Revelation 1

Study Guide 170: Revelation 1-3 LETTERS TO SEVEN CHURCHES Overview Many believe that Revelation 1:19 is the key to understanding the book. That verse records words spoken by Jesus to John telling him to write “ what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.” According to this division the vision of Jesus recorded in Revelation 1:1-20 is “ what you have seen.” “ What is now” is reflected in the message to seven existing churches found in Revelation 2-3. “ What will take place later” is in the bulk of the book, chapters 4-21. In this study we look at both “ what you have seen,” John’ s vision of Jesus, and at “ what is now,” his letters to seven churches. Many commentators see these churches as representative of churches in every age. Their strengths and weaknesses are typical, and we are to gain insight into our own congregations by studying them. Others see the churches as representative of the ages of church history, with the first, Ephesus, representing the apostolic church and the last, Laodicea, representing the church of our own day. Whatever one’ s view, there are many insights we can gain as we learn how Jesus Himself evaluates His people — and there are many warnings we can heed. What a privilege for you and me to lead others in a study of this book which uniquely unveils Jesus, not in His humanity, but in the glory we shall see when He returns.

Commentary There’ s no more puzzling book in the Bible. The vivid images and the sketches of terror on earth and cataclysmic disaster in the universe beyond are hard to grasp. And even harder to interpret. Are these outlines of future history . . . of events that will actually happen in space and time? Are they pictures of past history, using vivid imagery to describe persecutions under pagan emperors? Or are these symbolic presentations of experiences believers may undergo now and that will finally be seen to be elements in God’ s final judgment? It is easy to become involved in debate about interpretation as we explore this final book of the New Testament. It is easy to become caught up in constructing systems, debating how a detail fits into our prophetic program, or arguing against another person’ s system. The problem is that we can develop a prophetic system with some confidence, and still miss the point of this great book! For this final, culminating book of the Bible begins with a statement and a promise to which we need to pay the closest attention. The statement is: The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place. Revelation 1:1And the promise is: Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. Revelation 1:3Concerning the statement, Dr. John Walvoord says, “ It is a revelation of truth and Christ Himself, a disclosure of future events, that is, His second coming when Christ will be revealed” (in The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Moody). Walvoord’ s point is simple. The central focus of this book is Jesus! Everything we read must be interpreted and understood in relation to what the events disclose about Him. For instance, Revelation 6:1-17 describes four horsemen who bring war, anarchy, famine, plague, and death to earth. If we focus on a prophetic system we will ask, “ Is this a literal event to come? Does it describe the first or second part of the Tribulation? What are corollaries with Old Testament prophecy? How can we fit this in the time sequence of past, or future history? Yet if we focus on such questions and debate these issues, we miss the dominant and jolting impact of John’ s picture. It is the Lamb of God (Revelation 6:1) — the gentle Jesus who allowed Himself to be led away and crucified — who has opened the seals in order to loose these awesome judgments on the earth! God’ s love has been firmly established; now we see a new quality expressed. The judgment so long and patiently with held begins, and we are introduced to the wrath of the Lamb. The “ things that must soon take place” are related to this new and final unveiling of God. As we read Revelation we will gain a new awareness of who God is and how His character as righteous Judge will find expression at history’ s end. And the promise? “ Blessed is the one who reads . . . and takes to heart what is written.” As we experience this book, we want to catch a clearer vision of Jesus — and take what we discover of Him to heart and into our lives.

