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Revelation - The Age of the Apocalypse

The Age of Apocalypse - Introduction - The Revelation of Jesus Christ Revelation 1:1-3

Date:August 24, 2022
Author: Wayne J. Edwards

Introduction:


Revelation – The Age of the Apocalypse

While the interest in the study of the Book of Revelation is primarily about the events of the end times, it is important that we understand why Jesus began His revelation to John with seven personal letters to seven particular churches in Asia.

  • First, while these seven churches were actual, historical churches in that day, the Lord’s letters were intended for every local church of every age, and even more importantly, The Church of the ages.
  • Second, like the nation of Israel failed in their calling to be God’s representatives on the earth and God had no choice but to chastise them, so the church will also reach that point where it becomes so entangled in the world it can make no difference in the world, and it will face a time of severe persecution.
  • Third, while those believers who remain “faithful” to their calling will be spared from God’s wrath, those who reject Jesus Christ will be vomited out into the time of Tribulation.

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The Age of The Apocalypse
The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation 1:1-3

    When it comes to studying Biblical prophecy, even Christians are divided into two camps:

  • Some see every cataclysmic event as the one that will bring about the end of the world.
    • In Matthew 24, Jesus identified them as those who are deceived, for many catastrophic things must happen before the end of this age.
  • Some never see what is going on in the world as to how it fits into the timeline of biblical prophecy.
    • In 2 Peter 3:3-11, the Apostle Peter identified them as “scoffers” – those who are willingly ignorant of the end time events.
    • According to Leo Hohmann, a fellow prophecy watcher, the fatal flaw among the majority of Christians today is their naivety as to what is going on in the world today and how it fits into the timeline of prophetic events. Hohmann said, “this type of naivety will get you killed in the new normal that is being planned for humanity.”

The Major Signs that indicate our nearness to the end of this age:

  • Deception – popular political and religious leaders who claim to have all the answers to the problems of the world. These false prophets are the precursors to the Antichrist.
  • Hunger and Famine – because of the mandated reduction in the production of food by those who are promoting the “global reset” agenda, 11% of the world’s population does not have sufficient food, and that is only going to get worse.
  • Natural Disasters – while they are very underreported, the whole earth is groaning in anticipation of its deliverance from the curse. There is a significant rise in the rapidity and intensity of heatwaves, earthquakes, droughts, wildfires, storms, floods, and other cataclysmic events.
  • New Diseases – while some of them are “plandemic,” such as Covid-19, others, such as “monkey-pox,” are tied to the immoral behavior of the people. What we are experiencing today is just a foretaste of what it will be like during the first three years of the Tribulation.
  • War and rumors of war – even Jesus said it would be this way until He returned and destroyed the enemies of peace. There are 10 official wars and 8 active military conflicts recognized by the United States. There are also other violent conflicts involving 64 countries and 576 militias and separatist groups.
  • Signs in the heavens – while the majority of these will occur during the first half of the Tribulation, the earth- shattering disasters we are experiencing today give us an indication of what will happen when the sun becomes black, the moon becomes like blood, the stars fall out of the sky, and the whole topography of the earth is changed.
  • Lawlessness – as the Apostle Paul said (2 Thessalonians 2:7-9) the mystery of lawless is already at work, and we can see it in every facet of our society as there is no place for truth, even from the majority of pulpits. However, when the Holy Spirit is removed, all hell will break loose and every person will be free to express his/her every evil desire, just as it was in the days before the flood.
  • Apostasy – as the Apostle Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 2:2, the Antichrist will not come until there is a falling away from the true faith, but we are witnessing such apostasy even today as many young adults are moving from faith to non-faith. Overall church attendance is equal to that of the 1940’s.

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Background to the Book of Revelation:

  • Written by the Apostle John about 95-years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  • The Apostle John was banished to the island of Patmos, which was about 10 miles long and 5 miles wide, and it did not have a single tree on it.
  • It was under these severe circumstances that God gave John the message of the Revelation to not only encourage him, but to also encourage the other Christians who were being severely persecuted at that time.
  • The central message of the book is that, regardless how cruel and inhuman the world becomes, God is still on His throne, and Jesus Christ will still become the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, in due time.

  1. The Person of the Book – Vs. 1 – “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”

  • The word “Revelation” is the English translation of the Greek word “Apokalupsis.”
  • God pulled back the curtains of heaven and revealed unto John the truth about Jesus of Nazareth.
  • When Jesus came the first time, He came in human form, born of a woman, raised as a child, and died as man, just like any other human being.
  • But when Jesus comes again, He will be revealed as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords He claimed to be.
  • What John saw was the return of Jesus Christ in all His glory at the end of the Battle of Armageddon. (Rev. 20)
  • John records several views of this King of Glory throughout his writings.

  1. The Purpose of the Book – Vs. 3 – “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

  • Some see the book of Revelation past history – a cryptic message from John to the Christians of the first century, to encourage them to remain faithful under persecution.
  • Some see the book of Revelation as a panoramic view of church history from the first century to the end of the age.
  • Some see the book of Revelation as a spiritual presentation of the struggle between good and evil, and since we know good always ends out over evil, the details of the book do not matter.
  • However, in verse one, John said God gave him this revelation to show him “things which must take place shortly,” which means it is primarily a book of prophecy.
  • According to Revelation 1:19, the book can be divided into three parts:
    • “Write the things which you have seen” – Chapter 1
    • “Write the things which are” – Chapters 2-3
    • “Write the things which shall take place after this” – Chapters 4-22

  1. The Promise of the Book – Vs. 3 – “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

  • Chapter 1:3 – the blessing of obedience.
  • Chapter 14:3 – the blessing of eternal life.
  • Chapter 16:15 – the blessing of living a pure life and longing for the Lord’s return.
  • Chapter 19:9 – the blessing of being invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
  • Chapter 20:6 – the blessing of being resurrected from the dead.
  • Chapter 22:7 – the blessing believing in biblical prophecy
  • Chapter 22:14 – the blessing of being allowed to eat from the tree of life.