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MOTIVATE

• “God of Word” purpose: overview to see God’s movement as Person, Plan and Purpose
• At beginning of Ravens games there is a scene of players circling together around 1 crazed #52. He voices things like, “What time is it? (Game Time), What time is it? (Game Time), What time is it? (Game Time)”
• The idea is to unify the team around a single vision: We are going to win!
• The book of Revelation is meant the same, to unify God’s people of God’s victory in Jesus Christ as the risen Savior, who sits on the throne and one day will return with a glorious triumph to gather saints and judge the sinner. God wins.

 

EXAMINE               The God who triumphs (Revelation)

Title: (apocalypse): revelation or unveiling

 

Author: John – the disciple whom Jesus loved and was with Jesus at the Last Supper and at the cross being assigned to care for Mary, Jesus’ mother. Tradition says John was arrested by Roman emperor Domitian and placed in a cauldron of boiling oil to die but he did not. Instead, he was exiled to theisland ofPatmos.

 

Purpose: Revelation is a telling of an age to come, things to take place.

Revelation 1:19 “Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to place after this.”

 

What you see: Vision of glory of Jesus

What is now: State ofChurch

What will be: Tribulation, Armageddon, Millennial Reign, Final Judgment, New Heaven & Earth

 

Blessing to Read & Obey: 1:3; 22:7

 

Overview: 2 Great Themes

Jesus is Champion (Rev 1:5-8, 12-20)

The Champion of Heaven has defeated death through the power of the cross. Jesus accomplished three things by his death on the cross, shown in 1:5-6

1. Faithful Witness (cf. John 1:14, 18)
2. Firstborn from dead [Cross & Resurrection] gave forgiveness of sin (cf. Jn 3:17, Rom 6:23)
3. Ruler of all, establishing kingdom of priests (2 Cor 5:20, 1 Peter 2:9)

▪         In v. 8 Jesus is “Alpha and the Omega” showing his divine eternality.

▪         In vv. 9-20 Jesus is described as a master and judge of the Church and entire earth.

–          Standing in midst of lampstands {Dwells with His Churches)

–          Clothed in full robe, wearing a golden sash {Distinguished Person}

–          Head and hair were like white wool {Wisdom}

–          Eyes like flames of fire {Purity & Refiner}

–          Feet were like glowing bronze {Man of Justice}

–          Voice like sound of many waters {Man of Power}

–          Holding 7 stars (angels of churches); keys of death & Hades {Savior & Lord}

–          Mouth flows sharp two-edged sword {Discerning & Piercing Motives}

–          Face shines like sun {Radiant Glory}

 

He is…

–          The faithful witness and the Ruler over the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5).

–          The Alpha and the Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:13).

–          The First and the Last (Rev. 1:17).

–          The Living One (Rev. 1:18).

–          The Son of God (Rev. 2:18).

–          The Holy One and True One (Rev. 3:7).

–          The Amen, the faithful and true Witness (Rev. 3:14).

–          The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David who has conquered (Rev 5:5)

–          The Lamb deserving blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever (Rev 5:13)

–          Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11).

–          The Word of God (Rev. 19:13).

–          The King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16).

–          The Groom receiving the Bride, the Church, (Rev 21:8)

–          The Lord God (Rev 22:5-6)

–          The Root and the Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16).

–          The Bright and Morning Star (Rev. 22:16).

–          The Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 22:21).

 

Jesus is coming (Rev 1:4,7,8; 3:11; 4:8; 16:15; 22:7,12,20)

Jesus first came to earth in humble circumstances (born in manger, small townBethlehemand showed great mercy on people with healings and compassion). Jesus’ second coming is promised to be combined with victory for believers and judgment for unbelievers.

Revelation 1:4, 7, 8 “From Him who is and who was and who is to come…Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him…”

Revelation 3:8, 4:8 “I am coming quickly… [the one] who is coming”

Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming like a thief!”

Revelation 22:7, 12, 20 “Behold, I am coming soon….bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done…”

• Jesus is coming visibly.

Jesus’ coming will not be incognito or secretive, he will be visible to all, “every eye will see him” (1:7). This is a prophecy from Zechariah 12:10-14 and Daniel 7:13, as well as Jesus’ own words in Matthew 16:27.

