Revision as of 16:14, 28 March 2019

By Richard Wakefield

Introduction

The Book of the Revelation has always exercised a certain attraction to Christians as they desire to see what the future may have in store. Events of the past two years, amazing political changes in Europe and the collapse of the Russian Communist Empire are causing many to return to the Book and to re-evaluate their thinking of the possible course of the future.

To understand "Revelation" (or any other book) we need to know who is the author, his qualification to write. to whom the book was addressed and the reason it was written.

We are told who was the human author . Rev . 1:4 and 1:9 tell us clearly that John was the penman and we find that chapters two and three were written as they were dictated to him by Jesus Christ. Chapter 1:19 teaches that ALL the Book was to be an account of what was being revealed to him. We believe this was John, brother of James and writer of the Gospel of John. He was one of the "Inner three" apostles who seemed to be closest to the Lord and he was the "Disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23, 20a2, 2L220) . He was also the last of the apostles to die, tradition has him dying at a very advanced age.

His intimate association with the Lord during His earthly ministry, his years of faithful service and, above all, the special revelation given to him and the instruction to record it, all qualify him for the job.

The book was written "To show unto His (The Lord's) servants---" Rev. 1;1. Therefore we can say the book is intended to be read, and understood, by those who are in facts servants of the Lord. This should include all who profess to be Christians, and certainly all who have truly been saved through faith in the finished work of Jesus. Unfortunately not all who claim to be saved can claim to be servants! This may explain why many Christians are unable to understand it.

At the time Revelation was written the "Church" which had been in existence a little more than 60 years was undergoing very severe persecution. The Christians knew of the Lord's promise to return and to establish a kingdom on earth. Yet, as those who had seen and heard Jesus died, He had still not returned. Wickedness was increasing everywhere, immorality, violence, crime of every type was universal. And the increasing severity of the officially instigated persecution of the church appeared to threaten its very existence. Was it possible that God was no longer in control? Could it be that, finally, Satan would win in his contest with God?

This Book was written to reassure those of the early Church that God was (and is) still in control, that He has a plan and that all Satan's efforts fit into that plan for God's greater glory.

In our day, we may not experience persecution as did the early church (although it cannot be ruled out if the Lord delays His return much longer) but we do see a tidal wave of evil sweeping over the world as predicted in 2 Timothy 3:1-4, so it is very timely for us to look anew et God's plan for the future. the early church

A simple outline the Book is given in 1:19.

1. "The things which thou has seen" Ch 1
2. "The things which are" Ch 2-3
3. "The things which shaLL be hereafter" Ch 4 -22

1. deals with the heavenly vision of the Risen Lord 2. covers the period from the Day of Pentecost up to the Rapture of the Church 3. is sub-divided:

1. 1. Seven years of Tribulation Ch 4-19
   2. The Millennium Ch 20
   3. Eternity ch 21-22

Before we proceed further we must state our firm c onviction that the Church, composed of all who have been saved through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord, is to be "caught up---to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thess. 4:17). Before the beginning of the Tribulation. We will look at this more as we study chapters 3 & 4.

Chapter 1 (The Things Which Thou Hast Seen)