SERMON: "New Testament Overview, Part 11: Revelation"




New Testament Overview
Part 11: Revelation

  • I. Introduction
    • Last time, we talked a bit about various end-times approaches, and then gave a general overview from a dispensationalist perspective.
    • We also talked a bit about the importance of reading the Bible with a grammatical-historical hermeneutic
    • This session: Revelation
    • This is a prophetic book, but it is also hopeful.
      • Written by the Apostle John, under the authority of Jesus (v. 1)
      • It promises a blessing to the reader (v. 3)
      • It provides hope for the persecuted — our redemption draws nigh!
    • A perfect bookend for the Bible!
      • It is “the Word of God” (v. 2)
      • Citation heavy:
        • Contains more references to the OT than any other NT book.  
        • For instance, Matthew has 92, and Hebrews has 102
        • Revelation has 278 clear allusions to the Old Testament in its 404 verses.
    • Yet, before we can read it, we have to figure out how to approach it.
    • Outline for this evening:
      • First, how do we interpret this book?
      • Second, what happens in this book?
  • II. First, How Do We Interpret This Book?
    • The term “soon” in Revelation 1:1 — Did John expect these things to immediately take place?
    • Wooden-literalism?  In Ch. 13, will an actual seven-headed, ten-horned beast rise from the sea, or is this a person?
    • As the KJV translates v. 1, “He sent and signified it,” so there are some signs and pictures.
    • There are generally four approaches to this book:
      • Idealist
      • Preterist
      • Historicist
      • Futurist
    • Those are… words… …but you’ve probably employed or seen one or more of these methods
    • Three of these are roughly allegorical in their approach
    • Idealist View
      • Allegorical for the battle between good and evil
      • Historical origins
        • 3rd/4th centuries in Alexandria, popularized by Augustine
        • No literal millennial reign of Christ
      • Doesn’t align with a historical-grammatical hermeneutic
    • Preterist View
      • Allegorizes, but says these represent actual rather than spiritual realities.
      • Past fulfillment — Most (partial), if not all (full — heresy), events fulfilled in ad 70
      • Challenges with dating of authorship
        • John would have written before destruction, perhaps in ad 66.
        • The opinion of early church fathers: written in the 90’s on Patmos (Clement of Alexandria & Eusebius, cf. Irenaeus & Victorinus).  Most conservative scholarship date John’s exile to ad 96.
    • Historicist View
      • Similar allegorization to preterism, but of present realities
      • May be all of church history until return of Christ
      • View emerged in the Medieval church
        • It likened the Muslim hoards to the armies of the antichrist 
        • Reformers later equated the Pope with the antichrist
        • (Neither designation is inaccurate) 
      • Historical application throughout church history
      • Is Revelation 20 descriptive of our current age?
    • Futurist View
      • More in line with the G-H hermeneutic
      • Reads Revelation 4–22 as describing future events
      • Various opinions of the churches in Chs. 2–3
  • III. Second, What Happens In This Book?
    • Overview of Revelation
      • Expanded framework of Revelation (v. 19)
        • “the things which you have seen” — Chapter one
        • “the things which are” — the churches in Chs. 2–3
        • “the things which will take place after these things” — Chs. 4–22. 
      • More detail? Cf. MacArthur’s “A Jet Tour Through Revelation.” 
      • Introduction to key themes and chapters
    • Chapter 1 says this is written to all churches (v. 4), Jesus Christ's revelation and Second Coming (vv. 7–8).
    • Chapters 2–3
      • The seven churches were actual churches in history, contained actual people, the immediate audience.
      • They had problems, the same ones which plague churches throughout time — this is imminently practical for us today.
      • Practical implications for contemporary churches
      • Again, to “churches” — “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).
      • Transition from church focus to future events
    • Chapters 4–6
      • No picture of the rapture?
