I wrote these notes for our worship leaders and preachers tackling Revelation for Bible Month. Feel free to use them.
“About this Book of the Revelation of John, I leave everyone free to hold his own opinions. I would not have anyone bound to my opinion or judgment. I say what I feel. I miss more than one thing in this book, and it makes me consider it to be neither apostolic nor prophetic.
They are supposed to be blessed who keep what is written in this book; and yet no one knows what that is, to say nothing of keeping it. This is just the same as if we did not have the book at all. And there are many far better books available for us to keep.”
Martin Luther isn’t too keen on Revelation!
My college principal Graham Slater told us Luther also said it either finds you mad or drives you mad but I can’t find that quote but it might be true he said it. But is he being unfair? Don’t we need a proper ending? Where is this Christianity thing heading?
So think about how something you have recently read, say a novel, or a film, end. Did the end satisfy you or shock you? I went to see a film recently and it was billed as a comedy and feel good happy ending film. It didn’t end as anyone there expected. The lad behind the kiosk asked me what I thought. The ending was a surprise. There are other dramas we invest in and watch them as box sets. I’ve been known to scream at the tv “you can’t finish it like that!” Apparently they are doing another Line of Duty as everyone was disappointed how it finished.
So how does the Bible end? We used to sing this in Sunday School:
“God has given us a book full of stories which was made for his people of old, it begins with a tale of a garden and ends with a city of gold.” I love that Billy Graham quote “it’s okay. I’ve read the last page of the Bible. We win.”
Mother Julian of Norwich wrote: “Here I was taught by the grace of God that I should steadfastly hold me in the Faith ... and that ... I should take my stand on and earnestly believe in ... that ‘all manner of thing shall be well”’ (The Revelations of Divine Love, Chapter 32)
Let’s reflect on what the Bible month material on the Methodist website says:
“Revelation is one of those biblical books we can be tempted to avoid. It has a bit of a history and reputation for being misused, abused and misconstrued. Its odd and even disturbing imagery can make it quite an uncomfortable and perplexing read. But this pastoral letter, written by an elder sage to a diverse group of committed yet messy, tired, hurting and confused churches can actually offer us a lot of comfort and instruction about how to live hopefully, faithfully and lovingly as God's people today, however challenging a time and place we might find ourselves in.”
Learn this paragraph!
“The book of Revelation opens with a series of visions in which Jesus appears to a prophet and tells him what's going to happen soon, and then the prophet says he goes up into heaven and sees the throne of God and is told by angels the course of future history, which includes four horsemen of the apocalypse coming, each one representing disaster on Earth.
One brings war that kills a third of the inhabitants of the Earth. Another one brings famine and plague and catastrophe all over the world. These visions talk about cosmic war, in which the forces of evil seem to have taken over the world, and claim that God's power is now going to come and challenge those forces, and there will be cataclysmic battles of monsters until finally Jesus returns with armies of angels and destroys all the forces of evil and creates an entirely new world.”
Got it!
So let’s begin by asking what we know about Revelation as preachers and worship leaders. What are its promises? No cheating. In groups quote each other some promises of Revelation. (10 minutes)
1. Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready
- Revelation 19:6-7
2. And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!”
- Revelation 5:13
3. And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
- Revelation 21:5
4. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.
Revelation 4:10-11
5. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Revelation 7: 6 – 7
6. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
- Revelation 3:8
7. Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
- Revelation 1:17-18
8. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
- Revelation 21:1-2
9. And he said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
- Revelation 21:6-7
10. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
- Revelation 21:4
11. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
- Revelation 22:5
12. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
13. I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
- Revelation 1:8
14. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- Revelation 2:10——
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.” (1:1)
So begins the book of Revelation. The word “revelation” in the Greek is apokalupsis, which means “an uncovering” or “unveiling.” It is therefore a book designed to uncover or unveil.
