Revelation 1

Home Bible Study based on Chuck Missler's teaching on Revelation:


Session 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMAiINwaiUs
Session 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q72FgJdGzM

Introduction


High Holy Days:
- As you study prophesy more and more, you find that you start to get into the Jewish tradition. Remember that Ruth (the Church) had to listen to Naomi (Israel) to learn how to approach Boaz (Jesus).
- Rosh Hashana or the Feast of Trumpets (Sep. 28 – 30, 2011) is a call to repentance and turning to God. The days are marked by the blowing of the trumpet 100 times. The last trumpet is a long blast for as long as the man can hold the note. Also, the festival starts as soon as two priests witness the exact start of the new moon. So, no one knows the exact day or hour.
- Yom Kippur (Oct. 8, 2011), the Sabbath of Sabbaths, is the last chance to atone for sins before the new year. Jews believe that God closes the Book of Life on those who will live and those who will die in the coming year.
- Sukkot (Oct. 13 - 19, 2011), the Feast or Tabernacles, four days after the High Holy days end, is the most joyous festival of all. Temporary booths or tabernacles are constructed where the Jews eat, socialize and sometimes sleep. The Feast of Tabernacles reminds the Jews that all things come from God and that they are utterly dependent on Him.




Presuppositions
- God means what He says and says what He means
- The Bible is an integrated whole: Every detail is there by design (Matthew 5:17, 18)—Jesus said He is here to FULFILL the Torah down to the crossing of a t, which is a challenge for us to take every detail in the Bible seriously
- Nothing is trivial: All things are for our learning (Romans 15:4)
- God is His own interpreter—God explains everything Himself, which can all be found in the Bible (Acts 17:11). We should thus be diligent in our studies of the Bible to gain further understanding of the Bible.




“He shall glorify me” (John 16:14)
- Old Testament: “Behold, He comes!” – Christ in Prophecy
- Gospels: “Behold, He dies!” – Christ in History
- Acts: “Behold, He lives!” – Christ in the Church
- Epistles: “Behold, He saves!” – Christ in Experience
- Revelation: “Behold, He reigns!” – Christ in Coming Glory




Two basic discoveries about the Bible
- The Bible consists of...
  * 66 separate books
  * Penned by over 40 authors
  * Over a period of several thousand years that are an integrated message system
  * It can be demonstrated that the origin of this message is from outside of our dimensions of space and time




Central theme of the Bible
- The OT is an account of a Nation.
- The NT is the account of a Man.
- The Creator became a Man. His appearance is the Central Event of all history.
- He died to purchase us and is alive today.
- The most exalted privilege is to know Him. That’s what the Bible is all about.




Book of Revelation: THE Unveiling
- The Consummation of all things
- The only book promising a special blessing to the reader
- 404 verses containing over 800 allusions from the OT—Hence, to understand Revelation, we must be well-versed in the OT
- It presents the climax of God’s plan for Man




Author of Revelation: John
- Authored the Gospel of John, the 3 Epistles (1 John: Sermon on Love, 2 John: Personal letter to Mary, Mother of Christ, 3 John: Personal note to Gaius), the Book of Revelation
- John refers to himself 5 times in Revelation. To scholars who dispute John as the author of Revelation, consider that as a start.
- Was born at Bethsaida to Zebedee and Salome
- Was a Galilean fisherman, in partners with Peter and Andrew
- Was an early disciple of John the Baptist
- Was well-connected: knew High Priest, Nicodemus, et al (John 18:15)
- Was one of the inner circle who were present at the following events:
  * Mt. Transfiguration (Matthew 17)
  * Raising of Jairus’ daughter (Matthew 9:18)
  * Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24)
  * Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37)
- Was assigned care of Mary (John 19:26)
- Was exiled to Patmos by Domitian (81-96 AD), the brother of Titus who destroyed Jerusalem
- Was ultimately retired to Ephesus after his exile




Alternative Views on the Book of Revelation
- Preterist: Only applicable in the 1st century; i.e., it is true only back then
- Historical: Revelation was written after the fact, recapping only what has happened in history
- Idealist: Allegorical only—Christ reigns in our hearts but not necessarily on Earth
- Futurist: Revelation is prophetic—The Book of Revelation states it is prophetic (Revelation 1:3; 22:7, 10:18-19; 10:11)




