Revelation Primer & Purpose

Message for 11/26/23 "Revelation Primer & Purpose" by Justin McTeer.

*All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted*

Apocalypse

Revelation 1:1-2 - This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, 2 who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Apocalyptic Literature

Godzilla

Prophetic

Revelation 1:3 - God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.

Future-Focused

Symbolic

And he said, “Look at the levels which are under the expanse on which you are brought and see that on no single level is there any other but the one whom you have searched for or who has loved you.” And while he was still speaking, and behold, the levels opened, and there are the heavens under me. And I saw on the seventh firmament upon which I stood a fire spread out and light, and dew, and a multitude of angels, and a power of the invisible glory from the Living Creatures which I had seen above. But I saw no one else there.

Revelation 13:1-2 - Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. 2 This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority.

1. Tribulation/Judgements (side third all at once)

2. Satan Bound/1000 Year-Reign

3. Satan Unbound/Second-Coming

4. Eternal Kingdom

Pre-Millennial

Revelation 9:7-9 - The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. They had what looked like gold crowns on their heads, and their faces looked like human faces.8 They had hair like women’s hair and teeth like the teeth of a lion. 9 They wore armor made of iron, and their wings roared like an army of chariots rushing into battle.

Revelation 16:12 - Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River, and it dried up so that the kings from the east could march their armies toward the west without hindrance.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 - Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. 2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

Revelation 8:12 - Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and one-third of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars, and they became dark. And one-third of the day was dark, and also one-third of the night.

Post-Millennial

Besides these, a few days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar,] a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared: I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. - Josephus

Already/Not-Yet

Revelation 1:19 - “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen.

Purpose

Revelation 21:3-4 - I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Revelation 13:10b - This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful

Who?

Where?

Why?