This presentation moves verse-by-verse through the first chapter of Revelation and sets the stage for Christ's seven letters to His seven churches of the ancient world.

2. The Beginning of
The
Revelation…

3. The Background of the Apocalypse
Most evangelical scholars affirm that Revelation was written in A.D. 95 or 96. This is
based on accounts of the early church fathers that the Apostle John had been exiled on
Patmos Island during the reign of Domitian who died in A.D. 96. John was then allowed to
return to Ephesus. Because of a statement by Papias, an early church father, that John
the Apostle was martyred before A.D. 70, the Johannine authorship has been
questioned. However, the accuracy of this quotation from Papias has been seriously
challenged by statements by Clement of Alexandria and Eusebius who affirm that the
book was written by John on Patmos in A.D. 95 or 96.
―John received the Revelation almost in our own time, toward the end of the reign of
Domitian‖ – Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3.

4. The Beginning of the Apocalypse
―The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to
His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He
sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,
who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus
Christ, even to all that he saw. ‖
(Revelation 1:1–2)

5. Word Study - Revelation
Greek Meaning
apokalypsis ① making fully known
② revelation
③ disclosure
―The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000).
A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament
which God gave Him to show to His and other early Christian literature.
bond-servants the things that must
soon take place‖
- Revelation 1:1
Interpretation & Application
The book of Revelation is an unveiling of what is to come in the future. While some
theologians attempt to say that Revelation is history, the very name of the book and term
used by John in verse one refutes that position. Further, the phrase ―must soon take place‖
also discounts a historical stance on the book. Note also that it is the unveiling of Jesus
Christ, which the Father gave Him to show His Church. Jesus Himself is revealing through
one of His messengers the things about Himself that will happen in the future.

6. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ…”
What does ‗Christ‘ mean?
―Christos‖
―Messiah‖
―Anointed One‖
―To call Jesus the Christ,
therefore, is to make a
theological claim – that He is
the Messiah long expected by
the Jews‖
Stephen Prothero
Chair, Boston University
Religion Department

7. Word Study – Bond-Servant
Greek Meaning
Doulos ① male slave
② one who is solely committed to
another
―The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000).
A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament
which God gave Him to show to His and other early Christian literature.
bond-servants the things that must
soon take place‖
- Revelation 1:1
Interpretation & Application
John MacArthur‘s latest book ―Slave‖ asserts there was a cover up by most Bible translation
committees to purposely avoid translated doulos to its true meaning – ‗slave‘ – and instead use a word
more palatable and more politically correct for modern day readers. Every translations except for
Goodspeed‘s translation (―An American Tranlsation‖) does not use the word ‗slave‘ when it refers to
our association with Christ or God (it does use it in other references to actual slaves or in reference to
sin). However, we must understand that, as Christians, we are indeed Christ‘s slave and should view
ourselves as under His command and control in every area of our life.

8. “Which must soon take place…”
The things prophesied in the book of Revelation aren‘t a
possibility – they ―must‖ soon take place. The events are
secured by God‘s sovereign purpose and power. Only
He knows the future, and in Revelation, He is making His
knowledge known to us.

9. The First Blessing of Revelation
―Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the
prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is
near. ‖
(Revelation 1:3)
Revelation is the only book that comes with a blessing for the one
who listens to it being read and explained and then responds in
obedience.

10. The Seven Blessings of Revelation
1. ―Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and
heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. ‖ (Revelation 1:3)
2. ―And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, ―Write, ‗Blessed are the dead who
die in the Lord from now on!‘ ‖ ―Yes,‖ says the Spirit, ―so that they may rest
from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.‖ ‖ (Revelation 14:13)
3. ―(―Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and
keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his
shame.‖) ‖ (Revelation 16:15)
4. ―Then he said to me, ―Write, ‗Blessed are those who are invited to the
marriage supper of the Lamb.‘ ‖ And he said to me, ―These are true words of
God.‖ ‖ (Revelation 19:9)

11. The Seven Blessings of Revelation
5. ―Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection;
over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of
God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. ‖
(Revelation 20:6)
6. ―And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words
of the prophecy of this book.‖ (Revelation 22:7)
7. ―Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the
right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. ‖
(Revelation 22:14)

12. The Number Seven in Revelation
The number seven in Scripture is associated with
completion, fulfillment, and perfection.
• ―By the seventh day God completed His
work which He had done, and He rested on
the seventh day from all His work which He
had done. ‖ (Genesis 2:2)
• ―He shall then sprinkle seven times the one
who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and
shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the
live bird go free over the open field. ‖
(Leviticus 14:7)
• ―Therefore, brethren, select from among
you seven men of good reputation, full of
the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put
in charge of this task. ‖ (Acts 6:3)

13. The “Seven’s” in Revelation
• 7 churches
• 7 spirits
• 7 lampstands
• 7 stars
• 7 seals on the scroll
• 7 horns of the Lamb
• 7 eyes of the Lamb
• 7 angels
• 7 trumpets
• 7 thunders
• 7 heads of the dragon
• 7 heads of the beast
• 7 golden bowls
• 7 kings

