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| Order Of Worship (Liturgy) *Song of Adoration: Hymnal #147B:1-4 “O Praise the Lord, for It Is Good” *Song of Preparation: Hymnal #476 “It Is Well with My Soul” Scripture Passage: Revelation 1 Message: A Story of the Things to Come *Song of Preparation: Hymnal #468 “Jerusalem the Golden” *Song of Response: Hymnal #73D “In Sweet Communion, Lord, with Thee” *Doxology: Hymnal #9B:1 “Wholehearted Thanksgiving” |
Dear Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,
I read a story of some upper level seminary students who saw one of the cleaning staff reading a book. “What are you reading” they asked. “The Bible” he said. “What part of the Bible?” “I’m reading Revelation” was the answer. The students thought they would help this man who was probably confused. “Do you understand what you are reading?” they asked. “O, yes!” he replied. They were astonished. “What does it mean?” “Jesus is going to win…!” he said.[1]
That is the short version of what Revelation is all about: Jesus wins! This series on Revelation is going to be a little different than my ordinary method of expository preaching. What I hope to do over the next couple of months is to teach you how to read, understand, and be encouraged from this wonderful book. It can be an intimidating book, to be sure. There are beasts and a dragon, with many heads and eyes, angels and demons, numbers are important and symbolic, etc. The best way forward is to not get caught up in the trees and miss the forest. However, I will also seek to explain the trees. After this introductory sermon, I will choose select chapters in Revelation to illustrate the purpose and message of the book. At the end of it all, I trust Revelation will be opened to you in a beautiful way.
Our theme this morning is Our Lord Jesus Christ encourages the church with a beautiful vision. This morning we see this in light of chapter 1.
- The Nature of the Book
- History of the Book
- The Message of the Book
- The Introduction of the Book
I. The Nature of the Book
Chapter 1 begins by giving us the setting of the book of Revelation. Verse 1 calls it a “revelation of Jesus Christ.” The ESV titles the book as the Revelation to John, but it could also be called the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Don’t call it Revelations). The revelation comes from Jesus, through an angel and given to the Apostle John. This is the author of the 4th gospel and the three New Testament books bearing his name. The book of Revelation was written down by John near the end of his life in likely around 95 A.D. He was the oldest living of all the apostles and the only one that didn’t die as a martyr. John wrote this from the island of Patmos, we see in verse 9 and he was probably on Patmos to keep him from preaching the gospel. The good news, by the work of God, would go forward through this letter.
It is often asked what kind of book Revelation is, since it sounds very different than other New Testament letters. We notice three things. First, it is a prophecy. John is the last of the prophets. He received a message from Jesus that he was to write down and send to the seven churches. In verse 3 they were to read it aloud, hear it, and do what it says. John’s message builds upon the message and images of the Old Testament. This point is fundamental. Unless Revelation is interpreted through and from the Old Testament, any attempt at understanding it fails. Revelation is built upon Old Testament types, symbols, and prophesies. Revelation cites more Old Testament sources than any other New Testament book. Daniel is most frequently cited along with Ezekiel, Psalms, and Isaiah. Scripture interprets scripture and the Old Testament prophets are the main source of interpretation.
Second, Revelation is an apocalyptic revelation. Verse 1 calls it a revelation which was to be shown. Revelation is a technical term that refers to apocalyptic literature. This is literature in which ideas, warnings, and hopes are communicated through powerful symbols. The fact that this is shown to John in verse 11 is important. He is taken to God’s throne room to see what he could not see from the earth. So he is receiving God’s vision of the world. This will show God’s view of history and the future and symbols are used to communicate these truths. This vision is carried throughout the whole book from 1:10 through 22:6. It offers a single extended vision with the main thrust upon the truth that Jesus is Lord.
A third thing to recognize about Revelation is that it is a circular letter. This letter was to be sent to the 7 churches of Asia Minor, present day Turkey. In chapters 2 and 3 each of these churches are addressed, but the letter of Revelation is sent as a single letter which is universal in nature. It should also be noted that in order for this letter to be helpful to the churches of the 1st century, it must have been intelligible to them. For instance, relating specific events in current world conditions, cannot be a correct interpretation. Things might become clearer as time progresses, but the same interpretive principles for the original readers must be true today.
John wrote to seven churches. That number is important. It is a number of completeness. These seven churches are representative of the universal church throughout all ages….it is for all who are awaiting the return of Christ. Since this is true, the conditions explained in the book will continue until Jesus returns.
Regarding the structure of the book, after this introductory chapter, chapters 2 and 3 deal with the letters to the seven churches. What is clear there is that Jesus stands in the midst of the 7 churches as the Great Priest and King. At the end of that, John is shown the throne room of God, the enthronement of Christ, and his right to rule in heaven. For the rest of the book, we have 7 cycles take place. Each cycle covers the same period of time. That is from the first coming of Christ to the second. Those seven sections are not chronological, they are thematic.
II. History of the Book
For a fuller explanation consult Christ and the Future written by Dr. Venema. At this point, though it deals with Revelation 20, a brief explanation of the three millennial views is necessary. It does shape in some way how someone anticipates the second coming of Christ and how one interprets the book of Revelation.
