What Matters Most: Letter to the Church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7)

It is a tragedy when any marriage comes to the point where one spouse says to the other, “I don’t love you anymore.”  Those words are normally preceded by a season of complacency and coldness, so that when uttered they simply express something the person has known for sometime and possibly even something that their spouse has suspected for a long time.  As tragic as such a situation is, there is a situation that is infinitely more tragic: when the bride of Christ abandons her love for Jesus.

[2:1] “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. [2] “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. [3] I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. [4] But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. [5] Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. [6] Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. [7] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ (Revelation 2:1-7 ESV)

I.              Tour of the Text:

a.     Introduction of the Letter (1):

Each of these seven addresses to the churches has the same basic structure (or “prophetic formula”): an introduction, containing a description of Christ, a body, containing a diagnosis & a prescription, and a conclusion, containing a closing exhortation with a promise.  The theme of each letter is a call the church to persevere in order to experience eternal life.

The first of these seven letters is addressed to the church at Ephesus.  Ephesus was the most influential city in Asia Minor, with a population over a quarter million.  It was home to one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, the temple of Artemis/Diana, and it also was home to multiple imperial cult temples as well.  For this reason, Ephesus was the center of Paul’s missionary efforts to the country (Acts 18-20).  This is the only church of the seven in which we have other New Testament letters directly addressed to (Ephesians, 1 Timothy). 

The opening words to the church at Ephesus, “the words of him…” is a phrase used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) to introduce prophetic sayings.  It is normally translated as the familiar “Thus says the LORD.”  The phrase emphasizes that Jesus is assuming the role of YAHWEH in addressing these churches. 

Each introduction contains a description of Christ (1b) that both looks back to the opening portion of this vision in 1:9-20 and emphasizes something particularly suitable to the situation at the church He is addressing.  Christ’s description here is two-fold.  First, He is described as “Him who holds the seven stars (angels) in his right hand.” This emphasizes Jesus role as sovereign protector of His church (Revelation 1:16).  Jesus is also described as “Him…who walks among the seven golden lampstands.”  This emphasizes that Jesus is the omnipresent, omniscient High Priest who knows His church, is with His church, and intends to tend to His church (Revelation 1:20). 

b.    Body of the Letter (2-6):

The body of the letter contains a diagnosis of the church’s spiritual state and a prescription for faithfulness.  Jesus’ diagnosis, however, does not require this church to supply any symptoms!  Jesus KNOWS their “works” (2a).  These “works” fall into two categories: their “toils” and their “patient endurance.”  “Toils” communicates “hard work.”  Their hard work is described as how they “cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested” them. “Those who are evil” are “those who call themselves apostles” but are not.  This church has tested these phony apostles and found them to be false.

Their toil is also described as how they “hate the works of the Nicolaitans” (6), which Jesus also hates.  According to most commentators, the “Nicolaitans” taught that Christians could engage in immoral behavior such as idolatry and sexual immorality.  We’re not given a great deal of information about them, which means that they were probably a group that the original audience was familiar with.  Since Jesus hates their works, perhaps a good definition of the “works of the Nicolaitans” from this passage would simply be “works that Jesus hates.” This seems to indicate sinful behavior. Notice here that there is an intolerance that Jesus commends.  Jesus commends them for not tolerating false teaching or immorality in the church.  Love does not equal unqualified tolerance. 

Jesus also commends this church for their “patient endurance” (2c).  John has already touched upon this theme in Revelation 1:9 and it reminds us again that all believers are “sibling” and “partners” in patiently enduring persecution and suffering for the sake of Christ’s kingdom.  Their patient endurance is described as “enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake” (3a) and that in doing so they “have not grown weary” (3b).  This church has suffered persecution as a result of their stand for truth and has faithfully endured that persecution. 

Let me just say before we move on, that this is a good church by many standards.  This is what I would call a church with BACKBONE.  They have withstood false teaching, immorality, and persecution and Jesus commends them for this. 

