Revelation Chapter 1 Pt 1

Al Pittman: And then Peter reminds us in 1 Peter chapter 2: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." We are to proclaim, make a proclamation. We're not to be these quiet priests or quiet kings, but to proclaim what our Lord has done for us. Amen.
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Al Pittman: Well, Revelation chapter 1. Let us ask God to bless his word. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus that you will bless your word, that it would go forth with power, clarity, that you would bring illumination and understanding. God, your word would accomplish your divine will and not return to you void. We commit this time to you. Grant us ears to hear what the spirit of God is saying to the church. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, I've a lot of information that we're going to go over today. We're going to get through, Lord willing, Revelation chapter 1, and so I pray that God would indeed bless you through his word. If I could change the name of the book of Revelation, I would probably change it to "Spoiler Alert" because regardless of what you're going through in your life, here's the deal: we win. Amen. Spoiler alert: we win. If you read the last chapter, regardless of where you are in this life, regardless of what you've gone through in this life, we win. The book of Revelation is a book that serves really as a capstone and confidence to our faith as believers in Jesus Christ. But most importantly, it is the revelation, it is the revelation—singular, not plural—revelation of Jesus Christ, the glorification of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Just a little bit about the background on the book. The book was written, estimated to have been written around AD 95, according to scholars. The word "revelation" is from the Greek word *apokalypsis*, and it means disclosure, appearing, or coming. It's where we get our word "apocalypse." The author of the book, of course, is the apostle John. John is exiled, as we will read here in a little bit, on the island of Patmos. He's exiled under the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian. Domitian reigned in the Roman Empire from AD 81 to around AD 96. So John here, we find him a castaway. He's an old man now. He's at the end of his life and probably feeling like maybe he's useless to the kingdom of God. He's isolated from society. He's in relative obscurity, and yet he's on the verge of receiving the greatest revelation known to mankind. Isn't that just like God? Just when we've given up on ourselves, God has a greater revelation for us. God is not finished with you yet. Amen. In 1 Kings chapter 19, Elijah the prophet is running from Jezebel. Elijah the prophet, remember him, called down fire from heaven. This mighty man of God is running from one wicked woman by the name of Jezebel who's out to kill him because Elijah had killed the prophets of Baal. And Elijah finds himself in this obscure place, and he's frustrated, and he's running for his life, and he says, "It's enough. It's enough." "I'm no better than my fathers." You ever feel that way? "I thought I was going to be better than my father, better than other people, but I'm no better than anybody else. It's enough. I wish I could just give up, just die. I wish I was never born." That's where Elijah was at the end of his rope in this place of obscurity, and yet he was on the threshold of his greatest ministry. Isn't that just like God in our lives? And we find John in the same situation. An old man who feels like he's washed up and exiled to this island by himself. And yet he's going to receive one of the greatest revelations known to mankind. 1 John chapter 3, the same John writes these words probably around, according to scholars, around 70 AD. In 70 AD, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman Empire. But in 1 John chapter 3, John writes these words: "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it's not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is revealed that we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." "And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure." I wonder if, unbeknownst to John when he wrote those words, that he indeed would see Jesus as he is, glorified, and we'll see that here in Revelation chapter 1. We begin here at verse 1: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants, his servants, the church, the followers of Christ, things which must shortly take place." And he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God. And to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it, for the time is near." Man, if it was near back then, how close are we today to the coming of Jesus Christ, the second advent of Jesus Christ? He said shortly these things will come to pass, shortly. That word "shortly", of course, denoting a fixed position, a place, a time, a state, a brief space of time. In other words, the Bible says in the fullness of time, God sent forth his son in Jesus' first advent to the world. Jesus was born in the fullness of time. God had a set time for his son. God has a set time for these things also as we will see through the book of Revelation to come to pass. Now, many times, the Bible tells us that in the last days—and by the way, we are in the last days—that there would be scoffers who will come on the scene and mock the fact that Jesus said he would return. 