Revelation Chapter 1- Midweek Study, beginning at verse 4

John to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace to you and

peace from him who is who was, who is to come, and from the

seven spirits who who are before his throne and from Jesus

Christ, the faithful witness, the first born from the dead and

the ruler over the kings of the earth.

When was the book written in the Book of Revelation in around ID

95, when Domitian Caesar, Domitian emperor Domitian, I

should say, has just ascended to the throne in Rome.

He was as crazy as season Nero and he was an egomaniac

Domitian. He claimed to be God as a lot of

the emperor's wanted to be in demanded and he demanded people

worship him. But he unlike some of the

Emperor's before him, he wanted to people people to call him

Lord and God, which most of the Christians refused and a massive

wave of persecution was released against them in the Roman Empire

and it included the Apostle John who was around 90 odd years of

age at this time. It is believed that the Apostle

John, as the youngest of all the disciples, was banished by

Demetian to the island of Patmos.

And it is here on this island in the Greek Isles and the

barrenness of exile that Jesus appears to John, directs John to

write this amazing book which we're studying, which you have

in your hand today, the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Some 60 to 65 years prior to the apostle writing the Book of

Revelation, he and two other disciples, James and Peter,

you'll remember, we're given a preview of the coming

attractions when Jesus was transfigured before them on the

mount to the Mount of Transfiguration.

And I saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah, and they were

talking about Christ's upcoming crucifixion, his death.

So John says he gives his name, John, to the seven churches

which are in Asia, modern Turkey today.

And he gives the usual Pauline structure, grace to you and

peace. You can't have peace until you

have grace from him who is and was and who is to come.

Now, when writing a letter, at the time that John wrote this,

when he penned this vision, if you were writing a letter to me

or I was writing a letter to you, I would put my name at the

beginning of the letter. We sign off at the end today.

So here John, keeping with the customs of the day as he's

writing to the seven churches at the in Asia, he puts his name at

the beginning and he gives us the Trinity in this in this

verse 4, it says for him who is and who was and who is to come.

This title identifies the first person of the Trinity, God the

Father, for he is the source of all blessings and salvation.

All grace and peace come from Him, and it says then, and from

the seven spirits who are before His throne.

This is a title again, and it scribes the person of the Holy

Spirit. This title is interpreted for us

in the Old Testament passages and you'll find there in Isaiah

11, which gives us a sevenfold description of the Holy Spirit.

And then in Zechariah Zechariah chapter 4, we find the seven

Zechariah 4 · chapter mention

stemmed menorah like we have on the stage here today,

symbolising the presence of the Holy Spirit in the temple.

Remembering also that revelation was written to seven churches,

thus telling us with the number seven of the Holy Spirit's

presence with each church seven in the Bible and you Bible

numbers there is numerical numbers 12 being the number of

government. 40 we always see is judgement 7 is the number of

fullness and it says then goes on in verse 4 and from Jesus

Christ, the faithful witness, the first born from the dead and

the ruler over the kings of the earth.

John writes a full of description here of Jesus than

he did with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Why? Because this book Jesus is the

theme of the Book of Revelation. John says he is the faithful

witness. In other words, Jesus always

speaks and represents truth. Jesus said I am the way, what

and the truth and the life. Jesus is incapable of lies or

falsehoods. You remember when Jesus stood

before Pontius Pilate and Pilate was questioning him, are you a

king? Who?

Where are you? What are you?

Because Jesus wasn't saying too much.

And in chapter 18 of the Gospel of John verse 37, Pilate said to

him, are you a king? Then Jesus answered, you say

rightly I am a king for this 'cause I was born and for this

cause I've come into the world that I should bear witness to

the truth. Everyone who is of the truth

hears my voice. John then gives him another

title description. He says he's the first born from

the dead. And all the cults jump on this

and say, see Jesus, he's not God, he was created being.

And you can make anything, say anything.

If you take something out of the context, you make it a pretext.

It's the first poem from the dead.

The Greek word used here by John is the word protoco.

Protoco which speaks of priority, first in priority and

1st in preeminence. Because Jesus is not the first

to rise from the dead, is he the widow's son, you remember,

Elijah comes to a widow, son dies.

Elijah raises the son, remember, lays on top of him.

He comes back to life. As Jesus goes to a place called

Nain, he comes across a widow and a funeral and her only son

is dead in the casket being carried out.

Jesus stops, touches the the son of the widow of Nain, and he

rises and returns back to life. So this description by John of

Jesus means that of all those that have ever been raised from

the dead past and future, Jesus is the first and foremost in

position and prominence. He is the greatest of them all.

