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REVELATION
(13 Week Study)
Lesson Subject Passage
1 Person oI Christ and 1:1-20
John`s Vision
2 Messages to 4 Churches 2:1-29
3 Messages to 3 Churches 3:1-22
4 Prelude in Heaven and the Scroll 4:1 - 5:14
5 Seal Judgments 1-6, Interlude 6:1 - 7:17
6 7th Seal and Trumpet 8:1 - 9:21
Judgments 1-6
7 Little Scroll; 2 Witnesses 10:1 - 11:19
7th Trumpet
8 Persecution oI Israel 12:1 - 13:18
Antichrist`s Program
9 Fate oI 144,000 Jews 14:1-20
Preview Announcements
10 7 Bowl Judgments 15:1 - 16:21
11 Religious and Commercial 17:1 - 18:24
Babylon
12 2nd Advent oI Christ 19:1 - 20:10
13 Final Judgment Eternal 20:11 - 22:21
State
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PASSAGE : Revelation 1:1-20
SUB1ECT : Person oI Christ and John`s Vision
FOCUS : Jesus Christ, the Son oI God, is worthy oI both our worship
and our obedience.
OUTLINE :
I. 'The things which you have seen (1:1-20)
A. The Prologue (1:1-3)
B. The Salutation (1:4-8)
1. Trinitarian greetings (1:4)
2. The Person and work oI Christ (1:5-8)
C. The Vision (1:9-20)
1. Setting (1:9-11)
2. Content (1:12-16)
3. Results (1:17-18)
4. Instructions (1:19)
5. Interpretation (1:20)
Introduction
Overview and Theme: 'Revelation means unfolding or unveiling
and the book is thus the message given by Jesus Christ through His angel
to His bond-servant, John, who in turn communicates the revelation to
the saints (1:13).
The book breaks down easily into three basic sections as John is
given his vision Irom God and told to write: (1:19)
'The things which you have seen (chapter 1)
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'The things which are (chapters 2-3)
'The things which shall take place aIter these
things (chapters 4-22).
The bulk oI the book is Iuturistic (4-22), describing persons and
events which will take place in the Iuture as human history draws to
a climax, goes through a transitional stage and merges into the eternal
state (new heavens and new earth). The question oI how to interpret the
messages to the seven churches in chapters 2-3 will be dealt with in the
Iurther study oI the book.
Much oI the language oI the book is symbolic so tath it would be
understood by believers but not by the Romans who would have seen
it as predicting an open revolt against Rome ('Babylon) by a coming
King oI the Jews. But many oI the signs and symbols are either directly
explained by the text, by the context, or by reIerence to other scriptures
as John brings to a conclusion and unites in one book the great lines oI
biblical prophecy (e.g. the church, the world, Gentiles, the covenants,
judgment on Satan, The Great Tribulation, The Day oI the Lord, the
Millennial Kingdom, judgments in general, etc.).
PURPOSE: John wrote !"#"$%&'() Ior at least two reasons. First,
God told John to write (1:11, 19) and secondly, John was discharging
his apostolic oversight with respect to a number oI churches Ior which
he was responsible. These churches were experiencing severe persecution
Irom the Roman civil authorities and John wrote in light oI their current
circumstances. Christians were anticipating the imminent return oI a king,
who would break the political and military bond which Rome held over
them. John wrote to tell them oI the fnal outcome oI this great confict
and thereby comIort and stabilize them and to encourage their continued
patient endurance. As earlier indicated, much oI the symbolic language
was probably designed so that Rome would not interpret the book as an
immediate treasonous threat.
ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE: In !"#"$%&'() not only do we see
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God`s plan oI the Ages Iulflled, but we see a complete reversal oI the
eIIects oI the curse (Genesis 3; Rev. 22:3), as creation itselI is redeemed
(Rom. 8:18-30). Keep in mind that biblically, suIIering precedes reigning,
and judgment and cleansing precede blessings.
OBSERVATIONS & COMMENTS
~The things which you have seen (1:1-20)
The Prologue (1:1-3)
John opens the book by indicating that it is 'the Revelation oI Jesus
Christ which could mean either that it is about Him or from Him.
While perhaps it is best to see this as a reIerence to the source oI the
message, the content certainly centers on the Person oI Jesus Christ.
It is both about and Irom Him. The message is given by God to Jesus
Christ and by Jesus through 'His angel to his bond-servant John,
which message John, in turn, is to 'show to His bond-servants (the
saints 1:1). A blessing is promised to the one who reads the words,
and to those who both 'hear and 'heed the things written in the book
(1:13). John thus testifes at the outset that the message oI the book is
the Word oI God, and later he will add warnings concerning adding to
or taking away Irom the words oI the prophecy (22:18-19).