The Purpose Of The Book
Its purpose is clearly stated at the beginning and end of the book (cf. 1:1,3; 22:6,10): To reveal “things which must shortly come to pass”
In particular, it is a revelation from Christ Himself of the judgment to come upon those who were persecuting His people (6:9-11; 16:5-7).
This judgment was directed especially toward those who had been deceived by Satan to attack the Church of Christ. As stated by Philip Schaff:
“Undoubtedly he had in view primarily the overthrow of Jerusalem and heathen Rome, the two great foes of Christianity at that time.”
Again, I would suggest that the purpose of the book is to reveal how Christ was going to bring judgment on Jerusalem and Rome for rejecting God and persecuting His people. This judgment occurred with the destruction of Jerusalem in the fall of 70 A.D., and with the final cessation of persecution by Rome in 313 A.D. when Constantine became an emperor supportive of Christianity.
In fulfilling this purpose, the book is designed to warn and comfort. For erring disciples, it is a book of warning (“repent” or else, cf. 2:5,16). For faithful disciples, it is a book of comfort (“blessed” are those who “overcome”, cf. 1:3; 2:7; 3:21; 14:13; 22:14).”
Key Verse: If there is one verse that summarises the theme of the book of Revelation, it is this one: “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” ( 17:14) and it’s been a tool to use at times of more persecution and exile and political domination. Remember Hitler said “I will crush Christianity under my boot like a poisonous toad…”
Who is John?
John of Patmos is the name given to the author of the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse of John) in the New Testament. According to the text, the author, who gives his name as "John," was living in exile on the Greek island of Patmos. He writes to the seven Christian churches in Asia to warn them of various challenges and temptations that confront them, which have been revealed to him in a vision. He then relates several additional powerful visions concerning the Last Days and the Second Coming of Christ.
John of Patmos is traditionally identified with John the Apostle and is also known as John the Divine, as well as the author of the Gospel of John and the letters attributed to him in the New Testament.
However, many modern scholars—as well as a number of the early Church Fathers—hold that John of Patmos was a different person from the other writers of the Johannine literature. In terms of his self-identification, he says simply that he is "your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus." (1:9)Before his exile one tradition says he was immersed in a cauldron of boiling oil. According to the Golden Legend, during the persecution of the Christians under the Roman emperor Domitian, John was thrown into a vat of boiling oil. He emerged miraculously unharmed, even rejuvenated. He sat naked in the pot, his hands joined in prayer, while his executioners applied bellows to the fire and ladled oil over his head.
Where is Patmos? Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. John was a leader of the church at Ephesus.
Eventually, he was captured in a persecution campaign by the Roman Emperor Domitian. John was ultimately sentenced to Patmos (Revelation 1:9).
Patmos was a small, rocky and barren area where many criminals of Rome were sent to serve out their prison terms in harsh conditions. There were mines on the island that the criminals were forced to work.
John was sent to the island for the same reasons because the early Christians were considered a strange cult group who were known for causing trouble within the Empire.
Some historians and scholars claim that John died while on Patmos and others say that he was freed from the island before his death. No one is certain when or where he died.
It’s impossible for me to cover the whole book tonight so I encourage you to read the excellent booklet produced for Bible Month. During June on Thursdays 15, 22 and 29 June I’ll be doing some study evenings in the church at Allhallowgate 7 to 8.30pm and all are welcome. For the rest of tonight I want to focus on three chapters, which might help you focus as you prepare worship and find the hope in the text. Don’t tie your congregations up in knots about codes and beasts and dragons so that they leave with a migraine, find your message and tell them it – holding on to wait for better things. So let’s do some chapter 7 and chapter 14 and chapter 21 and 22…
Here are some questions to consider for each passage:
Before we do the passages – a bit about the 144,000…
Ever had an encounter with a Jehovah’s Witness about this? .When taken at face value, Revelation 7:4 seems to speak of 144,000 actual people living during the end-times tribulation. Nothing in the passage leads to interpreting the 144,000 as anything but a literal number of Jews—12,000 taken from every tribe of the children of Israel. 144,000 are “sealed Jews,” protected from the wrath of the Antichrist during the tribulation period. This group of people will evangelise the world during this period. In Revelation 7, John does not see the 144,000; he only hears their number (Rev 7:4). But when he looks, he sees the innumerable multitude from every nation (Rev 7:9-12). Literally read, the two groups are unrelated, but the hear/see combination implies that the 144,000 and the multitude are two perspectives on God’s people. The 144,000 represents God’s people on earth living during the end-time conflict. But later there is an innumerable multitude. It’s not about some being more blessed than others. Ask a JW how many are in the JWs today…
Revelation 7 identifies the 144,000 as being 12,000 from each tribe of Israel with the exception of the tribe of Dan. Two significant points to note here include the fact that the descendants of the ancient nation of Israel are still important to God and that salvation is not limited to this group.