Their diagnosis, however, also contains a sharp, serious rebuke for this church.  Jesus has something against them.  It is that they “have abandoned the love they had at first” (4).  “First” can speak to priority or to proximity of time.  It probably speaks of their former love and fervor for the Lord in this passage, but ironically, their former love and passion for the Lord is also a believer’s “first” priority.  Some also see this as a rebuke for failing to love others, but there is no need to choose between love for God and love for others, because in the Bible, love for God and love for others go hand in hand.

Consider 1 John 4:16,20-21: “[16] So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” “[20] If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. [21] And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” 

The Great Physician follows His diagnosis of the church at Ephesus with a two-fold prescription.  He tells them to “Remember therefore from where you have fallen,” or how far they have fallen.  They are to remember what it was like to live impassioned by this love they had at first.  After they do this, they are to “Repent.”  Repentance means to turn away from the wrong works, but also to “do the works you did at first.”  They are doing some good things, but there are some better things that they are not doing.  Something is either wrong with what they are doing now or with the way that they are doing what they are doing now. 

As with most diagnoses and prescriptions, there is a warning for not heeding the doctor’s orders.  The consequence for not repenting, which they are doubly warned about, will be that Jesus (because He can) will “come” and “remove” their “lampstand from its place” (5b).  This means a removal of the church’s influence as a light to the world and could also mean a literal removal of the church itself.  The Old Testament allusions we’ve seen about the church being God’s people also serve to communicate this message: they call the church to not be like Israel, whose lampstand WAS removed.  We learn here that the church that fails to love fails to be a light to the world.

c.     Conclusion of the Letter (7):  

The conclusion of each address contains an exhortation to heed Jesus’ instruction and a promise for doing so.  The exhortation is for “he who has an ear” (7a).  This is an allusion to Isaiah 6:9-10, and also to Jesus’ teaching in the gospels (Matt. 13 for example).  The phrase communicates that this revelation will be received by true believers and rejected by unbelievers, who will be hardened and blinded the message they reject. 

For those who do hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches, there is a promise.  Notice first that this promise is for the churches, plural (7a).  These letters are addressed to these literal churches but each church’s message is to be heeded by the other churches as well.  It is very possible that the other churches also had beleivers who also needed to hear the message to the church at Ephesus.  This is another reason to understand that these letters are also to the universal church for all time.  These letters address different types of churches and different types of believers or groups of believers, but primarily communicate corporate instruction. 

This promise is also a promise to the conqueror, or the “overcomer,” which is a military metaphor that ultimately looks forward to Revelation 21:7.  In Revelation, someone who conquers is always someone who perseveres (remains faithful to God) to the very end, because true Christians persevere.  The conqueror is someone who “has an ear” and will heed the instruction that Jesus gives to the church.  So, to conquer will mean to repent of complacency and coldness in this case.  The conqueror will be granted “to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”  This is an obvious allusion to Genesis 2-3, but also looks forward to Revelation 22:2, where we see the tree of life appear again in the New Creation.  This means that the conqueror will get to live forever with God, and the one who fails to conquer, or repent, will not.

II.            Applying the Text:

a.     Understand that Jesus Knows His Church

This truth is first seen in Christ’s Description of Himself.  Where is Jesus?  He is walking in the midst of His churches.  This means that He is always present and therefore always aware of what is going on in His church.  This truth is also seen in Christ’s Diagnosis of the Church.  It would be very hard for anyone to come to this diagnosis based upon what we see outwardly in this church.  Jesus can say this because He knows them.  He sees beyond what is outward. 

Remember when Jesus cut right to heart of the rich young man in Mark 10:17-31?  Outwardly this young man had it together, but Jesus told him that he lacked one thing.  He did not love God more than His money and possessions, and Jesus put His finger right on this young man’s heart.  How could He do so?  Jesus can do so because He could see this man’s heart, just like He could see this church’s heart, and just like He can see ours today. 

