A STUDY OF REVELATION

 

“One Like unto the Son of Man” (1)

Revelation 1

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.      Revelation 1 is an introduction to the book:  the Christ who authored the book, John the human prophet to whom the book was revealed, and the recipients of the book, the seven churches of Asia.

 

B.       The key verse:  Revelation 1:13a

 

And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man…

 

C.      The chapter can be divided into five sections:

 

i.                     The Preface (Rev. 1:1-3):  something preliminary or introductory

 

ii.                   The Salutation (Rev. 1:4-9):  “John to the seven churches which are in Asia

 

iii.                 The Voice (Rev. 1:10-12a):  “…and heard behind me a great voice…”

 

iv.                 The Vision (Rev. 1:12b-18):  “And being turned I saw…”

 

v.                   The Command (Rev. 1:19-20):  “Write the things which thou hast seen”

 

I.                    THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST (Rev. 1:1)

 

A.      We discussed the term “revelation” in our introduction.

 

B.       Meaning

 

1.       Strong (602):  disclosure

2.       Thayer:  laying bear, making naked, a disclosure of truth, …things hitherto withdrawn from view are made visible to all

3.       Vine:  an uncovering

 

C.      “The fact it is a revelation emphasizes the book is not an enigmatic, incomprehensible mystery, but a revelation, a ‘making known,’ of a message the readers needed” (Avenging His Holy Saints, Apostles and Prophets, D. Gene West, p. 65).

 

II.                  SHORTLY COME TO PASS (Rev. 1:1)

 

A.      We have also noted this phrase in our introduction. 

 

B.       Shortly

1.       Strong (5034):  a brief space (of time)…in haste

2.       Thayer:  quickness, speed

3.       “The word, according to lexicographers, can also mean ‘soon, speedily and immediately,’ (See:  Perschbacher, p. 402) and refers to something ‘near at hand, impending” (West, p. 66).

 

C.      “Consequently, we can fearlessly affirm the book is not concerned with the scope of world history, nor with the end of the physical universe.  The book concerns itself with matters in the near future of John and his readers” (West, p. 66).

 

 

 

III.               SIGNIFIED IT (Rev. 1:1)

 

A.      This term was discussed in the introduction.

 

B.       Definition:

1.       Strong (4591):  a mark

2.       Thayer:  to give a sign, to signify

 

C.      “Revelation is written in symbols previously used in the Bible itself regarding historical events of the Jewish nation.  So, by allowing the Bible to interpret its own symbols, we can know what is meant to the original recipients” (West, p. 70).

 

D.      Wallace notes that the fact that it was written in symbolic language indicated that it was written specifically to and for the churches at that time.

 

IV.               BLESSED IS HE THAT READETH (Rev. 1:3)

 

A.      Blessed

1.       Strong (3107):  supremely blessed, …by extension, fortunate, well off

2.       Thayer:  blessed, happy

 

B.       This again indicates that the book of Revelation is a book that can be understood.

 

C.      LESSON:  All who read, hear, and keep all revelation from God are fortunate.  They have an understanding of the wisdom of God that will supremely bless their lives.

 

V.                  A BOOK FROM THE TRINITY (Rev. 1:4-5a)

 

…from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ…

 

A.      All books of the Bible are from all the members of the Godhead.

 

B.       This, however, is the only text of which I am aware wherein the book specifically states that all members were the authors of the book.

1.       God the Father:  from him which is, and which was, and which is to come

2.       God the Spirit:  from the seven Spirits which are before his throne

3.       God the Son:  from Jesus Christ

 

VI.               A DESCRIPTION OF JESUS (Rev. 1:5)

 

…who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and of the prince of the kings of the earth.  Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

 

A.      Faithful witness

1.       Faithful

a.       Strong (4103):  trustworthy, trustful

b.       Thayer:  trusty, faithful, worthy of trust, one who can be relied on

 

B.       First begotten of the dead

1.       Jesus was not the first person to rise from the dead.

2.       Jesus was the first to rise from the dead to die no more.

 

C.      Prince of the kings of the earth

1.       Prince

a.       Strong (758):  a first (in power or rank)

b.       Thayer:  ruler, commander, chief, leader

2.       Jesus is the ruler of all rulers.  All others rulers, regardless of their position, are accountable to the “Prince of the kings of the earth.”

 

D.      Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins, in his own blood

1.       Jesus loved us.

2.       He manifested that love by washing us from our sins, in his own blood.

 

VII.             KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD (Rev. 1:6)

 

And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father…

 

A.      Jesus is the King of kings.  He established His kingdom.  As Christians, we rule with Him.

 

B.       Jesus brought the priesthood of Melchizedek into existence.  When we became Christians, we also became priests under our High Priest Jesus Christ.

 

C.      LESSON:  In the sight of God, these are not lowly positions.  They are lofty positions.  They are positions that carry great responsibility to those who occupy them.  Those who hold them will give an account unto the King of kings and the High Priest.

 

VIII.          BEHOLD, HE COMETH WITH CLOUDS (Rev. 1:7)

 

A.      This text is usually associated with Jesus’ second coming.  It is often tied to texts such as I Thessalonians 4:16-17.