In addition to the 144,000, another innumerable multitude will likewise stand before God in “white robes” (Revelation 7:9, 13), symbolizing righteous living (Revelation 3:4-5).
This great multitude will include people from “all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues [languages]” (Revelation 7:9). As they stand before the Lamb (Christ), a question is asked about who these people are and where they came from.
The answer is: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (verse 14). Because of their response to God, they will serve “before the throne of God” (verse 15).
Revelation 7: 9 – 17
Revelation 7:9-17 is a passage with broad implications. In contrast to the first eight verses in this chapter which depict a specific number of worshipers (144,000), Revelation 7:9 casts a larger and more general vision for those who are able to worship around the throne of the Lamb. Beginning with verse 9, the writer describes a great multitude that is countless, numbering those from every tribe and people, and language. There is no limit to the scope of this multitude, be it geographic, ethnic, numeric, linguistic, economic, and on and on the list goes. This multitude is a blow-your-mind kind of multitude that no one can fully grasp. (verses 9-10).
Moreover, this multitude is seen and heard(verse 9). The multitude is clad in white, it is waving palm branches, and it is crying hymns of praise in a loud voice. While much of this imagery parallels the Triumphal Entry scene as depicted in the gospels, it should be noted that this multitude certifiably pledges itself to the Lamb. Unlike the multitude in the Triumphal Entry scene that later turns its back on the Messiah, this multitude will remain faithful to the Lamb “forever and ever.”1
Not only is this particular multitude to be known for its loyalty, this multitude is to be known as an active group. This group is comprised of individuals who have washed their robes. They are not passive, but active. They do not wait to be served by God, but they actively seek to serve God regularly. It is John who paints a clear picture of this group living out their vocation of worship and praise.
When asked by one in power, John describes not only their current actions but the results of their actions. They remain loyal to the Lamb, they wash their robes, and they worship in the temple (verses 13-15). As a result, they are sheltered, they are fed, they are quenched, they are protected (verses 15-17). Summed up, it might be said that this multitude has found freedom in the One they worship.
Revelation 14
To understand who Revelation 14 says we are, we need to ‘do the math’. John does his theology through maths and numbers, which will make some hearts sink—but others rejoice! It is clear from chapter 7 that the 144,000 are neither a special group of martyrs, nor an elite group of end-times Jewish evangelists (as some have argued) but the whole people of God.
Revelation 14 tells us who we are, but it also immediately tells us where we live, and offers us two answers. First, if we are God’s temple, where would you expect to find us? If you asked anyone in ancient Israel, they would not hesitate to answer you: in the holy city, on Mount Zion. The centre of Israel has a spine of hill country, running between the coastal plain on the West and the Jordan Valley to the East, and so you would always literally have to ‘go up’ to Jerusalem. But this was not just a physical ascent; it was also a spiritual ascent, culminating in the praises of God (singing the ‘Psalms of Ascent’) as you climbed the final steps up into the temple precinct. And in the prophets, this because a hope for the whole world—that Mount Zion would become a great high mountain to which all the nations would be drawn to the presence of God (Is 2.2, 60.3). As the new temple of God, we are the fulfilment of that hope, as Jesus describes us as a ‘city built on a hill’ whose light can be seen by all (Matt 5.14).
