Lesson  4 

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

  

Review:

 

 

d.  Doxology 1:5b

Having focused on the Person of Christ and His 3-fold office as Prophet, Priest and King;  John abruptly breaks into a burst of praise!

"To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood."

 

 

5.  1:6 The Focus Shifts to His people!  Why we should give praise!

1.  The redeemed of the Church age is the focus here;

 "and He has made us [to be] a kingdom

-  Rev  5:9-10; 20:6; 1 Pet 2:5,9

 

 

 

 

 

"priests to His God and Father;" 

 

 

-  Each believer as a part of the body of Christ, the Universal church, the spiritual house, (2:5), has a ministry, a service  within the body of Christ.

 

*  What are acceptable spiritual sacrifices?

a.  Praise and thanksgiving;  Heb 13:15

 

b.  Divine good production;  exhale towards others in their need, Heb 13:16;  generosity 

 

c.  Phil 4:18  giving on a grace basis; acceptable sacrifice.

 

d.  Rom 12:1 - our body, as a living sacrifice; living our lives under the rulership of H/S and the word of God. 

 

e.  P/T gives a sacrifice of time and energy for the ministry of the Word.  Phil 2:17-18

 

2.  2nd Ascription of Praise to Christ.

After John focuses on some aspect of Christ inevitably breaks into praise, as at the end of vs:6.    see   1:6b; 4:11;  5:13; 7:12

 

 

Then we have a very emphatic ending to indicate the eternality of God.

 

Point is:   That eternal glory belongs to the person of Christ!

 

 

6.  1:7-8 His coming! The Theme of the Book!!   Read vs:7

This is a quote from 2 passages in the OT.  Dan 7:13;  Zech 12:10

 

1.  Emphasis on the fact of His coming!

 

*  Says don't debate the fact that He is coming!  It's reality;

 

 

 

2.  Emphasis on publicity; His return is public!

- This is not speaking of the rapture;  where He comes as a thief!  This is clearly 2nd advent!

 

 

3.  Emphasis on judgment;

 

-  We are either one of those who have been freed from our sins and are a part of His kingdom, a priest;  vs:5-6    Or we are in vs:7 waiting for judgment.

 

 

4.  The certainty of His coming!   Seen in last 3 words;  "Even so. Amen."

 

Together they put upon this prophecy the seal of certainty, reliability, firm assurance.