I. Introduction
A. Under the Romans
1. At the time of the Greek Empire, the Jews asked Rome for help
a. The reason was that the Greek King had persecuted the Jews, desecrated the temple, and murdered faithful followers of Jehovah.
b. The Romans were their liberators, at first
c. Then, as Rome grew in strength and influence, they began to require tribute.
d. As the power of the Roman Emperor grew, he wanted more and more power. Power in the very lives of people.
e. At the time of Christ's birth, Rome was interested in tribute and taxes - money and political power
f. As time progressed, the Romans introduced Emperor worship, the greatest intrusion into the lives of the Roman subjects.
g. Their was one major religious group that refused to bow down to Caesar, those who worshipped the God of the Jews. This included Christians
h. In 70 AD, the temple at Jerusalem was destroyed and the people scattered. This effectively ended the organized opposition of the Jews to Emperor worship
i. But, Christians didn't need the temple. They gathered together in homes and other existing places to fellowship and worship.
j. At the time of the writing of the Revelation, Domition was emperor. It was he who had John exiled to Patmos. Under Domition there was very sever persecution of Christians.
2. The Jews also created a great deal of trouble for the Christians
a. Those whom Christ called the Synagogue of Satan, Jews who were not Jews
b. These faithless Jews brought unjust accusations against the church
c. They pointed fingers and told tails
B. Because of this sever persecution, the Revelation was written to a persecuted church to give them hope.
1. John's purpose was to encourage the churches to give them hope. The book of the Revelation was never intended to be taken literally.
2. How could any right thinking Christian possibly believe that a loving God would put His creation through anything as horrible as the Tribulation as revealed in this book?
a. This only describes what is now going on at the spiritual level
b. The Revelation is highly symbolic and for the most part incomprehensible
3. Therefore the Revelation was never intended to be take literally
C. Now, before you get angry with me, let me tell you that I do take the Revelation seriously and I do take it literally
1. But, what I have just been through is the rationalizations of those who would disregard the message of the Revelation
II. Body
A. First, let's realize that some of the statements made in our introduction are true
1. The church was under heavy persecution
a. We have just been through the messages to the seven churches
(1) Each church typified a specific character
(2) To some, the Revelation must have been a comfort and encouragement
(3) To others, it must have been an irritant
(4) To still others, it must have been of no consequence
b. The Synagogue of Satan was doing everything it could to destroy the church
c. The legions of the Roman Emperor were trying to systematically root out all Christians and give them over as Lion feed
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2. The Revelation is highly symbolic; but, it can be understood
a. Please turn to Revelation 10:1 - 4, here a voice instructs John to "seal up" something.
Revelation 10:1-4
Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. (2) He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, (3) and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. (4) And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down."
(1) As we can see, the instruction to "seal up" something means to keep it secret
(2) God did not intend for us to have the words of the seven thunders
(3) It might be interesting to hear those words one day; but, for now, we are not given that privilege
b. Now, turn to Daniel 8:26, Daniel had a vision concerning the end times, much of the vision was symbolic and Daniel was given some of the interpretation then the angel tells Daniel
Daniel 8:26
"The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future."
(1) The angel told Daniel to "Seal" or "Shut Up" the vision
(2) It was not to be understood
(3) God intended that Daniel's vision remain a mystery until He gave the key of interpretation to another
c. Now, turn further in Daniel to 12:4, again, Daniel is having his vision explained and the angel says to "seal" or "shut up" the vision to the time of the end
Daniel 12:4
But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."
(1) The symbolism of the prophecy of Daniel was intended to hide the true meaning of Daniel's vision
(2) But this is in direct contrast with the instructions given John in the Revelation
(a) Turn to Revelation 22:10
Revelation 22:10
Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near.
B. Write what is now
1. Turn to Revelation 1:19, here the Christ instructs John
Revelation 1:19
"Write , therefore, what you have seen, what is now
a. Jesus begins by telling John to write about what was happening at that time
(1) John had been pastor of the church at Ephesus and has intimate knowledge of the things happening in Asia
(2) Evidence in John's Epistles is that John traveled extensively to the various churches in the Middle East
b. The things that were happening then are recorded in Christ's message to the seven churches
2. There was also parts of John's vision which were contemporary to his time
a. The vision of the 24 elders around the throne
b. The angels praising God and the lamb
c. Even the souls of martyrs in heaven
3. The events which lead up to John's vision
a. The exile on Patmos
b. The vision of Christ
4. All these things were contemporary, what is now
a. We have no reason to discount any portion of these things
C. Write what is to come
1. Look again at Revelation 1:19
Revelation 1:19
"Write , therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.
a. John was instructed to write down what will take place later.
(1) In the Greek New Testament, the words used are very specific, the word which the NIV translated as will is a word used extensively to indicate something must happen because it is divinely decreed
(2) We should expand our verse to read, "Write, what is divinely decreed to come to pass after this."
(3) What God has established, will happen
b. Now, turn to Revelation 4:1, here in this verse we have a word which denotes necessity
Revelation 4:1
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."
(1) Christ has just completed the dictation of the letters to the seven church and now, He calls John to heaven to see what must take place after this.
