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Revelation 1: Unlocking Revelation's Mysteries
December 11, 2025 · 16 min
Explore the profound prophecies and interpretations of the Book of Revelation with cautious humility.
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Approaching Revelation with Humility 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Today, we begin the final leg of our 2 year journey to the Bible as we begin the book of Revelation.0:21 Verse 3, chapter 1, 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. Okay.0:33 As we start our study of the book of Revelation, which is primarily a book about prophecy, which I could which I believe could be unfolding at any moment. In fact, I believe probably is occurring right now.0:45 I approach this book with great caution because of the emphasis that is placed on end time prophecy. I do not think it's a book that we should approach dogmatically. It's 1 of 66 books of the Bible.0:57 They're all there for our edification and instruction. This is 1 that is focused on primarily the future fulfillment of the of the church, of of, the1:09 plan of God for mankind and for that ushers us into eternity. I think it's a very important book. So I I do think with it, we should approach it with cautious1:21 humility, asking the Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us, which is what Jesus promised he would do. So as I've said from the beginning of our journey in the Bible, I'm a lifelong1:33 student of the Bible. I've been taught, by men with great biblical insight. Most importantly, I have, been taught by the Holy Spirit who was sent, as I said, in part to1:45 teach us. That said, I am not an expert in biblical prophecy. Therefore, I will be very clear, as we make our way through this book, that when I share my1:57 opinions, I'm gonna make it very clear. I these are my opinions, and this is what I believe the passage may mean, and you are free. You are totally free to disagree with me. My goal2:09 is for you to be in the word of God and for the Holy Spirit to teach you what he wants you to see from the word of God. Now remember, we interpret the word of God based2:21 upon the word of God. So we're not gonna pull anything out of here that is not consistent with what we find elsewhere in the scripture. That's why it's so important to know the entire Bible from2:32 start to finish. It's not 66 different books that, tell different stories. They are pieces to god's, I would say, puzzle that he's put2:44 together for us to see, the picture of what he has do done, what he is doing, and what he will do. Okay. Now there are 4 interpretive2:56 approaches that are applied to Revelation. There is the petrist, which means that this was what was written here has primarily already happened. There is3:08 the historical, which is a panorama of the the church from, John until the end of time. There is the futurist, which is this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled.3:20 There is the spiritualist, that is those that mean it that that see this as what John was writing about is is strictly spiritual principles and concepts that have broad spiritual3:32 application, but they're not tied to actual events. Now as you can tell, those 4 views are not all compatible. Alright? You can't have all 4 of them in no totality in looking at3:43 the book of Revelation. I see Revelation as historical. The first 3 chapters are what is, and chapter 4 through 22 are what is toBackground and Blessings of Revelation 3:55 come. Now there are principles and truths with broader spiritual applications of the church throughout, especially in the historical, but the final fulfillment is4:07 tied to actual events. Right? I believe that. Again, that's my view. It's a kind of a literal interpretation of scripture. Today, we're gonna look at the background and the context.4:20 That, I think, will set the stage for our study of Revelation. Now the the apostle John is widely accepted as the author. It's also accepted that the book was written in the late nineties,4:32 during the during a time of intense persecution, Domitian, the Roman emperor, when John was exiled to Patmos. There are 2 parts, to the book.4:44 Chapters 1 through 3 are the things which are they're the historical. And then chapters 4 through 22, the things which shall be hereafter. Now4:56 we're gonna see the following words frequently. Alright? Like, as as it were, these are pointing to comparisons. For example, in chapter 1 verse 14, his head and hair were like wool,5:08 as white as snow, his eyes like a flame of fire. These are comparisons, so pay attention to those qualifying words. Alright. Let's begin verse 1.5:20 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants, things which must shortly take place, and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John. Now the message5:32 the message is from Jesus Christ by means of an angel. Better understanding of must shortly take place is not that it would necessarily be happening soon, but that when these things did5:44 happen, they would happen, and it would take place very quickly. So once it started, bam, they were happening. Verse 2, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony5:56 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.6:08 Notice the word blessed. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy. There are 7 beatitudes in the book. Here, we have 1 here. We have,6:20 chapter 4 verse 13. Write, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Chapter 16 verse 15. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. Chapter6:32 19 verse 9, write, blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the lamb. Chapter 20 verse 6, blessed and holy is he who is part of the first resurrection. Over such, the second death has no6:44 power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him 1000 years. Chapter 22 verse 7. Behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of this prophecy6:56 of this book. And then finally, in chapter 22 verse 14, blessed are those who do his commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city.7:08 Speaking of sevens. Alright? Look at verse 4. John, to the 7 churches which are in Asia, grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is toVision of the Glorious Christ 7:20 come and from the 7 spirits who are before the throne. Okay. 7 is something that factors a number that factors prominently in Revelation, appearing 54 times throughout the7:31 book, more than any other number. So what does 7 mean? Well, 7 means completion, fulfillment, and perfection. We'll see 7 churches. We'll see the 7 spirits,7:43 the 7 lampstands, the 7 stars, the 7 seals, the 7 horns, the 7 eyes, the 7 angels, the 7 trumpets, the 7 thunders, the 7 heads of the dragon, the 7 heads of