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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 2

TITLE: THE PROLOGUE OF REVELATION

TEXT: REVELATION 1:1-3

INTRODUCTION: (1) MANY PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS, INTERESTED IN, FASCINATED AND EVEN OBSESSED WITH THE FUTURE.

* SADLY THEY LOOK TO HOROSCOPES, LOOK FOR TAROT CARD READINGS, HAVE THEIR PALMS READ OR EVEN CALL “PSYCHIC HOT LINES” ADVERTISED ON T.V.

** BEYOND THAT SOME PEOPLE EVEN GO TO MEDIUMS ATTENDING TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS TO COME BY CONSULTING THE DEAD ON BEHALF OF THE LIVING.

*** IN FACT THERE IS EVEN A T.V. SHOW CALLED “THE MEDIUM” THAT PEOPLE CAN WATCH WHICH WITH ALL THESE THINGS CHRISTIANS SHOULD STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM AS POSSIBLE.

**** THE REASON BEING DEUTERONOMY 18:10-12 SAYS TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHICH WE ARE NOT, BUT THE WARNING IS TIMELESS FOR IT SAYS: (READ IT).

(2) NOW ALL THOSE PRACTICES ARE TO BE AVOIDED BY THE CHILDREN OF GOD OF ALL TIME. AND BEYOND THAT WE MUST REALIZE THAT ALL SUCH ATTEMPTS TO DISCERN THE FUTURE ARE IN VAIN.

* FOR THERE IS ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS AND DECLARES THE FUTURE: GOD ALL-MIGHTY.

** ISAIAH 46:9-11 SAYS: (READ V. 9)

V. 10 – “DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING AND FROM ANCIENT TIMES THINGS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN DONE, SAYING, ‘MY PURPOSE WILL BE ESTABLISHED, AND I WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL MY GOOD PLEASURE’:

V. 11 – “CALLING A BIRD OF PREY FROM THE EAST, THE MAN OF MY PURPOSE FROM A FAR COUNTRY. TRULY I HAVE SPOKEN; TRULY I WILL BRING IT TO PASS. I HAVE PLANNED IT, SURELY I WILL DO IT.”

*** NOW THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE HAS A PURPOSE AND A PLAN AND HIS PURPOSE AND PLAN FOR THE FUTURE WILL BE CARRIED OUT ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE.

**** AND ONLY GOD DECLARES THE END IN THE BEGINNING. AND ONLY IN SCRIPTURE CAN TRUTH ABOUT GOD’S PURPOSES AND THE FUTURE BE FOUND.

(3) FOR EXAMPLE, THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS PARTICULARLY ISAIAH, EZEKIEL, DANIEL AND ZECHARIAH PROVIDE GLIMPSES OF THE FUTURE.

* SO DID OUR LORD IN HIS OLIVET DISCOURSE, ALONG WITH PETER AND PAUL IN THEIR INSPIRED WRITINGS.

** BUT THE BOOK OF REVELATION PROVIDES THE CLEAREST MOST DETAILED LOOK INTO THE FUTURE IN ALL OF SCRIPTURE.

*** IT IS A FITTING CONCLUSION TO THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE, THE FINAL BOOK, A FITTING CAPSTONE OF GOD’S REVELATION TO MAN IN THE BIBLE.

*** THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS A REVELATION ABOUT CHRIST AND UNVEILS THE FUTURE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, ALL THE WAY TO HISTORY’S CLIMAX IN THE RETURN OF CHRIST AND THE SETTING UP OF HIS KINGDOM.

**** AND IN THE PROLOGUE OF VV. 1-3, WHICH WE’LL BE STARTING TODAY, THE FIRST TWO WORDS OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION ARE REVEALING.

(4) THEY ARE “THE REVELATION.”

* AND THESE TWO WORDS ARE VITAL, THEY ARE CRUCIAL, THEY ARE ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTANDING THIS BOOK.

** THE WORDS “THE REVELATION” IS THE GREEK WORD AP-OK-AL-SIS FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH APOCALYPSE, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS TODAY A SYNONYM FOR CHAOS AND CATASTROPHE.

