Read Revelation 1.
1. Many have shied away from this book thinking that it was full of hidden
truth and too hard to understand. The opposite is true. Revelation
means to reveal, to expose, or to unveil. The title is "The
Revelation", singular. When someone adds an "s" on the end
of the title, it is because they view the book as being about events.
2. The focus is of the book is found in the opening five words: "The
revelation of Jesus Christ". This book reveals who Jesus is. While reading and studying The Revelation, we
should never lose sight of Jesus; what is He doing, and what He will be doing
in the future.
3. John wrote down what "God gave him", "by sending his
angel" "to bear witness to the word of God and to the testimony of
Jesus Christ." These chapters and their descriptions are not the
Apostle's opinions but the very word of God. People who ignore this book
do so at their own peril.
4. It is the only one of the sixty-six books of the Bible with a promised
blessing for "the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy" to
others in preaching or teaching. In addition, it also promises a blessing
to those who listen and take heed to what is written.
How many Christians and churches have missed out on this blessing for failing
to read, study, and communicate this book!
5. While seeking to understand these 22 chapters, one must maintain consistency
in Biblical interpretation.
-Every passage has a historical context. John received this content about
95 A.D. The initial readers were seven actual churches of Asia Minor
listed in chapters 2 and 3.
-The people, places, and future events are to be taken literally. Jesus
is real. The seven churches were real congregations. The things
that John was allowed to see in the future will literally take place. The
promised return of Jesus Christ is guaranteed.
-Grammar is crucial to understanding Revelation. Words have meaning.
God does not waste words. John's descriptions of what he saw was
written in the best way he could, given his first century context. In
chapter one, he used comparative words to describe the appearance of Jesus.
That does not diminish the literal facts at all. And, how would a
person in John's day communicate seeing a jet plane, missiles, or drones in a
world war?
- Error and much false teaching has resulted from lifting verses out of context
and trying to spiritualize or even dismiss what the word of God states.
6. The point of the book is this: God has a plan for this world and He will
fulfill His plan. Revelation is not a separate book but a culmination of
the Bible. Jesus will return to put down all His enemies and establish
His earthly kingdom. There will be rewards for those who faithfully
follow Jesus. There will be accountability and eternal judgment for those
who reject Jesus. One day, "every knee should bow and, in heaven and
on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11)
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