the beast, the 7 golden bowls,7:55 and the 7 kings. So a lot of sevens. Verse 5, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and from the rule and the ruler over the kings of the earth, to8:07 him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. This is Jesus now. He is the firstborn in a resurrected body that is eternal. And notice8:19 the authority that he's been given, the ruler over the kings of the earth. He is soon to reign as king of kings and lord of lords. And through his death, he has washed us from our8:31 sins. Verse 6. And he has made us king and priest to his God and father, and to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. And8:43 this is very similar to what Peter wrote. He said, we're a royal priesthood. Verse 7, behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him even though the even they who pierced8:55 him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. Even so, amen. I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, says the lord, who is and who was and who is to come the almighty.9:08 Verse 9. I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of9:19 God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Now what John just described here really has been the the history of the church for nearly 2000 years, persecution and tribulation.9:31 And that's what he was in he was enduring, the patience of Jesus Christ. He was suffering, that tribulation for his stand for Jesus Christ. So what we see happening today should not9:43 be surprising. It is the result of the word of God and the convicting testimony of Jesus Christ, which the world rejects. Verse 10. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a9:55 loud voice as, as a trumpet saying, I am the alpha and omega, the beginning and the last. And what you see, write in a book and send it to the 7 churches which are in10:07 Asia, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. These were actual churches10:19 in John's day in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. This area had become kind of the heartland of the Christian church. 4 of the 7 are not mentioned elsewhere10:31 in the Bible. Only Ephesus is prominently mentioned outside of Revelation. These churches are also types. Okay? They're types, which goes beyond the application of John's day as strictly10:43 historical to a more universal application. They represent, and we'll talk about this next time when we get into those 7 churches, that it represents both the characteristics of the10:54 history of the church as well as individual churches. Verse 12, then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned, I saw 7 golden lampstands. And in the11:06 midst of the 7 lampstands, 1 like the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like11:17 wool, as white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire. Again, we see those comparisons. Like, verse 15, his feet were like fine brass, as if refined11:29 in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. He had in his right hand 7 stars. Out of his mouth went a sharp 2 edged sword, and his countenance was like the11:41 sun shining in its strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his hand on me and saying to me, do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. This is we see this throughout scripture,11:53 how people respond when they encounter the living God, the holy God. I am he who lives and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the12:05 keys of Hades and of death. He has the keys. Again, a description of who Jesus is. Write the things which you have seen and the things which are and the things12:17 which will take place after this. The mystery of the 7 stars which you saw in my right hand and the 7 golden lampstands. The 7 stars are the angels of the 7 churches,12:29 and the 7 lampstands, which you saw are the 7 churches. Now we're gonna see those again, but this there is some differing interpretation here on the 7 angels of the12:41 churches, the 7 stars or the angels of 7 churches, that these were either the angels that were over these churches or the more, precise interpretations, these12:52 were the pastors, the messengers that were over these 7 churches. And we're gonna look at those 7 churches next time, the characteristics, the warnings given to those churches,13:04 the correction, and, the commendation. So I encourage you, be prayerful as we enter the book of Revelation. Father, we thank you for your word.13:16 And, Lord, I I think back to the words of, right written in the gospel of John that you have given these things so that, Lord, we we might have peace in in in turbulent13:28 times and that we would know what is unfolding. You've warned us. You've given us in your word a clear understanding. And and that's 1 of the things we had on this journey is understanding the the13:39 world events that are taking place around us in light of scripture, which gives us peace. I mean, we're not happy about some of these things that we see, and we're praying for your hand of intercession. We're praying for13:51 you to move in the midst of us and and the persecution that's taking place in certain parts of the world, but we're not taken by surprise. And so, father, we have confidence as we face14:03 these situations just as John talks about here in Revelation. So I pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us on this journey through the book of Revelation. May our14:15 eyes be open, our ears, lord, be open that we might hear your voice, the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us as we read the book of Revelation.14:27 For we pray and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 1 final note. Let me remind you, we're coming up on another journey. Lord willing, next month, we're gonna start another journey through the Bible, and I've already heard14:38 from hundreds of you saying, I'm in. I'm gonna do it again. But if you've not yet signed up, I encourage you to do that because we wanna be able to be in contact with you with new resources that will be14:50 available on this journey. So text the word bible to 6 7 7 4 2. Bible to 6 7 7 4 2. And if this journey has blessed you and strengthened15:02 you in your walk with the Lord, I want you to prayerfully consider inviting someone else to join you on this journey next time. And And so we're gonna have some resources for you15:14 to help invite others, to join us on this journey. So until next time, keep standing on the word.15:24 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you15:35 can read through the entire bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Approaching Revelation with Humility3:45 Background and Blessings of Revelation7:08 Vision of the Glorious Christ
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