2 Peter, Peter says that in 2 Peter chapter 3, verses 3 and 4. But just as they were mocking today, they also mocked during the days of Noah, and yet the Bible tells us that the rains did come and that those who mocked perished from the face of the earth. God is not a man that he should lie, and the things he has revealed in this book will surely come to pass. In 2 Peter chapter 3, verses 8 and 9, Peter says, "But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years." And a thousand years as one day. Now, if someone was to ask the Lord when he was going to come back, of course, Jesus doesn't know, the Father knows, and the Father could have said in three days. Three days for us would be 3,000 years. Who knows? we don't know the time or the hour, but the Bible says it's a short time. Looking from God's perspective, he could come at any moment. One day unto the Lord is as a thousand years. It goes on to say in 2 Peter chapter 3, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness." But is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. God is long-suffering. Aren't you glad he's long-suffering? We serve a long-suffering, patient God. Hey, we wouldn't be here today if God wasn't long-suffering. Amen. Come on. But because of God's patience toward us, we are still here. I'm so glad God is long-suffering that he waited, that he didn't end the world 40-some-odd years ago before I came to Jesus Christ, that he waited for me. Amen. God is long-suffering. Thank him for his mercy. But here's the problem: many times, people take God's patience as weakness, and they play with God and they think, "Oh, I've got plenty of time." And mankind shakes their fist at God and defies God, and we think, "Oh, I've got plenty of time. Things have gone on as they've always gone on. Jesus Christ is not coming back." But hey, here's the truth: he's coming. And a greater truth is you're going. Every gray hair says you're going. Every time you get out of bed and go, "Oh," something's saying you've got someplace to go. You are going. Amen. He is coming soon, but you also going. Amen. That's why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6, he says, "Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation." Amen. Notice in verse 3, John says there's a blessing in this book. That word "blessed", he said, "Blessed is he who reads this book." Hear the words and who keep these things that are in this book. That word "blessing" from the Greek word *makarios*, and it means supremely blessed. For those who read, those who hear, and those who keep the words of this prophecy, there's a blessing for you that you are hearing these words today, that God has ordained for you, those who hear this word, who keep this word, those who read this word. Keep the word. That means to not lose sight of it of this prophecy, to not lose sight of our ultimate destiny as believers, because when we lose sight of where we're going, the enemy can come in and begin to manipulate us through unbelief, doubt, and fear. But here's the deal: it's important for us to remember that it's not where you've been, but it's where you're going that really matters. "Oh, Pastor, I've done this and I've done that." Hey, it's not where you've been, but it's where you're going that really matters. And the book of Revelation reminds us where we're headed. Amen. People want to know what is going on in the world today. Read the book of Revelation. Everything's being lined up, yes, with China, with Russia, with Germany, with the Middle East. All these things are being lined up according to prophetic scripture for the second return of Jesus Christ. If the devil wanted to fool all of us, it wouldn't be lining up, but it is. Why? Because God has ordained that it would come shortly. He has ordained this time, and God is not a man, amen, that he should lie. In verses 4 to 6, we read on through our text. It says: "John, to the seven churches which 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 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth, to him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and has made us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Amen." This letter is for all believers, but in particular, those seven churches in Asia Minor, which is modern-day Turkey. Seven is a significant number in the Hebrew culture. It speaks of completion or perfection. And some people have said that the seven churches in the book of Revelation and actually chapters 2 and 3, those seven churches represent different stages of the church leading up to the time that when Jesus returns. And which I think is all speculation, and some people think that that's what the case is, but it's just speculation because really, if that is the case, we're in sad shape because the last church is the church of Laodicea, which is the lukewarm church. Which today we see a lot of that within the church. Amen. So perhaps that's the case. I'm not sure. I don't know. I think it's speculation. But we do know that God is still working in his church today, so we don't have to be lukewarm. In verse 4, he says, "Him who is and who was and who is to come." He's referring here to God. To God, who was, who is, and who is to come. This same statement Jesus declares about himself as we'll see in verse 8 in chapter 1. And why not? Jesus said in John chapter 10, verse 30, "I and my Father are one." And there are those who say Jesus never said he was God. Jesus did. Amen. He said he was God. He says, "I and my Father are one." There's much speculation also before we move on in our text, much speculation about the seven spirits in verse 4 who are before the throne of God. I believe these seven spirits—because always use scripture to validate scripture, amen—and I believe these seven spirits are actually angels. And as a proof text, we go to Revelation chapter 8, verse 2. And you read there where John writes, "And I saw the seven angels who, where were they? They were standing before God. To them were given seven trumpets." And he gets into the trumpets and all that, but I believe these are the angels that are standing before the very throne of God. Seven angels. Now, in verse 5, it's interesting because there's so much packed in verses 5 and 6, actually, that gives us assurance or confidence in regards to our salvation. Because there in verses 5 and 6, John talks about Christ's reputation in regards to our salvation, Christ's work, number two, in regards to our salvation, and our eternal status in regards to salvation. Let's unpack those quickly here. Christ's reputation. Why do I say that? Well, verse 5, he says, "And Jesus Christ, and from Jesus Christ, number one, the faithful witness." Christ is the faithful witness. Why is he the faithful witness? Because according to Hebrews chapter 4, verse 15, he was tempted as we were and yet without sin. Regardless of what the liberal theologians are lying about today, Jesus Christ was sinless. He had to be sinless, or he could not make atonement for our sins. He