Revelation 1:1-8, Part 1

Revelation
The Lamb of God: On His Throne And Among His People
Something to See Here!
Revelation 1:1-8, Part 1
- What excites you the most about our time together in Revelation? What intimidates you? What questions do you most want to be answered? Your home group leader should be well equipped to answer all your questions!
- There are many different views about the meaning of Revelation (understatement of the 21st century). We should commit right now to disagree agreeably. Why and how?
- Read our text, Revelation 1:1-8. Read it slowly and deliberately. What observations did you make as you read? Why is this “the good stuff” of Revelation?
- Dennis Johnson, in his commentary on Revelation titled Triumph of the Lamb, has provided seven (guiding) interpretive principles to help us as we, together, seek to understand Revelation. Discuss each one of these as we begin our study in this important closing book of the Bible:
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- Revelation is given to reveal
- Revelation is a book to be seen, a book of symbols in motion
- Revelation only makes sense in light of the Old Testament
- Numbers count in Revelation
- Revelation is for a church under attack
- Revelation concerns “what must soon take place.”
- The victory belongs to God and to his Christ
- Pray for our church as we enter the blessed, yet troubled, waters of Revelation. Pray for understanding, unity, conviction, an awareness of God’s blessings, motivation to action/obedience, trust, faithfulness to the end, joy, and a heightened anticipation of Jesus’ return.
Extra notes
Michael Gorman: Revelation is not about the Antichrist, but about the living Christ. It is not about a rapture out of this world, but about a faithful witness in this world.
Apocalypse - Gr., apokalypsis
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation (apokalypsis) of Jesus Christ
Apokalypsis: unveiling; revelation
Symbolism is important - coded language
1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
Who wrote Revelation?
A big question is who wrote Revelation and when was it written? Most scholars believe that either the Apostle John wrote Revelation, or a man known as John the Elder, who some are convinced wrote all the other books assigned to the Apostle John.
I think it was the Apostle John – if for no other reason, because Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, said so. If you do not know who Irenaeus is, you would be blessed to know. He was a great advocate for orthodox Christianity in the late second century. The heresy that threatened the church at that time was Gnosticism, and the threat was real. In addition to being a great apologist for Christianity, Irenaeus had a beautiful pastor’s heart. Here is an example:
It is not you that shapes God
It is God that shapes you.
If you are the work of God
await the loving hand of the artist
who does all things in due season.
Offer Him your heart,
soft and pliable,
and keep the form
in which the artist has fashioned you.
Let your clay be moist,
lest you grow hard
and lose the imprint of his fingers.
Isn’t that beautiful? But what does it have to do with Revelation? Nothing – I just wanted to introduce you to Irenaeus, who would not be considered one of the great theologians of church history, but he was very important, on the Trinity and against Gnosticism.
Even more important, Irenaeus was mentored by Polycarp, and Polycarp was mentored by – the Apostle John! If Irenaeus says that John wrote Revelation, who am I to challenge him?
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