Truth Matters Weekend 22: Revelation

Continues reteaching revelation in the seven George Dr. Sheldon, thank you for joining me again. We continue our study in the book of Revelation. In the past.

He episodes me did an overview of prophecy. In general, and then an overview of the book of Revelation that will begin in chapter 1 chapter 1 verses one through three. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants things which must shortly take place and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ to all things that he saw.

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it for the time is near. In verse one. Revelation comes from the Greek word apocalypses or apocalypse apocalypse means and uncovering or an unveiling setting forth or a manifestation of Revelation is the uncovering of Jesus Christ as we have said before, is a messianic book. Jesus is the Messiah is in uncovering of Jesus Christ. The primary focus of the book of Revelation is to unveil the Lord Jesus Christ in his role as coming King over all the earth. I'm gonna say that one more time as this is an important point. The primary focus of the book of Revelation is to unveil the Lord Jesus Christ and his role as coming King over all the earth. In verse one it says on to show his servants things which must shortly take place shortly comes from the word take costs which we get our word tachometer something that will happen quickly as in a succession of events once they began to unfold. Moving on to verse two who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ to all things that he saw. This was sent from God to John via his angel John his beloved bore witness to the word of God.

The testimony of Jesus Christ to all things he saw.

So in verse one. It tells us this is a prophetic book in verse two. It tells us this is a pictorial book because John is writing of all the things he saw, which reinforces that this is a pictorial book moving on to verse three Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it for the time is near. Blessed is he who tells us that Revelation is up profitable book, meaning that those that read it or that here it or that keep the things that are written in it or for the time is near that they will be blessed. So let's get into these blessings. So number one Blessed is he who reads is the only book and all the Bible that has its own special blessings promised for reading and obeying the book of Revelation.

Blessed is he who hears Blessed is he who is hearing a previous pack practice of reading the Scriptures in the early church that you know they may not have been on the Scriptures that were translated in other languages at that time that I stood up and read the Scriptures.

In the early church so blessed as those who hear the word of God. Blessed is he who keeps those things which are written in it. So this is a practical admonition is a book not only to be read or to be heard but is also to be obeyed for the time is near. This is a prophetic anticipation of Revelation when John wrote this book.

It was later than it ever had been and I want to spend just a minute here it is later than it ever has been the coming of Jesus Christ is closer than it ever has been. At the time that John wrote this book he fully anticipated the return of Christ, and John thought it was late here we are 2000+ years later it is now.

Later than it was even in John's time and as each day goes by. It gets later and later it is later. Now than it ever has been the coming of Jesus Christ is closer than it ever has been. I want to say that one more time to allow it to sink in. It is lighter now than it ever has been the coming of Jesus Christ is closer than it ever has been the time is near. Let's move on to verses four through six and I really title this section greetings to the seven churches John to the seven churches which are in Asia.

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests to his God and father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. He who is and who was and who is to come. Is God the father noticed the seven spirits who are before his throne are mentioned. This is God the Holy Spirit and we find the seven spirits of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah chapter 11 verses one through two. Let's read that there shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. These are the seven characteristics of the spirit of God that are listed as we know seven stands for fullness and completion that this is the fullness and completion of the Holy Spirit.

So we know that the eternal one who is and who was and who is to come is represented by God the father. The seven spirits before the throne are on represented as the Holy Spirit and then from Jesus Christ, God the son, who is labeled the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. And if you look at verses 5 to 6. This is related the dedication of the book that, as John on his riding as someone would normally write a book. There's often a preface in the first 1 to 8 verses which is what this is and there's a dedication to someone in here John dedicates the book to Jesus Christ who loved us who loosed us by washing away our sins and who lifted us and made us kings and priests to his God. Let's read verses seven through eight. Behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, even though, or even they who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. Even so. Amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, beginning in the end, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

In verse seven we see the presentation of the king is coming comes from the word Perugia which we get the word advent coming is not just showing up, but it changes the situation into which the coming is made. Coming is not just showing up to an event.

But when the coming happens, or when the person shows up, it changes the situation said Jesus is coming will make all the affairs in the world in order he will bring order. He will bring victory. He will bring reconciliation. Jesus is coming will make all the difference in the F affairs of the world ability is coming with clouds. Whenever God speaks from within a cloud or uses clouds to accompany his purpose is always to make a statement or bring judgment into the situation we see these type of events in the Bible in multiple places and let's go through a couple of them. So if you turn to Exodus chapter 19 verse 16. Then it came to pass on the third day in the morning that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain and the sound of the trumpet was very loud so that all the people who were in the camp trembled into Matthew chapter 7 verse five while he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, this is my beloved son of who I am well pleased. Hear him. This is on God appearing at the Transfiguration. Speaking on behalf of Jesus and the last example, we turn to acts on chapter 1 verse nine now when he had spake in these things, while they watched, he was taken up in a cloud received him out of their sight.

Here we see that God is making a statement on multiple times in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, using clouds to accompany his purpose making a statement or to bring judgment into a situation moving on to verse eight I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord who is in he was and who is to calm the Almighty. This is the program of the kingdom, the Alpha and the Omega refers to his eternity, but also to his power, authority and dominion.

Let's move on to verses nine through 11 I John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying on the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, and what you see writing a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to program us to Daya Tyra, to Sardis, to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. We notice in verse nine that John identifies himself as a brother companion and in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ.

He's writing these words under the same condition that many Bible scholars wrote suffering. Paul wrote many of his letters while in change or in prison that here. John was in exile and he's writing this letter to the seven churches of Asia minor, under intense suffering.

In verse 10 we see that there is broad scope of the day of the Lord.

All those things that transpire when God brings human history to a climax culminating with a second coming of Christ is known as the day of the Lord, but in the spirit is the only way that we can see such an expansive human history that it take the Holy Spirit to reveal this vision to John.

But in verse 11, he tells them to write in in the book and send it to the seven churches which we which is how we have the book of Revelation. Let's get into verses 12 to 13, where we see symbolism start to begin in verse 12 then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

So these are the first symbols that we see seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands, seven golden lampstands stand for seven churches but the lampstands are the first symbol lampstands are a symbol of light and are used to eliminate the darkness. Really lampstands are useless during the day but in nighttime is when they become essential.

We know that on because in our area whenever we have thunderstorms or hurricanes. The first thing that goes out is our electricity which I think happens more often at my house but I'm not going go down that road, but either way were constantly looking for candles for flashlights. Lampstands say serve the same purpose before the days of modern electricity.

They are useless during the day but are very essential at night in the darkness in John chapter 9 verse four.

I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day, the night is coming when no man can work. Jesus being rejected by the world was beginning of the darkness covering the world. In the absence of his presence. His church is to be the light of the world, declaring his presence in the midst of darkness and in verse 13 we see in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, and we know that in Matthew chapter 18 verse 20 for where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am in the midst of them. Jesus Christ is in the midst of the lampstands is in the midst of our modern day church today, but for sure we know he was in the midst of the seven churches of Asia Minor in which this book was written, John gets into a very deep description of what Christ appeared to be in 13 through 16 and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow in his eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass, as it is refined in a furnace in his voice as the sound of many waters he had in his right hand seven stars, out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength to continue. Revelation series over next project.

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