How does it make you feel to know that Jesus knows our church?  What would he write in a letter to us?  Would he commend us for our intolerance of sin?  Would he rebuke us for our lack of love for Him and one another (especially in our witness)? 

b.    Understand that Jesus Loves His Church

We see Jesus’ love for this church in the warning and in the promise He gives to them.  Why do you warn your children and grandchildren when they are in danger?  You do so because you love them.  Jesus loves this church and wants them to continue to be a light to the world for their own good and for the glory of His name.  He wants them to inherit eternal life and live forever with Him.  Consider the rich young man again.  Why did Jesus put His finger on this young man’s heart and expose it?  Mark 10:21 says that He did so because He “loved him.”

c.     Understand that Because Jesus Loves His Church, He wants His Church to Know What Matters Most to Him

Be careful here.  We are often guilty of thinking that since good works that lack love are worthless (1 Corinthians 13:1-3), then good works must not matter as long as we have love.  That is a terrible conclusion to come to.  This passage reminds us that good works DO matter to Jesus.  This church is commended for these works mentioned above. The point is that they are supposed to flow out of an all-consuming passion for Jesus Christ.  When you love God, you love truth and you love people correctly.  So love matters MOST. God wants all of our HEARTS.  [4] “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [5] You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ESV)

[34] But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. [35] And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. [36] “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” [37] And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. [38] This is the great and first commandment. [39] And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [40] On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:34-40 ESV)

Hear, O Dry Creek: the Lord our God, the LORD is one.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  Do you remember the passion you once had for the Lord as a new believer?  Do you remember a season in your Christian life where you were much closer to the Lord than you are today?  Where are you with the Lord today?  We are often as quick to respond to questions like these as Peter was (John 21:15-23).  Perhaps we need to remember that Jesus wasn’t asking Peter if he loved Him because He didn’t know.  He wanted Peter to ask himself that question. 

What ever your answer is to these questions today, bank on this: Jesus knows answer.  The difference between a loveless spouse and a loveless church or believer is that Christ’s bride would never say that she doesn’t love Him anymore, at least not with her words.  However, Jesus’ message to the church at Ephesus is a sobering reminder that Jesus knows where are hearts are before Him, even better than we do.  Repent of your complacency and self-sufficiency and surrender everything to Him today.  Confess that you desire ears to hear this message and a heart totally devoted to Him.  That’s what He died on the cross to give you.  

The Hero & Theme of Revelation: Revelation 1:4-8

Happy Father’s Day!  Last week we began by trying to set our bearings properly before entering the waters of the book of Revelation.  We said that this was important so that we could make sense of where we are at any given point and so that we can end up where we need to be.  Today we are going to see two more crucial bearings that we need to establish, and they are the Hero of Revelation and the theme of Revelation.

In Revelation 1:4-8, John wrote to point believers to both the Hero of the book of Revelation and the theme of the book of Revelation.  Fathers, as well as any other person present here today, need to be pointed to this Hero and this theme as well because the Hero and theme of Revelation is really the Hero and theme of all of Scripture.  My prayer today is that God would make the Hero and theme of this book the Hero and theme of your life.  

[4] John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, [5] and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood [6] and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

[7] 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. Even so. Amen. [8] “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:4-8 ESV) So who is the great Hero of Revelation and what is its epic theme? 

I.              Know the Great Hero of Revelation (4-6)

We are first to know His identity.  The great Hero of the book of Revelation is the Trinitarian God of the Bible in general, but Jesus Christ in particular.  In verses 4-5a, we see a Trinitarian greeting given. The doctrine of the Trinity is the teaching that there is only one true God, but that He eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each being fully and equally God, but separate persons at the same time.  As we make our way through these descriptions, I’m confident that you will see all three members of the Trinity present. 

First, we see the Father, or “Him who is and who was and who is to come.”  This title is an allusion to Exodus 3:14-15 much like Revelation 1:1 was an allusion to Daniel 2:28-29.  Commentators call this statement a paraphrase of the divine name, “Yahweh,” because in some very similar wording in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), God identifies Himself in this way: [14] God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” [15] God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. (Exodus 3:14-15 ESV) This title highlights the truth that God is eternal, and reminds us that all time exists within God’s eternal presence.  God created time and is Lord over all time. 