14. The Epistolary Opening
―John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and
peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from
the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus
Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler
of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from
our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom,
priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the
dominion forever and ever. Amen. ‖ (Revelation 1:4–6)

15. The Trinity
―John to the seven churches
that are in Asia: Grace to you
and peace, from Him who is and
who was and who is to come, and
from the seven Spirits who are
before His throne, and from
Jesus Christ, the faithful
witness, the firstborn of the
dead, and the ruler of the kings
of the earth.‖
(Revelation 1:4–5)

16. “Him who is and who was and who is to come…”
―from Him who is and who was and who is to come,
The timelessness of God – past, present, future. ―I AM
that IAM‖ – Exodus 3:14
―I am the Alpha and the Omega,‖ says the Lord God, ―who is and who was and who is to
come, the Almighty.‖ ‖ (Revelation 1:8)
―When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me,
saying, ―Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, ‖ (Revelation 1:17)
―I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.‖ Blessed
are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may
enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral
persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. ―I,
Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and
the descendant of David, the bright morning star.‖ ‖ (Revelation 22:13–16)

17. Seven Spirits?
―and from the seven Spirits who are before His
throne…‖
―Hence the Holy Spirit is called the Seven Spirits; the perfect, mystical
number seven indicating unity through diversity (1 Cor. 12:4). Not the
sevenfold gifts of the Spirit are meant, but the divine Personality who imparts
them; the one Spirit under the diverse manifestations.‖
Word studies in the New Testament (Re 1:4).
―To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven
stars, says this: ‗I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ‖
(Revelation 3:1)
―Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were
seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; ‖
(Revelation 4:5)
―And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if
slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the
earth. ‖ (Revelation 5:6)

18. The Son
―and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the
firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the
earth.‖
1. Faithful witness: ―The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the
creation of God, says this: ‖ (Revelation 3:14)
2. Firstborn of the dead: a designation of preeminence: ―He is also head of the body,
the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He
Himself will come to have first place in everything. ‖ (Colossians 1:18)
3. Ruler of the kings of the earth: ――These will wage war against the Lamb, and the
Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those
who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.‖ (Revelation 17:14)
John gives these designations to comfort the churches; it lets them know that
what they are about to hear is true; that their resurrection from the dead is
assured; and that Jesus is sovereign over all who are persecuting them.

19. An Inspired Doxology
―To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by
His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom,
priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory
and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ‖
(Revelation 1:5–6)
The bondage that we were in to sin (slaves to sin and dead in sin) was undone –
literally the word ‗released‘ means to untie.
The ―kingdom‖ is not the millennial kingdom, but a sphere of God‘s rule which
believers enter at salvation. (―For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,
and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son‖ (Colossians 1:13) ).
Note He did all the work – He ‗made‘ it happen.
As priests, we have the right to enter into God‘s presence, and we will have this
privilege forever.

20. A Preview of What’s to Come
―Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those
who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to
be. Amen. ‖ (Revelation 1:7)
―I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One
like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And
was presented before Him. ‖ (Daniel 7:13)
―Jesus said to him, ―You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter
you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on
the clouds of heaven.‖ ‖ (Matthew 26:64)

21. A Preview of What’s to Come
―Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those
who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to
be. Amen. ‖ (Revelation 1:7)
―I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have
pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will
weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. ‖
(Zechariah 12:10)
They weep because their judgment has come.

22. John Details His situation
―I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and
perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of
the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ‖ (Revelation 1:9)
History tells us that John was ministering in Ephesus when he was arrested
and exiled to Patmos by the emperor Domitian. The early Church historian
Eusebius says in his writings (Ecclesiastical History 3.20. 8-9) that, once
Domitian died, John was released by the emperor Nerva (A.D. 96-98).

23. John Details His situation
―I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and
perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of
the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ‖ (Revelation 1:9)
While in the gospel of John, John conceals his name, he doesn‘t do so here. He
lets them know he is a fellow sufferer in the Church (―Indeed, all who desire to
live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ‖ (2 Timothy 3:12)) , but he also
shares the kingdom with them as well as the perseverance that is given to the
saints in Jesus.