*** BUT THIS VERB IN THE GREEK IN REVELATION 1:1 LIT. MEANS TO UNCOVER, TO REVEAL, TO MAKE MANIFEST, TO REMOVE A VEIL, IT HAS TO DO WITH DISCLOSING SOMETHING.

**** AND FAR FROM HIDING TRUTH AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION BEING A HUGE MYSTERY, THE BOOK OF REVELATION REVEALS TRUTH AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

(5) THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS AN UNVEILING OF CHRIST AND IN CHAPTERS 4-22 AN UNVEILING OF FUTURE EVENTS, THINGS TO COME CALLED ESCHATOLOGY IN THEOLOGY.

* REVELATION IS THE LAST CHAPTER IN GOD’S STORY OF REDEMPTION. IT TELLS HOW IT ALL ENDS.

** AND AS THE ACCOUNT OF THE CREATION IN THE BEGINNING WAS NOT VAGUE OR OBSCURE BUT CLEAR, SO GOD HAS GIVEN A DETAILED AND CLEAR RECORD OF THE ENDING, THE FINAL CHAPTER.

*** AND IT IS UNIMAGINABLE AND UNTHINKABLE TO BELIEVE THAT GOD WOULD SPEAK WITH CLARITY AND PRECISION FROM GENESIS TO JUDE (JUDE BEING THE LITTLE BOOK BEFORE REVELATION).

**** AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE END ABANDONS ALL CLARITY AND PRECISION.

(6) YET THERE ARE BIBLE STUDENTS AND THEOLOGIANS TODAY THAT THINK THAT REVELATION IS NOT A PRECISE CLEAR RECORD OF THE END IN SPITE OF WHAT IT SAYS.

* AND SOME ARE SO CONVINCED THAT ITS MYSTERIES ARE SO VAGUE THAT THE END IS LEFT IN CONFUSION.

** AS WE WILL SEE IN OUR STUDY TODAY IN THE PROLOGUE OF REVELATION AND THROUGHOUT THE BOOK IT IS “THE REVELATION.”

*** NOW SPECIFICALLY JOHN’S PROPHECY IS THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, AND WE’LL SEE THAT REVELATION IS PROPHECY IN THE PROLOGUE TODAY AND THE REVELATION OF JESUS.

**** VERSES 1-3 ARE A FORMAL PROLOGUE THAT INTRODUCES THE AUTHOR AND THEME OF REVELATION THAT PROVIDE A FOUNDATION FOR US AS WE GO “BACK TO THE FUTURE.”

(7) SO I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE TODAY SIMPLY, “THE PROLOGUE OF REVELATION” AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT 3 POINTS.

* NO. 1 THE SUBJECT OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION, V. 1; NO. 2 THE SUMMARY OF THE BOOK, V. 2 AND NO. 3 THE SPECIAL BLESSING OF THE BOOK, V. 3.

** AND WITHOUT ANY MORE INTRODUCTION, LET’S JUMP INTO OUR STUDY TODAY BY LOOKING AT OUR FIRST POINT, THE SUBJECT OF THE BOOK. LOOK AT V. 1 PLEASE.

I. THE SUBJECT OF THE BOOK, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW THE SUBJECT OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS JESUS CHRIST. THIS BOOK IS “THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST,” THE FIRST 5 WORDS OF V. 1 IN ALL OF THE MAJOR TRANSLATIONS.

* AND IN A SENSE, THIS BOOK WILL REMOVE THE VEIL FROM CHRIST AS HE TAKES CENTER STAGE AS THE OBJECT OF THE REVELATION.

** FOR OUR VIEW OF CHRIST IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED TO HIS INCARNATION WITHOUT THE BOOK OF REVELATION, NOT TOTALLY BUT PRIMARILY.

*** IN THE GOSPELS WE SEE HIM IN HIS HUMILITY AND A BABE IN A MANGER, BORN IN A STABLE FOR THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR HIM IN THE INN, WE SEE HIM WALKING, SLEEPING, PRAYING, THIRSTING, EATING AND LIVING A HUMBLE LIFE AS SOMEONE WHO WAS POOR.