But, paradoxically, we are not only located on Mount Zion in the presence of God; we are also living in Babylon, under a regime opposed to everything that God requires. In the previous chapter, John describes God’s people as ‘those who dwell in heaven’ but who are also blasphemed and trample by ‘the beast’, the political and social system opposed to God’s purposes. We live in two worlds, and though there are pressures to conform to one way of living, our true allegiance is to another set of values, another reality, and a different king.
We might gather in the reality of Mount Zion on a Sunday, but we then need to live out our lives in ‘Babylon’ from Monday to Saturday. We are reminded that, in all this we ‘stand before the lamb’; his view of us is the only one that matters! And what’s our response to Jesus? We sing! We have a song—and what a song we have to sing! We, who were lost in our woundedness and our sin and our pride—we have been ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven! We who were far off have been brought near! We who had no hope in the world have had the love of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and filled with hope! What a song we have to sing! Come let us join our cheerful songs with angels round the throne.
Revelation 21 and 22
At the end of the Bible we see another wonderful picture. This picture is of a holy city, New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2). The centre of this city is the throne of God from which flows the river of water of life. On each side of the river grows the tree of life (Revelation 22:1-2). This is a city which is full of life. This is a city saturated with the life of God, and in which man has been filled with the life of God (Revelation 21:10-11). In this city, God andhumanity, humanity and God, are completely united, mingled and incorporated for eternity (Revelation 22:17).
And there’s an expectation Jesus will return – soon. Here’s a bit from BBC Bitesize GCSE RE revision notes!
Many Christians believe that the world as we know it will come to an end in the Apocalypse. The Earth will give way to a new world – the Kingdom of God, which will be a place of peace and happiness where the faithful and righteous will be granted eternal life.
The last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, explains what might happen when the world ends. It contains lots of dramatic and disturbing imagery, including a seven-headed beast. Many Christians understand these descriptions as metaphors. Some people believe that the Book of Revelation is an expression of its author’s anger at the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire.
Parousia – the Second Coming
Most Christians believe in Parousia - the idea that Jesus will return to judge everyone who has lived and died. Often this is called the Second Coming.
Jesus himself explained that he would return. In the Gospelof John, before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus comforts his disciples: Do not let your hearts be troubled … I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:1–3)
At the ascension of Jesus, angels explain to his disciples, This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:11)
Early Church beliefs about the Apocalypse
The early Church and even Jesus’ disciples firmly believed that he would return to make his final judgement shortly after he had ascended into Heaven. Jesus had said to his disciples: Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man [Jesus] coming in his kingdom (Matthew 16:28)
St Paul told two of the early Christian communities that some of them would live to see the return of Jesus and the end of the world. The belief that the Apocalypse could happen soon made it urgent for these early Christians to follow God’s laws and spread Jesus’ message.
When did you last lead worship about the second coming? In Advent we think it’s about Christmas but actually if we follow the readings it’s about judgment and expectation he’s coming again – look lively! Invite me back for an Advent study day on the parousia!
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again! Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus.
A little girl in an essay wrote this “the last book of the Bible is called Revolution.” Perhaps there’s some inspiration in her mistake. We need to understand these visions come from a situation of desperation and persecution. And yet out of that place come a confidence and a hope these things cannot and will not have the last word. Our worship and preaching therefore should be optimistic. Using this book our folk might be being persecuted but most congregations will include people who through struggles and issues and even keeping the church going with everyone getting older as a group of stewards summoned me to tell me the other day is a problem — we have this opportunity to lift people to the future God has planned for us.
I quoted Billy Graham earlier – we win – let me send you home with him and more of his optimism…
The book of Revelation may be difficult and demanding to read, yet it is the only biblical book whose author promises a blessing to those who read it.
The end will come with the return of Jesus Christ…That is why a Christian can be an optimist. That is why a Christian can smile in the midst of all that is happening…We know what the end will be: the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
