The title of the sermon is: Revelation Chapter 1. We’re going to go through Chapter 1 verse by verse today.
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God the Father gave to Him. The purpose of the Book of Revelation is to show His servants things which are going to happen. God sent this Revelation to His servant John by His angel.
Is this book written to the saved or the unsaved? Many churches will teach that Revelation is written to the unsaved people to warn them of what’s going to happen to them. This is false teaching. The first verse of Revelation tells us it is written to the saved people or God’s servants.
Revelation is written to the saved people to reveal things to His servants. This means God is revealing things to us, and it should not be difficult to understand. It should be easy to understand. That’s why we’re going through this line by line today.
Revelation 1:20a The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks.
So it’s telling us the seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks are a mystery. Most churches and pastors won’t touch the Book of Revelation. They say it’s too hard to understand or it’s a mystery. The first part of Revelation 1:20 tells us it’s a mystery. But let’s read the second half of verse 20.
Revelation 1:20b The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Understanding the Book of Revelation
So God is revealing these mysteries to us in the Book of Revelation. He doesn’t want this to be a mystery to us any more. If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your only Savior, you have the Holy Spirit within you to guide you. You can understand the Book of Revelation easily.
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
If you are born again and have the Spirit of God, you can understand Revelation. If you can’t, you may need to go back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved first. Once you believe on Jesus to save you, you will understand the entire Bible better.
Revelation 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 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.
Verse 3 tells us we are blessed if we read and keep the words of this prophecy. The time is at hand. It could all happen during our lifetime. We need to keep and know the words of this Book. Many churches that refuse to teach Revelation are missing a blessing.
Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
The Seven Churches in Asia
John is writing to the 7 churches in Asia. This fits what we’ve learned: this Book is written to God’s saved people. Revelation is not a warning to the unsaved. We must get people saved so they’ll care about what Revelation says.
Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
These seven churches are literal churches that existed in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey. Many false teachers claim these seven churches represent different church ages, but that’s simply made up. They were actual congregations of believers.
The Seven Spirits Before the Throne
Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
What are these seven Spirits? In Revelation 3:1, Jesus says, “These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God.” So Jesus has the seven Spirits of God. Isaiah 11:1-2 tells us what these seven Spirits are: (1) the Spirit of the Lord, (2) the spirit of wisdom, (3) the spirit of understanding, (4) the spirit of counsel, (5) the spirit of might, (6) the spirit of knowledge, and (7) the spirit of the fear of the Lord. Jesus is God and all these Spirits rest upon Him.
Revelation 1:5-6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
These verses give us the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are saved by His blood alone. Man-made religion teaches that we must do good works to reach heaven, but the Bible teaches us we are washed from our sins by Jesus’ own blood. Nothing we do is good enough to save us.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The end of verse 6 says “to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” The word Amen closes that thought.
The Central Focus of Revelation: Verse 7
Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Verse 7 is the key verse in the Book of Revelation. It shows the Second Coming of Jesus Christ with clouds. Every eye will see Him, all kindreds of the earth shall wail, and His judgment will be poured out on the wicked.
Matthew 24:30 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.
Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, 1 Thessalonians 4, and Revelation 1:7 all describe the same event. They describe Jesus coming in the clouds. Pre-Tribulation rapture teachers will claim it’s a separate event, but the Bible calls it the Second Coming of Jesus.
The Timing of Events – Tribulation Then Coming
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light…
The day or hour no man knows (Matthew 24:36), but we do know the Rapture happens after the tribulation. We don’t know the exact day, but we know it’s not “any moment.” The false teaching that Jesus could come back tonight is found nowhere in Scripture. The Bible says tribulation comes first, then Jesus comes in the clouds.
Revelation 6:12-13 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth…“
The sun and moon being darkened is only mentioned once in Revelation (Revelation 6). This matches perfectly with Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. After the sixth seal, the tribulation is over, and God’s wrath begins.
John’s Vision on Patmos
Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Jesus calls Himself the Almighty, so He is clearly God. John continues:
Revelation 1:9 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.
John was on Patmos, suffering tribulation for the word of God. True believers must endure tribulation in this life. God never says we escape all trouble. John is also told to show us these important revelations.
Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
The voice is Jesus – loud and powerful like a trumpet. John did not hear an actual trumpet but a voice like a trumpet.
The Appearance of Jesus Among the Candlesticks
Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book…“
John saw seven golden candlesticks, which are the seven churches.
Revelation 1:12-13 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man…“
Jesus stands in the midst of those candlesticks. He’s clothed with a garment down to His foot and girt about the chest with a golden girdle.
Revelation 1:14-15 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
He is brilliant in appearance, eyes like fire, feet like brass, and His voice loud like many waters.
Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches (verse 20). The sharp twoedged sword is the Word of God.
John Falls at Jesus’ Feet
Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
John collapses at Jesus’ feet. Jesus tells him to fear not. Jesus was dead, but now He is alive forevermore. He has the keys of hell and death.
The Outline of Revelation
Revelation 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
Jesus gives John an outline for Revelation:
- Write the things which thou hast seen (Chapter 1).
- The things which are (Chapters 2 and 3, the seven churches in John’s day).
- The things which shall be hereafter (Chapter 4 onward).
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven…and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
That matches Revelation 1:19 perfectly. Chapters 2 and 3 focus on John’s present day churches. We see again:
Revelation 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
We’ve concluded Revelation Chapter 1. Let’s stick together for all 22 chapters of Revelation. You’ll see exactly how it all fits. The Book of Revelation is not difficult for those who trust God and His word. With the Holy Spirit, we can understand it line by line.
Let’s pray.
