WednesdayNightAdultBibleStudyRevelation1:9-20:Jesus,TheChristI,John,yourbrotherandpartnerinthetribulationandthekingdomandthepatientendurancethatareinJesus,wasontheislandcalledPatmosonaccountofthewordofGodandthetestimonyofJesus.(Revelation1:9ESV)ViewpointsontheMillenniumKingdomandtheTribulation1

OntheMillennium…

EachoftheseviewshavesupportfromScriptureandhavedominatedvariousperiodsofchurchhistory.Yoursandmyviewmightbewrong.EachhasproblemstoreconcilewithbothScriptureandreason.HoldyourviewwithhumbleconvictionthatisrootedinpersonalandcommunalstudyoftheScriptures.

ALREADY/notyet already/NOTYET

Already/NotYetAskingdomcitizens,wearetoevangelizethelostwithurgency,liveoutGod’skingdomidealsinthechurchthebestwecan,andfurthercausesofbiblicaljusticeforthegoodofmankind.

1DiagramsfromNathanD.HolsteenandMichaelJ.Svigel,ExploringChristianTheologyVol.3,TheChurch,SpiritualGrowth,andtheEndTimes,(Bloomington,MN:BethanyHouse,2014).

Knowthenthatit isthoseof faithwhoarethesonsofAbraham.(Galatians3:7ESV)

7AndIwillestablishmycovenantbetweenmeandyouandyouroffspringafter you throughout theirgenerationsforaneverlastingcovenant,tobeGodtoyouandtoyouroffspringafteryou.8AndIwillgivetoyouandtoyouroffspringafteryouthelandofyoursojournings,all the landofCanaan, foraneverlasting possession, and I will be their God."(Genesis17:7-8ESV)

And this gospel of the kingdom will beproclaimedthroughoutthewholeworldasatestimonytoallnations,andthentheendwillcome.(Matthew24:14ESV)

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OntheGreatTribulation…(Premillennialism)

16FortheLordhimselfwilldescendfromheavenwithacryofcommand,withthevoiceofanarchangel,andwiththesoundofthetrumpetofGod.AndthedeadinChristwillrisefirst.17Thenwewhoarealive,whoareleft,willbecaughtuptogetherwiththeminthecloudstomeettheLordintheair,andsowewillalwaysbewiththeLord.18Thereforeencourageoneanotherwiththesewords.(1Thessalonians4:16-18ESV)OnlyinthelandofGoshen,wherethepeopleofIsraelwere,wastherenohail.(Exodus9:26ESV)

22strengtheningthesoulsofthedisciples,encouragingthemtocontinueinthefaith,andsayingthatthroughmanytribulationswemustenterthekingdomofGod.(Act14:22ESV)Therefore,letthosewhosufferaccordingtoGod'swillentrusttheirsoulstoafaithfulCreatorwhiledoinggood.(1Peter4:19ESV)Ihavesaidthesethingstoyou,thatinmeyoumayhavepeace.Intheworldyouwillhavetribulation.Buttakeheart;Ihaveovercometheworld."(John16:33ESV)17Thenwewhoarealive,whoareleft,willbecaughtuptogetherwiththeminthecloudstomeettheLordintheair,andsowewillalwaysbewiththeLord.18Thereforeencourageoneanotherwiththesewords.(1Thessalonians4:17-18)WhetherChrist takesusbefore,during,orafter,weare toencourageoneanotherwith thepromiseoftheraptureandpatientlyendureanysufferingthatcomesourway,trustinginhisfaithfulness,andlookingforwardtohisreturn.

10IwasintheSpiritontheLord'sday,andIheardbehindmealoudvoicelikeatrumpet11saying,"Writewhatyouseeinabookandsendittothesevenchurches,toEphesusandtoSmyrnaandtoPergamumandtoThyatiraandtoSardisandtoPhiladelphiaandtoLaodicea."(Rev1:10-11ESV)

NoteonAudience:Thesevenchurchesexistedinthe1stcentury,yetspeaktoallchurchesthroughouthistory.Thevisionsof4-22revealsthefuture,attimesreflectingonthepastandsheddinglightonthiscurrentage,insuchawaythatspoketotheirday-to-dayexistence.

12ThenIturnedtoseethevoicethatwasspeakingtome,andonturningIsawsevengoldenlampstands,13andinthemidstofthelampstandsonelikeasonofman,clothedwithalongrobeandwithagoldensasharoundhischest.14Thehairsofhisheadwerewhite,likewhitewool,likesnow.Hiseyeswerelikeaflameoffire,15hisfeetwerelikeburnishedbronze,refinedinafurnace,andhisvoicewasliketheroarofmanywaters.16Inhisrighthandheheldsevenstars,fromhismouthcameasharptwo-edgedsword,andhisfacewaslikethesunshininginfullstrength.(Revelation1:12-16ESV)

RatherthandescribingindetailexactlyhowJesuslooks(thoughhemightlookasdescribedhere),thesesymbolsaremeanttoteachusaboutthecharacterandnatureofJesusChrist.

