Clear Revelation [January 29, 2012]
Eldon Boldt

Sermon Notes

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION

Revelation Certainty:

• It is to reveal Jesus
• It is to reveal what is to take place soon
• It was revealed to John
• It promises blessing to those who read/hear

You will find that in the end, JESUS CHRIST WINS!

Fundamental issue of John’s day was, ‘Who will I worship?’

DATE AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Revelation 1:18 (NIV) 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

WHAT KIND OF LITERATURE IS IT?

A letter

Revelation 1:4 (NASB95) 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

A Prophecy 1 Peter 1:11-12

Apocalypsis

LITERARY STRUCTURE

‘listen and look’

Revelation 1:7 (NIV) 7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

Revelation 4:2 Look! A throne and one sitting on it

Revelation 5:5 (NIV) 5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See [look], the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

Revelation 14:1 (NIV) 1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.

Revelation 19:11 (NIV) 11 I saw [look] heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.

Revelation 21:3 (NIV) 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, [look]"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Revelation 4:1 (NIV) 1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."

Revelation 11:19 (NIV) 19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Revelation 15:5 (NIV) 5 After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of the Testimony, was opened.

Revelation 19:11 (NIV) 11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.

Inside Windows:

8:1 the seventh seal

10:4 seven peals of thunder.

16:17 seven bowls

21:2 the Holy City, the Bride,

7 Sections of Revelation

1:1 – 8 Prologue

1:9 – 3:22 The Son of Man speaks to the 7 churches

4:1 – 11:18 The Lamb unseals the scroll

11:19 – 15:4 The cosmic conflict

15:5 – 19:10 The bowls of wrath and the fall of Babylon

19:11 – 22:5 The Man on the horse leading up to the coming of the City of God

22:6 – 21 Epilogue

Check out the beginning on another set of images: 7:9; 11:15; 15:2; 16:17; 19:1; 21:2.

The Prologue and Epilogue set up 3 unseen realities:

1. Jesus is coming

1:7 ‘Behold He is coming’

22:7 ‘I am coming quickly’

22:12 ‘I am coming quickly’

22:20 ‘I am coming quickly’

2. The Time is near

1:3; 22:10.

Mark 1:15 (NIV) 15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

3. Jesus is beginning and end

1:8; 1:17; 22:6; 22:13

Revelation 22:20 (NIV) 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.