The Book of Revelation Session 1 – Introduction Revelation 1:10 (NKJV) "…I heard behind me a loud voice…" I heard – the Gospel preached… Revelation 1:12 (NKJV) "…Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me…" I turned – repentance by the sinner… Revelation 1:17 (NKJKV) "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead…" I saw – the Light of salvation… I fell – in worship to the King! 1) First note that Revelation is singular and not a plural "Revelations." a) Revelation is "Apocalypse" (apokalupsis) and it means "unveiling." b) Revelation of what? Of Jesus Christ, how He really is today. The Revelation belongs to Him and He is the Revelation. 2) From the very beginning, Revelation makes its priority clear. While it speaks of the Antichrist, God's judgment, earthly calamity, and Mystery Babylon, its central message is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Miss Him, and you miss the whole book. Revelation 1:3 (NKJV), "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near." 3) The blessing comes to those who read, hear, and keep what is written. We are blessed because: a) The book keeps our focus on Jesus Christ from beginning to end. b) The Holy Spirit ministers to us personally through God's Word. c) We are reminded that we are the victors. d) We gain confidence that we are overcomers. e) We live with the assurance that Jesus Christ's return is imminent and could happen at any moment. i) How should the nearness of Christ's return influence our priorities, decisions, and daily walk? 4) Why is this book so strange to the reader? a) Because of our Biblical literacy. b) Because of our lack of understanding of the Old Testament. i) The Book of Revelation has 404 verses, and of those versus there are 800 allusions to the Old Testament. ii) The more you know about the Old Testament the more comfortable you will be with the meaning of the types/idioms of the Book of the Revelation. 5) Who is the One making things known to us all? John 16:13 (NKJV) "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears he will speak; and He will tell you things to come." 6) Do your own homework. Acts 17:11 (NKJV) "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." 7) This study will cost you some of your precious presuppositions (what you already believe before you start thinking about a subject). a) God means what He says and says what He means and He proves it. b) The Bible is 66 books written by 40 different authors and it is an integrated whole. Matthew 5:17-18 (NKJV) "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. c) There is nothing trivial in the Bible, it is, after all, God's Word. Romans 15:4 (NKJV) "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." d) The Bible is the best commentary on the Bible. i) In what ways does seeing Scripture as one integrated whole help us better understand Revelation? 8) Types and Metaphors (Signified – Rendered into codes) Hosea 12:10 (NKJV) "I have also spoken by the prophets, and have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets." 9) God uses grammatical expressions to get ideas across. These are not just words, but visual descriptors to turn words into a thought that aids in understanding. a) Models/ Types/ Similes i) Genesis 22 – Abraham and Isaac (The sacrificing of a son – first place that the word "love" is used). ii) Daniel 3 – Nebuchadnezzar's Image (The four great empires) iii) Ruth – Redemption of the land (Naomi), the Goel "Kinsman Redeemer/Avenger of Blood" (Boaz), and the gentile bride (Ruth). iv) Joshua – Model of the book of Revelation. b) Metaphors/ Allegories i) Tabernacle (1) I am the Bread of Life – the show bread in the Tabernacle. (2) I am the Light – the seven branched lampstand was the only light in the Tabernacle. (3) I am the Door – only one door to the Tabernacle. (4) I am the Good Shepherd – He that enters in the proper way and properly prepared is the legitimate shepherd of the flock. (5) I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life – One way into the Tabernacle, the truth of the Ten Commandments in the Ark, and the Life that comes from the sacrifice at the altar. (6) I am the True Vine, you are the branches – Single lampstand beaten out of solid gold…single branch (Jesus) and six (number of man) branches. (7) I am the Resurrection and the Life – The Mercy Seat (beaten out of a solid piece of gold) were the blood is sprinkled (John 20:12). c) Burning Bush d) Thorn bush of the desert – Part of the curse from the garden (metaphor for sin). e) Fire is symbol of judgment and the bush was on fire but not consumed – (metaphor for grace). f) Idioms (Saying or expression) i) "Friend of God" – Abraham in Genesis 18 and the Disciples in John 15 (they were given prophetic insights). ii) "Beloved" in Daniel and John (they were given apocalyptic writings). iii) How do visual descriptors deepen understanding and aid spiritual memory? 10) Signified: (1:1) "And [God] …signified it." There are 4591 sēmainō (σημαινω) {say-mah'-ee-no} form the root sema (a mark, of uncertain derivation). "Render into a code," and every code is explained somewhere in Scripture in the other books or in Revelation. a) Sememe = a basic unit of meaning (As a pixel is to a picture): i) To give a sign, to signify, indicate. ii) To make known. b) The word is translated "sign" (15:1), "wonder" (12:1, 3) and "miracle" (19:20). This same word is used by John for the miracles of Jesus in the gospel. It is a "spiritual code" understood only by those who know Christ personally. 11) Prophecy Nut? a) There are 1,845 references to Jesus Christ's rule on the earth in the Old Testament and a total of 17 OT books make a special point to such an event. b) There are 216 chapters in the New Testament of which have 318 references to the Second Coming. The Second Coming is mentioned in 23 of the 27 New Testament books, but remember that three of the NT books are single-chapter books that are sent to an individual. c) The Old Testament has 23,210 verses, of which 6,641 are prophetic – 28%. d) The New Testament has 7,914 verses, of which 1,711 are prophetic – 21%. e) Both Testaments together have 31,214 verses, of which 8,352 are prophetic – 27%. f) For every prophecy relating to His First Coming, there are eight that relate to His Second Coming. g) We must remember to test all the issues within this study against the "whole counsel of God." "In some sense, the book [of Revelation] is the conclusion to all previous biblical revelation and logically reflects the interpretation of the rest of the Bible." [John Walvoord] h) We should make no excuses for studying prophecy. 2 Peter 1:19-21 (NKJV) "19And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your heart; 20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." i) Peter says that prophecy is not a "private interpretation" and that it will shine "light into a dark place." Psalm 119:105 (NKJV) "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." So when you hear basic truths from a multiple of godly teachers you will notice that they all will line up in agreement. John 5:39 (NKJV) "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." j) First, there is no Apocrypha because here Jesus is speaking of the "Scriptures" that are available at that time and all that was there, then, is what we call the Old Testament. k) Second, the study of prophecy is the study of "Scripture…which testify of [Jesus Christ]," and will have no shame in my love of Him and of the Word that speaks of Him. l) Psalm 40:7 (KJV) "The volume of the book it is written of me"…the entire Book is written of Him and…(Revelation 19:10 (NKJV)) "…for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 12) Traditional Views a) Preterist: the book was for then only. b) Historicist: the book is a historical book only. c) Idealist: the book is an allegorical book only. i) These three are nonsense…dangerous…and depending on how far one goes…it will become heretical. d) Futurist: it is a book of prophecy. (Which we will mostly take up.) e) Preterist (from latin praeteritum, "the thing that is past") thinks that the fulfillment of most of Revelation's visions already occurred in the distant past, during the early years of the Christian church. f)