could not pay the full price for our sins. He was sinless. He was tempted as we were, yet without sin. Hebrews chapter 4, verse 15. And then secondly, in regards to Christ's reputation, is he is the firstborn from the dead. In other words, he has conquered the grave. A lot of people talk about being the Messiah and being the savior. But Jesus is the only one who's come back from the dead who has the authority to deliver us. In John chapter 14, verse 19, Jesus said, "Because I live, you will live also." Amen. Because he has conquered the grave itself, and yet though we die, yet we shall live. Amen. Through faith in him. And then he is the ruler. His other characteristic here or reputation, I should say, is he is the ruler over kings. He is the ruler over kings. That's something we need to remember. Every four years, I get up here and I have to remind you, every election, that Jesus is large and in charge. He is the ruler over kings and presidents or despots or whatever they might be. He is ruler over all. If you don't believe me, proof text, go back and read Psalm 2. The Bible says in Psalm 2, God says it to those nations that collaborate together and come against his Christ. The Bible says that God looks at them and sits on his throne and he laughs at the efforts of mankind to defy him. Because God is ultimately in charge. Mankind acts out in wickedness, and yet despite his wickedness, God says he's still in charge. His word will come to pass. Heaven and earth will pass away, but his word will remain forever. Amen. And so we find here that Jesus Christ is the ruler over all kings. And I love it in John chapter 19. If you're taking notes, you've got to write fast. Amen. But in John chapter 19, verse 11, Jesus is in the illegal trial of Jesus Christ. He's standing before Pontius Pilate. And Pilate, thinking that he had the power to release Jesus, is questioning Jesus. And Jesus said, "The only power you have is that which has been granted to you from heaven." Amen. Now you can't do, you think you're doing all of that, you're all that and a bag of chips. The only reason you can do what you're doing to me is because my Father has allowed you to do it. Amen. He's the ruler over all kings. So Jesus, his reputation, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, the ruler over kings, gives us confidence in our salvation. And then secondly, the work of Christ gives us confidence in our salvation. John says here, "To him who loved us and washed us from our sins." The motivation for the work, he loved us. Somebody said God loves you, get over it. He loved us. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Yes, even those who curse him, he loves them. God loved us. That was the motivation for the work of Christ on the cross was God's great love for us. And what was the purpose of the work of Christ on the cross? The purpose of that work was to wash us from our sins by his own blood. Amen. His own blood. This statement gets lost on Western culture sometimes. We think, in the West, if you haven't read your Bible, people think, "Oh, Jesus was a nice man, a great man, and he died on a cross. He was sincere, he was sincere." And "Isn't it a wonderful story? He left us some wonderful sayings and stuff." Yes, and he had to die on the cross. There was no other way. He prayed in the garden, "Father, if there's any other way, let this cup pass from me." There was no other way. Our atonement, our sins had to be paid for through the shedding of blood. Without the shedding of blood, the Bible says there is no forgiveness of sins. Christ had to die, and that blood had to be pure. Amen. And so he had to go to the cross for us and die for our sins. He washed us and cleansed us with his own blood. Not only was he the lamb of God, he took his own blood, the Bible says in the book of Hebrews, into the tabernacle in heaven before God and presented his own blood for our atonement, and the Father accepted his blood, and therefore whoever puts their faith in Christ can be freed and forgiven of the sins. And that's why he says that "I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life, and nobody can come to the Father but through me." Amen. It's through his blood that we've been washed. Not some good work of our own. Our righteousness is but only a filthy rag in the sight of God. We needed a savior to deliver us from our sins. You can't do enough to have your sins taken away from the sight of God. But oh, those who put their faith in him, their sins are forever washed away by his blood to never be remembered again in the memory of God. Isn't that glorious? We have confidence today because of the reputation of Christ. Amen. Give him praise and glory. Praise his name. Give him praise and glory over Creekside. Amen. Watching online, he's worthy. He's worthy. We have confidence in salvation because of his reputation. Confidence in salvation because of his work. Confidence in salvation because of our eternal status. Lastly, here in verse 6, John says, "And he has made us kings and priests." Some of your translations might read "he has made us"—instead of "kings" says "kingdom"—but we are in the kingdom of God, given the right to be called children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He made us kings and priests to his God, and to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. We are kings and priests. Isn't that a glorious thought? A glorious thought that we have been moved from ruin to royalty. Amen. We were once ruin, jacked up, man, separated from God, dead in our sins, but because of the blood of Jesus and our faith in what Christ has done for us, we've been moved from ruin to royalty. And then Peter reminds us in 1 Peter chapter 2: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." We are to proclaim, make a proclamation. Amen. We're not to be these quiet priests or quiet kings, but to proclaim what our Lord has done for us. Amen. He has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness into his marvelous light. Amen. So in those few verses, we find great confidence for our salvation, our faith in Jesus. In verse 7, as we move on, he says: "Behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, and even they who pierced him."