Only Jesus is eternal God at the same time, the others who we

talked about, yes they will rise from the dead.

There's another one called Lazarus.

We know about him. Thou arise from the death, dead

to life prior to Jesus. But they all eventually died

again, didn't they? But Jesus was the first to rise

from the dead and now he remains alive forever.

And I love this next part at the end of John chapter one, verse 4

here it says and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

I'm so glad that politicians aren't in in control.

They think they are. It's kind of funny, isn't it?

You know, when you people, when people think they're in control

of something and then you go, no, you're not.

You think you are, but you're not.

It says he is the ruler over the kings of the earth.

There are kings on the earth who rule over their domains, but

Jesus is the king of kings. He's the king of all the earth,

of all the kings, and over all the kingdoms.

Read Psalm to it says, and I love this now to him who loved

us and washed us from our sins. How in his own blood to him who

loved us. In the book of Ephesians chapter

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

2 verse one says Paul writes, and you speaking to believers he

made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins in which you

once walked according to the course of this world, according

to the Prince of the power of the air.

That is the devil, the Spirit, who now works in the sons of

disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in

the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the

flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath,

just as the others. But then Paul says, But God, who

is rich in mercy, why is He rich in mercy?

Because Paul says of His great love which He loved us, you can

never come to church and you can never say or leave church and

say, oh, I don't believe God loves me.

I don't think God loves me because that's biblically

incorrect. Because the Bible tells us for

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that

whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting

life. There will be times in your life

where you think, well, Gee, you know, this has happened to me.

Like I've the doctors just pronounced this on me.

I've got months to go or, or this has happened or this

tragedy has happened in my family.

I don't sense God's love for me. That's an incorrect statement.

And we, we often do that. We, we're fuelled by our, our

emotions. And that's where you've always

when your emotions are taking over, you've got to go back to

the word because the word is the truth.

In the beginning was the word, The word was with God and the

word was God. And Jesus is the one who gives

you the truth. He can't lie.

And you need to know this tonight if you if you know

nothing else, that God. And this is what's staggering to

me. God loves me.

I'm just, you know, think of all the people that sadly are taking

their own lives in our community.

Young people, it's a plague that's happening to us because

many of them think I'm I'm better off, the world's better

off without me, my family's better off without me, my kids

are better off without me, although, and I just need to be

gone because the Bible tells us God is rich in mercy and he

loves us. The hardest thing for you and I

often to accept is to be loved because we we know how bad we

are. We know but if I went to church,

the walls would fall in because the Bible also tells us that

none of us are righteous. No, not one.

We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but

God who was rich in his mercy, God loves us.

In 1 John chapter 4 verse 10, it says in this is love.

1 John 4:10

What is that? Not that we love God, but that

He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our

sins. He met the holy holiness that

was required of God, and he and he also met the payment of sin

that we had. We can't come to God and we

can't a Sinner can't, you know, a criminal can't go, well, I'm

doing, I'm doing a life sentence here.

You know, I'll go and pay a life sentence with somebody else.

They go, you've got nothing to give.

You're already doing time. But Christ came and he met the

requirements. He was sinless.

He was able to pay the penalty of sin.

He took upon our himself, our sins and he said, I'll take

them. I'm able to and I'll bury them

and I'll pay for them then as He paid for them because he's

sinless. He rose from the dead and the

resurrection of Christ past Israel taught on the other

night. The resurrection of Christ is

God's exclamation mark to you and I that we have been

forgiven. You need to know that one.

John 419 we love him. Why?

Because He first loved us and we didn't deserve it.

Jesus rescued us from our sins. He freed us from them.

Now remember, in Colossians he transported us out of the

Kingdom of darkness where we used to be ruled over by Satan,

and he took us into the Kingdom of what?

Of his beloved Son. We're now under his rule.

We're in His Kingdom. We're citizens of His Kingdom.

How did he do this? Was blood my sacrifice by his

pain, his suffering? Which is why we celebrated

communion last Sunday. Because Jesus said every time

you do this, do what? In remembrance of what?

Of how much he loves us, How much he loves us.

That's what Communion is about, the love of God for me that I

don't deserve. And I know each day how much I

don't deserve. That's why I'm overwhelmed.

That's why the woman who washed Jesus feet with her tears and

cried over and then wiped it with his hair in Simon Pharisees

house, she loved him much. Why?

Jesus said because she knows she's been forgiven much.

Forgiven much? I think that's part of the

problem of the modern church today.

We don't realise what Christ has forgiven us of how much so John

cannot help but now burst into praise as he writes these words

for John personally knew like us, that Jesus loves us and he

loves us with. And here's the other thing about

this love. It's an unbreakable love.

