The Book of Revelation

Posted: October 2nd, 2005 | Author: stauffer | Filed under: Articles
The Book of Revelation, as all New Testament books, was written for churches in the first century to describe and deal with the problems they faced. Revelation differs in that it is written in visions and symbols, but the message was still a contemporary one.
The writer, John, tells us, for example, that the events described in the book were “shortly to come to pass” and that the “time is at hand.” He makes this point to his readers at the beginning (1:1, 3) and at the end of the book (22:6, 10).
The apostle then addresses the book and its message to “seven churches that are of Asia” (1:4). The Spirit told him: “What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea” (1:11).
After penning a letter to each of the seven churches, he begins in visions and pictorial language to write about how these churches were suffering persecution, being imprisoned, and even put to death “for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” In the fifth seal he describes the blood of these martyred brethren, which was under the altar of sacrifice crying out to God to avenge their cause with wrath against their adversary (1:9; 6:9-11).
He describes their enemy as a beast come out of the sea who had received his power and authority from Satan. This enemy is helped by a beast coming up out of the earth – a beast with horns of a lamb but the voice of the Satanic dragon. These represent an evil power in the first century that was persecuting and putting to death all who would not receive its mark and bow before it (Chapter 13).
Some would identify this as the persecuting power of the Jews and others say it is the evil opposition of Rome. Regardless of its identity, it was a wicked enemy that the churches of the first century faced. The book ends with the defeat of this adversary and the victory of the martyred saints who reign with Christ (Chapters 19-20).
The point of the book is clear: God’s faithful children will find victory in Jesus – even if they die for their faith at the hands of ungodly men who serve Satan in an effort to destroy the church of the Lord.
The message of the book is likewise simple: the glorified Jesus, pictured among the seven lampstands, declares to the saints in tribulation, “Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades” (1:17-18). Jesus suffered and died but was victorious over death, and has the keys of victory for those in him.
Revelation does not describe modern nations and events, but struggles brethren of the first century endured and overcame through Christ.

The Book of Revelation, as all New Testament books, was written for churches in the first century to describe and deal with the problems they faced. Revelation differs in that it is written in visions and symbols, but the message was still a contemporary one.

The writer, John, tells us, for example, that the events described in the book were “shortly to come to pass” and that the “time is at hand.” He makes this point to his readers at the beginning (1:1, 3) and at the end of the book (22:6, 10).

The apostle then addresses the book and its message to “seven churches that are of Asia” (1:4). The Spirit told him: “What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea” (1:11).

After penning a letter to each of the seven churches, he begins in visions and pictorial language to write about how these churches were suffering persecution, being imprisoned, and even put to death “for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” In the fifth seal he describes the blood of these martyred brethren, which was under the altar of sacrifice crying out to God to avenge their cause with wrath against their adversary (1:9; 6:9-11).

He describes their enemy as a beast come out of the sea who had received his power and authority from Satan. This enemy is helped by a beast coming up out of the earth – a beast with horns of a lamb but the voice of the Satanic dragon. These represent an evil power in the first century that was persecuting and putting to death all who would not receive its mark and bow before it (Chapter 13).

Some would identify this as the persecuting power of the Jews and others say it is the evil opposition of Rome. Regardless of its identity, it was a wicked enemy that the churches of the first century faced. The book ends with the defeat of this adversary and the victory of the martyred saints who reign with Christ (Chapters 19-20).

The point of the book is clear: God’s faithful children will find victory in Jesus – even if they die for their faith at the hands of ungodly men who serve Satan in an effort to destroy the church of the Lord.

The message of the book is likewise simple: the glorified Jesus, pictured among the seven lampstands, declares to the saints in tribulation, “Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades” (1:17-18). Jesus suffered and died but was victorious over death, and has the keys of victory for those in him.

Revelation does not describe modern nations and events, but struggles brethren of the first century endured and overcame through Christ.