“The book of Revelation has made some tremble with fear, some brim with over excitement, and others, retreat into silence and apathy,” Ps. Kenneth Lo said on Sunday, August 18th. “Each of us comes to this book with different presuppositions and different expectations. Over the years, each of us has been exposed to different ideas related to Revelation.” What matters now is we come and read it for ourselves.
As SMACC (St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral Contemporary) prepares to embark on their journey through Revelation together as a church, Ps. Kenneth preached on the first three chapters of Revelation, giving an overview of the book and what can be expected in the weeks to come.
Ps. Kenneth began by providing 5 expectations that a reader can have in studying the book of Revelation. “Treat me like a tour guide,” he said. “A tour guide that points out the things you should be looking at—things that are attractive, and things that you must watch out for.”
1. Expect to learn a new language.
A majority of us are most comfortable with reading and reflecting on parts of the Bible that are written in the forms of narratives and letters. However, not many of us are used to reflecting our daily Christian life experiences in terms of a ten-horned, 7 headed, leopardish, bearish, lionish looking sea beast.
At one level, this is really a language problem. We are just not familiar with this visual and symbolic apocalyptic language that John uses. It is like reading the comic section of our newspapers as though it is the news sections, and getting shocked when we see that Garfield can not only talk, but run for presidential elections.
You will start to learn about the numbers and colors, and their symbolisms. Revelation also has an extensive use of Old Testament language. We don’t get much direct quotations, but we do encounter a substantial amount of Old Testament images and allusions throughout the book.
It is not an inherently difficult book; it is just unfamiliar. The bottom line is this: Revelation is accessible to all Christians. Everyone can read it and understand it, just like every other part of Scripture.
2. Expect to hear what you have already heard in the Gospels.
Revelation is basically the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a different packaging. At the heart of Revelation is the retelling of the central paradox of the Gospel: The victory of God was the humiliation and death of His Son. The Lion assumes the meekness of the Lamb, and dies in order to overcome sin.
There’s really nothing greater than the Gospel in Revelation no matter how deep you dig. The Gospel is the best news that God has to offer, and so that is what you will find in Revelation.
3. Expect to choose side.
Revelation is extremely confrontational. The key player in Revelation is the slaughtered Lamb who conquers the forces of evil and death through humility, selflessness, and self-sacrifice. Revelation paints this Lamb and His death as a cosmic battle against evil. In this battle, God’s allies and God’s enemies are made very clear.
The battle lines between good and who is evil are very clearly drawn. As a result, we as readers won’t be allowed to stand neutral for very long. You are either on God’s side, or you’re not. The stakes are very high and concerns the destiny of the universe including your destiny. On which side will you stand?
4. Expect to see the world differently.
Through Revelation, you will be given a new pair of glasses. It reveals to us God’s vantage point of the world in which we are already engaging. It shows us God’s perspective of the world and discloses to us what is really going on in this world beyond what we can see on the surface.
Revelation does not transport us away from the here and now. Instead, it reframes our perspective, and our understanding of our day-to-day experiences in the world. Inevitably, you will find yourself reshaping your lifestyle and life goals in light of this new, full reality.
5. Expect to be strengthened in your faith.
It is the goal of this book to edify believers that we may know how to live amidst difficult times that may come. Revelation opens our eyes to see that our personal struggles in light of a huge spiritual battle that is actually happening out there, which involves God. And He has already won. It seeks to let us know and convince us that we are in a sure-win battle.
Ps. Kenneth then went on to give a summary of Chapters 1-3 of Revelation. He divided them into two parts:
Chapter 1: The Optometrist Appointment
Chapter 2-3: The Doctor Appointment—Health Diagnosis
The Optometrist Appointment
Your blurred vision is suddenly sharpened the moment the optometrist puts a pair of lenses in front of you. Suddenly, through these prescribed lenses, everything becomes clear. Chapter 1 is key in helping us understand Revelation and our world. It paints a broad picture of what this book is about, how we ought to approach it, and why we should approach it this way.
The revelation from 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, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ
(Revelation 1:1-2)
The very first sentence in this book sets out to very clearly inform us what this book is about: Revelation. It is the uncovering or unveiling of something that was once hidden—The purpose of this book is to reveal.
Revelation is not a mysterious, cryptic, mystical, incomprehensible book with hidden meanings that only few can crack and decode. It is given to us by God so that all can know and understand.