**** AND SOMETIMES WE SEE THE VEIL PULLED AWAY FOR AWHILE WITH HIS MIRACLES AND HIS TRANSFIGURATION.

1. BUT PRIMARILY WE SEE HIM IN THE GARDEN AS HIS SWEAT BECAME LIKE DROPS OF BLOOD FALLING ON THE GROUND.

* AND WE SEE HIS TRIALS BEFORE AUTHORITIES, WE SEE HIM MISTREATED, PHYSICALLY ABUSED AND ULTIMATELY CRUCIFIED.

** WE SEE HIM CRY OUT “MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAS THOU FORSAKEN ME” AND “FATHER FORGIVEN THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.”

*** AND THEN HE RISES VICTORIOUSLY FROM THE DEAD. BUT MATTHEW ONLY GIVES US ONE SHORT CHAPTER ABOUT THE RESURRECTION, MARK A SHORT CHAPTER, LUKE A CHAPTER AND JOHN ABOUT TWO CHAPTERS, A SMALL PORTION OF THE GOSPELS.

**** BUT IN REVELATION WE SEE JESUS GLORIFIED, WE SEE HIM IN HIS GREATNESS AND GLORY, WE SEE HIM AS THE ALL-MIGHTY, WE SEE HIM AS ONE WHO’S EYES ARE AS A FLAME OF FIRE.

2. WE SEE HIM AS THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, WE SEE HIM AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS COMING AS A JUDGE.

* WE SEE HIM IN BLAZING GLORY. BELOVED, WE GET A VIEW OF CHRIST, A PICTURE OF CHRIST THAT WE REALLY DON’T SEE CLEARLY UNVEILED IN ANY OTHER BOOK, ONE OF MAJESTY, POWER AND GLORY.

** SO WHO WOULDN’T WANT TO STUDY THIS BOOK?

*** I MEAN IF JESUS IS OUR FIRST LOVE, DON’T WE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM?

**** AND AS I SAID IN MY INTRODUCTION THIS MORNING, IN REVELATION WE BASICALLY GO BACK TO THE FUTURE, WE GET A PICTURE OF THINGS TO COME IN PROPHECY.

3. BUT WE CANNOT DIVORCE THE PERSON FROM THE PROPHECY, FOR WITHOUT THE PERSON THERE COULD BE NO FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY.

* JESUS CHRIST IS NOT INCIDENTAL TO REVELATION’S ACTION AND TRUTH, CHRIST IS THE CHIEF SUBJECT.

** SO THE SUBJECT OF THE BOOK IS CHRIST CLEARLY.

*** BUT AS WE MOVE ON IN V. 1, THE SOURCE OF THE BOOK IS GOD THE FATHER IN THE INTER-WORKING OF THE GODHEAD, THE TRIUNE GOD.

**** FOR THE NEXT PHRASE IN V. 1 SAYS: “WHICH GOD GAVE TO HIM TO SHOW HIS BONDSERVANTS.”

4. AND IN A SENSE, THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS THE FATHER’S GIFT TO THE SON, AGAIN GOING BACK TO V. 1, “WHICH GOD GAVE TO HIM”, HIM BEING THE SUBJECT OF V. 1, THE SON- JESUS CHRIST.

* AND IT APPEARS THAT THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS A REWARD TO CHRIST FROM THE FATHER FOR HIS PERFECT, HUMBLE, FAITHFUL, HOLY SERVICE.

** FOR IN PHILIPPIANS 2 THE FATHER PROMISED TO EXALT THE SON AS A RESULT OF HIS INCARNATION AND SERVANT’S HEART AND HUMILIATION, FOR PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 SAYS: (READ THEM).

*** NOW THINK ABOUT THIS WITH ME WITH VV. 9-11 IN MIND.

**** CHRIST’S EXALTATION, PROMISED IN PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11, IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

5. REVELATION CONTAINS THE FULL DISCLOSURE OF THE GLORY THAT WILL BE CHRIST’S AT HIS RETURN, HIS ULTIMATE REWARD FROM THE FATHER FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS DURING HIS HUMILIATION.

* THE BOOK OF REVELATION THEN DETAILS THE SON’S INHERITANCE FROM THE FATHER.

** AND UNLIKE MOST HUMAN WILLS, THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE READ BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SEALED, PRIVATE DOCUMENT.

