Study In Revelation 2 Series

A Study in Revelation Part 2

Revelation 1: 1-3

Brief look @ last week verse 1

We saw that the word revelation (apokalupsis) means to uncover. It’s the idea of pulling back a covering to reveal something that was hidden from sight.

The Revelation was given by Jesus Himself

The Revelation concerns things that must shortly take place.

The Revelation concerns future events, things that are yet to happen. The early believers were looking fo these events to take place in their lifetime. They were doing exactly what Jesus told them to do

Read Matthew 24: 42, 24: 44, 25: 13

Every generation of believers should be watching for the Lord’s return and remember that God’s clock doesn’t keep our time but His.

Jesus gave His revelation to His servants, which are believers who truly follow and serve Him. We need to understand that there are and will be many who claim to serve/know Him but are not true believers. To those who are not followers of Christ the book of Revelation is a closed book. No amount of explaining or study can open the book to them. It will be a mystery until they truly know Jesus.

Read John 14: 26 ** 1Corinthians 2: 14 ** Hebrews 5: 14 ** 1John 2:27 ** Deuteronomy29:29

The Revelation was given to John the Apostle.

Jesus didn’t put a bunch of names in a hat and pick one out. In order for us to be used by Him we must be as John was, available. Jesus always chooses those who are available to Him to carry His message to people. That person must love the Lord and be totally surrendered to God.

The Angel of the Lord was the one who brought the message to John.

Angel: messenger. This particular angel is said to be His angel, meaning that this angel was possibly the one who is right there with Jesus at all times, His personal angel, appointed as a special servant to Christ.

According to verse 2 John said the testimony that he is giving is true. He saw the word of God (the things of Revelation are the word of God)

Jesus showed John exactly what God had given Him to show to His followers. Everything in this book, John saw and reported to you and me.

Thought Every person who reads or hears the words of this book must make a choice. You either believe John or you choose not to believe. Either John is telling the truth or he has been on the Isle of Patmos so long that he has started hallucinating.

Is Jesus returning or not? Are these events going to take place or not? Should we keep watching for Christ, for these events to take place?

If the Revelation is truly the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, we must watch and be ready because every one of these events will take place.

Read verse 3 The Revelation blesses people who do 3 things. 1.Reads, 2.hears 3.obeys the message.

In the early Church there was no such thing as the printing press, no email or mass media. There were only a handful of copies of the Word of God. Much of what the congregation got was what was read to them.

The reading here refers to someone standing before the whole church and or before groups of people and reading the Word.

UNDERSTAND. Reading is not enough. We must also hear what the Word has to say. How often do we, after reading something in the newspaper or a book forget what we just read?

Reading and hearing alone are not enough. We must do what God says. We must keep His commandments.

According to verse 3 It is absolutely imperative that we hear, read and keep what is in this book because the time is at hand. It’s closer today than it was 100 years ago. It’s just over the horizon.

The believer who keep the Word of God, written in His Book will receive His blessing.

Thought 1. No true believer has the right to ignore or neglect Revelation. Everything in these opening verses shouts the importance of the Revelation. We are not only to read it and hear it read but we are to heed every word. If God says that we are to keep the words of this particular book then I believe that He intends for us to be able to understand the writings of this book.

Thought 2. There are 7 Blesseds In Revelation

1.Rev. 1:3

2. Rev.14: 13

3. Rev. 16: 15

4. Rev. 19: 9

5. Rev. 20: 6

6. Rev. 22: 7

7. Rev. 22: 14

Thought 3. Revelation begins with a promised blessing (1:3) and closes with a promised blessing (22: 7)