Ralph Porter

© 2002

    In recent weeks we've been considering what the Bible has to say about tomorrow's news. We began by looking at several key passages dealing with the future of specific nations involved in world events. Then we spent several weeks considering the revelations of God's plan for world politics, as revealed in Daniel's visions. In the New Testament the same program in presented in the book of Revelation. This morning I want to introduce our study in Revelation that will be the focus of our attention for the next few weeks.

    We all have our own little "pet peeves." One of mine is the way many people refer to this book. The question that must be addressed is "How many revelations are there in this book?" That question is answered when you realize what is revealed in the book. You'll never understand the book of Revelation until you understand what's revealed in it! The first verse answers that question. John says that this book is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." He's the One Who is revealed in it! It's all about Him! The reason why He's revealed will become apparent later as we consider the background of the book.

    In order to understand John's message, we have to understand what has already happened. Popular television series often begin with a segment presenting previous episodes. We need to remind ourselves of the "previous episodes" in God's program also.

    At the close of the Old Testament, Israel had just endured a time of captivity because of their failure to remain faithful to God. Because they wouldn't listen to God nor obey His commandments, Israel was taken captive to Assyria and to Babylonia.

    After seventy years, God began to bring them back to the land He promised to give them and restored them again. At the conclusion of the 483 years Daniel had announced, God's people began to realize that the time for the coming of Messiah, God's promised "anointed one" was at hand. People began to expect His arrival. God sent His Son to fulfill His promise. When He came, Jesus gave adequate evidence to confirm that He was the One God had promised to send. However, Israel was not interested in following Him. They rejected Him and that generation was condemned by God for their unbelief. Jerusalem was therefore destroyed by Roman armies in A.D. 70.

    What might God's people expect following that devastating destruction? Jesus had already announced that God would form a new people. Luke tells the story of how God worked to form that new "called-out" people, the church, which was born at Pentecost. Paul makes clear, however, that even after their rejection of their Messiah, God hasn't rejected Israel. Their eventual restoration is promised in Romans 11:26, just as God had foretold in the Old Testament.

    Even before Jerusalem was destroyed, all God's people, both Israel and the church, were suffering persecution under Roman oppression. The church suffered under persecution by Israel also. Everywhere they looked, God's people were suffering for His sake. How were they to understand this affliction? What could they expect in the future?

    The book of Revelation was written to God's people in the midst of suffering to encourage them by helping them understand God's perspective on what's happening to them. Although the immediate audience was the church in the midst of persecution, the book is directed toward God's people in general, whenever they suffer for His sake. It is especially appropriate to His people in the tribulation.

    John has written for three reasons:

        -to encourage God's people when we suffer on account of our faith in Him.

        -to inform us of the outcome of the conflict in which we're participating.

        -to motivate us to remain faithful in spite of our affliction.

To accomplish these purposes, John presents God's perspective on the events affecting His people in the midst of their affliction.

    The key to understanding the book of Revelation is the Vision of the Judge, revealed in 1:9-20. This initial vision serves as the basis for the rest of the revelation. Christ, the Judge of the universe, is seated on His throne and ruling over His creation. God is in control of all human history.

    Although God's people may suffer for His sake, He is even in control of people in rebellion. In the end, He will be victorious. Those who are faithful to Him in the midst of the suffering will participate with Him in His great victory.

    John expects this message to produce results in the lives of his readers. He hopes that the revelation of the Judge will produce confidence in Him. Awareness of God's program should cause us to recognize our place in His plan. This knowledge should produce obedience, faithfulness, and joy in the midst of suffering.

    The major structural divisions of the book are revealed in 1:19. John is commanded to write what he has seen, what is now, and what will take place later. These three topics form the basis for the organization of the content of the book.

THE THINGS YOU HAVE SEEN:

CHRIST THE JUDGE RULES OVER HIS CREATION   1

    The unusual nature of the book of Revelation causes John to introduce it with various explanations (1:1-8). The subject of the book is stated as a title. The book is a revelation of Jesus Christ. Careful study of this book will reveal Him (1:1a).

