Why are you here? Why are you studying the book of Revelation – and why now? 

Kind of a loaded question but easy to understand what your response might be.

Thinking back on September 11, 2001, America for the first time in years had realized a very real, very awesome tragedy - one of the worst in American History. But that was only the beginning. That was, in a way “tame” to what is happening globally around the WORLD.

Not too long ago we heard the notion on the part of our own military in regard to our retaliation for 911 as being termed, “shock and awe”, yet, nothing could have ever compared to the shock and awe of watching in horror while the World Trade Center Buildings collapsed before our very eyes. It wasn’t long after that, that people started returning to the church, and to begin seeking answers from God’s Word. It was a time when the News media began using terminology like “Rapture” and “Second Coming”; concepts that were totally foreign to them, culminating in the theme at least of the World possibly being in what has been termed for decades as, “the end-times”.

We can conjecture all we want to, but the fact is – people got scared. It made them face the possibility of “eternity” in a way they never had before . . . and it made them “want to know”. I guess you could say that it’s the same curiosity that hears a noise downstairs – like that of someone breaking in – and instead of calling the police – they put on their robe and head downstairs to satisfy their curiosity.

Many have begun a study on the book of Revelation on their own, but few go all the way through. It seems that in their quest to understand future events, they get bogged down due to the terminology and the understanding of the descriptive characterizations of beasts and angels, and trumpets, and vials. . . I’m sure you know what I mean.

Before we begin, let me just say, that if you’re one of those who have “not entered” into such a study before, because you felt that it was too difficult to understand, or you began a study, and then quit after a couple of weeks because you just weren’t “getting it”. . . you’re not alone. There are several who feel just as you do, however, there isn’t any passage in God’s Word that I am aware of that says we will fully understand “every” Scripture. Yet, there “is” a specific promise in the book of Revelation that doesn’t accompany other books of the Bible. The promise of a “blessing” - and you can find that promise in Revelation 1:3

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (KJV)

Now, that doesn’t mean that the book is so difficult to understand that God has placed a blessing and reward on those that understand it. In fact, John was commanded by Jesus not to seal the words of this prophecy (22: 10), because He “wanted” us to understand its contents. That tells us that it is possible for everyone who reads it to understand it, and to be blessed by it. But let’s begin today with a word of prayer shall we?

Father, We ask Your blessing on this study, and we seek your understanding in some of the seemingly more difficult areas of the Book. Open our eyes to see Your purpose in revealing Yourself to us in these scriptures, and in revealing to us those things which are yet to come. We ask this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.


Just Some Basics
The word "revelation" literally means apocalypse (or apokalypsis); it is in other words “a revealing”, or an “un-veiling” if you will. It was never intended to cloud our minds, or to cast shimmers of mystery in our way. Actually, after we get deeper into the first chapter – you will see that it’s one and only intention was to clarify, and inform, and to give a fuller understanding of God plans regarding future events.

Authorship
As for the Authorship of the Book, it’s pretty easy to see who the author of the book is by looking at Chapter 1 verse 4. (also 1:9; 22:8). John. This was the same John identified throughout the “apostolic” age as the “Apostle” John - and he was the “central figure” among the churches of Asia Minor.

Not only does the Apostle John himself, claim to be the author, but a host of Church Fathers present collaborating evidence for this as well. In fact, there is no evidence “against” accepting John as the author and there is much that confirms that he is, but one of the key elements of proof stem from the place and date of writing.

Place & Date Of His Writing
If we look at Verse 9 of Revelation Chapter one, we see where John Himself speaks of writing this book from the Isle of Patmos where he had been banished by the Emperor Domitian. He tells us here that he was banished, “…for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Here’s the entire verse.

“I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (KJV)

What we do know for sure about John, is that he was the brother of James, and a son of Zebedee, and was considered to be one of our Lord’s “inner circle”. (Mk 5:37; 13:3). Although John is mentioned only three times in the book of Acts (3:1; 4:13; d 14), nevertheless, tradition establishes that he settled in the Asian city of Ephesus, where he became pastor of the church there. If you remember, this same John was the one who had been charged by the Lord to take care of His Mother; and it was to the city of Ephesus that John brought her to live out her days.

Patmos was a forsaken island about thirty five miles southwest off of the coast of Asia Minor. It is claimed that John was brought to this island to work in the mines there. The Emperor Domitian was said to be the one who sent him there, thinking he would silence the church. Little did he know God’s eternal plan causing John to write a book about “future events” would so confound the ages and cause such wide-spread interest in the things of Christ – let alone the hundreds of thousands that have been brought to Christ through the writings of Revelation.

History tells us that Domitian reigned from A.D. 81-96), and was said to be assassinated in A.D. 96, which ended John’s sentence and allowed him to return to Ephesus, where he was said to live until AD. 117.

The Book Itself
Although there are many ways to divide the book of Revelation in outline form, there is none so obvious, as the way God divides it. It is what I call the “three-fold Revelation of Christ”.

Chapter 1, verse 19, bears the most natural division of Revelation. We find here that John is commanded to "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.’' – That verse takes into context: past, present and future. Now, I’m going to try an not stop and do a lot of preaching here, but there are some things about the study of Revelation that just make you want to shout and that’s one of them. Let me say it again…

John is commanded to "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.’' – That verse takes into context: past, present and future.

Our Lord was truly concerned with the whosoever. When He said that God so loved the world, He was speaking about the past, present and future. When Jesus said, “it is finished” on the cross of Calvary, He was speaking of the past, present and future. When He revealed Himself to John here in the first Chapter of the Book of Revelation He said,

“I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and,” Revelation 1:11 (KJV)

He was true to form and theme and it is here that He divides the understanding of Revelation – not just the book of Revelation, but life’s purpose in general. This is where we must begin our study, simply and without conjecture, but realizing that what He did – all that He did, had in mind the past, present and future.

So we see that the things which John has “seen” (past tense) are recorded here in the first chapter, verses 9 through 18. Let’s look first at verse 12 where we find that John turned to see, “the voice that spoke with me”.

What he then saw was a vision of seven candlesticks, and in the midst of them one like unto the son of man. John saw Jesus Christ dressed in His Priestly Garments, with hair that was white like wool, and eyes as the flaming fire. After seeing all of this, John was commanded to write the second division, which was "…the things which are“, recorded in chapter 2, and these “present things” refer to that which takes place during the age of the church. They include the entire Church age from its beginning to its ending; when our great God and Savior will rapture His church.

The final division is, “the things which shall be hereafter”, which literally means - “those things which happen after ‘these things’," which are the events of chapters 2 and 3. They are the prophetic words which make up the bulk of the book of Revelation, from chapter 4 through the end, and describe the events which will take place after the Church Age has become history. If we keep these three divisions in mind throughout the study, we will better understand that which is revealed in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The things which “…thou hast seen”, are past. The “…things which are”, will soon come to a close; and we will see before our eyes the “…things which shall be hereafter”.

We are living in very exciting times, and I believe that this generation will see the coming of the Lord. In fact, I believe that those who are still alive within these next few years will experience either being Raptured off the face of this Earth or facing the Wrath of God poured out during the last 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation.

What knowledge you may already have of the book of Revelation, as well as what we will glean from this study - barely scratches the surface, yet it makes these “end times” so much more exciting to know what’s coming next. Most importantly that “Jesus is coming soon, and you and I need to be ready to meet him in the air. Are you ready?