THE THEME OF THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION (REV.1)
1. INTRODUCTION (REV. 1:1-2)
A. The Book of the Revelation is called the “revelation of Jesus Christ” because first it reveals the majesty of His heart and leadership in His plan to transition this present evil age to the glorious age to come.
Rev. 1:1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him (Jesus) to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to . . . John.”
B. Second, it is a book about events that take place in His end-time plan to purify the Church, bring in the harvest, and replace the evil governments on earth with the Kingdom of God. God’s purpose in this book is first to reveal the Man behind the plan. Many only see the plan and miss the man—Christ Jesus.
C. In Revelation 1-3, John gives us 30 specific descriptions of Jesus in His majesty, ministry, and personality along with 18 eternal rewards.
1. We can identify these 30 descriptions from Jesus’ titles, names, appearance, actions, and clothing. For example, the garments that He wore speak of Him as a High Priest. His eyes like fire reveal His passion, intensity, judgment, and full knowledge of every situation.
2. There are 24 descriptions in Revelation 1 plus 18 in Revelation 2-3, totaling 42. Since 12 are used in both Revelation 1 and Revelation 2-3, there are 30 distinct descriptions.
D. These 30 descriptions and rewards are an invitation to search out the Word of God to get a greater picture of what the Spirit is saying about Jesus. The more we know about Jesus, and the more we know Jesus, the better equipped we will be in overcoming temptation and persecution.
E. Each description and reward gives us a specific insight about Jesus that is necessary in equipping the Church to overcome compromise, endure persecution, and have the heart to partner with Him in the great end-time drama. Knowing Who He is, what He has done and what He will do is key.
F. Revelation 1 is the most complete picture of Jesus in the Bible. It describes who He is (how He thinks and feels) and what He does in His end-time plan. If we read Revelation with the right perspective, it inspires us to adore Jesus and trust in His leadership. Here we see what Jesus wants emphasized about Himself to prepare His Church for the greatest release of His glory.
G. Jesus gave us these insights into His heart and ministry to form the way we pray, prophesy and serve Him in releasing His glory and warring against evil. This revelation will give us the ability to move with a spirit of boldness, gentleness, and confidence instead of with a spirit of harshness and fear.
H. No aspect of God’s grace more powerfully transforms our emotions and satisfies our souls than when the Spirit of God reveals Jesus to our hearts.
I. The Apostle Paul spoke of this truth in Philippians 3:8 when he said, “I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. . .”
J. The Holy Spirit was given to us to reveal Jesus to us. And no one knows Jesus like the Holy Spirit. As we study the Book of The Revelation, our prayer should be for the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to us. I have spoken about keys in understanding this amazing book, but the ultimate key to understanding Revelation is in knowing Jesus. It is in knowing who He is and what He does, and why.
John 16:13-14 “The Spirit . . . will guide you . . . He will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
I Corinthians 2:10-12 “The Spirit searches . . . the deep things of God . . . We have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
K. In Revelation 1, Jesus is seen as the Son of Man who leads the Church through history as the Prophet, Priest, and King. These truths are to equip the Church (Rev. 2-3) to be faithful to Him.
Rev. 1:13 “. . . One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet . . .”
1. Jesus used the title Son of Man more than any other when speaking of Himself (85 references). When Jesus spoke of Himself as the Son of Man, He proclaimed the two most important truths about Himself, that He was both fully God and fully human. By using that title, Jesus was saying I am fully God yet fully human. I am one of you.
2. As the Son of Man, He stood before the throne of God to be commissioned by the Father (Ancient of Days) to rule all the nations on the earth (Dan. 7:13-14):
“Behold, the One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven . . . Then to Him was given dominion . . . His dominion is an everlasting dominion.”
L. In Revelation 1, Jesus’ leadership in the Church is seen as the righteous prophet, merciful priest, and sovereign King. However, as the book unfolds, His leadership is openly revealed before all the nations at the end of the age in Revelation 19-22 as the Bridegroom, King and Judge.
M. In Revelation 19-22, the righteous prophet is seen in greater light as the zealous judge, the merciful priest, as the passionate Bridegroom, and the sovereign King.