As to the time when the things written will take place, John says they
'must shortly take place (1:1). This does not necessarily mean soon,
but that once they start, they will occur swiftly and, one could argue,
in the chronological sequence set Iorth in the book.
John now moves to his salutation (1:4-8), which includes both another
reIerence to the source and describes the person and work oI Jesus Christ,
Who is to come again.
The Salutation (1:4-8)
1. Trinitarian greetings (1:4)
John addresses the 'seven churches that are in Asia with grace
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Irom:
God the Father ('Him who is and was and is to come)
The Holy Spirit ('seven Spirits)
The Son ('Jesus Christ)
2. The Person and work oI Christ (1:5-8)
John next describes Jesus as the:
'FaithIul witness (Revealer oI the Father)
'First born oI the dead (Resurrected)
'Ruler oI the kings oI the earth (Ruler) (1:5).
He then ascribes glory to the Son Ior His love, Iorgiveness oI sins, and
redemption (1:5b-6). In verse 7, John announces the theme oI the book
The Second Coming oI Christ in glory as Judge and King. In verse
8, John asserts the eternality and sovereignty oI God the Father. 'Alpha
and Omega oI verse 8 could reIer here to the eternality oI Christ or
perhaps to His revelatory role as the 'Word oI God (see John 1:1).
Thus in 1:4-8, John has in microcosm summed up the entire revelation
oI/Irom God to man through His Son Jesus Christ.
The Vision (1:9-11)
1. Setting
While John is in exile on the Isle oI Patmos because oI persecution
due to his IaithIul witness to Christ (1:9), he hears and sees a vision
and is told to write it down and send it to the seven churches (1:11).
John at the time oI the vision was 'in the Spirit on the Lord`s
Day (1:10). John was thus under the control oI the Spirit on either
the frst day oI the week or a 'Lordian day a day oI a special
character, when the Lord was uniquely present and specifcally
revealed HimselI to John. It was in this context that the 'revelation
was made known to John. The special nature and source oI it cannot
be missed.
2. Content (1:12-16)
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John describes seeing:
a. 'Seven golden lampstands (1:12, identifed in 1:20 as the seven
churches)
b. 'Seven stars (1:16, identifed in 1:20 as the angels oI the seven
churches)
c. 'one like a son oI man (Christ) in the middle oI the lampstands.
The vision oI Christ in the middle oI the lampstands clothed in
unique garments and described with hair 'white like white wool,
'eyes like a fame oI fre, and Ieet like glowing 'burnished bronze
is probably an attempt by John to describe the glory oI Christ and
can be related to Dan. 7:9.
John`s portrait oI Christ seems to describe Him as righteous judge-
'and out oI His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword. This probably
has reIerence to the Word oI God (Heb. 4:12, Rev. 2:12, 16; 19:15)
by which God judges men and nations including the 'thoughts and
intentions oI the heart. The central content oI the vision is Christ
HimselI.
3. Results (1:17-18)
John`s only response is to Iall down in reverent worship and
submission at the Ieet oI Christ, who describes HimselI as the 'First
and Last, and the Living One. Christ asserts His authority ('keys
oI death and Hades) and tells John to get up and write.
4. Instructions (1:19)
John is then commanded to write the things which he has seen, the
things which are present and the things to come, thus outlining the
revelation (message) in three basic parts.
5. Interpretation (1:20)
John is told the meaning oI the symbols as Iollows: The seven stars
are the seven angels oI the churches and the seven lampstands are
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the seven churches. The reIerence to angels oI the church could
reIer to real guardian angels (Heb. 1:14) or to angelic messengers
to the particular churches or elders oI the churches (see 2:1, 8, 12,
18 et al). John now turns to the portion oI the revelation related to
'things which are.
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Directed Study Questions
Revelation 1:1-20
1. Why does John spend so much time describing Christ?
2. How would you personally describe the picture oI Christ painted
by John?
3. What is the best response to the question oI why Revelation contains
so much symbolic language?
4. When Christ comes again what must He frst do beIore He can
reign as King?
5. In chapter 1, does John picture the rapture or the second coming?
6. On what does the promised blessing oI Rev. 1:3 really depend?
What is stressed?
7. For what two basic reasons is Jesus Christ worthy oI worship?
8. How does Rev. 1:19 reveal the structure oI the book?