Intro: The book of the revelation is a book that uncovers God in all His divine grace and mercy. Even more powerfully it displays His Justice and Judgment of a world corrupt and broken by sin. It is a divine call for any who have not yet received Jesus as Lord and Savior to take hold of His nail scarred hand.
John 1.12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”
The word received in the Greek carries the meaning of taking hold to make use of. As you take hold of a hammer to drive nails, a screwdriver to tighten screws, a level to make things plumb and square. That is what this book of the revelation reveals to us. Jesus stands at the door and waits for us to accept His help in our every day life.
It is written especially for Christians in time of persecution and suffering.
In America today most Christians know nothing of the suffering of the people to whom John wrote. But if the attacks on Christianity are any indication it will not be long.
The Da Vinci Code, Homosexual Marriage, The attack on religious freedom. These are just the tips of the iceberg.
Hollywood has nothing on God. The stunning images and events in the book of revelation are almost more than a person can handle. Many find the book difficult and therefore discard it in their reading and study.
It is such a relevant book for us today, we must read and understand it because it is a book that reveals, a book that reports, and a book that rewards.
Revelation 1.1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” (It uncovers what God is doing)
I. It is a book that reveals (make plain what is about to happen – the message)
Daniel was given a prophecy and told to seal it in Daniel 12.9. John is given the opposite command. Revelation 22.10 “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy,” God is making plain what He is doing.
It shows us through signs, pictures and symbols taken from the Bible itself, mostly the OT the coming King of Kings Jesus Christ as He conquers and sets up His eternal kingdom.
A) Who Jesus is
1) The Central person of prophecy – Revelation 19.10 (turn there)
He points us to eternal realities, not temporary glory. While earthly wisdom tells us to get what we can while we can get it, God’s wisdom shows us the reality of eternity that lies beyond the visible nature of this corrupt world. It shows us the Resurrection beyond the Cross.
2) The Clear purpose of prophecy
a) To show God’s information (truth)
Galatians 1.12 “For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Paul’s gospel came from revelation of Christ
1 Corinthians 14.6 “But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?”
Preachers message revelation of God’s word.
b) To show God’s direction
Jesus, Paul and others travel plans were based on God’s revealed plan. Galatians 2.22 went to Jerusalem because of revelation.
c) To show God’s instruction
Where the Bible comes alive and begins to affect our every day life.
God shows us who He is through Jesus Christ. Revelation of the birth of Jesus Romans 16.25, Eph 3.3, He who has seen Jesus has seen the father John 14.9, Revelation tells us of the final judgment Romans 2.5 God will judge those who did not recognize and acknowledge Him.
1. For the Christian a revelation of Glory and Honor 1 Peter 1.7
2. For the Christian a revelation of Grace 1 Peter 1.13
3. For the Christian a revelation of Joy 1 Peter 4.13
Revelation is available to all that would have ears to hear.
John Calvin
Man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God’s majesty"
The revelation that God gives us is not merely for entertainment and enjoyment.
God’s uncovering is meant to make us examine ourselves.
B) Who you are
(Saved or sinner) (Dr Adrian Rogers you are a saint or an aint!!)
1) God’s revelation shows us who we are
The Bible does a masterful job of revealing who God is. As we stand in awe of who God is the Bible also uncovers who we are.
If you have never believed on Jesus Christ and His death burial and resurrection you are a sinner with no help for today and no hope for tomorrow.
2) God’s revelation shows us who we can be
If you are saved it is trying reveal to you that you are more than a conqueror through Christ. You are a child of the king, a Kingdom of priests, a Holy people called out for God’s purpose. It shows us that we do not have to be controlled by this worlds way of thinking or living we can be changed into the image of Christ!!!
If we are saints of God then the book has a report for us
Revelation 1.1 “which God gave Him to show His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,”
II. It is a book that reports
A) Through His representatives
B) To His redeemed
1) A message of hope
A firm assurance God is in control and our future is safe and secure in the arms of Christ.
The Stock market is down but Christ is risen
Social Security is about to run out but Christ is risen
Our nations debt is more than our grandchildren could pay off but Christ is risen.
Iran has nuclear weapon, Jesus speaks a word and nations fall.
This world is temporary God continues draw our eyes off this world and get us focused on what will last forever.
Unknown “Hope for the best, get ready for the worst, take what God gives.”
2) A message of haste
1.1 “the things which must soon take place”
The word soon comes from the Greek word tachos. It is where we get our word tachometer.
It means something that will happen suddenly or quickly.
Not as in tomorrow, but things will happen in quick succession after they have begun.
Jesus is coming suddenly and quickly
Paul said in 2 Cor 6.2 “Now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Why did Paul say that to the Corinthians?
Hebrews 9.27 “And inasmuch as it is appointed for me to die once and after this comes judgment.”
3) A message of heart
God’s desire for us not to compromise with the world
Romans 10.9-10 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
Revelation 18.4 “Come out of her”
18.7 “To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, “I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.”
Psalm 14.1, 53.1 “The fool has said in his heart there is no God.”
There is no one I am accountable to.
Revelation 2.4 “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
The widest thing in the universe is not space; it is the potential capacity of the human heart. Being made in the image of God, it is capable of almost unlimited extension in all directions. And one of the world’s greatest tragedies is that we allow our hearts to shrink until there is room in them for little beside ourselves.
A. W. TOZER (DON’T FOLLOW THE WORLD BY FOCUSING ON YOURSELF)
For a heart that obeys this is a book that rewards.
III. It is a book that rewards
“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and heed the things which are written in it.”
A) Happiness promised
“Blessed is he” Wow those are powerful words. Words that John was commissioned to write from Christ. A Powerful promise for the bond-servants of Jesus our Lord.
B) Happiness possessed
“reads, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and heed the things which are written in it.”
Hearing is not enough we must heed, obey the word of God.
Happiness happens to Christians when we “take to heart”(NIV) God’s word
NIV “take to heart”
What does it mean take to heart. It means to take seriously, obey, and practice what you have heard, read, and had preached to you.
James 1.25 “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
Remember your parents saying this “Are you listening to me.”
We hear a lot of noise in our lives. But the key is are we listening are we obeying what we hear from God’s word?
Are you taking seriously the temporary nature of this world and its evil economic and religious system? Are you taking seriously Jesus commands revealed in this book?
Have you understood that Jesus is coming back to reward the righteous and sentence the sinner?
Have you taken to heart the word of God?
