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The Revelation Of Jesus Christ

The Revelation Of Jesus Christ. Five Key Points To Understand The Book Of Revelation

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The Revelation Of Jesus Christ

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  1. The Revelation Of Jesus Christ Five Key Points To Understand The Book Of Revelation 1. Revelation is the most “Biblical” book in the Bible. There are hundreds of quotes from the Old Testament. There are many allusions to Ancient Neat East rituals and practices. A through understanding of the entire Bible is needed to understand the Book Of Relation.

  2. 2.Revelation is basically a prophecy about imminent events. The events recorded in the book were directed towards the first century. It is not about nuclear war, space travel or even the end of the world. The phrase, “the time is near” is used repeatedly in the prophecy. 3. Revelation has a definite system of symbolism. The meaning of the symbols is not just a matter of interpretation. They are systematic to the other symbols in the Bible.

  3. 4.Revelation is a record of a heavenly worship service in progress. It is not a textbook on prophecy. John continues to bring this point home through out the book. 5. Revelation is a book about dominion. It is not a book about how terrible the Anti-Christ is, or how powerful the devil is. The very first verse says that the book is a “revelation of Jesus Christ”. It tells about His lordship, dominion and victory over all!

  4. Eschatology – Study Of End-Times • MANY different views on the end-times • Must understand history to understand the differing views • End-times theology must be based on the entire theme of the redemptive message of the Gospel. It is not tacked on to the end of history. It is the understanding of HIS-tory that creates a proper end-time belief system.

  5. Some Key Terms Of End-time Theology • The Millennium– 1000 year period • The Tribulation– Time of peril on the earth • 3. Anti-Christ– Person/Spirit opposing Jesus • 4. The Rapture– The taking up of the church • 5. The Kingdom– The reign of Jesus as King • 6. Dominion– The ultimate victory of Jesus and His church

  6. Brief Outline of Various Views Note: The present popular end-times theology (popularized by the Left Behind series) is a fairly recent view point. In light of church history it is quite a novel approach) Basic Question: When will Jesus return Various answers to this question have led to the development of these 3 general view points (each has slightly varying finer points).

  7. Post-millennialism– holds that Jesus will return after an earthly “golden age” of peace and righteousness as depicted in Rev. 20:1-6. Hence, the second coming is post-millennial. • Stresses human (the Church) involvement working with the Holy Spirit in ushering in this period. • Righteousness and goodness with increase to the point where the millennial reign will start.

  8. 2. A-millennialism– This view does not anticipate a literal one-thousand year golden age sometime in the future. See the term as symbolic to the Church age entirely. • The second coming will will mark the beginning of eternity w/o any other change in time periods.

  9. 3. Pre-millennialism– The Lord will return prior to the 1000 year reign and set up His kingdom on earth for the millennium. • Satan will be restrained during this period • Human agency (the Church) plays no role in the coming of the golden age. It arrives solely as a gift of grace and only after a catastrophic act of God that brings the present age to a close

  10. Two Major Divisions Of Pre-millennialism: • Historic Pre-mill– Arises from the claim that this view has been present since the time of the early church fathers. • They see a time of tribulation directed against the church, climaxed by Christ’s coming to rescue the church from the forces of evil. • The millennium is a time for God to bless the faith followers who have endured

  11. 2. Dispensational Pre-millennialism– divides human history up into various time “dispensations” • Emphasizes which groups of people (the New Testament Church and Israel) will be the focus of God’s attention during the tribulation and millennium. • Church is raptured out of the world before the tribulation. Israel is being prepared for the Messiah during this tribulation.

  12. Some believe that the church will be raptured out in the middle of the tribulation • Some believe that the church will be raptured out after the tribulation • Christ will return with His glorious Church to destroy the forces of evil at the end of the tribulation and usher in the millennium. • Focus is on what natural Israel is doing rather than on the commission of the Church.

  13. Understanding The Patterns of Prophecy • Biblical prophecy is best understood under a system of interpretation that is consistent through out the Bible. • The “law of first mention” is key to understanding how to understand all prophetic books. • All the prophetic/law books are written as a “Covenant Lawsuit” which follow the same basic structure.

  14. All prophecy contains both literal and symbolic images. The key to understanding Revelation and any prophecy is knowing where the imagery comes from. (PR16,20) • Starting point – Eden– God’s plan to get back to the original place and purpose for man! (mountain, water, gold, gems, trees, garden, wilderness, Adam) (PR44) • All prophetic symbols have their roots in the garden.