How unbreakable. I read this out at every funeral

that I do for a believer. Romans 835 Who shall separate us

from the love of Christ? It's a question shall

tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or

nakedness or peril or sword, as it is written for your sake?

We are killed all day long. We are counted as sheep for the

slaughter. Yet in all these things we are

more than conquerors. Through him who loves, loved us.

Past tense, Paul says. For I am persuaded, I know that

neither death nor life, angels, principalities, powers, things,

present, things to come, height nor depth, nor any other created

thing, He travels the universe with all these words shall be

able to separate us from the love which is in Christ Jesus

our our Lord. In other words, now that God

loves you and you know that here this, he's never going to leave

you, He's never going to leave you.

Nothing, nothing will separate you.

John chapter 10, my favourite passage in in the Gospel of

John 10 · chapter mention

John. I'm in his hands and nothing and

no one can Take Me Out of his hands.

He's the Good Shepherd. How did Jesus express his love

for you? How can we really know that God

loves us? We can know by that moment that

He released us from all our sins by his blood, His life, His

atonement. It is finished by his

sacrificial death on the cross of Calvary, our place in our

place. Because Jesus didn't have to

die. He volunteered.

He was LED willingly away as the lamb to the slaughter.

I did not a word never complained.

John has to finish this verse with a burst of praise.

It's called you heard the term sometimes a doxology.

Doxology means a liturgical formula of praise unto God.

Verse 6 and has made us kings and priests to his God and

father. And John says now to him, you

can't help it be glory. John.

See, John loves God. This is why John served the Lord

while the disciples died. Only John is alive at this time.

All the others are dead. To him be glory and dominion

forever and ever. Amen.

John's on the island alone and he's going Yahoo didn't need to

be pumped up. I can't, John, praise the Lord,

praise the Lord. He's made us kings and priests.

Now, what does this mean? This doesn't mean you and I go

charging around the world going I'm a King's kid, I'm a priest

and I got specialist. No, no, no.

What it actually means truly in this context, it refers to our

future opportunities in the millennial reign, the Kingdom of

Christ, where we will serve and rule basically kings and

priests, you and I. It's saying you and I, our live

sole purpose is to serve the Lord forever.

If you want to go, I'm a King's kid and I'm a priest, OK, you

serve God forever. That's what it is.

Verse 7. Behold, He is coming with

clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him,

and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.

Even so. Amen.

John now gives us a preview of what is coming later.

That is Christ's second coming. We see in John's words here the

necessity of Christ's second coming means the word He starts

off behold. What that means in the Greek

means take notes, listen up. Attention.

The Book of Revelation demands our attention.

This is not a casual read. This is.

Behold the Coming 1 is a title for Christ and it's repeated 9

times throughout the Book of Revelation.

The Coming 1 Revelation for you and I is about the coming One,

Jesus Christ. Despite the ignorance, unbelief,

rebellion, and disbelief that fills this fallen world

currently and prior to Christ's return, Christ's return, the

Bible repeatedly affirms Jesus will return 500 times.

More than 500 times. The Bible tells us this truth,

that Christ is coming again. How many times do you have to be

told? How many times do you say that

the kids as you go out, How many times do I have to tell you, Oh,

I've told you twice? Well, the Bible's telling us

more than 500 times He's coming again.

One out of every 25 verses in the New Testament refer to

Christ's second coming. And with this powerful hope that

Christ is coming again to take His children home to heaven, to

live in His presence, and to bring then at the same time a

righteous judgement to a wicked, evil world, this ensures peace

forever to remain within us. Let not your heart be troubled,

Jesus said at the beginning of John 14.

And John's not writing this and going, oh, he's coming.

Oh man, what's going on? Look at the how John is, is

telling us he, he's a 90 year old guy exiled on and he is high

on the Holy Spirit. We need to have peace forever

within us, grace and peace, John wrote.

In spite of what's happening in our world.

And tomorrow you'll see in the devotion that about the military

buildup and everyone's, you know, it's on now, Ukraine, the

war in Ukraine. And Russia has stepped up.

I'm told China, they believe is, is, is contemplating close to

taking on Taiwan. America has just told our Prime

Minister you need to boost your military spending because it's

pathetic and if you don't, don't come to us when you get in

trouble. We've got at least 25 soldiers,

2 guns, air rifle and a slingshot.

Paul wrote to us about the coming of the Lord.

He said comfort one another with these words and Jesus is coming.

John says he's coming in the clouds.

John tells us in the Old Testament a cloud, the Shekinah

glory of God, was to be a visible manifestation of God's

presence with Israel. Remember the cloud that led them

during the day through the desert at Mount Sinai.

