147. Beginner Bible Course: The Revelation given by Jesus to John, Pt. 1 (Chapters 1-5)

EPISODE 147:  Simple Bible overview:  THE REVELATION GIVEN TO JOHN, PT. 1 (CH. 1-5)

We've reached the last book of the new Testament revelation so far in the new Testament, we've had three clumps of colors, three literary styles, the gospels introducing us to the savior who brings salvation, acts the history book, explaining how the salvation Jesus brought spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the Roman empire and the epistles or letters explaining how the salvation Jesus brought is applied to our 24 seven everyday lives. The fourth clump is prophesy. The revelation of God, revelation explains how the salvation Jesus brought is brought to completion full circle.

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You might say, God gets his kids back. And his creation back in a big way. We learned the prophecy means to speak forth either to preach or to predict revelation is mostly a specific kind of prophecy like Daniel chapter seven through 12, it's called apocalyptic. That means something that prophesies or describes the complete destruction of the world that should tip you off reading through. Revelation's going to be a wild ride. We learned in episode four, the criteria for which books got in the Bible that books needed to be accurate. That is consistent with each other.

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So whatever we draw out of the book of revelation, the description of the complete destruction of the world, it has to be consistent with the evidence we've already gathered from the previous 65 books of the Bible. So let's review quick. What we've learned so far in Daniel chapters, seven through 12, Daniel gets a series of visions, the parade of human history. And especially that summary chapter Daniel chapter seven, all my, what we learned in those visions is there will be a time of trouble. And then something Daniel calls an abomination of desolation, and then the son of man will come on the clouds and set up an eternal kingdom.

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That was episode 73. It might be wise to listen to that one. Again. In episode 77, we moved to the old Testament, prophet Zachariah in Zachariah, we got a number of glimpses of human history looking forward, especially that eternal King who had come and that kingdom he would set up in that episode. I described it as viewing a mountain range from a distance. It's hard to tell where the peaks are and how far between they are then in the new Testament, Jesus, with his disciples moved this discussion of the end of the world forward in a big way. Episode one 10 in Matthew 24, Jesus claimed to be that son of man of Daniel.

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And he explains to his apprentices what to expect when he's expected, Jesus himself uses illustration or word, picture of a pregnancy increasing contractions over time, and then Showtime. And then the son of man coming on the clouds with power and glory. Jesus said that event would be sudden and unmistakable and its purpose would be to judge the world

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And to rule well, then

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He gives several parables to urge us to always be ready. Now we get the biggest description of all in scripture of human history, going forward, right up front. We should know revelation like any apocalyptic literature and scripture is going to be difficult to interpret. I'd encourage you to go back and review episode eight. In that episode, I suggested scripture and God are like an iPhone. And we are like Pygmies who discover it? How is God going to describe to people like Daniel Zachariah, the disciples, or in the case of revelation, John, the fishermen things that are several millennia and perhaps more in the future.

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Things like high tech weapons, the answer with symbols, they know as to weapons, they might describe a high-tech tank like weapon. As for example, a scorpion with a stinger. That's the best God could do to John the fishermen in 98 D or how about heaven? Paul carried along by the Holy spirit said no eye has seen, no ear has heard. It's not even entered into the heart or head of man, what God has prepared for those who love him, interpretation. This is way over our heads. We can't even come up with categories for what heaven will be like.

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So how is God going to explain that to John the fishermen in 98 D again with symbols, or how about God, the father or Jesus, the lamb, the son explaining more fully who they are and what they're like. How's God going to communicate his eternal character, his being all knowing and supremely Holy again with symbols, when it comes to interpreting apocalyptic prophecy, it's really important that we look at the forest, not stare at the trees by that. I mean, look for outlines and shapes.

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Look for basic movements. Don't laser in on the details. I'm near-sighted the optometrist says 2200. What most people can see in 200 feet. I can only see in 20, if you're like me, near-sighted you actually have an advantage reading the book of revelation. As we go through this, I'm going to encourage you to take off your glasses as it were, you'll see the basic shapes and movements, but you won't see the details. Most of those details are probably symbolic. It's the movements that God wants us to get now to revelation itself. We believe it's written by John, the disciple he's the only disciple left.

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The others. We believe have been martyred for their faith. For their consistent testimony. Jesus was God was killed and was physically raised from the dead church. Fathers suggest the Romans tried to kill John too, by boiling him an oil, but somehow it failed. And under Roman law, they couldn't kill him again. So they banished him to the Island of Patmos. He's probably in his eighties by now. Technically we can't really say John wrote it. This is a very unique book. Whereas most books of scripture, a human writer was carried along by the Holy spirit, as he wrote down the message in his own words and style, most of the book of revelation is dictated to John.

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He's just the secretary. The author of revelation, according to revelation is Jesus. And Jesus is also the central figure of the book. The situation for revelation is this it's ugly to be a Christian in the Roman empire. In 98, they were continually threatened pressured to renounce their faith and to worship the emperor. If you'd like to know more about the situation, look up emperor demission. He ruled from 81 to 96, a D he was a piece of work. So as we read through revelation, some of the things that are being spoken of clearly could be happening right there.

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And then to John and his fellow Christians, the revelation is given to John, mostly in a vision. The outline of revelation is also given John is writing down the things that were the things that are and the things that are to come. Don't miss that. As we read through the content of the seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls of judgment, some of those could have been in John's rear view mirror. Things that had already happened. Some of those could be things that were happening right there. And then to John in 90 a D and some of the things are things to come between 98 and our time or in our future.