In order for something to be revealed, there must be a revealer. God gave His revelation to Jesus to possess, who in turn made it known to an angel, who told John, who in turn, made it known to his readers, including us today. God is the ultimate source of this revelation.
What is He revealing? Most people would probably say that the most important word here is “soon.” And so, they will try to match events and characters in Revelation with events and characters of their time.
However, the emphasis is really on the word “must.” God is saying that Jesus has come. He has died for the sins of the world, He has been raised from the dead, He has ascended to Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God. Now that all of that has happened, these are the things that must proceed to take place in God’s salvation program before Jesus returns.
These are things that we can expect to take place over and over again until Jesus comes back. The things that Revelation speaks of are things that Christians in every era can expect to encounter. These are the characteristics of the last days.
In vs. 3, John makes a logical conclusion for us of what we should do with such a book:
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
(Revelation 1:3)
We are to read it aloud, teach it, proclaim it, listen to it, take it to heart, and act upon it. As a result, we will find blessing and happiness in it. God Himself is revealing how world history will be played out as a result of what He has done on Calvary. He is showing us how that one defining moment in history when His son died on the cross has and will shape the rest of history, including our future.
Revelation tells us that we are already on the winning side. Therefore, blessed are you who hear these words and act on it!
Then, before John goes on to say anything more, he gives us a doctrinally rich greeting. This is what you need to understand before you proceed to read anything else: The core and foundation of the book of Revelation is the Gospel.
The heart of the Christian Gospel is this: Through the life and death of Jesus, believers are accounted by God to be free—free from the guilt of sin, and accepted as children of God. We can now have access to the Father through the blood of Christ. We are now His priests. Revelation is about a loving God, gathering people around Himself. (Revelation 1:5-6)
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.
(Revelation 1:7)
These are Old Testament images from Daniel 7 and Zechariah 12. Both of these references depict the same person: Jesus. In Jesus, God’s promised conquering King who conquered the enemy by being pierced has arrived and is now here.
John wants us to understand that something drastic of unparalleled cosmic significance has happened in world history. Jesus Christ has come, He bore witness to God, He became the first-born, and is now exalted to rule over all the earth. The Christ who was crucified is now the ruling Lord of the Universe. The universe now has a new boss and He is Jesus Christ. It may not seem so right now, but when the Lamb is revealed to be the Lion, we will see that He has already conquered the world.
John goes on to give us a description of his vision of Jesus, one like the son of man. The holy glory of the reigning Christ was too much for him to bear that he fell at his feet. He despaired his own sinfulness and saw his own unworthiness. But Jesus responded by laying his hand on him and saying, “Fear not.”
John met a Jesus who comforted and restored him. He was reminded that the holy, glorious, and seemingly unapproachable Jesus was the one who loves him and died for him. He conquered sin and death on John’s behalf and John can therefore now stand before Him. What gives us confidence to sing that we can stand before God? Like John, we are able to stand before the glorious Lion because we have been justified by the Lamb.
So here’s the big picture from Chapter 1: The God of the universe who is sovereign over all of history is moving things according to His program that revolves around Christ. Whether or not we believe in Christ, God’s program continues. It is an encouragement for us who are in Him, and warning to those who are not.
The Doctor Appointment—Health Diagnosis
This is like a very honest and blunt doctor’s diagnoses of your health concerning your physical condition. In these letters to the seven churches, Jesus reveals the true spiritual condition of the respective churches.
Chapters 2 and 3 are made up of personal letters from Jesus Himself that were addressed to real churches regarding real situations that they were facing at that time. Together, these 7 churches symbolize all churches that have ever existed and will ever exist in Christendom.
In other words, Jesus’ words of rebuke, warning, encouragement, and promises are addressed to all churches including churches today. Even though the issues He brings up are issues that those churches were facing at that time, they are a summary of issues that churches of all time will also face.
Ref: wikimedia
They are issues that are repeated over and over again throughout history until Christ returns, and is therefore relevant throughout the ages and to us as well. These letters show the church as Jesus sees it—not the way people see the church.
They are the clearest, most blunt, brutal, and honest diagnoses you could ever get. Jesus speaks as one who knows His church inside out. He walks among the lampstands i.e. His churches. He is constantly in our midst. He knows us and He holds us dearly in His hands. He is also fair in His dealings, giving credit where it is due, and reproach where it is needed.