(2) The word translated "must" has as a normal definition, "it is necessary" denoting some compulsion, and so we might expand this verse to read, "Come up here, and I will show you what must of necessity take place after this."
c. In Revelation 1:19 and 4:1, Jesus is saying in as forceful a manner as possible, John, write down these things because they are divinely decreed and will of necessity happen at some point in the future of the world
d. John is very careful in his narrative to differentiate between events in heaven and events which occur on the earth
(1) Turn to Revelation 4:2, here John describes, as best he can, what he sees in heaven
Revelation 4:2-5
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. (3) And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. (4) Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. (5) From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
(a) We could go on with John's vision; but, the point is well served in the phrase, "and there before me was a throne in heaven"
(2) Now turn to Revelation 6:1-8
Revelation 6:1-8
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" (2) I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. (3) When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" (4) Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. (5) When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. (6) Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!" (7) When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" (8) I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
(a) We know these as the four horsemen of the Apocalypse
(b) And it is obvious by John's words in verse 4, "Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.
(c) And verse 8, "They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
(d) It is obvious that these four horsemen will ride on the earth
i) It is also very obvious that the horsemen are symbolic
ii) But, the events they represent will happen on the earth
iii) This should cause us to ask whether this is a real or spiritual event
a) The first horseman is the conquering prince of the revived Roman Empire - many call him the Antichrist
b) The second horseman is war
c) The third horseman is famine
d) The fourth horseman is death and hell
iv) John sees these things on the earth - they will be real, necessary, divinely decreed
D. The end is near
1. Look again at Daniel 8:16, Notice that Daniel is told to seal up the vision because it concerns the distant future
Daniel 8:26
"The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future."
a. Now, in Revelation 22:10, John is told that the time is near
Revelation 22:10
Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near.
(1) God's time table is not our time table
(2) Daniel had 70 weeks of years given for the people
(3) Daniel could look forward to specific events happening at specific times
(4) And as far as Daniel knew the end time was going to be 490 years from the time of the going forth of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem
(5) In Daniel 9:24 - 26, this prophecy is given,
Daniel 9:24-26
"Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. (25) "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. (26) After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.
(a) The decree went out to rebuild the city walls in 445 BC
i) The Jewish people used a lunar calendar
ii) The Jewish year was 360 days long
iii) And so, the prophetic year is 360 days long
iv) At the end of the 69th week of years, 483 lunar years, from the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem in 445 BC, we have Christ's triumphal entry
(6) But, now, after the cutting off of the anointed one, there is nothing left on the prophetic calendar until the beginning of Daniel's 70 week, the beginning of the end.
(7) The reason the Spirit tells John that the end is near is because the very next item on God's prophetic calendar is the taking up of the Holy Spirit, the rapture of the church, and the pouring out of the wrath of God
2. This book is filled with symbols; but, intended for us to understand it
a. To interpret the Revelation, we let Scripture interpret Scripture
(1) Turn to Revelation 12:1
b. Most of the symbols are very clearly defined in other passages of Scripture
Revelation 12:1
A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
c. This symbol is clearly explained in Genesis 37:9 & 10, this is one of Joseph's dreams
Genesis 37:9-10
Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." (10) When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?"
(1) The sun was Jacob or Israel
(2) The moon was Joseph's mother
(3) The stars were the brothers
(4) In other words, this is a symbol for Israel
E. There are many events recorded in the Revelation which have not happened yet
1. If we are to believe the words of Christ to John
2. Then we have little or no choice to believe that these events will happen
III. Summary
A. There are many people who refuse to take the Revelation seriously
1. These people try to spiritualize it
2. They argue that John was only trying to bolster the churches
3. They argue that God would never really bring down His wrath upon the whole world
a. The God that I worship will do everything that He has promised
b. Jesus told John, these things are divinely decreed
c. These things must, of necessity, come to pass
B. God is a loving God; but, He is also a righteous God
1. He has given the LAW
2. He has promised the consequences of disobedience
a. He drowned out the whole world, except eight people
b. He took out Sodom and Gomorrah
c. He ordered the annihilation of whole races
3. He had poured out His wrath on people before
4. And He will do it again
a. Only this next time, the whole world will know that He is God and that Christ is His Messiah
C. Turn to Revelation 21:5
Revelation 21:5
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
1. Jesus now tells John, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
2. Again in Revelation 22:6
Revelation 22:6
The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place."
a. These words are trustworthy and true
b. And the angels also testifies to the reality of these future events, the things that must, of necessity, take place soon.
3. Today, we are almost 2000 years closer to these events taking place
a. We have seen, in our examination of the seven churches that we are in the last church age
b. We are very near the final hour
c. Turn to Revelation 22:16 - 21, here is the testimony of our own dear Lord and Savior
Revelation 22:16-21
"I , Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." (17) The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (18) I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. (19) And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (20) He who testifies to these things says, "Yes , I am coming soon." Amen . Come, Lord Jesus. (21) The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
D. 2 Timothy 3:16 & 17, Paul writes to the young pastor,
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (17) so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
E. And in Revelation 1:3
Revelation 1:3
Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
1. There is a very special blessing promised for those who read and heed the book of the Revelation
a. It does not matter how we interpret the details
b. God has promised that blessing
2. Paul had told us that all Scripture is God-breathed and that all Scripture is profitable for
a. teaching
b. rebuking
c. correcting
d. and training in righteousness
e. In order that the person of God might be perfect and thoroughly equipped for all good works
F. How can we possibly take the Revelation any way but seriously