Revelation: Revelation 1:1-20The word “ revelation” comes from the Greek apokolupsis. It means to reveal, bring to light, or disclose. It is often used of God’ s communication to us of supernatural secrets — of information we could never discover if God did not tell us. The secrets are about His plans, intentions, motives, or interpretations of events, and we could only guess about these without a divine word. But “ revelation” is also God’ s self-disclosure. He wants us to know Him, and as He presents information, God also communicates Himself. To John this revelation of the person of God is always a central concern. In his Gospel, John showed that Jesus came in the flesh to show us the Father (John 14:9-11). The Incarnation, through which God entered history to share our humanity, was an unveiling that is recognized by faith. Now, in the Bible’ s last book, John describes another coming — one still future — in which Jesus’ unveiling of God will be recognized by all humanity. Then “ every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7). All those who have rejected Jesus as the One “ who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood” (Revelation 1:5) will see His glory, and “ all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him” (Revelation 1:7). Comparisons (Revelation 1:4-11). We can see a number of comparisons between the way John unveiled God’ s person in his Gospel and what he revealed of God in the Book of Revelation. This is summed up in the chart. As we look at it, we begin to realize that in this New Testament book we will meet our Lord not in His role as Servant, but as the One who is high and lifted up, the Sovereign God. To know Jesus now as “ Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father” (Revelation 1:5-6) brings believers joy and leads to praise. To be confronted by the Jesus we meet in Revelation will bring terror to unbelievers and stimulate them to intensified rebellion (Revelation 9:20-21). Yet God wants us to see Jesus as the wrathful Lamb as well. You and I are to look at history’ s end and through John’ s vision realize more fully who He is who loves us. We need to see the ultimate impact He will have on the created universe and on all the world’ s people. As we see the Lamb finally releasing His wrath, you and I will be better equipped to make daily choices and evaluate our present view of eternity. And we will gain a far greater sense of what it means to live with a Jesus who is the holy God. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Ask your group members to write down one or two words only that sum up their impressions of Jesus. Jot down their words on the chalkboard. The chances are the words will focus on Jesus’ love, forgiveness, mercy, etc. Point out that these impressions are not wrong, but are incomplete. Then in a minilecture help your group see that the main value of this study will be in what you learn of Jesus, rather than in what you learn about prophecy. Use the chart comparing the revelation of Jesus in John’ s Gospel with His image unveiled in Revelation. First glimpse (Revelation 1:12-20). Now John plunges us into his own unsettling experience. John the apostle was now a very old man, in his eighties or nineties. The year was a.d. 95 or 96, over 60 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Under a wave of persecution stimulated by the Emperor Domitian, John had been exiled to the little island of Patmos, a forbidding and craggy spot in the Aegean Sea. While he was cut off from fellowship with the church he loved, and deeply concerned about the persecutions his “ little children” were undergoing, John was given a great vision. He was taught that Jesus is the center of history to come, and a mighty voice commanded him to “ write what you see.” And so the Book of Revelation is, in essence, a report by an eyewitness. The first sight John saw was Jesus Himself, in a startling and unexpected form: Someone “ like a Son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. Revelation 1:13-16John’ s reaction to this vision was to fall in terror at the figure’ s feet. But then the man reached out a hand and touched John, saying, “ Do not be afraid.” What is most striking about this brief vignette is that it is John who falls stunned and terrified before Jesus! Remember, John is the “ disciple whom Jesus loved.” John is the one who was always closest to Jesus, reaching out to touch Him, straining to hear every word, catching and focusing for all of us the glorious love of God communicated in the Son. John, the apostle of love these 60 years, meets again the object of his love . . . and his first reaction is fear! We, like John, will meet in the Book of Revelation an aspect of God’ s character that, while we have always known it is there, might not seem to fit the personality of the One we’ ve come to love. But Jesus’ words calm us as they did John. Whatever terrible visions may unfold in this revelation of Jesus, we will not fear. Jesus places His hand on us, and says, “ Do not be afraid.” Then we remember that we are His. But what about this strange description of Jesus? What is the significance of the white hair and feet like molten bronze? And why seven stars? Symbolism. The Book of Revelation is filled with symbols and symbolism. There has been much debate about the reason for, as well as the meaning of, particular symbols. Yet throughout Scripture, and especially in prophetic literature, similar imagery can be found. It is particularly helpful in trying to understand Revelation to look in the book itself for an explanation, or to look for Old Testament corollaries. For instance, the “ seven golden lampstands” (Revelation 1:12) are identified almost immediately (in Revelation 1:20) as representing seven churches to whom John is told to write. Because when the number seven is used in the Bible it often suggests wholeness or completion, many conclude that the seven churches represent all churches. Our own congregation may well be reflected in one of these pictures. The white hair and brazen feet are not explained in the text. But the hair reminds us of Daniel 7:9, where God is described as “ the Ancient of Days. . . . His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of His head was white like wool.” The feet of burning brass might suggest the altar of sacrifice and the life that had to be offered for sin (see Exodus 38:2). The altar and the other articles used in the sacrifice were always of bronze. But, however we understand the elements of this description, the overall impact of this revelation of Jesus is clear. There is glory. There is holiness. There is awesome majesty. And there is terror. John even felt terror at the vision, until Jesus’ touch removed fear. That touch reminds us that the overpowering Person we are about to see in action is also the God we love — and who loves us. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT You may wish to let your group members work a bit on the symbolism in Revelation. If so, here are verses which contain a symbol — matched with verses which help us understand or interpret it.

