A Systematic Expository Study on the book of REVELATION

 STUDY 1: THE REVELATION OF CHRIST'S FUTURE GLORY

          Revelation 1:1-3

We are beginning an enriching study of the last book in the divine library - the Revelation: the last book in the Holy Bible. No other book in the Bible has such depth and richness as the Revelation. It is a book in which all things in the Bible find echo, a reverberation or a consummation.

What begins in Genesis ends in Revelation.

In Genesis you have the commencement of heaven and earth,

In Revelation you have the consummation of heaven and earth.

In Genesis, we see the entrance of sin and the curse,

In Revelation we see the end of sin and the curse.

In Genesis, we read of the dawn of Satan and his activities,

In Revelation we read of the doom of Satan and his activities.

In Genesis, the tree of life is relinquished,

In Revelation the tree of life is regained.

In Genesis, death enters,

In Revelation death exits.

In Genesis, sorrow begins,

In Revelation sorrow is banished.

In Genesis, the Saviour is promised,

In Revelation the Saviour is pre-eminent.

The book of Revelation focuses on Christ’s coming in His glory with all of the attendant events and circumstances. The first time our Lord came into this world, He came in human flesh and died in humiliation for our sins. He is coming again, not in humiliation, but in glorious exaltation. The first time He came, many saw His humiliation, the next time He comes, “every eye shall see Him”, all will see Him in exaltation and glorification.

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

Revelation 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:7,10a; Matthew 16:15-17; Luke 17:30; 1 Peter 1:13; Luke 10:21-24; Luke 9:28-35; 2 Peter 1:16-18

As we have it in the opening verse of the book, this is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ”. The word “revelation” means uncovering, unveiling. This, then, is the uncovering, the unveiling, the revealing, the manifestation of the incomparably glorious Son of God, Jesus Christ.

The Gospels reveal Christ in His first Coming in His humiliation, this book reveals Christ in His Second Coming in His exaltation. Christ is the great theme of the Revelation. He is revealed (1) as the risen, glorified Son of God in the midst of His Church, (2) as the Lamb in heaven, publicly invested with all authority and power, (3) as the King of kings and Lord of lords, (4) as the Judge upon the Throne of the universe, (5) as the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star, (6) as the Ruler over all the kingdoms of the earth, (7) as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the end, the One who is, who was and who is to come, the First and the Last. In this book, we are going to see a glorious vision and revelation of Jesus Christ in His majesty, sovereignty and eternal glory.

This book is not only giving us revelation concerning Christ, we also have in it revelation from Christ. Christ in the book reveals the spiritual condition of the churches, reveals the necessity of love and holiness in His Church, reveals the promise of eternal inheritance for the overcomer, reveals the ultimate triumph and reward of the overcomers, reveals the final political set-up of the world and the end of human history, reveals the program and power of the coming Antichrist, reveals the final triumph of Christ over Satan and evil, the victory of Christ’s power over all forces - human or demonic, reveals the final judgment on Satan and the final end of sin, reveals the glories of Christ’s kingdom on earth and the ultimate triumph of God’s saving purpose. This book, i indeed, is the Revelation.

THE RECORD OF JOHN ABOUT CHRIST

Revelation 1:2; John 21:24; 1 John 1:1-3; 5:7-11; Revelation 1:9; 19:10; John 15:27; Acts 22:15

“John who bare record of... Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1,2). As a faithful and loyal witness, John had been bearing record of the Lord, Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John and in his Epistles, he witnessed and bore record of Christ’s incarnation and humiliation as well as our salvation and sanctification through Christ’s atonement. Having borne witness of His humiliation faithfully, he is now given the great privilege of bearing record of His exaltation and glorification. 

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, (1) which God gave unto Him, (2) to shew unto His servants... (3) and He sent and signified it by His angel (4) unto His servant John who bare record...”  From the divine source (God, Himself) the Revelation came from Christ, through an angel to John, the declaring servant. This full disclosure of Christ’s glorification came from God. Christ then sent it through an angel with sights, signs and symbols to John. This is the only book in the Bible sent through an angel (Revelation 22:16). Angelic ministry appears frequently in the book and angels are mentioned in chapters 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,15,16,17,18, 19,20. Angels appear more than 60 times in the book.

John was the trusted servant who was chosen to reveal and declare “the Revelation” to the Church - “to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass” (Revelation 1:1). The major part of the book is prophetic (Revelation 1:3,19; 19:10; 22:18,19). “Shortly come to pass” means that the events in the book are imminent. They will occur very soon and yet there has been some period of waiting (Revelation 6:9-11; Luke 18:7,8). God’s clock is not like our clock. He does not compute time as we compute time. “Be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). The prophecy in the Revelation must certainly come to pass. Not a syllable of this prophecy w ill fall to the ground. The record is true and its fulfilment is certain.

THE REWARD OF JUSTIFIED AND JUST CHRISTIANS

Revelation 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:8,9; 20:6; 22:7,14; Luke 11:28; Psalm 112:1,6,7; Luke 12:37; James 1:12

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Revelation 1:3). This book of “the Revelation” opens and closes with the promise of blessing to those who read, hear and keep the words of the book (Revelation 1:3; 22:7,14). The word “blessed” is used seven times in the book. The number seven symbolized completion and fulness. Those who read, hear and keep these words are promised the fulness of blessings.

“He (singular) that readeth and they (plural) that hear the words” gives the setting of a Church service where the preacher reads and presents God’s Word to the congregation and the people hear the Word attentively. The Lord expects His Church to hear, study and learn from “the Revelation” as the leader in the church reads and teaches the Word. Reading and hearing are important but the ultimate goal is to “keep those things which are written.”  The word “keep” is used in three ways - to guard, to treasure and to obey. In keeping the Word, we are to guard the Word (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14), treasure the Word (Proverbs 4:20,21; Luke 2:19), and obey the Word (1 John 2:3-6; 3:22). We are excited about the study of this great book that promises special and supernatural blessings to those who read, hear, keep, guard, treasure and obey its message.

If you are blessed by these bible study outlines, we' d like to hear from you.

You can email the pastor@deeperlife-liverpool.org.uk with your comments.