 

B.       The word “cometh,” however, is not the Greek word “parousia.”  It is just the normal word for coming.

1.       Thus, it could refer to a coming of our Lord in judgment against His enemies.

2.       When Jesus predicted the fall of Jerusalem, He spoke of His coming (Matt. 24:30; 26:64).

 

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven:  and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

 

3.       This is the first indication regarding the purpose of the book, the coming judgment of God.

 

C.      The fact that John says:  “…and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him…” indicates that the judgment was coming soon. 

1.       John is not talking about end of the world events. 

2.       The Jews were the ones that pierced Jesus.  They would see His judgment brought upon them in their generation (See Matthew 24:34-35).

 

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

 

D.      NOTE:  If this has reference to the coming of Jesus in judgment upon the city of Jerusalem, that judgment is a type of final judgment.  Thus, some of the words of Revelation 1:7 could be applied to the Final Judgment as well.

 

IX.                A DESCRIPTION OF JOHN (Rev. 1:9)

 

A.      Who am also your brother

1.       John had obeyed the gospel and was a child of God.

2.       Thus, he as a brother, spiritually, to those who were also children of God.

 

B.       Companion in tribulation

1.       The word companion suggests a close relationship, a partner.

2.       John was a partner with his readers in tribulation.

3.       Suffering had been the common lot for Christians starting in Acts 4.

4.       If John were on the isle of Patmos as one who had been exiled, he was presently experiencing persecution.

 

C.      Companion in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ

1.       He was their partner “in the kingdom.”

2.       The kingdom is the church (Matt. 16:16-18).

3.       When a person is converted, he is translated into the kingdom of God’s Son (Col. 1:13).

 

D.      Companion in the patience of Jesus Christ

1.       Christians are called upon to endure afflictions.

2.       The ability to endure is the very definition of patience.

3.       John was enduring just as those to whom he wrote.

 

E.       Was in the isle that is called Patmos.

1.       Map

 

 

2.       Description:

a.       An island in the Aegean Sea about 25 miles off the coast

b.       Size:  13.36 square miles

c.        Patmos means:  “my killing” (Thayer)

3.       Why John was there:

a.       For the word of God

b.       For the testimony of Jesus Christ

 

X.                  I WAS IN THE SPIRIT (Rev. 1:10)

 

A.      This phrase can be literally translated:  “I came to be in the Spirit.” 

 

B.       John was under the influence of the Holy Spirit and he knew it.

 

C.      Spirit inspired men knew when they were being influenced by the Holy Spirit to received divine messages from God (II Sam. 23:2).

 

The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

XI.                THE LORD’S DAY (Rev. 1:10)

 

A.      In the original language, the words can be transliterated:  “in the day belonging to the Lord.”

 

B.       This must be the first day of the week.

1.       It was the day Jesus rose from the grave (John 20:1).

2.       It was the day the gospel was preached (Acts 2:1-4).

3.       It was the day the church was established (Acts 2:47).

4.       It was the day of the week the disciples came together for worship (Acts 20:7).

5.       It was the day authorized for the collection (I Cor. 16:1-2).

 

C.      “John in using this term may be introducing it to believers or, perhaps more likely, simply authenticating its use” (Allen as quoted by West, pl. 106).

 

D.      Foy E. Wallace, Jr. does not believe this was the first day of the week.  In his commentary, he writes:  “It is not a reference to the first day of the week, but to the day in which the Lord accomplished these events…it means in the day of the rapture into which the Lord had placed John – that he had been transported into the midst of the scenes of the vision as though he was, himself, in the day of their happening” (The Book of Revelation, Foy E. Wallace, Jr., p. 77).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A STUDY OF REVELATION

 

“One Like unto the Son of Man” (2)

Revelation 1

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    In our previous study, John heard “a great voice, as of a trumpet” (Rev. 1:10).

 

B.      John “turned to see the voice” that spoke with him (Rev. 1:12).

 

C.     When he turned, he saw seven golden candlesticks.  He also saw one “in the midst of the seven candlesticks” (Rev. 1:13).

 

D.    He, then, describes what he saw to us with ten descriptive phrases.  In this lesson, we will look at this description of what John saw.

 

I.             SON OF MAN

 

II.           CLOTHED WITH A GARMENT DOWN TO THE FOOT

 

III.         GIRT ABOUT THE PAPS WITH A GOLDEN GIRDLE

 

IV.        HIS HEAD AND HIS HAIR WERE WHITE LIKE WOOK, AS WHITE AS SNOW

 

V.          HIS EYES WERE AS A FLAME OF FIRE

 

VI.        HIS FEET LIKE UNTO FINE BRASS, AS IF THEY BURNED IN A FURNACE

 

VII.      HIS VOICE AS THE SOUND OF MANY WATERS

 

VIII.    IN HIS RIGHT HAND SEVEN STARS

 

IX.        OUT OF HIS MOUTH WENT A SHARP TWOEDGED SWORD

 

X.          HIS COUNTENANCE WAS AS THE SUN SHINETH IN HIS STRENGTH