These letters are in Revelation to show that the Gospel of Revelation 1 has an ongoing effect in this present world. The Gospel and the reigning Christ is not a legend or a story or theory. It is not remote or detached from the struggle of His church today. The salvation story of mankind is this: Christ has conquered, and He now wills to extend His conquest into the lives of men and women through the teaching of the Gospel. That puts His people, the church, right in the midst of the apocalyptic war that He has won.
“The seven letters translate the cosmic and spiritual warfare into the present human existence of the people of God. The struggle is hard and suffering is real and great, but always, the vision of Christ in glory stands over every consideration of human predicament.”
—Graeme Goldsworthy
1. To the Church in Ephesus.
Jesus commends the church in Ephesus for their zeal for truth, but says this to them: “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”
This church has lost the Gospel love of Jesus. Jesus warns the Ephesian church to repent or their lampstand will be removed. He is saying that if you are a church that fights for the truth without love, you are not God’s church.
The question for us is this: Are we such a church? In our battle for truth, did we stop loving as Christ loves? If we did, we must repent.
Ref: panduanwisata
2. To the Church in Smyrna.
Jesus does not have anything against this church. Instead, He has words of encouragement and comfort. Jesus He knows about their tribulation and poverty. He is aware of the slanders against them for the faith they have in Him and therefore He prepares them for further persecution to come. He reminds them to stay faithful to the point of death, and that they can be fearless in facing death because He has overcome death.
Are we a fearless church, or are we fearful of slander and persecution? Are we fearful about speaking the truth?
3. To the Church in Pergamum.
This is a church that stood strong against the world, but was weak and compromised within itself. From the outside and in the way that they related to unbelievers, they were strong and united, and Jesus commended them for holding fast to Him in the midst of persecution.
However, Jesus charged them for their tolerance for false teaching and sexual immorality within the church. Jesus told them to repent, or He will come and wage war against them. That’s how seriously He took their offense.
How are we doing as a church? Do we seem to be standing strong as a church—united against persecution, yet compromised within?
4. To the Church in Thyatira.
Jesus commended them for their patient endurance, works, love, faith, and service. But Jesus gave them a very strong charge. They were being seduced by idolatry and sexual immorality. He warned them to repent or He will strike them down. However, Jesus encourages those within this corrupted church who hold fast to Him that they will be rewarded to rule with Him.
Where do we stand in this church? Do we know what matters most as a church, and as an individual? Are you holding fast to Christ regardless of what church or denomination you come from?
5. To the Church in Sardis.
This church has a reputation of being alive, but in fact, it is dead. It is well spoken of by others, but in the eyes of Jesus, which is what matters most, it is dead. Jesus charges them to wake up. Whatever they have been doing actively, Jesus says has nothing to do with God and the Gospel.
We have to ask ourselves: Are we actively engaging in the Gospel—in what we have first received? If we are active and known for it, yet doing it only for ourselves, Jesus’ words are, “Wake up! Start doing God’s work.”
6. The Church in Philadelphia.
This church has little power. Yet, Jesus commended them for they have kept His Word and not denied His name. That is what is important to Jesus—not what is seen from the outside. Jesus promises them that He will keep them, because they have kept His Word.
So we ask ourselves the same question: Are we holding fast to the Word of Christ? Do you treasure the Word? Do you hunger and love God’s Word? Or are you ashamed of His Word before the world?
7. To the Church in Laodicea
Jesus wants to spit this church out of His mouth. They were charged for being neither hot nor cold—they were no longer distinct as disciples of Jesus. They were comfortable and self-sufficient in their riches and prosperity. Jesus tells them to repent quickly and be zealous.
We cannot remain as nominal Christians. Are we zealous in the Gospel and for the Gospel? Are we distinct from the world as we should be?
In closing, Ps. Kenneth recapped that Revelation is about one thing: Jesus is going to win. We are on the winning side. Reality tells us that the enemy is winning, but Revelation tells us differently. It is like lifting the curtains and peeking behind the scenes to see what is actually going on. It allows you and I to have a glimpse of what real power is.
You can see it in the churches. Real power does not lie in the churches that look alive, but in those that hold fast to the Word of God. Real power rests in Christ, the slain Lamb. The appearances may be against us in the present, but reality does not ultimately depend on the present appearance. It depends on how God is working things out. Revelation wants to convince us that God is really the one who is in control, and that He is moving things toward the final end in Christ!
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
and he will reign for ever and ever.”
(Revelation 11:15)
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Esperanza Ng
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