Signs of Jesus’ coming (Matthew 24)

–         Wars & rumors of wars… nation against nation (24:6-7)

–         Famines and earthquakes (24:7)

–         Persecution of Believers, hatred (24:9-10)

–         False prophets misleading many (24:11, 24)

–         Diminished love (grow cold) (24:12) (2 Tim 3:1-5)

–         Gospel preached to all nations (24:14)

–         Great Tribulation (24:21)

–         Activity in the sky (24:29-30)

–         Angels trumpet (24:31, 1 Thess 4:16)

More Signs 

–         Jewish salvation (Romans 11:25-26)

–         Man of Lawlessness (Antichrist) (2 Thess 2:3)

–         Restrainer’s (Holy Spirit) power removed  (2 Thess 2:7)

 

• Jesus is coming quickly.

Jesus’ coming is to be anticipated since the time and date are unknown. Jesus says he will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:42-44).

 

• Jesus is coming to judge (Revelation 6 – 18)

Jesus’ coming will bring a series of judgment and wrath on the world because of sin and upon those who were unwilling to repent as they rejected God

 

7 Seals (6:1-8:6)

1. Antichrist 2. War 3. Famine 4. Death over ¼ of earth 5. Martyr’s cry 6. Astrological earthquake 7. Silence leading to announcing trumpets

 

7 Trumpets (8:6-9:21)

1. 1/3 vegetation burned 2. 1/3 of sea turn blood 3. 1/3 of fresh water turn bitter 4. 1/3 of luminaries turn dark 5. Abyss Plagues 6. 1/3 of man killed 7. Announcing more judgment

7 Bowls (15:1-16:21)

1. Painful sores 2. Turn sea to blood 3. Turn fresh water to blood 4. People burn with fire 5. Darkness & Pain 6. EvaporateEuphratesriver 7. Greatest earthquake

 

Revelation 6:15-16 “[They] hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!”

 

Revelation 9:6 “During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.”

“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

Revelation 9:20-21 “The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

Revelation 16:11 “ [They] cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.”

 

Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19 – 20) Revelation 20:1-6

Jesus returns to do battle and wages war against those who rejected Him. He binds Satan and believers reign with Jesus for 1000 years. After that, Satan is released for a final battle (Armageddon) only to be thrown into the lake of fire with all the evil ones, where there is torment day and night forever and ever.

APPLY/THINK

• If you knew Jesus was coming back in exactly one year from now, what would you do? How would you handle relationships? What activities would you be involved in or removed from? What would you spend the bulk of your time doing?

 

µ     Hell is real, avoid it by trusting in Jesus now! (Revelation 20:11-15)

At this time there will be a great white throne judgment where the books will be opened and the dead are judged according to their deeds. Files will be read! “Anyone’s name [that] was not found written in the book of life, was thrown into the lake of fire.”

 

Hell is a real place that is described as eternal darkness (Matthew 25:30). It is filled with unquenchable fire (Matt 25:41) and punishment (Matt 25:46). The torment never rests day or night (Rev 20:10). There are some who believe that unbelievers do not experience such atrocity but they cease to exist; annihilationism. This view seems contradictory to the rest of Scripture, nevertheless the point is to avoid Hell and judgment at all costs.

 

God says Ezekiel 33:11 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?”

 

µ     Heaven is real, hope in God (Rev 21:3-4; 22:1-5)

As much as Hell is a reality for unbelievers so is Heaven a reality for believers. Revelation 20 speaks of a Millennial kingdom that will take place on earth for 1000 years. Jesus will reign with believers having areas of responsibility under Him. After that, Satan is forever defeated and eternity begins. John says a new heaven and a new earth will be created.

 

–          A place in God’s presence forever – He dwells with us

–          A place in God’s comfort – He wipes away tears, with no more grief or pain

 

Our imaginations cannot begin to understand how beautiful these places will be. As it is written, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him – but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

 

–          Bookends of the Bible with Genesis & Revelation

• Creation (Gen 1-2; Rev 21-22)
• First Adam reign on earth (Gen 1:26); Second Adam reign in glory (Rev 21:5)
• Bride brought to Adam (Gen 2:18-25); Church is Bride prepared for Christ (Rev 19:7ff)
• Tree of Life inEdenwith removal of God’s presence (Gen 2:9; 3:19-24); Removal of curse, Restoration of Tree of Life (Rev 22:2-3)