Revelation 1:1-8
It’s Time
Outline:
Revelation 1:1-19 - John’s Time
Revelation 1:20-3:22 - Church Age
Revelation 4:1-5:14 - Heaven at the Rapture
Revlation 6:1-11:19 - First Half of the Tribulation
Revelation 12:1-14:20 - Summary Chapters
Revelation 12:1-17 - Summary of Israel’s History from Christ’s
birth to the Middle of the Tribulation
(Satan being cast out of heaven)
Revelation 13:1-18 - The Middle of the Tribulation (Rise of
the anti-Christ)
Revelation 14:1-20 - The Middle of the Tribulation (A summary
of God’s coming judgments)
Revelation 15:1-19:21 - Second half of the Tribulation
Revelation 20:1-15 - Judgment Chapter
Revelation 21:1-21:21 - Eternity
I have preached and taught through the book of Revelation several
times in my tenor as your pastor, but I feel it is time to do so
again and in the forum of our Sunday morning services for multiple
reasons. Such as:
1. We are closer to the end time and the ultimate fulfillment of
these prophecies than we have even been before (Of course,
with each passing second that becomes a repeating truth).
2. \\#3\\ There is a specific blessing given to the person who
reads and keeps the prophecies of this book.
3. Everyone needs to know what is gong on.
a. There is no doubt that the book of Revelation is a deep,
confusing, frightening book.
b. But remaining in the dark about a matter, especially a
spiritual matter, does not make the bad go away. It just
keeps you from seeing for a little longer.
c. God does not you to be ignorant:
John 14:29 And now I have told you before it
come to pass, that, when it is come to pass,
ye might believe.
d. And he does not want me to be quiet.
Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto
you all the counsel of God.
I see two dangers in attempting to preach through this book on
Sunday mornings:
1. The Danger Of Being Too Deep - The danger in looking at a
book like this on Sunday morning is that a lot of teaching is
required. For that reason, I will warn you up front that it
may seem more like a Sunday school than a worship service.
Bear with it. I think it the truth is worth the effort.
2. The Danger Of Not Being Deep Enough - A second reality is that
even though I will attempt to share more truth with you than
I typically would in a sermon, I cannot share everything with
you. I will have to skip some things for the sake of time
and to maintain the interest of the entire congregation.
However, I again think it is worth the risk.
With all of that in mind, let’s start studying chapter 1.
I. Background
A. \\#9\\ A Historical Introduction
1. The book of Revelation was most probably penned around 95
AD.
2. That is approximately 99 years after the birth of Christ
and 62 years after the crucifixion of Jesus.
3. \\#4\\ "John"-John the Apostle was the scribe who wrote
it. He would be very old by this time, probably around
80.
4. Tradition says John was boiled alive in oil before he was
exiled to the isle of Patmos where he wrote this letter.
5. John is not in any way the author of this book. He is
merely the stenographer.
6. John will be watching a variety of things that God will
show him and then write what he sees.
7. He represents the Church. The things that John sees will
happen to or in front of the saved in the future. So,
What John sees, the Church will see.
B. \\#1\\ An Introduction to the Author
1. The Author is Jesus Christ.
2. John made that clear throughout this chapter and the
entire book.
3. Much of what is recorded in this chapter is actually an
introduction to the Author.
4. I will speak more of this in a moment.
C. A Scriptural Introduction
1. \\#1\\ This book is a Revelation of Jesus Christ-
a. A revelation means a revealing. It reveals things
that we would never know unless it was revealed.
b. The source of this revelation is Jesus Christ. These
are things are unknowable unless God told them to us.
When they come to pass, and they will, man ought to
bow and worship the God who revealed them.
2. \\#1\\ The things in this book must shortly come to pass.
a. It could be that this means these things would happen
very soon.
b. However, most believe the idea was that when these
things start happening, they will all happen very
rapidly, in a short period of time.
(1) That is exactly what is happening.
(2) Israel became a nation in 1948. At that time,
America was still advancing the cause of Jesus
Christ. However, since that time, things have
turned dramatically. So much so, that today,
people who were raised in church are turning
their backs on the most basic Bible teachings.
c. \\#3\\ Regardless, "THE TIME IS AT HAND!"
(1) It has been 2000 years since Jesus left this
planet, and I do not think God will tarry His
coming much longer.
(2) Some people believe Jesus cannot come back yet
because a particular prophecy has not been
fulfilled.
(a) There is and never has been any prophecy
that HAD to be fulfilled before Jesus
returned.
(b) However, there were three general conditions
which needed to be met.
i. People had to be evil enough.
aa. God only sends evil when people
get so bad. He could send it
anytime, but He is merciful to
wait.
bb. It is never hard to find someone
as evil as the anti-Christ.
cc. However, Revelation makes it
clear. It is not just one man
who is evil but a whole world
that follows him.
dd. The world is just about there
right now.
ii. Technology had to be advanced enough.
aa. Several things stick out in my
mind.
