Today is the start of trying to understand what Revelation is about. We have heard the words from Revelation 1, but what do we make of it?
Well, first of all the book of Revelation is about struggle.
In it's opening chapters are John's seven dictated letters from the resurrected Christ to seven Churches. Each church had it's own struggles but, some had deeper problems than others, in each letter Jesus urges His people to cling to Him, and do what they know to be right. The ones who listened He called overcomers.
The rest of the book contains the story of another dramatic struggle; God's plan to rid the world of sin and it's destructive consequences. John describes when Jesus will return in glory to conquer satan and restore His broken world, vindicating God's people and judging the wicked. All people will get their dues when Christ returns. Believers will receive eternal joy, unbelievers unending separation from God. In the end God will rebuild what has been broken by sin. He will introduce a new heaven and a new earth.
The book of Revelation ends with Christ as victor over all. All that He said will come true, all that He taught will be proven right, all who followed Him will be vindicated, and all who rejected Him will be judged. God will have His way. He wants nothing more than to have us stand beside Him as victors.
We face struggles, God knows that. Through His book He urges not to give in, but to believe in Him and to overcome. As He renews our broken world, He will make our broken lives new and perfect as well.
So, the purpose of this book is to give hope to believers and warn them not to compromise their loyalty to God. So, let's have a look at this chapter one, that we have read and try to understand what it's saying.
The book of Revelation describes what will happen in the future. It looks forward to the time of Christ's return, when our new life in Christ twill be perfected. It also tells about the hard battle God will fight to restore our world from the destructive consequences of sin. Many of this books symbols are difficult to interpret, but one message comes through clearly. No matter how bad things are right now, God has a solution! Jesus Christ will return to re create our broken and polluted world. He will give us a new body and a healed heart. God has already started His healing in us through our relationship with Jesus, He will complete this task when He returns to rule.
The powerful work of Jesus Christ is the only valid foundation for our recovery. Christ shed His redemptive blood on the cross to free us from bondage to sin, past abuse, destructive habits, compulsions and addictions. God loved us enough to send His Son to die on our behalf!
But, praise God, Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death forever! Through Him we can rise to new life. No matter who we are or what we have done, God has solutions for our problems.
This passage tells us that the future coming of Jesus will be desperately painful for those who refuse to believe and follow Him. The terrifying consequences of their denial will be eternal judgement.
On the other hand, if we pursue our faith in Christ we can rejoice in the new life His return will bring. God is the beginning and the end of all things. We can have hope because God is in control of our past, present and future.
John, who wrote Revelation suffered a great deal for Christ and persevered through it. He was sent to the Island of Patmos which the Romans used as a penal colony where they has to work in the quarries. All the pain and exile had not embittered him toward God; the Apostle still worshipped God faithfully. John was worshipping when he received the visions recorded in his book. It is easy to be discouraged but we don't need to be. Some people may reject us because we are trying to change or because we have problems. We know what it's like to be looked down on, but John's example provides encouragement to persevere despite the difficulties we face.
Evidence within Revelation indicates that it was written during a period of extreme persecution of Christians, which possibly was that begun by Nero after the great fire that nearly destroyed Rome in July AD64, and continued until Nero's suicide in June AD68.
In this view, the book was written before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70. There was continuing suffering and persecution of Christians, which became even more intense and severe in the following years.
How does that make you think and feel as you envisage their suffering, even painful death? In this country being a Christian is different, we might think we suffer for our faith, but it is incomparable to this. Yet those early Christians persevered in their faith to and for our benefit.
This book reminds us that God created order for our lives but satan, unable to create anything, tempts others to distort and misuse what God has created.
John, who wrote down this revelation received prophesies through a series of vivid visions containing symbol images and numbers that echo those found in the prophetic books of the Old Testament - John records them in the chronological order in which he received them, many of them pictures of the same events from different perspectives.
There is so much in this book, so today we have glimpsed into chapter one. This chapter mentions the seven Churches which were located on a major postal route, and are listed in the order in which a messenger would reach the towns, making a circular sweep from Ephesus. The chart shows just where they were situated. The second chart shows what the messages were mainly about.
The seven golden lamp stands mentioned in verse 12 represents the Churches which are lights in a dark world.
The clothing of The Lord symbolises priestly royalty.
The white hair and flaming eyes symbolise eternity, wisdom and omniscience.
The fine brass suggest omnipotence, and the many waters represent commanding authority.
The seven stars are either the pastors/messengers of the Churches, and the guardian angels are assigned to the Churches.
In His right hand connotes being sustained and protected,
The two edged sword is His word
The description of The Lord's countenance indescribable glory and majesty.
The keys of Hades and death means Jesus is now Lord over the realms of life and death.
There is so much in this passage!
Verse 20 mentions the seven Churches, and chapter 2 goes into the letters to each Church in more detail.
But here is an overview explanations will come later.
This book of Revelation is from Jesus and about Jesus. Like John we will fall at His feet in worship and thanksgiving. Hearing His voice, we will turn and see Him in His risen and exalted glory. Our hearts will be strengthened as we discover afresh that He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and that all earth's proud empires will bow before Him.
Just as importantly, we will wish to take on board His corrective words to His people. To have ears to hear is to have hearts that obey. We will not be judged by the accuracy of our speculation but by faith obedience of our lives to the call of God. Nor is this simply personal, the letters were addressed to the Churches and to their leadership.
Jesus moves among the candlesticks and He has the power to remove those that no longer fulfil their light bearing ministry. His words are sobering, calling us as Churches to consider our ways, to repent where needed, and to draw fresh grace from the one who "is", and who was, and is to come.
We dare not be complacent, the day of visitation is near, and every Church that bears the name of Jesus Christ will be examined by the one who stands among them, holding their messenger lights in His right hand.
This book is about the One who loves us and who has liberated us from guilt, penalty and power of sin through the shedding of His own precious blood . He is The Lord who calls us to be His people.
Let's pause and worship Him with thanksgiving.
Irene