Introduction: Last Sunday morning we began our journey through the Book of Revelation. It is THE book, more than any other book of the New Testament, which comes most directly from Jesus Himself. As we read in Revelation 1:1...

"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John..."

CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION

From God the Father, to Jesus, to an angel, to John, to God's servants (the 7 churches, and us, too).

ALL Scripture comes from God. It is ALL inspired. It is ALL given for our blessing. But Revelation makes this special pronouncement, that it comes from Jesus Christ.

TODAY WE ARE LOOKING AT REVELATION 1:4-8

I. Who wrote the Book of Revelation?

1:4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,

The author is "John." Which John? There are four "Johns" mentioned in the New Testament, and thousands of "Johns" who lived during the time in which the Book of Revelation was written. What does the Book of Revelation say about this "John?"

• 1. He is a servant of Christ (Rev. 1:1)
• 2. He had suffered for his devotion to Christ (Rev. 1:9)
• 3. He was on the island of Patmos (A small rocky island in the Aegean Sea, 50 miles SW of Ephesus, off the coast of modern Turkey. The island of Patmos may have been a Roman prison colony.

The early Christian historian Eusebius (265-340 AD) recorded that John the Apostle was imprisoned here for his faith, under the emperor Domitian (81-96 AD), and was released by the next Emperor "Nerva" (96-98 AD).

QUESTIONS ABOUT AUTHORSHIP

Was John the Apostle, who wrote the Gospel of John, the author of the Book of Revelation? It is impossible to say for sure, because the author never identifies himself as the Apostle John, one of the twelve. He merely calls himself "John."

During the third century a Bishop Dionysius did a careful study of the Greek of the Book of Revelation, comparing it to the Greek of the Gospel of John, and highlighted the differences in style and grammar; and suggested that the John of Revelation was not the Apostle John, but "John the Elder," who is mentioned in 2nd John.

BUT MOST SCHOLARS BELIEVE JOHN THE APOSTLE WROTE THE BOOK OF REVELATION

However, the earliest Christian authors believed that The Gospel of John, Revelation, and the Epistles of John were all written by John the Apostle: Irenaeus (140-203); Clement of Alexandria (150-215); Tertullian (155-222); and Origen (185-253). These men lived only a century after the era of Christ and the Apostles, and had access to information that we no longer have, so I think we can do no better than to accept their opinions, that John the Apostle is probably the author of the Book of Revelation, and that he probably wrote it on the Island of Patmos, probably near the year 95 AD, under the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian.

Incidentally, if John the Apostle wrote the Book of Revelation near the year 95 AD, then the PRETERIST interpretation of Revelation is probably wrong, because the preterist view regards Revelation as a symbolic picture of early church conflicts which have already been fulfilled. This view denies the future predictive quality of most of the Book of Revelation, except for the last two chapters. The preterist view essentially teaches that all the end times prophecies of the New Testament were fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Romans attacked and destroyed Jerusalem and scattered the Jews. Even those who are sympathetic to the Preterist view acknowledge that "Most scholars favor a date of about 95 AD" (Geneva Study Bible, edited by R.C. Sproul). Obviously, if John wrote in 95 AD, he could not have been predicting what would happen in 70 AD.

It is not my purpose in these sermons to champion one view over the other, but it must be admitted that the Preterist view seems to be on shaky ground.

FOR WHOM IS THE BOOK OF REVELATION?

II. To whom was the Book of Revelation sent?

Verse four says "To the seven churches in the province of Asia." And these churches are listed in chapters two and three of the Book of Revelation: Today they, or their ruins, are in modern-day Turkey, a Muslim country.

So, in its immediate context, the Book of Revelation was especially for these seven city-based congregations.

• Ephesus -- Today lies in ruins, a popular tourist attraction
• Smyrna -- Izmir
• Pergamum -- Bergama
• Thyatira -- Akhisar (population 100,000)
• Sardis -- Today lies in ruins
• Philadelphia -- Alasehir, a small town with a few mosques, and one church
• Laodicea -- mostly unexcavated ruins - destroyed by an earthquake in the fifth century, and never rebuilt

However, the Book of Revelation was really sent to all Christians everywhere, in every time. There were many other churches in existence when John wrote the Book of Revelation. But John was familiar with the churches of Asia, where he ministered for many years. In the Bible, "seven" is the number that symbolizes fullness and completion. These seven churches are a representative cross-section of all Christian churches, and so have great application to all churches and believers today.

COMMON BUT UNIQUE

III. The greeting begins "grace and peace to you."

When we today begin letters, we nearly always write: "Dear ___________." But 2000 years ago "grace and peace to you" was a common way to start an Apostolic letter. For example:

• Romans 1:7 "To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ."
• I Corinthians 1:3 "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
• Likewise Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, etc. etc.