1. (Rev 11) The whole world will
watch the resurrection of the
two witnesses.
ii. (Rev 13) The anti-Christ gives
life to an image.
iii. (Rev 13) The anti-Christ
controls all buying and
selling.
iii. World powers had to align themselves
right. Mainly, they had to align
themselves against Israel.
(3) Time is against the lost and lazy.
3. \\#3\\ God promises those who read and hear and keep the
words of this Book are blessed.
a. Even though the book is mysterious, God desires us to
at least attempt to understand it.
b. When it comes to future things, ignorance is not
bliss.
c. However, the blessing is not just for those who read
and hear.
(1) One must also keep.
(2) The only way to keep the Bible is to accept Jesus
as your Savior.
d. If ever a written document demanded action, our New
Testament does so. Whether you are alive at the
return of Jesus or dead, the Book of Revelation tells
you where you will be and what will be happening to
you.
D. \\#1:19\\ An Outline - The writings of this Book can be
divided into three parts:
Rev 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen,
and the things which are, and the things which
shall be hereafter;
1. \\#1:9-20\\ The things which John had seen.
2. \\#2:1-3:22\\ The things which were as John was writing.
3. \\#4:1-22:21\\ The things which will be as John was
writing.
II. \\#5-7\\ An Introduction to Jesus. I count eleven things that are
revealed about the Author.
A. \\#5\\ He is the Christ. That means Jesus is the anointed
One, the One promised by God to the Jews, prophesied in the
Old Testament.
1. Everything that happens is the Book of Revelation is
related to the Jews.
a. A Jewish people…
b. deceived by a counterfeit messiah…
c. attacking the Jewish land…
d. who will be redeemed by the true Jewish Messiah.
2. At the heart of all of this will be the Jews.
B. \\#1:5\\ "faithful witness"
1. That simply means that the Author of this Book does not
lie.
2. What He is revealing, is true!
a. What Jesus told us about Himself when He was here…
b. What Jesus told us about heaven and hell…
c. What Jesus told us about being saved from hell…
d. And what Jesus told us about the future…
3. It is all true!
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the
only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the
Father, he hath declared him.
C. \\#1:5\\ "first begotten of the dead"-The first indicating
that others will follow.
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from
the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that
slept.
D. \\#1:5\\ "prince of the kings of the earth"-Prince is used
to indicate that He is the next to take power. When the time
of the earthly kings has passed, Jesus will rule as King of
Kings.
E. \\#1:5\\ "him that loved us"
F. \\#1:5\\ "and washed us from our sins in his own blood"
\\WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SIN?, Robert Lowery\\
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Refrain
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
G. \\#1:6\\ "and hath made us kings and priests"
H. \\#1:6\\ "to him be glory and dominion"-He is the One to be
glorified.
I. \\#1:7\\ "he cometh"-This Book reminds us repeatedly that
Jesus will return. The description given here is not of the
next coming of Christ to gather the church
\\#1Thess 4:13-18\\, but rather of His third coming to
establish a kingdom on the earth \\#Rev 19:11-21\\.
1. At the first appearing was as a Lamb to be slain,
2. The second appearing will be as a Thief in the night,
3. Third appearing will be as a King to an coronation.
J. \\#1:8\\ "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending"-
1. Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet and Omega
is the last.
2. Jesus is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the
End, the Creator and the Concluder.
3. Jesus started it all. He will finish it all.
K. \\#1:8\\ "which is, and which was, and which is to come"
1. A phrase to picture the everlasting God.
2. He IS living,
He WAS always living,
and He will forever BE living.
L. \\#1:12-17\\ But the most important light you can see Him as
right now is as the Judge.
1. \\#13\\ Gold is the symbolic metal to represent deity or
God.
2. \\#14\\ White is the symbolic color of purity or holiness.
3. \\#14-15\\ Fire is the symbolic element of judgment.
4. \\#15\\ Brass is the symbolic metal of judgment
5. \\#15\\ The furnace is the symbolic place of judgment.
6. \\#15\\ The sound of many waters is the sound of judgment.
7. \\#16\\ The sword is the symbolic weapon of judgment.
8. \\#16\\ The sun is the symbolic light of judgment.
9. \\#17\\ "falling at one’s feet as dead" is the symbolic
reaction of coming into God’s presence.
Friend, this is the One that all who have breath will soon see in the
flesh \\#1:7\\ and they will not weep nor cry when they see Him, they
will WAIL! His third coming is at least 7 years after His second
coming, but if you miss His second coming and can live for 7 more
years, you will see His third coming!
It is time!
1. Time for the rapture.
2. Time for the tribulation.
3. Past time for your salvation!
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