John also sends grace and peace from the Holy Spirit to these believers.  Now while we cannot be absolutely certain that “the seven spirits who are before his throne” is a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit, that is most likely the case.  These “seven spirits” are called “seven torches of fire,” the “seven eyes” of the Lamb, and the “seven spirits of God” in Revelation 3:1, 4:5, and 5:6.  This description in Revelation 1:4 seems to be an allusion to either Zechariah 4 or Isaiah 11:2, or both.  Zechariah 4 speaks of seven lamps, which are the “seven eyes of the LORD,” and seems to identify them as God’s one Spirit.  Isaiah 11:2 identifies God’s seven-fold Spirit as the one who will equip the Messiah to establish His end-time reign.  So think of this phrase as an ICON for the “perfect” Holy Spirit in Revelation.

Finally, John sends grace and peace from the Son, “Jesus Christ.”  Jesus is given a three-fold description that (1) forms the basis of our grace and peace, (2) serves as an example and a comfort to these suffering believers, and (3) is most likely an allusion to Psalm 89:27,37.  He is first called “the faithful witness.”  The Greek word here is “martys,” which is where we get the word “martyr.”  Jesus is the model witness of standing firm in the midst of being persecuted, being faithful even to death.  His faithfulness to the death earned righteousness for us and also satisfied God’s wrath towards our sin, establishing the basis for the grace and peace with God that we enjoy as Christians.  This description also reminded these believers of the example they are to follow in suffering for the faith.  But not only is Jesus’ obedience to the point of death on a cross highlighted, so is His resurrection.  He is “the firstborn of the dead.”  Notice that the ideal martyr is also the firstborn from the dead!  His sure victory over death would remind these believers that even in losing their lives, they are only sealing their victory because death is an enemy that Jesus has already conquered (Rev. 12:11).  Jesus is also described as “the ruler of kings on earth.”  Jesus is seen as the sovereign King of kings in the book of Revelation (Rev. 17:14,19:16).  His reign over the kings of the earth would remind believers that He rules over Caesar and any other pagan enemy even when it doesn’t seem like it.

Notice that in these descriptions, John’s aim is not so much that we know this great Hero’s identity, as it is that we know His grace and peace.  John offers “grace” and “peace” to his readers from these members of the Trinity.  His perfect life, His victory over death, and His rule form the basis of the grace and peace that we experience with God.  Do you know His grace (unmerited favor) and peace (the state of spiritual well being that follows) today?  As we are going to see, Christ’ work is not only the basis for our grace and peace with God, it is also the basis for why He deserves glory. 

We are also admonished here to know His glory.  John breaks into doxology in verses 5b-6, giving another three-fold description of why Jesus Christ is worthy of “glory and dominion forever and ever.”  The first reason is because He “loves us.”  What an incredible thought!  How was this love expressed?  [6] For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—[8] but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8 ESV) [9] In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. [10] In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10 ESV) 

This expression of Christ’s love is exactly what John highlights, that Jesus “has freed us from our sins by his blood.”  In dying in our place and shedding His blood for our sins, Jesus bore the wrath of God that was aimed at our sin so that we could be set free from it.  Colossians 2:14 says something similar in saying that on the basis of Christ’s work, God canceled “the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.  This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”  But it gets better! 

Not only does Jesus love us and has He free us from our sins by His blood, He has also “made us a kingdom” corporately and “priests to His God and Father” individually.  This is an allusion to Exodus 19:6, where God expresses His desire for Israel to become a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  The implication is that Jesus has made the church what Israel failed to become, and that His disciples are now the true people of God (Rom. 2:28-29, Gal. 6:16, 1 Pet. 2:9-10).  That is clearly John’s meaning here.  This is what the work of Christ has accomplished and this is why He is worthy of all glory and dominion forever!  We never move away from the victory of Christ in His finished work in Revelation or in our lives, because it is the ground for our eternal victory. 

This is the gospel: that your sins have been paid in full by the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.  By turning to Christ in faith and repentance, you can experience the outpouring of God’s love, grace, & peace as His royal child.  Hallelujah, what a Savior! Do you know His grace and peace?  Do you know His glory?  Only through a sufficient knowledge of the gospel and a proper response to the gospel can a person come to know the God who is the great Hero of this book. 