  15. Biblical imagery must be taken as “buzz-words” that evoke an image of what is being portrayed. • 3 Rules When Reading Revelation: • Read visually – picture what is being said • Read biblically – Don’t speculate, what does the Bible have to say about the image already • Read the story – how do the pieces fit together as a whole

  16. 3 Levels Of Prophetic Revelation • Rev. 1:19– Seen, are, and shall take place… • Definitive – Finished fact in God’s time • Progressive– What is presently happening • Final– What is coming unto an end • Remember: in heaven there is no time as we know it. What John was seeing was on all three levels at the same time.

  17. Revelation Chapter 1 • Timing and Setting of the Prophecy… • “things which must shortly take place…” • Rev. 1:1, 3, 22:6-7– shortly, soon and quickly can not be taken in translated in any other way than what they mean – a short period of time. • Dating the book – some varying thoughts on this…

  18. AD 120 – 202– Based on comments of one of the early church fathers. Very ambiguous as to what he was referring to. • AD 64-68 – Many scholars see this as more probable. Based on internal evidence of the book itself: • Jerusalem is still standing – destroyed in AD 70 • Nero is mentioned as still alive – He died in AD 68

  19. Daniel 9:24-27– states that the destruction of Jerusalem will seal up all prophecy for the nation – destroyed in AD 70 so Jewish prophecy would have to be sealed up by then • Is the dating of Revelation Really Critical? • This is the Key to understanding the entire book as it relates to history and the present and future mission of the church!

  20. Question to be answered: Is revelation a prophecy of the end of the world as we know it, or is it a prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the Old-Covenant Jewish age? Let’s look to Jesus, Himself, for some keys… • Jesus’ teaching on “the end”… • Matt. 21:33-43– Removal of natural Israel • Matt. 23:29-39 –Final judgment placed on Israel

  21. Matt 27:20 –25 –Jews sentenced themselves to destruction • I Thess. 2:14-16– Well known understanding of the early church that the days of the Jewish system were numbered and the wrath of God was getting ready to be poured out. • Matt. 24– Key teaching of Jesus on the “end of the age” (parallel passages: Mark 13 and Luke 21)

  22. Matthew 24 – The time Text • Matt. 24:34 –Sets the time frame for all the verses before it. • “This Generation”– proper exegesis must define this consistent with all the other uses in the text. Matt. 1:17, 11:16, 12:38-45, 16:4, 23:26 • It means: The sum of the then-living people being addressed

  23. 7 Signs of the “end of the age” • False Messiahs • Wars & roomers of wars • Natural disasters • Persecution • Apostasy • World-wide evangelism • The abomination of desolation

  24. 1. False Christs– The Jews were looking for a political Messiah. Many appeared during the 40 year period from Christ’s death to the destruction of Jerusalem. 2. Wars– The Roman empire was in upheaval, nations under the Romans were revolting, great persecution of the Jews was under way – many thousands slaughtered. Rumors of a Roman invasion of Jerusalem were rampant. Everyone was in fear.

  25. 3. Natural Disasters– great famines and pestilence outbreaks common, earthquakes were happening in various places all over the Roman empire. End of the world thoughts pervading. 4. Persecution – Nero’s great persecution of the Christians, many believers turned against each other to escape death/torture

  26. 5. The Great Apostasy–“the most dramatic outbreak of heresy in world history” (2 Thes. 2:3) • Connected with the concept of Anti-Christ (Gal1:6-9, 2:54-5, Acts 20:28-30) • The AntiChrist – never mentioned in the book of revelation! • Only occurrences of the term: 1 John 2:18-26, 1 John 4:1-6, 2 John 7-11

  27. Conclusions… • Not just one individual, many antichrists. • Was already working before AD 70 • Was a system of heresy and unbelief as well as individuals • Had been members of the church, but apostatized

  28. 6. World-wide Evangelism– Understanding of the term “world” is key - “world” = known, inhabited world • Acts 2:5– Every nation under heaven • Romans 1:8– throughout the whole world • Col. 1:6– as it is in all the world • Col. 1:23– has been preached to all creation under heaven

  29. 7. The Abomination of Desolation Matt. 24:15 • Daniel 9:26-24 – prophesies the coming armies to destroy Jerusalem • Key O.T. prophecy that pinpoints the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the sacrificial system

  30. Abomination = idols, filthy, idolatrous practices • Luke 21:20-22– clarifies what this abomination was – the armed invasion of Jerusalem – Romans (EV103) • During the period of Jewish wars, Jerusalem was surrounded by enemy armies many times • Beginning of the end – Edomites! (PR92)

  31. Matthew 24 – The time Text • Matt. 24:34 –Sets the time frame for all the verses before it. • “This Generation”– proper exegesis must define this consistent with all the other uses in the text. Matt. 1:17, 11:16, 12:38-45, 16:4, 23:26 • It means: The sum of the then-living people being addressed

  32. 7 Signs of the “end of the age” • False Messiahs • Wars & roomers of wars • Natural disasters • Persecution • Apostasy • World-wide evangelism • The abomination of desolation

