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