Revelation 1:1-20

We have come to the final book in the New Testament.  My hope as we started this year was to record gleanings from the entire New Testament and it looks like we should be able to make it.  I hope that you have enjoyed the readings half as much as I have enjoyed the writing.  John introduces himself in this book as an elderly man who has witnessed the establishment of the church along with the subsequent death of all of his fellow apostles who had suffered greatly for the cause of Christ.  John has now been banned to an island where he is held prisoner as a punishment for his efforts to advance the cause of Christ.  He writes to the seven churches in Asia about that which Christ revels to him in a dream.  The entire book is filled with very figurative language and symbolism as we might expect from a dream.  Perhaps for that reason there have been so many diverse interpretations of this book.  I believe that the key to understanding this book lies in verse nineteen where Christ commands John to “write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.”  I believe that much of this book is prophetic and provides us with vital information about what God has planned for the future of this world.

JOHN REMEMBERS THE VICTORY IN CHRIST: John begins this book by greeting the seven churches and reminding them of the victory that Christ has won on the cross through His blood.  He has forgiven us of our sins, released us from the power of sin and established us as kings and priests in the kingdom that God is establishing on the earth for His Son.  Christ is coming again to inherit His kingdom and when He does, every individual in every nation of the world will fall on his face to worship the Lord who was killed to ransom us from sin.  He is the first and last, beginning and end, and stands alone in the universe as the object of our worship.  One day all men will recognize this truth but we are blessed to know and worship Him now and should do just that out of hearts that are full of thanksgiving for all that He has done on our behalf.

JOHN RECIVES A VISION OF CHIRST: While John is banished on the island, he is given of vision by the Spirit of God that revels to him much about the Son of God and that which Christ has planned for the future.  John has a spectacular vision of Jesus in His glorified state.  This Jesus is far different from the One with whom John walked, talked and ate and then watched be hung on a cross.  John does as we all will do when we see Jesus for the first time.  He fell on his face to worship.  Jesus then explains to John that He wants John to write about what He will see and explains some of the symbolism of the objects that surround Him.  Christ holds the church in His hands and wants John to observe them, write to them and write about them.  We can be assured that Christ holds the past, present and future securely in the palm of His hand and as believes we can rest in His providence but are called to worship Him in all we do, say and think.