    The source of the book is God Himself (1:1b). This isn't the work of John, the human author, sitting down to share a few personal thoughts. God has spoken! God has given the book to Christ for a purpose (1:1c): to reveal to Jesus' servants the things which are going to take place soon. God doesn't want us to be ignorant concerning His program, nor concerning our role in that program.

    God sent an angel to communicate the revelation to John (1d-2). John just reported what he saw. He deserves no credit for content of the revelation. He was only a witness, describing the things God Himself had shown him, through His angel.

    A special blessing is promised to reader and listeners alike (1:3). Those who listen to what the message says and who put into practice its teachings will be satisfied. This blessing is not salvation, nor a special spiritual status based on merit. God is about to fulfill the prophecy given in the book. Those who listen and respond will understand God's program and be content, even in the midst of persecution. They will discern how their experience fits in His plan. Those who don't understand what God is doing will be confused by their suffering. This book explains what's taking place and how the conflict will end. Therefore, the listener who responds properly will be satisfied.

    Jesus is not only the subject of the book; it's also dedicated to Him (1:5b-6). The final purpose of the whole book is that He might be glorified through it. A promise is the basis for the security of God's people in the midst of persecution (1:7-8): Christ, Who is the Beginning and the End, is going to come again! Those who are suffering for His sake will triumph with Him, and rejoice!

    The rest of the introduction presents the Vision of the Judge (1:9-20). You see Him in all His glory-He's in charge! However dismal and dark circumstances may seem, we need to see Him glorified.

    The messenger commands John to write what he has already seen, what he was seeing taking place then, and what was about to take place (1:19). He then reveals the interpretation of the vision John had seen (1:20). Christ Himself is standing in the midst of the seven churches John is writing to. He has their messengers in His hand. He governs the events which occur in the churches. He's overseeing them. He's in charge!

    As King of the universe, and Head of the church, He's about to judge them. Christ is in the midst of His church and is in charge of all that happens to it. He hasn't gone fishing! He hasn't forgotten about them!

THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOW:

CHRIST THE JUDGE RULES OVER HIS CHURCH   2-3

    As indicated in the initial vision, Jesus is aware of what they're going through. He's watching over their development. He rewards those who are faithful. The faithful will ultimately triumph together with Him!

THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE LATER:

CHRIST THE JUDGE RULES OVER THE NATIONS   4-22:5

    Among the pagan nations of the world also, He's in charge. He's in control of everything that happens. None of the plots that evil men can conceive or that Satan can launch against us can take Him by surprise. He is about to reveal His wrath against those who propose to overthrow His authority and destroy His people.

    John is summoned into heaven where he's given God's perspective on the events which will follow the church age. Although no clear evidence is introduced, John's call into heaven corresponds to the time of the rapture as presented in other passages, following the church age, and preceding the time of God's wrath on the earth (4:1). The church is not mentioned again until after the time of judgment depicted. Therefore it seems natural to conclude that his call symbolically represents the rapture of the church.

    The predominant theme of this section focuses on God's judgment. God is in control. Though the nations rage, their struggle is futile (cp. Ps. 2). He will ultimately judge them and He will win the conflict. Those who are faithful will see the day of vengeance. The remainder of the book introduces wave after wave of judgment:

        Preparation for judgment   4-5

        Judgment of the seven seals   6-8:2

        Judgment of the seven trumpets   8-11

        Cause of judgment   12-18

        Results of judgment   19-22:5

    At the conclusion of these judgments, the seventh trumpet introduces the climax of the entire program. It all leads up to the second coming of Christ. Christ returns to earth, accompanied by the praise of heaven (11:15-17). While that coming is a time of blessing for God's people, it results in judgment directed against those who have opposed God's program and sought to destroy His people. The story arrives at its climax early in the book (11:14-19).

    With the coming and judgment of Christ, the Great Tribulation concludes. However, it's apparent that another series of events is depicted, and then it seems that the writer brings us back to the same event again (19:6b-7, 11-16). How should we understand this repetition?

    In Revelation 10:11, John is informed that he must repeat the message again. It appears that this repetition is what is revealed in Revelation 12-18. John repeats the description of God's judgment from a different perspective. He receives an additional series of revelations that explain the cause for the judgment.