  33. The Great Tribulation– A time in world/Jewish history like no other and would never be repeated in the same scale of wrath/violence and terror. Matt. 24:21, Luke 21:23 • Never to be repeated in history –“nor ever shall” • Historical accounts verify the horror of those 3 years of Great Tribulation (PR93)

  34. Coming In the Clouds • Immediately after the great tribulation – Matt 24:29 • Jesus uses common prophetic vocabulary • Isa. 13:9-10, 34:4, Amos 8:9, Ezk. 32:7(PR 99) • Sign of the Son of Man –“and then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven…”– Jesus is now reigning over His enemies as he sits on His throne

  35. Clouds: God’s vehicle – Ps 104:3, Isa. 19:1, Matt. 26:64 • His ascension to heaven was on a cloud – Acts 1:9, Mark 16:9 • The coming was Jesus coming to the Father to present Himself as victorious. Dan. 7:13-14

  36. Gathering His Elect • Angels = messengers, preachers of the Gospel (Matt. 11:10, Luke 7:24) • Gather His elect –“to synagogue”– Deut. 30:4 – direct quote by Jesus. A new type of gathering is being instituted. • Matt. 23:37-38 – Jesus desired to “gather” Israel but they rejected Him • Jesus uses the term “super-synagogue”

  37. Seven cities served as “postal” distribution points • After the fall of Jerusalem Asia Minor became the center for influence for the early church – Ephesus- epicenter • Center for the cult worship of Caesar • Caesar was known as “lord and savior” and “son of god”. Christianity would have to confront this in order to flourish. Christians were killed for this.

  38. They do not represent 7 spiritual stages of church history, but actual churches. • If this is true, the church age ends in defeat (Laodicean church). Many who hold a dispensational, pre-trib theology will say we are in the last age. • The church is to be glorious before the return of Christ • Seven IS important – qualitative fullness or perfection of purpose and fulfillment

  39. Seven– here means that the message of the book is for all of the church in all of the ages until Jesus returns. • “Seven Spirits”– Indicates the Holy Spirit Zech. 4 – Filling and flowing through His Church in the fullness of Christ • “Witness”– Jesus is the prosecutor of truth, enforcer of the law, even to the death penalty

  40. Verse 7 - Main theme of the book – Judgment upon Israel and the institution of a new covenant. • “Seven Golden Lamp Stands”– Seven church united and connected by Jesus • Dan. 7:9-10, Dan. 7:13-14

  41. Review Of Context Of Revelation • Revelation of Jesus coming in judgment against the Jews & Romans (Matt 24:30, 26:64) • Revelation of Jesus as overcoming King of heaven and earth • Revelation of the overcoming saints of God • Revelation of Jesus 2nd coming to reign

  42. Overview of The Author & His World View • Written by John on the island of Patmos (a penal colony) – political prisoner • Saw himself in “The Tribulation” • Saw himself in “The Kingdom” • Saw himself in “perseverance” • Saw himself in Jesus

  43. Introduction of the Vision & Commission • The voice of the Lord – (Pslm 29:3) • Saw the glorified Jesus – (Daniel 7) • Saw 7 lamps stands – 7 Churches • Saw 7 stars – 7 “angels” of the 7 churches (stars= governmental rule) Seven stars on the Roman coins, constellations of stars corresponds to guiding lights in the sky (heavens)

  44. Messages To The 7 Churches Remember: Revelation is a prophetic book, just like the other prophetic books. They all represent a “covenantal lawsuit”, where God is calling a people, nation back into fellowship. The message to the 7 churches is a recounting of all of God’s covenantal history with His people.

  45. Ephesis: Language uses imagery of creation Smyrna: imagery of the Patriarchs Pergamum: imagery of Israel in the wilderness journey Thyatira: imagery of the Davidic covenant Sardis: imagery of the later prophetic period

  46. Philadelphia : imagery of the return of the exiles under Nehemiah & Ezra • Laodicea: imagery of the “last days” A.D. 30-70 • The 7 messages also contain a mini outline of the judgments in the entire prophecy: • Judgment on the False Apostles 2:1-7 (2-3) • Judgment on the False Israel 2:8-11 (4-7)

  47. 3. Judgment on the Evil King and False Prophet 2:12-17 (8-14) 4. Judgment on the Royal Harlot 2:18-19 (15-22)

  48. Detail Of The 7 Messages • Ephesus: • Most important city in Asia Minor • Hotbed of Jewish occultism and magical arts • Beginning of Gnosticism and heresies that afflicted the early church

  49. Church at Ephesus • Known for hard work & perserverance and adherence to sound doctrine • Paul’s letter to them has no doctrinal corrections (DOV. 95) • Love for sound doctrine lead to a hard-nosed approach to life – lacked the love for other brethren

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