Why prophecy?
- Old Testament
  * There are 1845 references to Christ’s rule on the earth
  * 17 OT books give prominence to the event
- New Testament
  * Of the 216 chapters, there are 318 references to the Second Coming
  * The Second Coming is mentioned in 23 of the 27 books
  * For every prophecy relating to His First Coming, there are eight documenting His Second Coming




Eschatology: Study of Last Things
- Amillennial: Don’t believe Christ will come and rule on Earth for a thousand years; believe that related Scriptures are all allegorical
Problems:
Messianic Promises throughout the Old Testament of Christ’s physical reign on Earth
Destiny of Israel in God’s Covenants: Romans 9-11 explains how God’s not done with Israel and that there is a prophetic future for Israel
Promise given to Mary by Angel Gabriel: Christ would sit on the throne of David
Numerous reconfirmations in the New Testament
- Pre-Millennial: Believe Christ will come and rule on Earth for a thousand years and can be further divided by when the Rapture is thought to take place:
- Pre-Tribulational: The Church will NOT see the Tribulation; Rapture occurs BEFORE the Tribulation
- Mid-Tribulational: The Rapture occurs during the Tribulation
- Post-Tribulational: The Rapture occurs AFTER the Tribulation
- Post-Millennial: Believe we’re already in the millennium; however, since things have not been getting better, this belief has been abandoned




The Heptadic Structure of the Book of Revelation
- The 7-Sealed Scroll: There is a break/parenthesis (Revelation 7) between the revealing of the 6th and the 7th Seals
- The 7th Seal reveals the 7 Trumpets: There is a parenthesis (Revelation 10-14) between the 6th and the 7th Trumpets
- The 7th Trump ushers in the 7 Bowls of God’s Wrath: There is a parenthesis (Revelation 16) between the 6th and the 7th Bowls




Sevens in the Book of Revelation
Seven Churches (Revelation 1:4, 11, 20; 2; 3)
Seven Seals (Revelation 5; 6)
Seven Trumpets (Revelation 8; 9)
Seven Bowls (Revelation 15; 16; 17:1; 21:9)
Seven Lampstands (Revelation 1:12, 13, 20; 2:1)
Seven Spirits (Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6)
Seven Stars (Revelation 1:16, 20; 2:1; 3:1)
Seven Lamps (Revelation 4; 5)
Seven “Title-pairs” (Revelation 2; 3)
Seven Promises to the Overcomer (Revelation 2; 3)
Seven Horns (Revelation 5:6)
Seven Eyes (Revelation 5:6)
Seven Angels (Revelation 8:2, 6; 15:1, 6, 7, 8; 16:1; 17:1; 21:9)
Seven Thunders (Revelation 10:3, 4)
Seven Thousand (Revelation 11:13)
Seven Heads (Revelation 12:3; 13:1, 17:3, 7, 9)
Seven Crowns (Revelation 12:3)
Seven Plagues (Revelation 15:1, 6, 8; 21:9)
Seven Mountains (Revelation 17:9)
Seven Kings (Revelation 17:10, 11)
Seven Personages: Woman, Man-Child, Red Dragon, 7-headed Beast, False Prophet, Michael, Lamb
Seven Beatitudes
  * Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear and keep those things (Revelation 1:3)
  *Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord (Revelation 14:13)
  * Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments (Revelation 16:15)
  * Blessed are they who are called onto the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9)
  * Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:6)
  * Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book (Revelation 22:7)
  * Blessed are they that wash their robes (Revelation 22:14)




Outline of the Book of Revelation (Revelation 1:19)
- John was told to write about the following:
  * Past: The things which thou hast seen (Revelation 1:12-18)
  * Present: The things which are (Revelation 2 & 3)
  * Future: The things which shall be hereafter (Revelation 4:22)




Three Women in Book of Revelation
- Wife of God (Revelation 12) = Israel
- Virgin Bride (Bride of Christ) = Church
- Harlot (Mystery Babylon) = Woman who rides the Beast