The first millennial view is called postmillennialism. This view believes that the second coming of Christ will follow the millennium, the 1,000 years of Revelation 20. It presupposes that the preaching of the gospel will Christianize the whole world and the thousand years are figurative, representing a long period of time. This view is held by a number of Reformed, but especially Presbyterian believers.
The next view is called Amillenialism. As with Postmillenialism, the 1,000 years is not literal. The millenium is spiritual rather than literal. The millenium is the whole time before the first and second coming of Christ. Before Christ returns, there will be a time of great apostasy, afterward, Christ will return and usher in a new heaven and earth. This is the most common Reformed position.
The third position is that of premillennialism. This view believes that Christ will return before the literal millenium. Christ will return personally and the righteous dead will be raised and will reign with Christ for 1,000 years. Prior to that return of Christ, there will be 7 years of tribulation. In dispensational premillennialism, the faithful will be raptured before the 7 years of tribulation. Premillennialism has two kinds, historic and dispensational. As Reformed believers, we are committed to the view that Christ will return again only once, therefore, we must reject dispensationalism from the get go. We will talk more about these, D.V., when we get to Revelation 20.
III. The Message of the Book
The message of the book of Revelation is important and comforting. It really enables us to be better equipped to live on this side of the Ascension of Christ with a biblically rooted expectation. There are four main messages in Revelation.
The first is what we will see carried throughout the book. Chris is glorified as the king, judge, ruler, and priest over his church. (Rev. 1) Jesus speaks to the church, challenges, rebukes, and encourages them to overcome in Rev. 2 and 3.
A second key message is the centrality, sovereignty, and power of God and worship due to God’s name. The reader gets a behind the scenes look at God’s rule. The worship of God is a constant theme throughout the book. Once we get up to chapter 5, we will see Christ’s glory and position to rule. He is now worthy to bring about God’s purposes to fulfillment in the world. God now rules all things in and through Christ, who will bring all things to completion in His second coming.
A third message or theme is the opposition of Satan. He seeks to counterfeit God’s work and lead the church astray through the beast and the false prophet. The battle is shown with powerful symbols that show us the real nature of the spiritual battle. The symbolic city of Babylon represents all idolatry and wickedness of human culture and society. It stands as a contrast to the New Jerusalem.
A fourth theme is that Revelation closes with a great statement of hope. God is in control and he rules through Jesus, the lamb that was slain. Jesus will return with judgment. God will usher in the New Heavens and Earth, God’s Temple in heaven will come down to earth and he will make his dwelling with the church forever.
G.K. Beale summarizes the message of Revelation and says, “The sovereignty of God and Christ in redeeming and judging brings them glory, which is intended to motivate saints to worship God and reflect his glorious attributes through obedience to his word.”
IV. Introduction to the Book
The first 8 verses are the prologue to the book. Verses 1-3 contain the source and blessing. Verse 1 makes clear that this book is about the things that must soon take place. As a revelation, the things that were hidden are now being revealed. This the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the following chapters, there will be 7 cycles given and each are going to be telling the same basic story and each covers the same period of time. This is so vitally important to understand if you want to read Revelation profitably. Revelation is not chronological, though it does progress and make things clearer. It is given to the church so that she might be faithful, ready, and understand how to live in order to overcome the wicked city of Babylon.
Verses 4-8 contain a greeting. This is my ordinary greeting on Sunday evenings. Notice a few things about it. First, it is Trinitarian. God the Father is the one who is and was and is to come. This gets at the meaning of the name YHWH. The Holy Spirit is the reference to the 7 spirits before his throne. Notice the use of the perfect number 7 to refer to the HS. This isn’t 7 different spirits, it is the complete and powerful 3rd person of the Trinity. This is an allusion to Zech. 4:6. Thirdly we come to Jesus Christ, the faithful witness (this is his testimony as saw in vs. 2), the firstborn of the dead ( a reference to his resurrection) and the ruler of kings on earth (language taken from Psalm 89:27-37). The glorious son of God loves us and saved by his blood.
It is Son of God who is coming in verse 7.
In vs. 9-11 John is commissioned for this work. He was tasked to send it then to the 7 churches. He would be aided by the Holy Spirit as he is given this revelation of Jesus Christ.
In verses 12-16, John receives a vision of Christ. He is described using language from Daniel 7 and 10. There are 7 golden lampstands which represent the 7 churches. In the Old Testament, the lampstand had 7 branches, but now to show the fullness of the church, the branches are spread out geographically.
Johns’ response to Jesus is to fall at his feet as though dead in vs. 17. Jesus comforts him with a knowledge of his person and work. Obviously, John knows these things, he was his apostle and preacher. The next couple of chapters are going to take up addresses to the 7 churches, represented by 7 lampstands, and the 7 angels of the seven churches are either earthly ministers/pastors of the churches or heavenly angelic beings. Either way, God is providing for his church.
Revelation is an apocalyptic book of prophecy and judgement. Jesus Christ is the great priest and king. Through this book, the church is equipped on how she is to worship the almighty God. Be comforted as we study this together. It is going to involve some Old Testament Bible study, but in the end, we will see, Jesus wins. That glorious truth must be a comfort to God’s people. “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, event hose who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
[1] Anecdote from Vern Poythress’ The Returning King book.
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Steven Swets, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2025, Rev. Steven Swets
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