1. INTRODUCTION (REV. 1:1-2)
A. The Book of the Revelation is called the “revelation of Jesus Christ” because first it reveals the majesty of His heart and leadership in His plan to transition this present evil age to the glorious age to come.
Rev. 1:1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him (Jesus) to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to . . . John.”
B. Second, it is a book about events that take place in His end-time plan to purify the Church, bring in the harvest, and replace the evil governments on earth with the Kingdom of God. God’s purpose in this book is first to reveal the Man behind the plan. Many only see the plan and miss the man—Christ Jesus.
C. In Revelation 1-3, John gives us 30 specific descriptions of Jesus in His majesty, ministry, and personality along with 18 eternal rewards.
1. We can identify these 30 descriptions from Jesus’ titles, names, appearance, actions, and clothing. For example, the garments that He wore speak of Him as a High Priest. His eyes like fire reveal His passion, intensity, judgment, and full knowledge of every situation.
2. There are 24 descriptions in Revelation 1 plus 18 in Revelation 2-3, totaling 42. Since 12 are used in both Revelation 1 and Revelation 2-3, there are 30 distinct descriptions.
D. These 30 descriptions and rewards are an invitation to search out the Word of God to get a greater picture of what the Spirit is saying about Jesus. The more we know about Jesus, and the more we know Jesus, the better equipped we will be in overcoming temptation and persecution.
E. Each description and reward gives us a specific insight about Jesus that is necessary in equipping the Church to overcome compromise, endure persecution, and have the heart to partner with Him in the great end-time drama. Knowing Who He is, what He has done and what He will do is key.
F. Revelation 1 is the most complete picture of Jesus in the Bible. It describes who He is (how He thinks and feels) and what He does in His end-time plan. If we read Revelation with the right perspective, it inspires us to adore Jesus and trust in His leadership. Here we see what Jesus wants emphasized about Himself to prepare His Church for the greatest release of His glory.
G. Jesus gave us these insights into His heart and ministry to form the way we pray, prophesy and serve Him in releasing His glory and warring against evil. This revelation will give us the ability to move with a spirit of boldness, gentleness, and confidence instead of with a spirit of harshness and fear.
H. No aspect of God’s grace more powerfully transforms our emotions and satisfies our souls than when the Spirit of God reveals Jesus to our hearts.
I. The Apostle Paul spoke of this truth in Philippians 3:8 when he said, “I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. . .”
J. The Holy Spirit was given to us to reveal Jesus to us. And no one knows Jesus like the Holy Spirit. As we study the Book of The Revelation, our prayer should be for the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to us. I have spoken about keys in understanding this amazing book, but the ultimate key to understanding Revelation is in knowing Jesus. It is in knowing who He is and what He does, and why.
John 16:13-14 “The Spirit . . . will guide you . . . He will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
I Corinthians 2:10-12 “The Spirit searches . . . the deep things of God . . . We have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
K. In Revelation 1, Jesus is seen as the Son of Man who leads the Church through history as the Prophet, Priest, and King. These truths are to equip the Church (Rev. 2-3) to be faithful to Him.
Rev. 1:13 “. . . One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet . . .”
1. Jesus used the title Son of Man more than any other when speaking of Himself (85 references). When Jesus spoke of Himself as the Son of Man, He proclaimed the two most important truths about Himself, that He was both fully God and fully human. By using that title, Jesus was saying I am fully God yet fully human. I am one of you.
2. As the Son of Man, He stood before the throne of God to be commissioned by the Father (Ancient of Days) to rule all the nations on the earth (Dan. 7:13-14):
“Behold, the One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven . . . Then to Him was given dominion . . . His dominion is an everlasting dominion.”
L. In Revelation 1, Jesus’ leadership in the Church is seen as the righteous prophet, merciful priest, and sovereign King. However, as the book unfolds, His leadership is openly revealed before all the nations at the end of the age in Revelation 19-22 as the Bridegroom, King and Judge.
M. In Revelation 19-22, the righteous prophet is seen in greater light as the zealous judge, the merciful priest, as the passionate Bridegroom, and the sovereign King.
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