IV. But the greeting also is UNIQUE: Instead of "from God our Father," it becomes "from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne."

This is a sign of what is to come. The Book of Revelation EXPANDS on the normal and the average, and makes us stretch our imaginations, and our knowledge of God to new heights.

A. We are reminded that God our Father is eternal. This is not anything new in the Bible, but we are reminded at the beginning of the Book of Revelation to emphasize to us that history is truly "HIS STORY." God existed before the universe began. God made it. God guides and oversees all of creation. God guides and oversees all of the nations of the world, and the events that happen. The rise and fall of kings and empires, and so on. He is never surprised. He is in charge, and everything will progress and end where He has already decided. The theological word is SOVEREIGNTY.

B. We are given an unusual insight into the nature of the Holy Spirit, the second Person of the Triune God. What is the meaning of "the seven spirits before His throne?" This description is mentioned four times in the Book of Revelation, with regard to the Holy Spirit...

• Revelation 1:4-5
  "Grace and Peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness..."
• Revelation 3:1
  "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead."
• Revelation 4:5
  "From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God."
• Revelation 5:6
  "Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth."

Revelation 1:4 in Greek:

I put a little green box around epta pneumaton = sevenfold spirit.

The greek word translated as "seven" is 'epta'. This word may be translated as "seven" or as "sevenfold". In order to determine which translation is best, the context of the verse is essential.

One example of 'epta' meaning 'sevenfold' in the Bible is found in Genesis 4:15; "'So the LORD said to him, 'Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." (NASB)

The point here is not that the murderer of Cain would suffer seven penalties, but rather that his penalty would be full and complete.

Isaiah 11:2 describes what has been called the sevenfold nature of the Holy Spirit:

"And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD."

Seven attributes of the Holy Spirit are listed: The first is WHO He is (OF THE LORD), while attributes 2 - 7 are WHAT He is:

• Of the Lord
• Wisdom
• Understanding
• Counsel
• Might
• Knowledge
• Reverence

The "Sevenfold Spirit of God" is illuminative terminology used by the Bible to describe the Holy Spirit, who is Deity, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Omniscient. He is full, complete, and lacks nothing. His sevenfold aspects show the fullness of His perfection, character, and might!

V. The Greeting also elaborates on the character of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:5-7).

5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father-to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

Jesus is:

• The faithful witness -- He testifies. He tells what He knows. He speaks as a truthful witness.
• The firstborn from the dead -- not chronologically, but in the place of honor
• The ruler of the kings of the earth -- present tense, He is in control
• The one who loves us
• The one who has freed us from our sins by his blood
• The one who has made us a kingdom and priests -- The Church is His Kingdom, especially. We are priests, and offer the sacrifices of praise, prayer, and service
• The one who deserves all glory and power for all eternity -- He is WORTHY (see Revelation 5:11-12)
• The one who is coming in the clouds -- refers back to Daniel's description of the Messiah (Dan 7:13-14). The martyr Stephen saw a glimpse of the glorified Jesus Christ (Acts 7:54-56
• The one who will be seen by every eye -- When Jesus returns, it will not be silently. It will not be a secret "Rapture."
  • 1 ¶ Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers,
  • 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.
  • 3 ¶ Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
  • 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
  • 5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
  • 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
  • 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
  • 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8

  There are not two second comings of Jesus, only one, at the end of a time of persecution for God's people, and it will be BRIGHT AND LOUD. What I'm saying here is contrary to the most popular view preached in movies, and taught in the "Left Behind" books. They say there will be a secret, silent rapture, in which Christ will return, and Christians will suddenly disappear, and the world will go on without Christ. This is contradicted by 2 Thessalonians.

VI. God the Father speaks in Revelation 1:8

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

This is a repetition and elaboration of Revelation 1:4, the beginning of the Trinitarian greeting, so it is probably refering here to God the Father, rather than Jesus Christ. However, in Revelation 22:13 Jesus says almost exactly the same words about Himself.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

The point: God is sovereign over all things, all events, all of history. Nothing surprises Him. He has everything planned out, all is under His control. He is the master of history. The Father has given complete sovereignty to the Son.

CONCLUSION AND POINTS TO REMEMBER

• 1. Whatever view you have of Revelation: Preterist, Historicist, Futurist; never forget that the entire book is still for you and me.
• 2. One great reason for the Book of Revelation is to EXPAND on our knowledge of the Triune God. This Book tells us previously unknown facts about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
• 3. Jesus Christ is central. He is showcased and lifted up by the Father. He Himself directs the activities of the Holy Spirit. So read the Book, and lift up Jesus. Amen.