        • Except perhaps in 4:1–2 
        • No mention of the church from here until 22:16, 19x in Chs. 1–3.
      • Chapter 4 — a picture of the throne and God is mirrored by the worship of the Son (Chapter 5)
        • Chapter opens with a book, a seven-sealed scroll.  Who’s worthy?
        • “a Lamb standing, as if slain” (v. 6).
        • He took the scroll, sparking rejoicing that mirrors that of the Father.
      • Chapter 6 is the opening of the seals, introducing the Tribulation period
        • Jesus opens the first four seals — the four horsemen of the apocalypse ride; false peace, war, famine, pestilence, and death (vv. 7–8).  
        • With the fifth seal, martyrs appear in heaven (vv. 9–10) and continue until the last martyr (v. 11).
        • Sixth seal? Absolute terror, including changes to the sun, moon, and stars.
    • Chapters 7–9
      • Chapter 7 is a break, describing the 144k preparing for ministry
      • Then, the breaking of the 7th seal telescopes into the seven trumpets (Ch. 8). Awe-inspiring, w/ silence in heaven for ½hr
        • 1st Trumpet — 1/3 of vegetation on the earth 
        • 2nd Trumpet — 1/3 of sea life dies.  
        • 3rd Trumpet — Fresh water sources — streams and rivers.  
        • 4th Trumpet — Celestial luminaries, claiming 1/3 light from sun, etc.
        • 5th Trumpet — Lucifer & his demonic hoards unleashed upon earth
        • 6th Trumpet — An army of 200m killing 1/3 of surviving mankind.  
        • Notice though, sadly, in 9:20–21, that the surviving rest of mankind still refuse to repent of their works.
    • Chapters 10–11
      • Chapter 10 — A needed respite!  An angel and a little book, which John consumes, causing him to feel bitter.  That sets the stage for the rest of the judgment.
      • Chapter 11 — The second half of the tribulation announced.
        • The two witnesses, preaching Christ
        • They work miracles, but will be slain
        • The 7th trumpet — An the announcement in v. 15, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” 
    • Chapters 12–14
      • Ch. 12 — Describes all of history
        • A figure, a woman who typifies Israel
        • Satan tries to stop Christ, then persecutes the woman
      • Ch. 13 — Also a review, but of the Antichrist and his false prophet
      • Ch. 14 — The 144k sing to the Lord as He readies Armageddon.
    • Chapters 15–16
      • Return to judgments, telescoping out the bowls of wrath, poured out in rapid succession.  
        • 1st Bowl — on those who receive the mark; sores.  
        • 2nd Bowl — on sea, and everything died.  Not some—all.  
        • 3rd Bowl — on the rivers and fountains, all freshwater.  
        • 4th Bowl — on sun, and it scorches men.  
        • 5th Bowl — on the kingdom of the beast, resulting in total darkness.  
        • 6th Bowl — on Euphrates again so the kings of the east can rise.  
        • 7th Bowl — on the air; Announcement: “It is done” (v. 17), followed by inconceivable destruction.
    • Chapters 17–19
      • Chs. 17–18 back up a moment
        • 17 — Foil for the bride of Christ, a harlot (false religion)
        • 18 — Economic scenario, and everything fails
      • Ch. 19 — the Lord returns in v. 11.  (Was there ever a chance for the armies gathered at Armageddon?)
    • Chapters 20–22
      • The arrival of the Millennial Kingdom
        • Satan bound, saints are raised to life.
        • The Lord reigns for 1,000 years.  
        • People surviving the Tribulation & worshiping Christ will enjoy life, marry, and have children.  
        • Even so, some born will grow and not love the Lord.  
        • Satan loosed at the end, he’ll again deceive and sow insurrection.  
        • They’ll be consumed by fire, followed by the Great White Throne. 
      • Transition to the eternal state (Chs. 21–22).  New heavens, earth — the Lord will wipe all tears from their eyes!
  • IV. Conclusion
    • Reiteration of Revelation's imminence
      • 22:10 — don’t seal the words, even though previous prophecies were sealed (Dan. 8:26; 12:4–10). The time is at hand.  
      • V. 17—“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”
    • Application to contemporary readers — Blessing for those who hear and heed the words of the prophecy.
    • Next Time: Completing Our Overview

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