CAUSE OF JUDGMENT:

SATAN'S PROGRAM   12-18

    Satan has a plan for God's creation. He is opposed to God and His people. He wants us to acknowledge and to worship him! Since people choose to submit to Satan's authority rather than God's, God will respond to their rebellion by judging Satan's followers.

The things you have seen:

Satan seeks to destroy God's people and God's Son   12:1-5

    Description of Israel   12:1-2. John again returns to identify things which happened previously. He first introduces Israel as a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. This picture seems to be related to Joseph's dream (Gen. 37:9-10). The sun and moon, as the starting point on which Israel's place in God's program was based, would refer to Jacob and Rachel. The twelve stars would be their twelve sons and their descendants. The woman in the vision is about to give birth.

    Opposition of Satan   12:3-4. Satan is depicted in a way that identifies him with the world political system identified by Daniel and later chapters of Revelation. He brings a third of the host of heaven along with him in his fall. Satan opposed this part of God's program and sought to destroy her child.

    Throughout this chapter Satan fulfills the role his titles attribute to him as "adversary" and as "the destroyer." He opposes God's program and God's people, and seeks to destroy them. Throughout this chapter he uses every means possible, in repeated attacks, to destroy God's people.

    First coming of Christ   12:5. Satan was unable to destroy the Child at birth. This Child, who must represent Jesus, was designated Ruler over all the nations, but was snatched away before assuming this authority.

The things which shall be later 12:6-13:18

    Israel's escape   12:6. The historical backdrop leads into the future to show things which will happen afterwards. Satan will pursue Israel into the wilderness where God protects her for three and a half years. Satan's earthly opposition to God's program leads to a heavenly conflict.

    Angelic war   12:7-12. Specific aspects of the heavenly conflict are described:

        1.    Satan is overpowered by God's hosts   7-8

        2.    Satan is thrown out of heaven   9a

        3.    Satan is cast down to earth   9b

        4.    Christ's authority is established   10a

        5.    Christ's followers triumph over their accuser   10b-11

                    "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb."

                    Those who don't shrink from death ultimately win with Him!

        6.    Heaven is relieved by Satan's departure   12a

        7.    Earth is afflicted by Satan's arrival   12b

    This heavenly conflict between God's messengers and Satan's hosts leads to his expulsion from heaven. He is cast down to earth and furiously functions to accomplish his purposes because he knows his time is short. The specific object of Satan's furious attack is Israel!

    Satan's attack against Israel   12:13-17. Satan seeks vengeance against God's people. The primary target of Satan's vengeance is Israel which he seeks to destroy. He goes after them-but is ineffective. So he turns on anyone who seeks to please God and follows Jesus. God's protection frustrates his plan but his opposition continues.

        1.    Satan pursues Israel   13

        2.    God protects His people   14

        3.    Satan tries to sweep them away   15

        4.    The earth intervenes to protect them   16

        5.    Satan attacks those who obey God's commands and hold to the testimony of

                Jesus.   17

    Now we come to understand the real issue in the affliction God's people are enduring. Satan couldn't stop God's program so he's determined to go after God's people! You can count on him to use every weapon in his arsenal to destroy us!

PERSPECTIVE FOR TODAY:

    Satan still wants to destroy the faithful! He still seeks to destroy God's people and God's Son. In the midst of the conflict, we can be sure that however frightening the storms may seem, Satan still isn't strong enough to win the conflict! In spite of all his attacks and attempts to destroy God's people, he can't win! The heavenly victory is precursor to God's ultimate victory. Satan has already been thrown out of heaven; he can't win on earth either!

    God's in control! God will ultimately triumph! Those who are faithful will triumph with Him! Whose side are YOU on?

    Satan has declared war on the people of God. He knows his time is short! Both Peter and Paul indicate that our present temporary trials aren't worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be ours! Satan's time is short!

    In the end we know how the story ends: THE LORD WINS!

            Will we triumph with Him?

            It's the faithful who ultimately triumph with Him.

            Are we committed to being among them?