"THE BOOK OF REVELATION"

Chapter One

The Revelation of Jesus Christ begins with a clear statement of origin and purpose. Given to Jesus by God to show His servants things which must soon take place, it is designed to bless those who read, hear and keep the words of the prophecy (1-3). John then addresses the seven churches in Asia (western Turkey), offering grace and peace from each member of the Godhead with descriptive terms which become more significant later in the epistle (4-6). His greeting is followed with a declaration concerning the Lord's coming, and a self-designation as expressed by the Lord Himself (7-8).

At this point John explains how he was commissioned to record the Revelation. While on the island of Patmos (likely in exile for preaching the word of God), he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day when he heard a loud voice behind him. The voice identified itself as "the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last", and then charged him to write what he saw to seven churches in Asia (9-11). Turning to see the voice, John saw seven golden lampstands and in their midst the Son of Man. Describing the awesome appearance of the Son of Man and his own reaction, John then records how Jesus comforted and then charged him to write what he has seen and will see (12-19). The chapter ends with the Lord's explanation that the seven stars in His right hand represent the angels (messengers?) of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands signify the seven churches themselves (20).

POINTS TO PONDER

• That the book was written to specific churches of things that would soon take place
• The implications of what is said about Jesus, in the greeting by John and in the words of Jesus Himself

OUTLINE

1. INTRODUCTION (1-8)
1. INTRODUCTION AND BENEDICTION (1-3)
1. Introducing the Revelation of Jesus Christ (1-2)
1. Which God gave Him to show His servants
2. Regarding things which much shortly take place
3. Sent and signified by His angel
4. To His servant John, who bore witness...
1. To the word of God
2. To the testimony of Jesus Christ
3. To all things that he saw
2. The benediction (3)
1. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear this prophecy
2. Blessed are those who keep those things written in it, for the time is near
2. GREETINGS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES (4-6)
1. From John, to the seven churches in Asia (4a)
2. With grace and peace (4b-6)
1. From Him who is and who was and who is to come
2. From the seven Spirits who are before His throne
3. From Jesus Christ
1. The faithful witness
2. The firstborn from the dead
3. The ruler over the kings of the earth
4. Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood
5. Who made us kings and priests to His God and Father
-- To Whom be glory and dominion forever and ever!
3. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHRIST'S COMING (7)
1. He is coming with clouds
2. Every eye will see Him, and they also who pierced Him
3. All the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him
-- Even so, Amen (so be it)
4. THE SELF-DESIGNATION (8)
1. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End"
2. "Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty"
2. THE VISION OF THE SON OF MAN (9-20)
1. JOHN'S CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING UP TO THE VISION (9-10a)
1. Their brother and companion (9a)
1. In tribulation
2. In the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ
2. On the island called Patmos (9b)
1. For the word of God
2. For the testimony of Jesus Christ
3. In the Spirit on the Lord's Day (10a)
2. WHAT HE HEARD BEHIND HIM (10b-11)
1. A loud voice, as of a trumpet (10b)
2. Saying to him... (11)
1. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last"
2. "What you see, write in a book"
3. "Send it to the seven churches which are in Asia..."
3. WHAT HE SAW, AND HIS REACTION (12-17a)
1. Turning to see the voice, he saw... (12-16)
1. Seven golden lampstands
2. In the midst of the seven lampstands, One like the Son of Man
1. Clothed with a garment down to the feet, girded about the chest with a golden band
2. His head and hair white as wool, white as snow
3. His eyes like a flame of fire
4. His feet like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace
5. His voice as the sound of many waters
6. In His right hand, seven stars
7. Out of His mouth, a sharp two-edged sword
8. His countenance like the sun shining in its strength
2. Seeing Him, John fell at His feet as dead (17)
4. THE LORD'S WORDS TO JOHN (17b-20)
1. "Do not be afraid" (17b-18)
1. "I am the First and the Last"
2. "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen."
3. "I have the keys of Hades and of Death."
2. "Write..." (19)
1. "The things which you have seen"
2. "The things which are"
3. "The things which will take place after this"
3. "The mystery of the seven stars...and the seven golden lampstands" (20)
1. "The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches"
2. "The seven lampstands...are the seven churches"

REVIEW QUESTIONS

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1. What are the main points of this chapter?
• Introduction (1-8)
• The vision of the Son of Man (9-20)
2. What was Jesus intending to show His servants? (1)
• Things which must shortly take place (cf. Re 1:3; 22:6,10)
3. How is John described in verse 2?
• As one who bore witness to the word of God, to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to all things that he saw
4. Who is this book designed to bless? Why? (3)
• Those who read and hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things written in it
• For the time is near
5. To whom was the book addressed? (4,11)
• Churches in Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea
6. How is God described in the greeting from John? The Holy Spirit? (4)
• Who is and who was and who is to come
• The seven Spirits who are before His throne (cf. Re 4:5; Zech 4:1-6)
7. How is Jesus Christ described by John in this greeting? (5-6)
• The faithful witness
• The firstborn from the dead
• The ruler over the kings of the earth
• Who loved us
• Who washed us from our sins in His blood
• Who made us kings and priest to His God
8. What is said about the coming of Christ? (7)
• He is coming with clouds
• Every eye will see Him, and they also who pierced Him
• All the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him
9. How does the Lord designate Himself? (8)
• "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End"
• "Who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty"
10. How does John identify himself to His readers? (9a)
• Their brother and companion in tribulation
• In the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ
11. Where and when did John receive the Revelation? (9b-10)
• On the island of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus
• While in the Spirit on the Lord's Day
12. What did he hear a loud voice say? (11)
• "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last"
• "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches in Asia..."
13. When he turned to see the voice, what did he see? (12-13)
• Seven golden lampstands, and in their midst One like the Son of Man
14. How does John describe the Son of Man? (13-16)
• Clothed with a garment down to the feet
• Girded about the chest with a golden band
• Head and hair white as wool, white as snow
• Eyes like a flame of fire
• Feet like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace
• Voice as the sound of many waters
• In His right hand, seven stars
• Out of His mouth, a sharp sword
• Countenance like the shining sun
15. What was John's reaction when he saw Him? What was he first told? (17)
• Fell at His feet as dead
• "Do not be afraid"
16. How does the Son of Man identify Himself? (17-18)
• "I am the First and the Last"
• "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore"
• "I have the keys of Hades and of Death"
17. What was John told to write? (19)
• "The things which you have seen"
• "The things which are"
• "The things which will take place after this"
18. What is the explanation of the seven stars and seven golden lampstands? (20)
• The seven stars are the seven angels (messengers?) of the seven churches
• The seven lampstands are the seven churches (in Asia)