SYMBOLSINJOHN’SVISIONOFCHRISTROBEANDSASH JesusastheGreatHighPriest cf.Lev.16:4WHITEHAIR Eternalwisdom. cf.Dan.7.9FIERYEYES Divineinsightandjudgment. cf.Dan.10:6REFINEDBRONZEFEET Unrivaledstrengthandauthority,yetpure. cf.Dan.10:6MIGHTYVOICE/SWORD Authoritativewordthatwilljudgetheearth. cf.Dan.10:6;Isa.11:4,49:2GLORIOUSFACE Fullyglorious,“Idealend-timeMessianicwarrior” cf.Jdg.5:31

“Christ’sfacebeinglikethesunshininginitsstrengthisanallusiontoJudges5:31,wherethesameissaidofthevictoriousIsraelitewarrior.HeretheportrayalinJudgesisviewedaspointingtoChristastheidealend-timemessianicwarrior.”G.KBeale

JesusistheChrist(Messiah)wholovesGodperfectlyandwillreturnwithunveiledglory.“ThewordChristinGreek,andMessiahinHebrew,signifyanointed,andimplytheprophetic,priestly,androyalcharacters,whichweretomeetintheMessiah….Andifwelookintoourselves,weshallfindawantofChristinalltheserespects.WearebynatureatadistancefromGod,alienatedfromhim,andincapableofafreeaccesstohim.Hence,wewantamediator,anintercessor,inaword,aChrist,inhispriestlyoffice.ThisregardsourstatewithrespecttoGod.Andwithrespecttoourselves,wefindatotaldarkness,blindness,ignoranceofGod,andthethingsofGod.NowherewewantChristinhispropheticoffice,toenlightenourminds,andteachusthewholewillofGod.Wefindalsowithinusastrangemisruleofappetitesandpassions.ForthesewewantChristinhisroyalcharacter,toreigninourhearts,andsubdueallthingstohimself.”–JohnWesley

- JesusistheGreatHighPriestwhoispresentwithhisChurch.(v.12-13;SeeHebrewsCh.4-10)- JesusisthewiseandmightyKingwhoruleswithabsolutepurity.(v.14-15)- Jesus is the true prophet who holds his messengers in his hand and will judge the earth by his

authoritativeword.(v.16)

“The threefoldoffice thatwaspromised in theOldTestament and fulfilled in JesusChrist is exercisednowthroughthepeopleofGod,bythepoweroftheHolySpirit,forthesakeoftheworld.EverymemberofthebodyofChristhasapropheticcallingtoshareGod’sWord,apriestlycallingtointercedeforothers,andakinglycallingtoexerciseGod’sauthorityintheworld.”–PhilipRyken

“Theyrepresentthetypesofchurchesthatperenniallyexistthroughoutthechurchage.WhatChristsaystothesechurchesisrelevantinalltimes.”JohnMacArthur

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17WhenIsawhim,Ifellathisfeetasthoughdead.Buthelaidhisrighthandonme,saying,"Fearnot,Iamthefirstandthelast,18andthelivingone.Idied,andbeholdIamaliveforevermore,andIhavethekeysofDeathandHades.(Revelation1:17-18ESV)

ThefearoftheLordsetsyoufreefromthefearsofthisworld.Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.(Revelation1:19ESV)

Aninterpretivekey?TwoViews:1. OutlineoftheBook(MacArthur)

a. Revelation1–Thingsthatyouhaveseenb. Revelation2-3–Thingsthatarec. Revelation4-22–Thingsthatwillbe

2. PhrasingisanallusiontothephrasinginDaniel2(Beale[Idealist]andOsborne[GeneralFuturist])a. Allthreeclausesrelatetothepast,present,andfutureorientationoftheentirebook.

The2ndviewseemstofitbetterwiththecontentofthebook,whilestillmaintainingagenerallyfuturistoutlook.

Asforthemysteryofthesevenstarsthatyousawinmyrighthand,andthesevengoldenlampstands,thesevenstarsaretheangelsofthesevenchurches,andthesevenlampstandsarethesevenchurches.(Revelation1:20ESV)

TheAngelsoftheChurches,FourViews:1. Guardianangelsforchurches.2. Generalspiritofthechurches3. Pastor(s)ofthechurches4. MessengerswhoministeredtoJohnanddeliveredtheletters

Angels=thepastorsofthechurchwhostandasrepresentativesofthespiritoftheircongregation.

TheChurchesasGoldenLampstands- TheChurchispurifiedbyChrist.

Whatunitesachurchissimple:hermembershavebeencleansedfromtheirsinthroughtheirsurrenderedfaithinthegospel.BythewoundsofChrist,thechurchishealed.Apartfromthisreality,onemaycallthemselveswhatevertheywantto—member,deacon,pastor—buttheyarenotapartofthechurch.

- TheChurchisindwelt,empowered,andequippedbytheSpirit.(cf.Zechariah4:2-6)- TheChurchislightinthisworld.

"Youarethelightoftheworld.Acitysetonahillcannotbehidden.Nordopeoplelightalampandputitunderabasket,butonastand,anditgiveslighttoallinthehouse.Inthesameway,letyourlightshinebeforeothers,sothattheymayseeyourgoodworksandgiveglorytoyourFatherwhoisinheaven.(Matthew5:14-16ESV)

Apply1. BelieveinJesus,theChrist.2. ReflecttheimageofChristasprophets,priests,andkings.3. Patientlyendure inthetrialsof this lifeaskingdomcitizens,proclaiming itsgospelandfurthering its

characterandcausesinthisworld.4. FeartheLord,andbesetfreefromthefearsofthisworld.5. Liveoutyourfaithinthecommunityofthelocalchurchaslightsinthisworld.

TipsonReadingtheBibleWell:- Seektounderstandtheauthor’soriginalintent.- LetScriptureinterpretScripturewhereverpossible.- Let thegenreand intention of theauthor informwhether or not you read something literally orfiguratively.

- Lookatthesurroundingcontexttohelpunderstandwhattheauthorissaying.