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Often we don't know which it is. God apparently didn't think it was important for us to know students of the Bible approach revelation with several big idea, views, some, something that it was all fulfilled in the early church, that this is describing the struggle during John's time that it's not in our future, but in our past, some people turn revelation into a metaphor. In other words, these pages don't describe real events, but principles, perhaps the constant conflict that to God's children and a third group, see it as actual events that took place before John's time or between John's time and our time, or in our future, if a hundred people read through revelation, I'm guessing most of them would say this.

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Sure sounds like it's describing actual events that took place or will take place regarding a literal destruction of our world. I'm tipping my hand. I would be one of those. It feels like real events to me in the next word picture describing the seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls. I'll try to point out those various views as we go along. Another thing that's clear is the impact revelation should have on believers and nonbelievers who read it for believers. It should provide comfort and hope. If you knew how a medical procedure, a suspenseful movie or a lopsided sports event was going to come out, that it was going to come out in your favor, you certainly would have less stress going through it.

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And that's the point. Jesus gives this revelation to John so that God's kids will have comfort and hope that God is in control. Sin will be judged God and his people when Jesus reigns and ultimately God's plan that he will be our God. We will be as people. And we will dwell together will be fulfilled. The impact that seeks to have on non-believers is given in the last few verses, come, come, come back to me. God wants his kids back. Revelation is a warning, but even more. It's a plea. A plea identified in the last phrase of revelation.

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The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all grace. God's free gift. God wants all people on this planet to receive the free gift of grace through the Lord Jesus, and be United as God's kids. Again, if you're a non believer, listening to this revelation is a plea. God wants you back. The primary audience of revelation is also identified in chapters two and three. While the general audience is all of us. The initial audience were seven pastors in seven churches in Asia minor. John is familiar with these. We believe John was likely an emphasis for a significant portion of time before he was banished to Patmos.

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The churches identified in this letter are the ones that emphasis had a part in planting three decades. After being planted by Paul and his team, these churches are struggling with persecution and false teaching. You'll see how representative these churches are of churches throughout history. And today I'll just list them quick, the churches, the issue, and what Jesus tells. He starts with the church of Ephesus. You have a problem. You started out great, but you lost your first. Love me and lost people. Jesus warns them. Repent return to that. Love those deeds you did.

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At the beginning. He writes to the church of Smyrna. You folks are hanging on and being persecuted. I'm not seeing a problem here at all. Well done. Stay faithful, faithful. Even if it costs you your life to the church in Pergamum, he writes you tolerate false teaching, especially people that say you're free to live any way you want to. In the words of judges to do as God's people, whatever's right in your own eyes. Jesus says repent and quickly to the church in Thyatira. Jesus writes you have a problem. You embrace false teaching and immorality, repent and hold fast to the teachings to the church in Sardis, he writes you're fading like embers in a fire, repent, wake up and fan those embers back into flame to the church in Philadelphia.

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He writes you're small, but you're faithful. Hang in there and I will keep you from the worst hour of trouble. And then he gets to the church in Laodicea. Most Christians have heard about this one. He says, you have a problem. You think you're strong and alive, but you're weak and dead. You're lukewarm. I'd rather have you hot or cold. That lukewarm makes me want to spit you out of my mouth. Laodicea. Discipline is coming. I stand at the door and knock open that door and let's get back into fellowship together. That's chapters two and three, the primary audience of this revelation, but it is clear.

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This revelation is meant for all people who will be impacted by the events that will unfold. Jesus dictates the John. He, you as ears to hear, let him hear. He repeats it over and over readers. Open your ears, wake up, turn back. Fan the flames of love and obedience. That's the audience and the situation. Now let's get to the vision. The first one in chapters four and five is quite amazing. Jesus says to John, let me show you what must take place. And then John has a vision of a throne in heaven. God, the father is on it.

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The father is described with incredible symbolism of holiness power. Beauty around him are 24 Thrones with men on them and creatures surrounding the throne. And they are calling out or singing out words like worthy power and glory and honor and belong to you. You created all things. God sits on this throne, a book or scroll in his hand, John can see the book is sealed up with seven seals. We got an idea of seals on the tomb of Jesus. The Roman seal, not just anyone would break a Roman seal.

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And similarly, only one who's worthy can break a seal of God. We get the idea that scroll or book contains the story of how history will come to a conclusion. A mighty angel cries out who is worthy to break the seals. Nobody steps up. John watching this vision begins to weep. He wants to know what's coming. Then one of the elders on one of these Thrones, say John, stop here. He comes the lion of Judah, the roots who came out of King David, the one who overcame he is worthy to open the seals. Then John explains, he saw lamb as if one slain.

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He describes this lamb as if slain with symbols, the lamb takes the scroll from the father's hand at all. Heaven breaks, loose the elders, angels and creatures. Before the throne fall, before the lamb, they start crying out. You are worthy to take the book and break the seals for you were slain and you purchased for God with your blood people from every tribe and nation and language worthy is the lamb worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and might glory and honor and blessing. I mean, we've got a worship service breaking out here.

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Then John sees the lamb, the one slain Jesus break. The first seal on the scroll of what is to come. We're going to take a look at what happens when Jesus breaks those seven seals and what follows after that in our next word picture.