II.            Treasure the Great Theme of Revelation (7-8)

The great theme of the book of Revelation found in verses 7-8 is two-fold.  First, Jesus is coming to rewards His servants and to judge His enemies.  After his introductory greeting, John makes this announcement: “Behold, He is coming with the clouds” (7).  This is at the heart of Revelation and the Bible’s message: HE’S COMING!  John says that when He comes, it will be “with the clouds” and that “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.”  This Old Testament allusion combines Daniel 7:13 and Zechariah 12:10.  The allusion to Daniel 7:13 refers to the coming of the “Son of man” with the clouds to receive everlasting dominion over all nations from the Ancient of Days (the Father) and how His kingdom will never be destroyed or ever pass away.  This is the same thing we saw last week in Daniel 2. 

The allusion to Zechariah 12:10 speaks of a day when God will pour out upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a “spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.”  This wailing, or mourning, is either mourning due to their repentance or due to their judgment, or both.  In Zechariah 12:10, this seems to be a or mourning of repentance on the part of the Jewish people, which John expands this to include “all tribes of the earth.”  Some see the wailing in Revelation 1:7 as a wailing over their own judgment because the judgment of the nations is a common theme in Revelation.  It’s most likely that both will take place at the coming of Christ.  Jesus is coming to judge His enemies and to reward His servants, even those who repent at the very last moment.  I see Jesus’ coming as rewarding to His servants in John’s words here: “Even so. Amen.”  John longs with excitement for Christ’s coming.  May God give us more fathers who speak like this!  But make no mistake, it will the worst possible day for anyone who has not repented of their sins and put faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.  The reason the nations are the objects of God’s mission is because they are the objects of God’s judgment without the gospel. 

A second part of Revelation’s great theme is that along with the truth that Jesus is coming, we also see the truth that God is sovereign.  This is the main point of the description of God in verse 8.  God speaks here reminding us that He is great “I AM” of Exodus 3:14, “who is and who was and who is to come.”  He also brings attention to the fact that He is “the Alpha and the Omega.” These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and they bring attention to the fact that God is “the first and the last” and “the beginning and the end” (Rev. 21:6, 22:13).  This description reminds us that the God who spoke the first word in creation will also have the last word in the universe.  This is what it means to be SOVEREIGN.  God’s sovereignty is also seen in the title, “the Almighty.”  This means just what it says, that God is all mighty, or omnipotent.  That this is a great theme in Revelation is clear from the fact that of the 12 times this word appears in the New Testament, nine of those appearances are in the book of Revelation.  What an encouragement this description of God would have been to these believers who received this letter and what an encouragement they are to us today as well!  What an encouragement to know that when the future seems uncertain, when your spouse says, “it’s over,” when your doctor says, “cancer,” when your parents say, “you’re worthless,” when the executioner says, “death,” that it is GOD and not them who WILL have the last word! 

History is His-story, and it is the story of His glory.  He created the universe, sustains the universe, and will judge every being in the universe one day.  No matter what life or history may ever look like, one truth you can take to your grave is that the future is never uncertain; it only appears to be at times.  God is only every moving history forward according to His plan for the good of His people and the glory of His name.  May we come to treasure this Hero of Revelation, who is, who was, and who is to come, who has come, who has won, who is coming, and who is ruling over every second of history as He writes the story of His glory.  Even so, Amen!!!

The Revelation of Jesus Christ: Revelation 1:1-4a

Today we embark upon a remarkable journey through the book of Revelation!  Perhaps no other book of the Bible sparks more intrigue and curiosity among people than this one.  Part of the reason for that is because people have always been obsessed with the end of the world.  Revelation is a book that answers a lot of those questions.  But Revelation is also a book that can spark a lot of controversy and confusion.  Many believers, though they’re curious, are intimidated by its contents.  This is a tragedy because the book of Revelation was meant to be understood by the church.  I’m going to argue that its original audience understood this book and that it is still meant to be understood by the church today. 

