & 5) Several allusions to Old Testament scriptures Five personal references of John The Patmos exile 3

Review Does “the Lord’s Day” = Sunday? Should Christians judge one another? Ready… Set… GO!! 4

“…in the spirit…” Occurs Four Times: The “Lord’s day” (at Patmos) 1:10 To the throne in heaven 4:2 Carried away in the wilderness 17:3 Carried to a mountain 21:10 5

“…in the spirit…” The Ruach HaKodesh is the means by which efei reveals truth to His prophets (1 Peter 1:20-21) That which is revealed is both unknown and unknowable by man apart from God (Galatians 1:12-2:2) This is always a sovereign action initiated by efei Prophecy was often revealed in visionary form, and often when the prophet was outside of the land of Israel (Ezekiel 8:3; 11:24; 37:1; Daniel 8:2; 2 Corinthians 12:2) 6

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. Revelation 1:11

Outline of Chapter 1 1-3 Introduction 4-11 Salutation & Occasion 12-18 Vision of the Risen Christ 19 Outline of the Book 20 Prep for Chapters 2 & 3 8

Across the chest with a golden breastplate And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden lampstands; And in the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. Revelation 1:20 the seven churches Revelation 1:12,13 This is a Description of the Risen Messiah! 9

Simile And the Description Continues! His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. Revelation 1:14,15

And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. Numbers 21:6,7

And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Numbers 21:8-9

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:14-15

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:14-16

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. shoof, to crush!

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. Revelation 1:16 The right side is the side of favor Perhaps representative of the old and the new law

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:17

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. Revelation 1:16

Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Matthew 16:28 – 17:2

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 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 1:16,17

Fear of efei The unavoidable response of those who saw His glory We are too cavalier today toward the Maker of the universe We won’t even touch a light bulb without gloves, yet treat Him as our on-call genie We have no notion of His holiness, even daring to think that worship is to be to our liking A lack of fear of God is a characteristic of His enemies “fear” is one of His titles It is not a cowering fear, but a healthy, reverent fear one would have of a human father of perfect discipline and unconditional love, if one existed 22

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 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 1:16,17

Isaiah 41:4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah 48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoe-dged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 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 1:16,17

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 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: Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book… Revelation 1:11 Revelation 1:16,17

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 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 2:8 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book… Revelation 1:11 Revelation 1:16,17

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 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 22:13 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; Revelation 2:8 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book… Revelation 1:11 Revelation 1:16,17 30

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 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 22:13 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; Revelation 2:8 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book… Revelation 1:11 Revelation 1:16,17 31

“First and the Last” 7 • Isaiah 41:4 • Isaiah 44:6 • Isaiah 48:12 • Revelation 1:11 • Revelation 1:17-18 • Revelation 2:8 • Revelation 22:13 32

“First and the Last” • Isaiah 41:4 • Isaiah 44:6 • Isaiah 48:12 • Revelation 1:11 • Revelation 1:17-18 • Revelation 2:8 • Revelation 22:13 33

“First and the Last” • Isaiah 41:4 • Isaiah 44:6 • Isaiah 48:12 • Revelation 1:11 • Revelation 1:17-18 • Revelation 2:8 • Revelation 22:13 “was dead and am alive” 34

Vision in Chapter 1 Seven Features 1) Hair & head Dan 7:9 2) Eyes: Heb 1:13; 4:13 Flame of fire 1 Cor 3:13; Mal 3:2 3) Feet: symbol of walk Brass judgment cf. Brazen serpent: Num 21 4) Voice: many waters Ez 1:24; 43:2Dan 10:6

Vision in Chapter 1 Seven Features 5) Right Hand: 7 stars, lampstands: in the midst; yet in His hand 6) Mouth: two-edged sword: Heb 4:12; Eph 6:17; Isa 49:2 Judges unbeliever John 12:48 Earth smitten Isa 11:4 Antichrist consumed 2 Thess 2:8 7) Countenance: Sun Matt 17

The Divine OutlineRevelation 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; The Vision of Christ, Chapter 1 The Seven Churches Chapters 2,3 Which follows after the Churches Chapters 4-22 Revelation 1:19 38

The Keys are Self-contained The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: And the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches. Revelation 1:20

The Seven Churches“The Things which are” • The seven churches bear the light, but are not the source of the light • The seven churches are intended to send us back to the seven-branched candlestick, or candelabrum, the six arms of which with the central shaft make up the mystical seven, each with it own lamp • Called the Menora today

The Seven Churches“The Things which are” • Why these seven? He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” • Four Levels of Application: 1) Local(they were real churches with real problems) 2) Admonitory to all churches • 3) Homiletic (Personal) 4) Prophetic (outline/profile 2,000 years of church history)

Prophetic Profile? Ephesus Smyrna Pergamos Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea 43

Seven Design ElementsIn Each of the Letters to Seven Churches • Name of the Church • Title that Messiah uses of Himself • Commendation • Concern • Exhortation • Promise to the Overcomer • Close: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” 44

The Churches’ Report Cards: Philadelphia Pergamos Laodicea Ephesus Thyatira Smyrna Sardis • Name • Title • Commendation… • Concerns… • Exhortation… 6. Promise to the Overcomer… “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches” 7. 45

For the Next Session • Read the entire Book • Examine carefully Chapters 2 & 3 • Outline Chapter 2:1-7 • Summarize the Ephesians’ Report Card • Read Acts 20:16-38, and the Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians 46

The Book of Revelation