Major Prophetic Themes
Israel
Jerusalem
Temple
Babylon
Russia (Magog)
Rise of China
European Super State
Ecumenical Religion
Global Government
Rise of the Occult




Special Privileges Granted to a Friend of God
- Friend of God
  * OT: Abraham
  * NT: Disciples
- Dearly Beloved
  * OT: Daniel
  * NT: John
Unique opportunity they had in common: Apocalyptic visions




5 Examples of “Types” that Depicts Jesus
- Abraham & Isaac (Genesis 22): A Father offering a Son
- Nebuchadnezzar’s Image (Daniel 3): King of a known world (foreshadows Revelation 13)
- Redemption of the Land (Ruth): Kinsman Redeemer
- Model of the Revelation (Joshua): Joshua is a Hebrew term for Jesus; military leader (Joshua) dispossessing the land of the usurpers on behalf of the people of God; he accomplishes that by first sending in two spies (two witnesses), who saves Rahab; Joshua and his army marches around the land 7 times with trumpets and fights an alliance of 7 kings, and conquers them by the signs of the sun and the moon; the defeated kings cowered and asked to hide under rocks
- The Tabernacle (Exodus): Every detail points to Jesus Christ




Things “Out of Place” Today But Will Be Restored in the Future as Revealed in Revelation
- Israel is suppose to be its own land: It’s being corrected but not finished yet
- The Church is on Earth but is suppose to be in Heaven
- The Lamb is under the throne of God the Father but is suppose to be its own throne
- Satan is free to run around but will be bound for a thousand years




Differences between Creation and Redemption
- A few chapters discuss Creation: Two chapters in Genesis, few in Psalms, few in Job, few in Isaiah…
- Many more chapters discuss Redemption: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Joshua, Ruth, the Prophets, the Gospels, the Epistles, …, the Revelation
- Creation: accomplished by God breathing through His nostrils
- Redemption: required the death of God’s only Son, Jesus




Revelation 1:1-3 = Introduction


- The Revelation—the unveiling of Jesus Christ—was given to Him, aka Jesus Christ!
- The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by his angel unto His servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw (Revelation 1:1-2).
Him = Jesus Soon take place: Once it starts, everything will take place rapidly
Signified = events will be revealed, or made known, in signs
Saw = Revelation will be full of vivid description of what John saw
- 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 (Revelation 1:3). This is a unique promise: The Book of Revelation states it is a book of prophecy.




Revelation 1:4-11 = Salutation & Occasion


Asia: Western 2/3 of Turkey


3 Identities of Jesus Christ
1. The faithful witness
2. The first begotten of the dead
3. Prince of the kings of the earth


Tenses of Redemption
- God (Revelation 1:4) = which was (past: Colossians 1:16-17; John 8:6-8), which is (present: Hebrew 7:25), which is to come (future: Revelation 1-7)
- Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:5): the faithful witness (past: John 14: 1-3; 8:14), first begotten of the dead (present: Colossians 1:18-20), prince of the kings of the earth (future: Matthew 25; 1 Corinthians 15:24)
- Unto Him that... (Revelation 1:5): loved us (past: Galatians 2:20; John 3:16; usually in reference to the cross), washed us from our sins in His blood (present: Hebrews 7:25; 9:14), made us kings and priests (Luke 19:17, Revelation 2:28)
* Write... (Revelation 1:19): the things which thou hast seen (past: Revelation 1:12-18), the things which are (present: Revelation 2 & 3), the things which shall be hereafter (future: Revelation 4:22)


Tenses of Salvation
- Past: We have been saved from the PENALTY of sin because of Jesus’ death on the cross (Ephesians 2:8, 9); aka, positional/justification salvation
- Present: We are being saved from the POWER of sin (Romans 6); aka, sanctification (We may stumble here and there, but we don’t purposely continue to sin. With the Holy Spirit as guidance, we turn away from sin and STOP continuing to sin)
- Future: We shall be saved from the PRESENCE of sin (Romans 8:23); aka, “the redemption o our body”


Seven spirits
- Seven angels?
Revelation speaks of 7 angels who guided the 7 churches (Revelation 1-3), who will blow the 7 trumpets (Revelation 8:2-6), and who will execute the 7 bowls (Revelation 15:1, 6, 7, 8; 16:1; 17:1; 21:9)
- 7 Spirits mentioned in Isaiah 11:2?
Spirit of YHWH, Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Might, Knowledge, Fear of the LORD


We will be made kings and priests
This is VERY SPECIAL. The Israelites have always separated their kings and priests; i.e., no man is ever a king and a priest. However, in the Bible, we learn of 3 types of people who are both kings and priests: Jesus, Melchizedek, and us!


