part 15: Revelation Reboot 1
Puzzled About Revelation, Feb. 03, 2022
“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”
Ten Introductory Observations in John’s Prologue (1:1-3)
Introduction
It has been more than six months since we last studied the book of Revelation specifically. (Check the Bonus Messages “series” for messages that were given in the interim.)
For those who have been following along with me, we began with a study of the Book of Daniel in April of 2020 through to December of 2020. Then we had the four “Puzzled About the End of the Age” messages, followed by our study of Revelation beginning on February 4, 2021.
The book of Daniel is probably the most important OT book that is foundational to our understanding of Revelation. Much of the symbolism and references found in the book of Revelation are first found in the OT prophets, and especially in the book of Daniel.
1) The Book of Revelation is FIRST and most importantly ALL ABOUT JESUS and His REVEALING in glory. This is our BLESSED HOPE! This is our ONLY hope! (1:1a)
2) Revelation is SECONDLY about the REAL HISTORICAL EVENTS that will QUICKLY TAKE PLACE prior to the Second Coming of Christ on the clouds of heaven (1:1a).
Jesus said those days would be cut short (Matt. 24:22) and that ALL the SIGNS would be fulfilled in ONE GENERATION (Matt. 24:34).
The Beast will be given 42 months to reign (Rev. 13:5).
3) The Revelation was given by God’s angel to the Apostle John while exiled on the island of Patmos. This means the ORIGIN of this book is God, not man.
2 Peter 1:20-21: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
4) Revelation is a SPIRITUAL book that can only be truly understood with the help of the HOLY SPIRIT.
John 16:12-15: “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
1 Cor. 2:14: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.’
5) The Book of Revelation was given that we might UNDERSTAND, yet it only yields its TREASURES to SERVANTS who DILIGENTLY SEARCH the Scriptures.
Col. 2:1-3: “I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
1 Peter 1:10-12: “10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.”
6) Revelation is the CAPSTONE of biblical prophecy and in CONTINUITY with all that the PROPHETS have spoken (Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, DANIEL, 12 “minor” prophets, Jesus, the Apostles, etc.).
7) Revelation is a book full of SYMBOLS. CONTEXT is KEY to interpretation.
8) Revelation is the only book of the Bible that contains BLESSINGS for reading, hearing & keeping it, and CURSES for adding to it or taking away.
Rev. 22:18-19: “18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”
9) Revelation is an URGENT book that CONFRONTS our twin idols of COMFORT & COMPLACENCY!
10) Revelation is about the things which MUST take place to fulfill to the plan of God.
Q: Why would God choose to work this way (Beast/Antichrist/False Prophet, Great Tribulation, Mystery Babylon, etc.) when He could have (theoretically) done it another way? His ways and thoughts are higher! Even Jesus knew there was no other way than the cross!
Q: What if God’s plan is to allow evil to “win” for a season? What if His plan is to allow Canada and the West to fall to the globalist agenda of the Antichrist? To allow the saints (“Church”) to be crushed? Will we still trust Him? Will we still love Him?
Q: WHY would God allow this/choose to work in this way?
A: HIS-STORY!! An “UNDERDOG” story??
Lord of the Rings & Star Wars: Why were these films so powerful and popular? Precisely because they speak to the truth of God written on the human soul—the ultimate “underdog” story of the triumph of the Lamb over the Dragon and all the hordes of hell!
Just as Jesus’ body was betrayed into the hands of sinners, beaten, crucified, and buried in the ground—seemingly ALL HOPE was LOST—so too the Body of Christ at the end of the age will once again be betrayed, persecuted, martyred and crushed until it appears that all hope (humanly speaking) is lost…THEN the Son of Man will return, THEN He will raise the dead, THEN will be the VICTORY of God on the LAST DAY! Hallelujah!