Now I find that when approaching material that can leave you feeling lost in the woods, it’s important to set your bearings so that you will not only make sense of where you are but also end up where you need to be.  This is precisely what happens in this book’s introduction.  In Revelation 1:1-8, John wrote to introduce the book of Revelation to seven churches in Asia Minor.  In writing this introduction, John helps believers to set their bearings before making their way through the book itself.  We are going to take our time through this book’s introduction and make sure that we set our bearings properly before we begin navigating through its contents.  My prayer is that God would give us grace throughout this series to hear and heed the heart of Revelation’s message.

[1:1] The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, [2] who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. [3] Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (Revelation 1:1-3 ESV) What are some of the bearings that we must set in order to clearly hear the message of Revelation? 

I.              The Book of Revelation is Written to Reveal, not Conceal or Confuse (1a)

The first phrase of the book yields both the book’s title and part of its purpose: “The revelation of Jesus Christ” (1a).  The Greek word for “revelation” here is “apokalypsis,” which means “a revelation, a disclosure, or an unveiling.”  The idea is that of curtains being pulled back to reveal something.  So what is being revealed? 

II.            The Book of Revelation is Written to Reveal Jesus Christ (1b)

What’s being revealed is “Jesus Christ” and “the things that must soon take place.”  We’ll get to the second item in a minute, but notice up front that this book is primarily about Jesus.  That means that an important question to ask when studying this book is “What do we learn about Jesus or from Jesus in this text?”

III.         The Book of Revelation is Considered a “Mixed Genre” (1,3,4)

Since we have just mentioned the Greek word, “apokalypsis,” this is a good time to also mention that the book of Revelation is considered a “mixed genre.”  It is first a piece of apocalyptic literature.  Apocalyptic literature is a genre of literature that communicates its message through grand visions and images that are symbolic in nature.  It normally gives a symbolic glimpse of the future given in order to call people to persevere through their present situation.  Revelation is also a piece of prophetic literature (3), much like the work of Old Testament prophets like Daniel and Ezekiel.  Finally, Revelation is an epistle, or letter, written to seven real churches in Asia Minor (4).     

IV.          The Book of Revelation is Written to Reveal the Things that Must Soon Take Place (1c)

What does that mean?  There are basically five approaches to understanding when the things written in Revelation will take place.  First, there is the preterist approach, which basically states that the events and visions of Revelation depict events that occurred in the first century.  The strength of this approach is that it seeks to interpret the book in terms of what it meant for its original audience.  A weakness with this approach is that Revelation takes us all the way into the new heavens and earth, which did not happen in the first century! 

Next is the historicist approach, which states that the events and visions of Revelation depict events that span all of church history.  This one is sometimes called the “newspaper approach,” because essentially what happens is that people read what is happening in the newspaper (or has happened in history) into the book of Revelation.   The strength of this approach is that it rightly seeks to live as though the return of Christ is imminent. 

Another approach is the futurist approach, which states that the events and visions of Revelation depict events that will occur at the end of history.  The strength of this approach and the previous one is that they rightly takes into account that Revelation is about the end of history.  A weakness of this approach and the historicist approach is that they often overlook the fact that Revelation had an original, first-century audience that understood its contents.  For example, no first century believer would have thought of nuclear bombs, helicopters, bar codes, or computer chips when hearing this letter read to the congregation! 

Then there is the idealist approach, which states that the events and visions of Revelation only give us principles and ideas that are true at any time in church history.  They would say that Revelation’s content merely symbolizes the great conflict between God and Satan and encourages believers of God’s sure victory.  A strength to this approach is that is rightly seeks to distill the main message of many difficult portions of the book without getting lost in the details.  Some things are not clear in the book of Revelation, so it is important to remember to major on the major and not the minor.  A weakness of this approach is that Revelation, though largely symbolic in its descriptions, does describe real events.   

A final approach to Revelation’s content is the eclectic approach, which combines essential aspects of the other views, seeing each as having benefits and flaws.  It takes the truth of each view and combines it, saying that the book addresses the present through parallels with the future and sees both historical and future fulfillment.  I think this final approach is the healthier approach.  Revelation was written to a first century audience to call them to persevere in the face of persecution, false teaching, and worldliness by placing their hope in God and His plan in Christ to wrap up history. 