RevelationParallel Revelation 1:3Rev_1:20 Revelation 1:16Rev_1:20 Revelation 2:17Exo_16:33-34 Revelation 3:7Isa_22:22 Rev 9:1Rev_9:11 Revelation 12:1-2Rev_12:5-6 Revelation 12:4Rev_12:9 Revelation 13:1Rev_17:3, Revelation 17:7-8 Revelation 13:11-17Rev_19:20 Revelation 17:1Rev_17:15

The Revelation of Jesus FeaturesJohn’ s GospelRevelation Who is unveiledJesusJesus What is unveiledLife, Light Grace, TruthWrath of the Lamb (Revelation 6:16) For whom is the unveilingThose who believe believe (John 20:21)Every eye will see Him (Revelation 1:7) Quality of God emphasizedLove (John 3:16)Holiness (Revelation 4:8) Expression of that qualityWashed us from our sins in His blood (John 3:16; Revelation 1:5)Wrath (Revelation 6:16-17) Man’ s responseBelieve in Him (John 6:69; John 10:41) Praise (Revelation 1:6)Fear, anger (Revelation 9:20-21) Letters to the Churches: Revelation 2-3 The majestic figure now instructed John to write what he had seen, and then dictated to John letters to seven churches. These are historic churches that existed in John’ s day., Each was marked by the characteristics the letter describes. Yet in these churches we see pictures of our congregations of today. Some commentators have also felt they found a portrait of church history — with each of the seven churches representing a different development in the Christian era, from New Testament times to the present. What is more important for our understanding of these two chapters is to keep in mind again that the Book of Revelation is primarily a revelation of Jesus Christ. The most important question we can ask is, “ What does this passage tell of Him and my relationship with Him?” If we ask this question we’ re struck by the fact that John’ s vision of Christ as Judge places Him among the lampstands, and the lampstands are the seven churches. Jesus may not be visible in our congregations in all His glory. But He is among us! We sense Jesus’ presence in these letters, and we also see something of the way we are to respond in view of His presence. If we can catch a glimpse of Jesus among us in all His glory, we will respond to the pressures of wealth, poverty, or persecution in the way these early churches were exhorted to respond. As we see through faith what John saw, our confidence in the power of God and our freedom to live committed lives will grow. The church in Smyrna. Let’ s look at one of the seven churches in more detail and see how we can receive help or guidance from these letters. The city of Smyrna lies about 35 miles north of Ephesus. In New Testament times it was a port city, and very wealthy, one of the finest in Asia. Under the Emperor Diocletian pagan and Jew alike focused intense persecution on the believers in Smyrna. This oppression led to extreme poverty among the Christians — not simply “ being poor” but being destitute, possibly because they had been robbed of all their goods by their persecutors. Tragically, the persecution Jesus speaks of was to increase. Yet Christ said that as the intensity of persecution grew, the Smyrnan believers were to “ not be afraid of what you are about to suffer” (Revelation 2:10). They were to remain faithful, even though faithfulness might bring them death. It would be easy to be overwhelmed by such a message. We are to remember that Jesus, in all His power and glory, is among us. And we are to remember Him as “ the First and the Last, who died and came to life again” (Revelation 2:8). Jesus too has undergone suffering and death . . . and Jesus has been raised to new life. He understands, for He has experienced what they are experiencing. He is fully aware of their afflictions and poverty (Revelation 2:9). How then was the church in Smyrna guided by this letter, and what can we learn about our own experiences of suffering? First, Jesus is