As Moses was on top of Mount Sinai speaking to the Lord,

there was a thick cloud that sat on top of the mountain.

The cloud, the Shekinah glory was seen in both the Tabernacle

of Meaning and then later in the Temple, and Solomon dedicated

the Temple at the Rapture. We will ascend with clouds.

At this time it says 1 Thessalonians 417 Then we who

are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in

the clouds. I don't know about you, but is

this why we always have a fascination with clouds?

I mean, isn't there something about?

I mean, we do. I mean, I do, maybe one or two

others do, but I'm fascinated with clouds.

To meet the Lord in the air, Jesus will return with clouds.

Matthew 2430. Then the sign of the Son of Man

will appear in heaven. Then all the tribes of the earth

will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the

clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Shekinah Glory verse 7. Behold, He is coming with

clouds, and every eye will see Him.

When Christ walked upon the earth, His glory was hidden in

Bethlehem. When he was born few shepherds

and then later on and he's about to the wise men turn up.

When Christ walked upon the earth, his glory was hidden.

Only Peter, James and John caught a glimpse, as I said

before, of his glory at the Mount of Transfiguration 60 to

65 years earlier than this book. But at Christ's second coming,

Christ's glory will be obvious to all.

I mean, he's coming. It'll be an entrance.

But of the eyes that will see Jesus at his return, there will

be two divisions of people. As Christ returned, there'll be

two reactions to the people on the earth at that time.

It says those who pierced him. There's one group.

This is not referring to the Roman soldiers involved in

Christ's crucifixion, but it is referring to the unbelieving

Jews who called for Christ's death.

The nation Israel. Zechariah 12/10 And I'll pour on

the House of David, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the

spirit of grace and supplication.

Then they will look upon me whom they pierced.

Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only Son, and

grieve for him as one grieves for a first born.

Notice this morning it's Oh no, what do we do?

What do we do? Israel's mourning will be so

heartfelt that wonderfully. As a result, many Jews at that

time will be saved during the tribulation period.

Zechariah 13 One in that day a fountain shall be opened for the

House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

For sin and uncleanness come be washed.

But the other group, it's different, it says, and all the

tribes of the earth will mourn because of him.

But this word mourn is different.

This refers to the unbelieving Gentile nations.

Because he's coming ready or not.

Many Gentiles will also mourn at this time.

This word here mourn is the Greek word copto and it means to

cut like remember the prophets of bar when they're having that,

that pray off with Elijah or Mount Carmel, they're cutting

themselves and all that. This group's mourning will be a

result, a prompting by terror, not repentance, not repentance.

They will mourn not for the Christ they rejected, but they

will mourn over their own doom. Court too late.

In Revelation 921 it goes into a greater detail and says, and

they did not repent of their murders of their sorceries, or

their sexual immorality or their thefts.

In Romans 6, when the judgement begins, they run and hide

themselves under the rocks, and say, fall upon us, fall upon us,

for the judgement of the Lamb has come.

John writes lastly, lastly of his own response to Christ

coming again, he says Even so. Amen.

In other words, bring it on, Come Lord, come, hurry.

Verse 8 The Lord speaks in this I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the

beginning of the Greek alphabet, first letter and the last

letter. I am the Alpha and the Amiga,

the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is, who was and

who is to come the Almighty. Now why is this statement here?

For the sight here the Lord personally signs off with His

signature of who He is on the prophecy of His second coming.

He says I'm coming, I can guarantee you and I tell you who

is coming, The Alpha and the Amiga emphasising God's perfect

knowledge of all things Jesus Christ.

Second, coming here is going to happen.

God is the beginning and the end, and in Him is all knowledge

and truth. People can say, well as I said,

Peter will say in the last days there'll be scoffers.

So well this has been going on for years and we've heard this

all around. I am coming, I'm telling you I'm

coming. Jesus is the one who is to come.

There are at least 50 references in the New Testament for us as

believers to be ready and I I wonder how much of the church

today is ready? How much of the church actually

has read or believes the Book of Revelation?

John wrote his Gospel. John 20.

Remember, at the end of the Gospel of John, John wrote the

Gospel. Why?

I said I could write many, many, many things too much.

I write this that you may believe that he is, or I say he

is. Then John wrote the epistles,

first, second, third John. Why do you write first, second,

and third John? Then you can be sure of who he

is, because it tells us who he is.

We touched him. We saw him who are his how they

should live. And then he wrote the Book of

Revelation. Why that we might be ready that

we might be ready and we're we're in this letter church so

that you and I can always will always be ready because the time

is at hand.