*** BUT GET THIS, NOT EVERYONE HAS THE PRIVILEGE OF UNDERSTANDING IT, ONLY THOSE TO WHOM ARE CHRIST’S BONDSERVANTS ACCORDING TO V. 1.

**** FOR YOU SEE THE FATHER HAS GRACIOUSLY GRANTED TO A SPECIAL GROUP OF PEOPLE THE PRIVILEGE OF UNDERSTANDING THE TRUTHS FOUND IN THIS BOOK.

6. AND THIS GROUP IS DESCRIBED AS CHRIST’S BONDSERVANTS. AND BONDSERVANTS IS THE GREEK WORD DOULOS WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.

* AND THIS WORD LIT. MEANS A SLAVE, HOWEVER THIS KIND OF SLAVE WAS A SPECIAL TYPE OF SLAVE, ONE WHO SERVED OUT OF LOVE AND DEVOTION TO HIS MASTER.

** AND CHRISTIANS, TRUE BELIEVERS ARE THE SLAVES HERE, WE THAT KNOW CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

**** THE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS GIVEN BY THE FATHER TO THE SON TO SHOW TO THOSE WHO WILLINGLY SERVE CHRIST, HIS FOLLOWERS, WHAT MUST SHORTLY TAKE PLACE.

**** MEANING: THOSE WHO REFUSE TO REPENT AND TURN TO CHRIST TO FOLLOW HIM CANNOT EXPECT TO COMPREHEND THIS BOOK.

7. AND THAT IS WHY UNBELIEVERS FIND THE BOOK OF REVELATION INCOMPREHENSIBLE FOR IT WAS NOT INTENDED FOR THEM, AS I CORINTHIANS 2:14 SAYS: (READ IT).

* AND THAT’S WHY WHEN T.V. PRODUCERS AND HOLLYWOOD AND THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD TRY TO PRODUCE A T.V. PROGRAM LIKE THE ONE BEING AIRED NOW, OR MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT REVELATION, THEY MESS IT ALL UP.

** ONLY THE BONDSERVANTS OF CHRIST, TRUE CHRISTIANS, TRUE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THIS BOOK.

*** NOW MOVING ON, THE NEXT PHRASE IN V. 1 AND A PHRASE IN VERSE 3 AND IN CHAPTER 22 VERSE 6 LEADS SOME TO THE PRETERIST SCHOOL OF INTERPRETATION FOR THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THAT BELIEVE THAT THE EVENTS OF THE BOOK TOOK PLACE IN THE PAST, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE FALL OF JERUSALEM AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE IN A.D. 70.

**** AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THEY COME UP WITH THE EARLIER DATE FOR REVELATION’S WRITING, ABOUT A.D. 68 AND USE THE PHRASE THE THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY TAKE PLACE AS THE BRIDGE OF THEIR BELIEF.

8. BUT STUDY OF THE GRAMMAR HERE IS THE KEY TO INTERPRETING WHAT THIS PHRASE LIT. MEANS, USING THE LITERAL, HISTORICAL, GRAMMATICAL MEANS OF INTERPRETATION.

* WE DO NOT TAKE THESE WORDS SYMBOLICALLY, BUT INTERPRET THEM BY WHAT THEY MEAN WITH THE GRAMMAR, THERE IS NO INCONSISTENCY.

** AND IN LOOKING AT THE MEANING OF THE WORD TRANSLATED “SHORTLY” OR “SOON” THE MEANING IS IN BRIEF TIME OR QUICKLY.

*** AND THIS WORD IS USED 7 TIMES IN THE N.T., TWICE IN REVELATION. AND A STUDY OF IT’S OCCURRENCES SUGGESTS THAT THE PRIMARY THOUGHT AND MEANING IS NOT SO MUCH THE PROXIMITY OF THE EVENT, BUT THE ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY OF THE EVENT AND THE RAPIDITY OF FULFILLMENT ONCE THE ACTION IS COMMENCED OR STARTED.