there, aware of His people’ s needs. He Himself has experienced suffering like theirs. Yet now He is alive; the end of His suffering came, and glory followed. Second, aware of His glorious power, the believers are to fear none of the things they will suffer. There will be persecution. Some will even die. Yet the persecution will result in Jesus’ gift to them of a crown of life. They will have eternal life, and will be untouched by the second death . . . the ultimate judgment of God on those who do not know Jesus, or respond to Him. Jesus understands our suffering because of what He has suffered. Knowing we will share in His ultimate victory over sin and death gives us courage to live fearlessly in times of pressure. You and I and our congregation may not be a Smyrna church just now. But we do experience our own pressures, suffering, and afflictions. And whenever we do, the vision of Jesus standing among us in all His glory, and the words of promise He speaks, will sustain and guide us. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Draw on the chalkboard or duplicate and distribute the “ Seven Churches” chart. Together work through the letter to fill in the three columns of the chart, and then talk about the meaning of Jesus “ among us” in His nature as “ the One who died but is alive again” when we experience suffering. Then divide into teams, each of which is to take one or two of the remaining churches. Each team should study its church(es), and complete the chart. Then together discuss how our present experiences may parallel those of the church, and how the particular revelation of Jesus is relevant to us at such times. Revelation is the unveiling not so much of a prophetic system or even of the future but of Jesus Himself. As you and your group study this wonderful book, keep your eyes fixed on Him. As you do, all the benefits promised those who read and heed John’ s last words will be yours.

The Seven Churches ChurchCharacteristicDescription of JesusDesired Response Ephesus, The steadfast church (Revelation 2:1-7) Smyrna, The persecuted church (Revelation 2:8-11)Undergoing suffering, poverty, persecutionThe One who died but is alive againRemain faithful Pergamum, The morally compromising church (Revelation 2:12-17) Thyatira, The doctrinally compromising church (Revelation 2:18-29) Sardis, The counterfeit church (Revelation 3:1-6) Philadelphia, The obedient church (Revelation 3:7-13) Laodicea The materialistic church (Revelation 3:14-22) Teaching Guide Prepare You may want to check a verse-by-verse commentary for background information on the other churches before your group meets.

Explore Ask your group to jot down one or two words that sum up their impression of Jesus. Record these impressions. Then in a minilecture point out John’ s striking reaction Jesus’ appearance, and use the chart to contrast Jesus as seen in the Gospel with Jesus as seen in Revelation. See “ link-to-life” above.

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1. You may wish to let your group check out a few of the symbols in Revelation, and see how comparing them with other biblical passages can enrich our understanding. See above.
2. Or focus the rest of your study time on the letters to the seven churches which Jesus dictated to John. Study one of them together as a group project. Then divide into teams, each of which is to examine one or two of the others. Use the chart and process outlined in “ link-to-life” above.

Apply Ask your group to repeat the process of jotting down one or two words that sum up their impression of Jesus. But now do so in view of the vision seen thus far in your study of Revelation. List the words each suggests on the board. Then discuss: “ How is this vision of Jesus intended to make believers feel? How might it affect unbelievers?”