"the Future Is Here" Series

REVELATION

“The Future is Here!”

Revelation 1:1-4

CBS aired a TV series called Early Edition. Set in Chicago it follows a man who mysteriously receives his newspaper the day before it is actually published? What this means is that he knew everything that was going to take place before it actually happened? He is able to stop tragedies from taking place by warning individuals of things that were about to happen, he knew what stocks to invest in before they went up. He was essentially a prophet but this was just a fantasy TV series. Never actually happened. Revelation is a book of prophecy. Only God can prophecy and I’m glad. I really don’t want to know every detail of life before it happens. Surprises are nice. Many people; pastors, psychics and others will often claim they have the ability to know the future but only God actually knows.

Isaiah 46:9-10 says, “remember the former things, those of long ago, I am God and there is no other: I am God and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: my purpose will stand and I will do all that I please.” Haven’t you ever wondered why all the people who claim to be psychics never win the lottery? The weatherman can only make an educated guess. But here’s the deal—a prophet of God is right 100% of the time. He knows the future, we know HIM. That’s enough.

Now having said that, in all of us there is a sense in which we want to know something about the future. I want to know that God has an ultimate plan for His creation. I want assurance that from God’s view. That everything is planned, under control and on schedule. And the book of Revelation tells ne the future is in God’s hands and the best is yet to come. Now Satan hates the scripture—especially two books in the Bible---Genesis and Revelation, the first and last books of scripture. And this is why—because in Genesis, Satan’s demise is prophesied and in Revelation it is realized. Satan doesn’t exist in the first two chapters AND he doesn’t exist in the last two. These two books, Genesis and Revelation are the bookends that tie the gospel message together. Look at this.

• In Genesis, we see all the creation of the heavens and the earth. In Revelation we see the creation of the new heavens and the new earth.

• In Genesis we see the first Adam reigning on earth. In Revelation we see Jesus, the last Adam; reigning in glory.

• In Genesis we see the beginning of death and the curse. In revelation Jesus brings us to a place where there is no more death and no more curse.

• In Genesis, Satan appears for the first time. In Revelation, he appears on earth for the last time and he is thrown into the fiery pit and a lid is placed on it to contain him.

Now I want to give you at least 4 truths about The Revelation built around four topics in this book. Let’s look at …..

1. The Main Person in Revelation. The first two verses in Revelation tells us that the central person of the book is Jesus. Revelation 1:1-2. When the world begins to wind down we will not be looking for some thing to happen; we will be looking for some one to come. Jesus. The 2nd coming of Jesus will be very different from His first coming. He came the first time to be crucified. This time He will come to be crowned as king. He came the first time to be nailed to a tree; the 2nd time He will sit on a throne. He came the first time and stood before Pilate---this time Pilate will stand before Him. To be judged. The main person in Revelation is Jesus.

2. The Main Purpose in Revelation. Revelation 1:1-2. To show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass. Only God knows the future and the clear purpose of Revelation is for His Son to show us the future. Don’t ever get the idea that some people have---that Satan knows the future. People get the idea that Satan knows everything. Make sure you get what you believe—your theology, from the Word of God; not from popular thinking or the trends of the day.

3. The Main Promise of Revelation. Revelation 1:3. This verse reminds us that there are 3 things we are told to do when we approach the book of Revelation.

• We must read it. We are promised a blessing if we read it. If you want to be blessed then read the book of Revelation.