Now as important as all that information is, we still haven’t answered our question of what John means by “the things that must soon take place” (1).  John also says in verse 3 that the time for these things to happen “is near.”  I want to make three points here.  First, any discussion of when these things will take place needs to keep in mind God’s perspective with respect to time.  2 Peter 3:8 clearly alerts us to the fact that God is in now way bound by time like we are.  So “soon” to God may mean something completely different than what “soon” would mean to us.  Second, “imminent language” is common in the New Testament with respect to Jesus’ return and God’s bringing about the end of history.  Consider the following examples: [20] The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (Romans 16:20 ESV) [7] The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. (1 Peter 4:7 ESV) [18] Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. (1 John 2:18 ESV) In the New Testament, the “last days” are not merely the end of history but the final period of salvation history that spans from Jesus’ first coming until His second coming.  So I take these things taking place “soon” to simply mean that the 4^th Quarter of salvation history has begun. 

I think this is confirmed by the third point that I want to make about this phrase and that is that it is most likely an allusion to Daniel 2:28-29.  The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) contains the same basic wording seen here in Revelation 1:1.  In Daniel 2, God gives Nebuchadnezzar a dream about how God will one day establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed and will rule over all other kingdoms.  This kingdom will eventually cover the whole earth and its king will be a “rock” who will be a King of kings and a Lord of lords.  If this is an allusion to Daniel 2, then Revelation 1:1 means that the kingdom that Daniel prophesied about is now and soon coming to fulfillment.  I say now and soon because this is our current reality: that the kingdom of God has come in the coming of Jesus and that history is moving towards its final consummation.  God’s kingdom is both already here and coming soon at the same time.

V.             The Message of Revelation is Meant to Be Shared (2)

Verse 1b-2 says also says God made this revelation known to “His servant John” (the apostle) by “sending His angel.”  This is a common characteristic of apocalyptic literature, where an angel serves as a guide and interpreter for the visions seen.  John is identified as God’s “servant” who “bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.”   This means that john has been a faithful witness of the gospel and the things that God has revealed to him, and it reminds us that the message of Revelation is meant to be shared.  This is an essential bearing that we must set.  Revelation is not in the Bible to simply spark our intellectual curiosity.  It is meant to move us out of comfort and into commission. That is what a grand vision of Jesus Christ will do! 

VI.          The Message of Revelation is Meant to be Heard and Heeded (3)

Verse 3 is the first of seven benedictions found in the book of Revelation (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14).  A blessing is promised here for “the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy” and also for “those who hear, and who keep what is written” (3).  Again, Revelation isn’t written to merely inform you, but to transform you.  James 1:22-25 says that we are not to be “hearers” of the word only, but “doers” of the word as well.  According to James, when we are “hearers” and not “doers” of the word, we actually deceive our own selves. Ask God today for grace to hear, head, and speak the message of this book as we journey through it together.

VII.        The Book of Revelation Must be Interpreted in a Way that Keeps its Original Audience in Mind (4a)

Revelation was written to “the seven churches that are in Asia.”  It is significant that there are “seven” churches addressed (because there were others in Asia Minor) and that they are called “the” seven churches.  This means that Revelation’s message is not only for the seven churches addressed, but also for the whole church for all of history.  But what I want to reiterate here that that these seven churches were the book’s original audience.  They understood this book when they heard it read.  Most every symbol made sense to them.  So another important question to continually ask in Revelation is “what did this text mean for its original audience?”  If we are going to understand what this book means for us today, then we have to understand what it meant for that audience then.  These churches were being infiltrated by false teaching and worldliness and were about to face unimaginable persecution at the hands of the Roman Empire.  This book was written to call them to endure in the face of all of it. 

The book of Revelation aims to reveal Jesus in all His glory in such a way that it changes your life into a disciple of Jesus who will be His witness in this world in the face of anything, including death.  Ask God to help you be an open book as we journey through it.  There is great diversity and division over interpreting this book.  My prayer is that I would be humble and kind in sharing my take on it with you, but also that you will see that by applying sound principles of Bible study, we can understand the main message of Revelation.  This book reminds us that Jesus is coming again.  Are you ready to meet Him today?