March 12, 2017
Morning Worship
Text: 1 Corinthians 2:9
Subject: Lessons from the Book of Revelation - Part 1
Title: Blessings From the Prophetic Word
I just finished reading through the whole bible again. In my reading routine it takes me about seven months to read through. It is amazing at no matter how many times I read through the bible there are always new things that I see that I never noticed before. As I was finishing in these past few weeks I was finishing up with the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament but I was reading through Revelation one chapter at a time. And as I was reading I felt that the Lord was prompting me to pay close attention and learn some lessons from what I was reading and not just gather information.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10,
9However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
Today I want to begin a series on Lessons from the Book of Revelation. I want us to go through and see some things about the end times that can help us right now in our walk with the Lord. Isn’t that what preaching should be about? So as we go through – and probably not the whole book – but maybe – we will ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.
Revelation 1:1-3,
1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed 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.
I believe this is God’s word…
I believe it is for me…
I accept it as mine…
I will appropriate it to my life today…
And I ask you Holy Spirit to reveal God’s purpose for our lives today.
The first thing we have to see is that God intends to reveal Jesus to us as He did to John. The word revelation in the original language…
apokalupsis (ap-ok-al'-oop-sis) n.
1. disclosure
KJV: appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation
It comes from the root word that means to take the cover off… to make something seen.
What is it that He wants to reveal to us? Jesus Christ! So if we look at the Greek word apokalupsis and the various ways it is translated in the bible we see that God desires the coming of Jesus, the appearing, the lightening, the manifestation… of Jesus be made known to us.
1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place
This revelation – the mystery made known – is for a purpose… to show his servants what soon must take place.
Now, this can take on a variety of meanings depending on one’s understanding or theology of the end times events.
Some believe that the events spoken of in Revelation and Daniel have already taken place with the Battle of Armageddon culminating with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD.
Some believe that the Rapture of the church and the Millennial Reign of Christ are only symbolic and that most of the language used in Daniel and Revelation is merely symbolism.
But the simple words in verse 1 make it pretty clear that the Lord was showing John who in turn wrote for us by the Holy Spirit things that would happen, and since those things have not happened yet we know that they must be future and literal events.
So everything that we see written in this book contains valid information for believers. And came to John by an angel…
He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Now look at the two key parts of what this revelation to John is about… the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Now we can take this two ways.
1) John in his gospel tells us John 1:1 (NIV2011)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So John’s emphasis is on the reality of the human Jesus, the Son of God who walked the earth. He heard Him and he saw Him.
2) Or the emphasis is on the written and spoken Word of God given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and everything that Jesus said and did.
I think the latter is more in line with what John is saying here, telling us that the words that he is writing are given him by and angel and are the Word of God the word testimony indicates that these words are being received from Jesus through the angel and that they are true and we need to take heed of what the Lord is saying.
3Blessed 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.
In the early days of the church one would stand and read the scripture while others would listen. That tells us three things… 1) this was intended to be shared 2) that John considered it to be viewed as the Word of God… Holy Ghost inspired scripture! 3) And that there is blessing to be received from reading and hearing.
They are to take to heart what is written…
because the time is near…
There are two different words translated as time in the Greek.
1) kronos refers to time of the day – and hour or day or a month…
2) kairos – and appointed time. This particular time is the season of the end of the church age. Pay close attention for the time is near.
4John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
John now addresses the ones who are to be recipients of these letters.
In chapters 2 and 3 we have those letters to the churches. Why did Jesus emphasize these churches alone? Weren’t there other churches that were more significant than these seven?
Some have suggested that the churches here are representative of various seasons of the church age. For instance, the first church, Ephesus, is representative of the apostolic age./ Smyrna represents the age of persecution and martyrdom. Each additional church becomes more difficult to associate with a particular time except the last church, Laodicea, which becomes the lukewarm church of apostasy which is what the church becomes before the return of Christ.
It is probably better to understand these churches as being representative of all churches in the church age. Or as you read the description of each church you can see churches form all ages fitting into that category and to each church a warning is given along with a promise.
The number seven is the number of completeness. So the seen churches are the church from the beginning to the end. John probably was a resident of Ephesus and those churches in Asia would have known him at least by reputation, and therefore this word given him by the Lord would more likely be received for what they were – the word of God.
Grace and peace to you…
A traditional greeting in letters of the time but especially significant when you look at the source of grace and peace…
from him who is, and who was, and who is to come…
The Father
and from the seven spirits before his throne…
the Holy Spirit. Why seven spirits? Again, the number of completeness. The Holy Spirit working in and to each of the churches. In Zechariah 4 we see the imagery of a lampstand with seven bowls on it that are fueled by the oil from two olive trees. Further on in verse 20 of Revelation 1 we see that the lampstands are the churches and thus the church must operate under the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be the church we are intended to be. Zechariah 4:6 (NIV2011)
6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.
Finally, the greeting from the Son… look at the threefold description…
5and from Jesus Christ,
who is the faithful witness… speaks to His utter reliability
the firstborn from the dead… Speaks to His pre-eminence among all of humanity.
and the ruler of the kings of the earth… speaks to His eternal role as ruler over all things to bring them to restoration and under submission to the Father.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Can you look at that and not see the blessings?
Can you stand before a holy God without fear of repercussions? According to the word you can. He has freed us from our sins by His blood! Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
6and has made us to be a kingdom…
Hebrews 12:28 (NKJV)
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
priests to serve his God and Father…
1 Peter 2:9 (NASB77)
9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
to him be glory… this word refers to a heaviness or weightiness but only in a good sense. Like the power or presence of God that is tangible when His grade is being poured out on His people.
and power… dominion, greatness, power…
for ever and ever! Amen.
3Blessed 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.
Oh can you see the plan that God has for the church?
Grace and peace to you…
Grace – God’s power and presence in your life for salvation, for the Holy Spirit, for provision…
Peace - to confidence of knowing that there is no problem that is too big for God to provide deliverance for you…
Will you take it to heart?
