NEW LIFE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP Revelation Chapter 1 NEW LIFE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP

Revelation 1 I. Introduction: Christ Predicting 1:1-8 A. Prologue 1:1-3 1. Title: Revelation of Jesus Christ 1:1a a. Definition: apo/kalupsis “from”/covered = to uncover “To reveal that which was previously concealed”

b. General nature of apocalyptic literature: 1. Literature written to encourage people in times of persecution 2. Depicts God’s people as suffering unjustly at the hands of the ungodly 3. Present sufferings are the setting for a message of future deliverance

c. Specific features of apocalytic literature: 1. Symbolic language 1:1 2. Despair of history 3. Promise of direct divine intervention 4. Deliverance at end of time 5. Heavenly agents (angels, etc.) 6. Pseudonymous authorship (not in Rev.)

d. Interpretation approaches to Revelation: 1) Preterist: fulfilled in 1st Century destruction of Jerusalem 2) Continuous-historical: fulfilled throughout church history 3) Spiritual: symbolical of triumph of God (good) over Satan (evil) 4) Futurist: everything after 6:1 fulfilled in future at end of age **Best method: Preterist-Futurist combination

2. Method of Disclosure 1:1a-2 a. Ultimate: God b. Intermediate: Jesus Christ c. Human: John 1:4, 9; 22:8 3. Value: Beatitude – Blessing Promised 1:3

B. Greetings 1:4-5 (like a letter) 1. Author John 1:4a 2. Destination – 7 churches in Asia 1:4b 3. Benediction – with Trinity focus 1:41-5 Three-fold type of literature: ~~Apocalyptic 1:1 ~~Prophetic 1:3 ~~Epistolary 1:4, 9; Ch. 2 and 3

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C. Doxology: Praising Jesus for His loving redemption that elevated us into a Kingdom and Priests to serve God 1:6

D. Theme: Return of Christ 1:7 Look, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen Rev 1:7

E. Authority: Eternal, Almighty God 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. Rev. 1:8

II. First Vision: Christ Evaluating the Churches 1:9-3:22 A. Christ among the churches 1:9-20 1. Situation of Author 1:9 ~~ “Partner” in Suffering and Kingdom and Patient Endurance ~~ “Prisoner” on Island of Patmos

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1. Situation of Author (continued) ~~John in mid-90’s is a religious prisoner on the Island of Patmos 1:9 under Domitian (81-96) ~~Some of the churches were experiencing present or imminent local persecution

1. Situation of author (continued) Nature of persecution under Domitian: ~~Forced worship of himself as deity ~~Required people to address him as “Lord and God” ~~Picked on Christians in particular ~~Localized, not empire-wide persecution

2. Command to Write 1:10-11 “On The Lord’s Day”

a. Kind of being – “like a son of man” Dan 7:13 3. Details of Vision 1:12-16 a. Kind of being – “like a son of man” Dan 7:13 b. Clothing – full length robe with golden sash c. Hair – white like wool and snow Dan 7:9 d. Eyes – blazing fire e. Feet – bronze glowing in furnace f. Voice – sound of rushing water Ezek 43:2 g. Hand – held seven stars h. Mouth – projected sharp double edged sword i. Face – like brilliant sunshine Ezek 43:2

4. Instructions of Christ 1:17-19 a. Identity (1) “First and Last” Isaiah 44:6 (2) “Living One” Hosea 1:10; Joshua 3:10, Ps 42:2 (3) Holds “keys of death and Hades” Job 38:17

4. Instructions of Christ (continued) b. Key to understanding 1:19 (1) “What you have seen” = Past = Chapter 1 (2) “What is now” = Present = Chapters 2-5 (3) “What will take place later” = Future = Chapters 6-22

Revelation Past Present Future Intro Letters to 7 Churches Heavenly Praise Chs.2-3 Chs.4-5 7 Seals 7 Trumpets 7 Bowls of God’s Wrath Millen- nium New Heavens & New Earth Chs.6-19 Chs.20-22 Past Present Future

5. Interpretation of Vision 1:20 a. Seven stars in his hand = angels/messengers b. Seven candle sticks = seven Asian churches

c. Significance of Vision (1) Here the symbolical nature of the book begins to take shape (2) The details of the vision are used again in the descriptions of the Author of the letters to the churches 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1 (3) Christ is pictured as Judge who is evaluating and correcting the churches (4) Shows deity – 6 Old Testament descriptions of God are applied to Christ