**** THE IDEA IS NOT THAT THE EVENT MAY OCCUR SOON, BUT THAT WHEN IT DOES, IT WILL BE SUDDEN.

9. ONCE THE END TIME EVENTS BEGIN, THEY WILL OCCUR IN RAPID SUCCESSION. AGAIN THE ACTION WILL BE SUDDEN WHEN IT COMES, NOT NECESSARILY THAT IT WILL OCCUR IMMEDIATELY.

* TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT I MEAN, ONE OF THE SEVEN USES OF THIS WORD IS FOUND IN LUKE 18:7&8.

** AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CONTEXT THE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS IS ASKED: “AND SHALL NOT GOD AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT THOUGH HE BEAR LONG WITH THEM?”

*** VERSE 8 THEN SAYS: “I TELL YOU THAT HE WILL AVENGE THEM SPEEDILY” (EN-TAKH-OS) THE WORD AND PHRASE TRANSLATED SHORTLY OR SOON IN REVELATION 1:1.

**** NOW BOTH CERTAINTY AND RAPIDITY OR RAPID ACTION ARE INVOLVED HERE.

10. WHATEVER SEEMING DELAY THERE IS, ACTION IS CERTAIN AND IT WILL BE SWIFT WHEN IT HAPPENS.

* AND IT IS THIS THOUGHT OF CERTAINTY THAT HAS BROUGHT COMFORT AND HOPE TO BELIEVERS IN ALL AGES.

** CHRIST IS GOING TO COME BACK AT ANY TIME. HIS COMING IS IMMINENT NOT IMMEDIATE.

*** AND HERE’S THE DIFFERENCE. IMMEDIATE AS DEFINED BY THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY MEANS “TAKING EFFECT WITHOUT DELAY.”

**** THUS AN IMMEDIATE RETURN WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY INTERVENING EVENTS.

11. IMMINENT ON THE OTHER HAND, MEANS IMPENDING, IT MAY HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.

* OTHER EVENTS MAY INTERVENE, BUT THIS DOES NOT AFFECT THE IMPENDING NATURE OF THE RETURN.

** NOW THE COMING OF THE LORD IN THE N.T. IS PRESENTED AS IMMINENT RATHER THAN AS IMMEDIATE.

*** FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT HAD BEEN SPOKEN AS IMMEDIATE, SAINTS WOULD HAVE CAUSE FOR DISAPPOINTMENT AS YEARS AND DECADES HAVE TURNED INTO CENTURIES AND THE LORD HAS NOT YET COME BACK.

**** BUT SINCE HE COULD RETURN AT ANY TIME, THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE AND EXPECTANCY AND PREPARATION, READ MATTHEW 24:36 AND MATTHEW 24:44 AND HEBREWS 10:37.

12. THE IMMINENT RETURN OF CHRIST HAS BEEN THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH SINCE PAUL AND THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SCOFFERS WHO SAY, HE HASN’T COME YET, READ II PETER 3:3&4.

* NOW CHRIST WILL RETURN ONE DAY BECAUSE HE SAID HE WOULD, AND WHEN HE RETURNS IN THE AIR THINGS LISTED IN REVELATION WILL HAPPEN IN RAPID FIRE IN CHAPTERS 6-18, 7 YEARS, THEN HE COMES BACK TO THE EARTH, AND REVELATION 20 WILL LAST 1000 YEARS AND THE DAY OF GOD ETERNITY FUTURE WILL BEGIN IN CHAPTERS 21&22.

** AND HOPEFULLY THAT GRAMMATICAL EXPLANATION IS HELPFUL IN UNDERSTAND SHORTLY OR SOON IN REVELATION.

*** NOW ONE LAST THING IN V. 1 AND WE’LL MOVE ON TO OUR 2’D POINT. THE LAST PHRASE IN V. 1 SAYS “AND HE SENT AND COMMUNICATED IT BY HIS ANGEL TO HIS BONDSERVANT JOHN.”

**** NOW THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS UNIQUE IN N.T. LITERATURE BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY BOOK SENT AND COMMUNICATED TO ITS HUMAN AUTHOR BY AN ANGEL.

12. THE CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION FROM CHRIST TO JOHN IS THROUGH OR BY (DIA IN THE GREEK) HIS ANGEL.

* JOHN THUS STANDS IN THE TRADITION OF DANIEL AND ZECHARIAH IN THE O.T. WHO BOTH RECEIVED THEIR VISIONS THROUGH AN ANGEL INTERMEDIARY.