Lord’s day = We don’t know the day of the week! Many assume it’s Sunday, but…
- The 7th Day was ordained in Eden (Genesis 2)
- Shabbat was observed (Exodus 16) BEFORE the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 20)
- The Antichrist will seek “to change the times and the laws” (Daniel 7:25)
- The 7th Day is Sabbath, appointed by God. It is essentially a day when we have an “appointment” with God. As to which day it is (Monday vs. Sunday, etc.), we do not know. However, we can easily assume every 7th day, there is a Sabbath, and we have an appointment with God.
- The Millennial Temple can only be opened on Shabbat and the new moon (Ezekiel 46:1)


Revelation 1:12-18 = Vision of the Risen Christ
Description of Christ
- Clothed with a garment down to the foot
- His head and His hair were white like wool (purity of Jesus) (Daniel 7:9)
- His eyes were as a flame of fire (Hebrews 1:13; 4:13, 1 Corinthians 3:!3; Malachi 3:2)
- His feet (symbol of walk) are like fine brass
- His voice is like the sound of many waters (Ezekiel 1:24; 43:2; Daniel 10:6)
- He had in his right hand 7 stars
- His mouth is like a sharp two-edged sword
- His countenance was like the sun that shines in His strength


Brass = judgment
Numbers 21:6-7 talks about serpent of brass, and those who looked at it survived being bitten by venomous snakes. We learn later on in John 3:14-16 that the brass serpent is an emblem of Christ on the Cross. That is, the event described in Numbers 21:6-7 sets up the story told in
John 3:14-16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”


Sharp two-edged sword
The word of God is quick and powerful, able to pierce the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12); the sword of the Spirit = the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17, Isaiah 49:2)
Jesus’ mouth judges the unbeliever (John 12:48), has smittened Earth (Isaiah 11:4), will consume the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:8)


Countenance was like the sun that shines in His strength
John has seen this in the past, during the transfiguration on the Mount of Olives, “And Jesus was transfigured before them, and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light” (Matthew 16:28-17:2).


“I am the first and the last” = God = Jesus Christ (died and rose and is now alive, especially stated in Revelation 2:8 and 1:18)
Isaiah 41:4, 44:6, 48:12, Revelation 1:11, 1:17-18, 2:8, 22:13




Revelation 1:19 = Outline of the Book
- The things which thou hast seen = the Vision of Christ (Revelation 1)
- The things which are = The Seven Churches (Chapters 2 & 3: the most important chapters for Christians, as they apply to us today; the rest of Revelation, it’s fascinating to learn, but we’ll see it from Heaven)
- The things which shall be hereafter = which follows after the Churches (Revelation 4-22)
20 Prep for Chapters 2 & 3


Lampstands are the Churches:
- They provide the Light
- They were noted to be on Earth in Revelation 1, but they were noted in Heaven in Revelation 4—meaning the Church has been raptured by the end of Revelation 3!
- Israel was suppose to bear the Light and be the Light to the world, but they failed.


Seven Churches (“The things that are”)
- Why THESE seven? Every letter ends with, “He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
- The letters to these churches can be applied in many levels: local (they really were churches present at that time), admonitory to all churches (each church is an example, and all churches should learn from every lesson), homiletic (personal, i.e., there are lessons for each one of us as well), prophetic (these letters will outline 2000+ years of church history, read ONLY in the order they are written in)
Seven Design Elements Found in Each of the Letters to the Seven Churches
- the name of each church has a meaning
- the title of Christ chosen for each church has a meaning
- commendation
- concerns
- exhortation
- promise to the over-comer
- close: “He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
In the first 3 churches, the promise to the over-comer comes as a post-script; it is within the body of the letter for the last 4 churches