24. The Initial Recipients of Revelation
―I was in the Spirit on the
Lord‘s day, and I heard
behind me a loud voice like
the sound of a trumpet,
saying, ―Write in a book
what you see, and send it to
the seven churches: to
Ephesus and to Smyrna
and to Pergamum and to
Thyatira and to Sardis
and to Philadelphia and to
Laodicea.‖‖
(Revelation 1:10–11)

25. The Speaker of the Apocalypse
―Then I turned to see the voice that was
speaking with me. And having turned I
saw seven golden lampstands; and in the
middle of the lampstands I saw one like a
son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to
the feet, and girded across His chest with
a golden sash. His head and His hair
were white like white wool, like snow; and
His eyes were like a flame of fire. His
feet were like burnished bronze, when it
has been made to glow in a furnace, and
His voice was like the sound of many
waters. In His right hand He held seven
stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp
two-edged sword; and His face was like
the sun shining in its strength. ‖
(Revelation 1:12–16)

26. “Seven Golden Lampstands/Seven Stars”
―As for the mystery of the seven stars
which 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. ‖ (Revelation 1:20)
―And He was saying to them, ―A lamp is
not brought to be put under a basket, is
it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be
put on the lampstand? ‖ (Mark 4:21) .
We aren‘t the light per se; we hold up the
Light and reflect Christ.
The stars are not the angels of the
churches, but rather the lead
elder/pastor of each church.

27. The Speaker of the Apocalypse
―I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the
feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.‖
―Son of man‖ is the title that Jesus
used for Himself more than any other –
81 times in the gospels. It is a reference
to Deity as shown in Daniel 7:13: ―I
kept looking in the night visions, And
behold, with the clouds of heaven One
like a Son of Man was coming…‖
Robes in Scripture typically refer to
the priestly garment worn by the priests.
The golden sash across His chest also
signifies this (cf. Lev 16:1-4). So this is
a picture of Christ serving in His
priestly role.

28. ―But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good
things to come, He entered through the greater and
more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to
say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of
goats and calves, but through His own blood, He
entered the holy place once for all, having obtained
eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls
and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been
defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much
more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse
your conscience from dead works to serve the living
God? ‖ (Hebrews 9:11–14)

29. The Speaker of the Apocalypse
―His head and His hair were white like white wool, like
snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.‖
A head of pure, white hair shows his
ultimate wisdom (―A gray head is a crown of
glory; It is found in the way of
righteousness. ‖ (Proverbs 16:31)) . ―I kept
looking Until thrones were set up, And the
Ancient of Days took His seat; His
vesture was like white snow And the hair of
His head like pure wool.‖ (Daniel 7:9)
His eyes indicate a penetrating gaze that
finds the truth and knows those who are
His: ―For the eyes of the Lord move to and
fro throughout the earth that He may
strongly support those whose heart is
completely His.‖ (2 Chronicles 16:9)

30. ―There is nothing concealed that will not be
revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ‖
(Matthew 10:26)
―And there is no creature hidden from His sight,
but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes
of Him with whom we have to do. ‖
(Hebrews 4:13)

31. The Speaker of the Apocalypse
―His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been
made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the
sound of many waters.‖
Kings in ancient times sat on elevated
thrones, so those being judged would
always be beneath the king‘s feet. The feet
of a king thus came to symbolize his
authority. Glowing feet indicate judgment.
―I also heard the sound of their wings like
the sound of abundant waters as they went,
like the voice of the Almighty‖ (Ezekiel
1:24) . ―And behold, the glory of the God
of Israel was coming from the way of the
east. And His voice was like the sound of
many waters; and the earth shone with His
glory. ‖ (Ezekiel 43:2)

32. The Speaker of the Apocalypse
In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His
mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was
like the sun shining in its strength. ‖
The right hand is the place of honor.
The ‗rhomphaia‘ sword was used by the Romans
in a stabbing action designed to kill. ―For the
word of God is living and active and sharper
than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as
the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and
marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and
intentions of the heart. ‖ (Hebrews 4:12). ―He
will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth‖
(Isaiah 11:4) .
―Let those who love Him be like the rising of the
sun in its might.‖ (Judges 5:31)

33. The Response to Christ’s Presence
―When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And
He placed His right hand on me, saying, ―Do not be
afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and
I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have
the keys of death and of Hades. ‖ (Revelation 1:17–18)
• Although John had laid on Jesus‘ chest at the last supper, here he is
overwhelmed with Christ‘s presence
• The most issued command in the New Testament: ―Fear not‖
• ―First and the last‖ – used in Isaiah 3 times of God and 3 times in Revelation
of Jesus
• Christ refers to His resurrection which stands alone in all the world‘s
religions
• ―forevermore‖ – Literally ―unto the ages of the ages‖; a strong expression of
eternality
• He possesses authority over death and the place of the dead

34. The Charge to John
―Therefore write the things which you have seen, and
the things which are, and the things which will take place
after these things. ‖ (Revelation 1:19)

35. The Outline of Revelation
―Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the
things which are, and the things which will take place after
these things. ‖ (Revelation 1:19)
John‘s present vision The state of the 7 churches The future
―After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing
open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the
sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, ―Come up here,
and I will show you what must take place after these things.‖ ‖
(Revelation 4:1)

36. Conclusions
• The omnibenevolent God has said that when we read and obey
His prophecy we are blessed
• The omniscient God has told us what will happen in the future,
which brings us comfort
• The omnipotent God is sovereign over everything including
death, which brings us hope for the future
• The stage is now set for the Lord of the lampstands to
communicate His message to them

37. The Beginning of
The
Revelation…