** AND THE NAME OF THE ANGEL IS NOT MENTIONED, BUT SOME SPECULATE IT IS GABRIEL. BUT THE POINT IS AN ANGEL INTERMEDIARY IS USED TO GIVE THIS SPECIAL REVELATION TO JOHN, WHICH IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER N.T. BOOK, HE IS THE GOD ORDAINED AGENT FOR THIS UNIQUE UNVEILING.

*** NOW BECAUSE OF TIME I NEED TO MOVE ON TO VV. 2&3 AND WE WILL COVER THEM QUICKLY, SO FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS.

**** AND IN V. 2 WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE SUMMARY OF THE BOOK, LOOK AT V. 2 PLEASE.

II. THE SUMMARY OF THE BOOK, (READ V. 2)

A. NOW THE “WHO” IN V. 2 IS JOHN (NOT THE ROCK GROUP FOR SOME OF YOU THAT ARE MY AGE) BUT THAT’S PROBABLY PRETTY OBVIOUS TO ALL OF YOU.

* WELL, JOHN BORE WITNESS TO THE WORD OF GOD AND TO THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS.

** AND THE VERB “BARE RECORD” OR “BORE WITNESS” OR TESTIFIED OR TESTIFIES LIT. MEANS “TO BARE A TESTIMONY, TO AFFIRM THAT WHAT ONE HAS SEEN OR HEARD OR EXPERIENCED IS CERTAIN OR GIVEN BY DIVINE REVELATION.

*** AND THIS KIND OF HONORABLE TESTIMONY IS GIVEN IN THIS BOOK TO TWO MATTERS: NO. 1 TO THE WORD OF GOD AND NO. 2 THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST.

**** AND THE PHRASE “THE WORD OF GOD” IS FREQUENTLY USED IN THE BIBLE OF THE SCRIPTURES IN GENERAL, AS IT IS USED IN I THESSALONIANS 2:13 (READ IT).

1. AND AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 1:2, THE WORD OF GOD IS USED IN THE SENSE OF A SPECIFIC, SPECIAL OR PROPHETIC WORD FROM GOD.

* BELOVED, JOHN REALIZES HE IS DELIVERING THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD IN THE MESSAGE OF REVELATION AND NO. 2 THAT HE IS GIVING TESTIMONY TO JESUS CHRIST AS WITNESS TO ALL THAT HE SAW.

** THIS IS JOHN’S WAY OF AFFIRMING THAT THE BOOK IS THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.

*** THE IDEA APPEARS TO BE THAT JOHN IS A LEGAL WITNESS CALLED TO APPEAR IN A COURTROOM AS A WITNESS TO ALL THAT HE SAW.

**** AND JOHN IS POINTING OUT THAT HE IS A TRUTHFUL WITNESS TO EVERYTHING HE SAW WHICH GIVES US A SUMMARY OF THE AUTHORITY OF THIS BOOK WE ARE STUDYING, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR THIRD AND FINAL POINT TODAY, THE SPECIAL BLESSING OF THE BOOK, LOOK AT V. 3 PLEASE.

III. THE SPECIAL BLESSING OF THE BOOK, (READ V. 3)

A. NOW THE WORD “BLESSED” IS THE GREEK WORD MAKARIOS WHICH LIT. MEANS HOW HAPPY, USED MANY TIMES IN THE BEATITUDES IN MATTHEW 5:3-11.

* AND THERE ARE SEVEN OF THESE BEATITUDES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, 7 SPECIAL BLESSINGS OR 7 SPECIAL “HOW HAPPY'S” WHICH WE’LL COVER AS WE COME TO THEM.

** AND AS WE CONCENTRATE HERE ON V. 3, THERE IS A SPECIAL BLESSING FOR THOSE WHO READ, HEAR AND HEED TO THE TRUTHS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, A PROMISE GIVEN NOWHERE ELSE IN SCRIPTURE IN A UNIQUE WAY FOR THIS SPECIAL BOOK.

