Skip to main content

Revelation Chapter 1 verses 1-5a part 1



Notes:

Chapter 1:1-8

I. Title
a. Apokaluyis (apokalupsis)
i. This is the subject of the book
1. It is about John’s experience with God
2. God’s word is dynamic
ii. It is the nature of the book
1. It is what the book does
2. It reveals what God intends
3. God’s word is truth
iii. This is the only place within the book where this word is used of the material
1. In all other locations it is called prophecy
b. Revelation of Jesus Christ
i. There are two possible understandings of this phrase
1. It is a revelation about Jesus – focused on revealing/unveiling the lordship of Christ
2. It is a revelation by means of Jesus – focused on revealing coming through Jesus’ mediation
c. Chain/process/order of revelation
i. God gave the revelation to Jesus
1. That it might be shown to His bond-servant/slave/doulos (doolos)
ii. Jesus sends the revelation by means of His angel
iii. His angel communicated/signified the revelation to his bond-servant, John
iv. John bears witness to the word of God and the testimony of Chrsit
1. Word of God and testimony of Christ are not separate
2. The second expands the understanding of the first
3. It is the Gospel
v. “all he saw” can refer to two things
1. It refers to Christ – Jesus sent and communicated all he saw…
2. It refers to John – who bore witness to all he saw regarding the word of God
d. Signified – shmainw (semaino)
i. This carries the idea of figurative representation
ii. “give signs”; “make known”
iii. God/Christ communicates by means of symbolic language (through visions)
iv. The message and the medium cannot be separated
1. You cannot extract the message while leaving the images for “better” images
v. The author intends to draw the reader/hearer in by means of imagination and emotion
e. Content
i. Things which must quickly come to pass
1. Quickly poses a problem for some people
a. It is a “time” issue
2. Possible answers to the “time problem”
a. Quickly refers to the events after the “end times” begin
b. Quickly is understood as meaning certainly
c. John is referring to the coming persecutions only
d. Quickly is understood in reference to Christ’s resurrection and the inauguration of his kingdom then
e. Prophecy language is always the language of imminence
3. Daniel 2:28-30, 45-47
a. With reference to Daniel, this is a definite, imminent time of fulfillment which has likely begun in John’s lifetime
b. John fully expects all of what was seen in the visions as the beginning of the fulfillment but not the final, complete fulfillment

II. Beattitude
a. There are 7 beattitudes (blessed are) in the Revelation (1:3; 14:3; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14)
b. They are similar to and may be borrowed from Luke 11:28
c. John 12:47a is a negative parallel to this beatitude
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What dreams may come

Now it's time to say goodbye To all our company.... The Mickey Mouse Club closed out it's episodes by singing this tune. I feel the time has come to sing this song for my blog. It isn't that I don't have anything say. It has more to do with my change and changing life.  I am still very much a postmodern - even though that word is not used anymore. Modernity has slipped and is a shadow of the past. Where we are now is cultural revolution. We are in the midst of it. Those who have moved on from what we were are now trying to establish the foothold for climbing to a place of cultural security. Meanwhile those who hold onto what we were are grabbing at the last places we have moved beyond. At the same time, they are pulling at the shoelaces of those who have moved upward, trying to dislodge our forward and upward advance.  I am still very much a renaissance person - but not for the sake of others. I still like having a connection to as many subjects as possible. A little bi...
2 comments
Read more

Frequently Asked (and Unasked) Questions of Your New Pastor

A week ago, I got the call that informed me that I will be appointed to a new church. My family will be moving to the Panhandle of Oklahoma. I will be serving the Turpin and Baker UMChurches. Lisa and I are excited about the possibilities. But moving into a new setting always brings questions. So, for anyone from the new churches who may end up reading this, here are some of the answers you will be wanting to know. What do we call you? Pastor, preacher, brother, Hey You? What you call a pastor depends on your background and tradition. I don’t expect anyone to call me anything specific. But here are some helpful guidelines: • Reverend is a formal title best used for official address and invitations or business letters • Pastor is what I do and my relationship to the church. It is fine for people to call me Pastor Todd. Or even just Pastor. • Preacher is also what I do. I don’t mind people calling me Preacher. • “Hey, you” is perfectly fine until you get to know me. • Above all...
10 comments
Read more

Displaced

We have moved into our new appointment. Thus the delay in posting. Plus a week at camp. But mostly an overwhelming sense of being displaced. I'm not sure where it is coming from. It's really a feeling of disassociation with what is going on around me. I normally feel fairly secure in any environment or setting. But I have really been struggling with a mental "wall" around me. It's not really anything to do with the new churches. We have been warmly welcomed and received by everyone that we have met. The men of the church were there to help us move in. The new house is having the finishing touches put on. The worship services are not too stressful. This is really a sense of feeling like, "I'm not really here." It could be a very mild form of depression or grieving our last appointment. But I am very excited about what can happen in this appointment. So I have been pushing myself out of my routine and beyond my personality limits to meet and connect wi...
7 comments
Read more