Anchor Verses
Revelation 1:9–20, Revelation 7:9–17, Revelation 12:11
Focus Statement
Revelation isn’t primarily about the end of the world—it’s about the revelation of Jesus Christ, who gives His people hope and calls them to remain faithful until He returns.
Introduction
- “End Times” is a bit of a misnomer.
- Not the end of God’s story, but the culmination of His redemptive plan.
- What is Revelation really about?
- Not the Antichrist.
- Not the tribulation.
- Not decoding current events.
- The revelation of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:1)
- Big Idea
- Revelation isn’t primarily about the end of the world—it’s about the revelation of Jesus Christ, who gives His people hope and calls them to remain faithful until He returns.
Revelation Reveals Jesus as the Victorious King
- The Revelation of Jesus Christ
- Revelation 1:1–3, ““The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants[a] the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”
- Jesus is Revealed
- Revelation 1:12–18, ““12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
- Jesus walks among His churches.
- Jesus reigns.
- Jesus is Worthy
- Revelation 5:5–6, “5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
- 11–12, “11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
- The Lion who conquered is the Lamb who was slain.
- Jesus alone is worthy.
- Jesus is Victorious
- Revelation 19:16, ““16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
- King of kings and Lord of lords.
- Jesus is returning to make all things new.
- The Thesis of Revelation: Jesus reigns. Jesus is worthy. Jesus is returning to make all things new.
Revelation Anchors Suffering Believers in Hope
- Hope in the Midst of Suffering
- Revelation 7:9–17, ““9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 “Therefore, they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”- Suffering is real, but it is not final.
- The Promise of Restoration
- Revelation 21:1–5, ““Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place[a] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,[b] and God himself will be with them as their God.[c] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
- God will dwell with His people.
- Every tear will be wiped away.
- Death, mourning, crying, and pain will be no more.
- “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Revelation Calls Believers to Faithful Witness
- Remain Faithful
- Revelation 2:10, ““10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
- “Be faithful unto death…”
- How Do Christians Conquer?
- Revelation 12:10-11, ““10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers[b] has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”
- By the blood of the Lamb.
- By the word of their testimony.
- By faithful endurance.
- The Call
- Revelation 14:12, ““12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
- Revelation isn’t asking,
- “Can you figure this out?”
- It’s asking,
- “Will you remain faithful?”
Walking it Out
- Because King Jesus is building His Church and one day He is coming back for His Bride…
- Worship faithfully.
- Love sacrificially.
- Proclaim the gospel boldly.
- Endure patiently.
- Hold fast.
- “Surely I am coming soon.”
- Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)
Next Week…
- Next week, we’re diving into the tribulation, the millennium, the rapture, and more. Not to settle every debate, but to understand why faithful Christians have reached different conclusions while keeping our eyes fixed on Christ.