*** FOR OBVIOUSLY WE ARE TO HEAR, READ AND HEED TO ALL THE SCRIPTURES AND WE ARE BLESSED.

**** BUT A SPECIAL BLESSING HERE FOR REVELATION.

1. NOW NOTE THAT THE THREE PARTICIPLES TRANSLATED READS, HEAR AND HEED ARE IN THE PRESENT TENSE.

* MEANING: READING, HEARING AND OBEYING THE TRUTHS TAUGHT IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION ARE TO BE A WAY OF LIFE FOR BELIEVERS, AGAIN AS WITH ALL SCRIPTURE.

** BUT ALSO, THE CHANGE FROM THE SINGULAR “HE WHO READS” TO THE PLURAL “THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORDS OF THE PROPHECY, AND HEED THE THINGS WHICH ARE IN IT” DEPICTS A FIRST CENTURY CHURCH SERVICE.

*** FOR ONE PERSON WOULD READ THE SCRIPTURE, FOR COPIES OF DIFFERENT SCRIPTURES WERE RARE, EXPENSIVE AND SCARCE.

**** SO ONE WOULD READ AND THAT PERSON WAS BLESSED, AND THE CONGREGATION WOULD HEAR THE READING AND WERE ADMONISHED TO HEED, TO OBSERVE AND APPLY, TO OBEY WHAT WAS SAID.

2. NOT TO BE A HEARER OF THE WORD BUT A DOER, READ JAMES 1:22-25.

* SO THE BLESSING COMES FROM READING, SINGULAR FOR THE ONE WHO READ SCRIPTURE AND TO THOSE WHO HEARD IT AND APPLIED IT.

** BELOVED, JOY, TRUE HAPPINESS AND SPECIAL BLESSING COMES BY LISTENING AND APPLYING THE BOOK OF REVELATION, FOR THE TIME IS NEAR OR AT HAND.

AND IN WRAP UP TODAY, I WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON THAT LAST PHRASE (1) THE TIME IS AT HAND.

* FOR THIS PHRASE AGAIN REITERATES THE TRUTH TAUGHT IN V. 1 THAT THE EVENTS OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION ARE IMMINENT.

** NOW HOW DO WE COME TO THAT CONCLUSION? WELL, THE WORD TIME HERE DOES NOT TRANSLATE THE GREEK WORD CHRONOS, WHICH REFERS TO TIME ON A CLOCK OR CALENDAR, BUT KAIROS (KAHEE-ROS) WHICH REFERS TO SEASONS, EPOCHS OR ERAS.

*** AND THE NEXT GREAT ERA OF GOD’S REDEMPTIVE HISTORY IS NEAR OR IMMINENT, PENDING OR IMPENDING, IT MAY HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.

**** FOR EVERYTHING PROPHETICALLY HAS BEEN FULFILLED, AND THE NEXT PROPHETIC ERA ON GOD’S TIME CLOCK WILL BE USHERED IN BY THE LORD COMING IN THE AIR, AND THIS EPOCH, THIS SEASON, THIS EPOCH WILL HAPPEN.

(2) AND NEAR IS THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH IN THE N.T., READ I PETER 4:7.

* JOHN SAID IN I JOHN 2:18, “CHILDREN IT IS THE LAST HOUR.”

** AND OF COURSE GOD DOESN’T WORK ON THE SAME VIEW OF TIME AS WE DO FOR A DAY TO THE LORD IS A THOUSAND YEARS IN II PETER 3:8, AND IN PSALM 90:4 IN THE N.I.V. SAYS: “A THOUSAND YEARS IN THY SIGHT ARE LIKE A DAY THAT HAS JUST GONE BY.”

*** SO DESPITE THE SKEPTICISM OF SCOFFERS TALKED ABOUT IN II PETER 3:3&4, THE LORD JESUS WILL RETURN AND HIS RETURN IS NEAR OR IMMINENT.

**** AND THIS TRUTH OF IMMINENCE SHOULD HAVE THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF PURIFYING US AS WE WAIT AND WATCH EXPECTANTLY AND OCCUPY TILL HE COMES.

(3) I CLOSE WITH I JOHN 3:1-3. (READ THEM AND COMMENT).

* THIS IS THE BLESSED HOPE OF THE CHURCH. (LET’S PRAY).