Revelation
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Revelation was probably written in 96
A.D. Eusebius says that early records
(from Irenaeus) stated that Revelation was written in the 15th year of
Domitian’s reign.

PATMOS
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Patmos ( Greek ,
; Italian :
) is a small Greek island in the
Aegean Sea . One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,984 and an area of 34.05 km (13 square miles). The highest point is Profitis Ilias, 269 meters above sea level.

PATMOS
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Patmos is probably not were the Apostle
John died. Early records say that he went on to live out his days in Ephesus. The
Apostle lived out his days as a greatly revered apostle and elder in the Church. He is the only one of the original apostles who did not die an overt martyrdom. His long life came with great blessing for the early congregations. His immediate disciples had a tremendous influence on the continual formation of the Church after his death.

John turning ("To see the voice that was speaking to him") (REV. 1:12)

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Apocalypse Cave

Revelation Outline
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Introduction. (ch. 1)
1.
The Seven Letters to the Seven Churches
(chs. 2-3)
2.
The Vision of the Seven Seals (4:1-8:5)
3.
The Vision of the Seven Trumpets (8:6-
11:19)
4.
The Seven Visions (chs. 12-15)
5.
The Vision of the Seven Bowls (ch. 16)
6.
The Victory over Antichrist (chs. 17-19)
7.
The Victory over Satan (20:1-22:5)
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Conclusion. (22:5-21)

Why is this horribly wrong???

Why is this horribly wrong???

Revelation Outline
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This outline is important for the Western reader to always keep before him / her when reading this book. Great misinterpretations have occurred because many do not understand how to interpret apocalyptic imagery and prophecies. What occurs are SEVEN MESSAGES describing different aspects of the Christian Church in exile.

Revelation Outline
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Imagine seven television cameras all recording a winning touchdown play. One angle is from behind the linesman, another from the coach, another from the sky, another from the end zone, another from a helmet-cam of the receiver, etc. Each angel records the moment from a different perspective and yet it is one event. When these moments are played back, the viewer knows there aren’t seven touchdowns. There is one touchdown from seven points of view.

Revelation Outline
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We use imagery all the time. We have bull and bear markets. Lady Liberty stands tall and proud. The flag still waves over our whole land. Uncle
Sam wants you. Are you hungry for golden arches? Thumbs up.

Revelation Outline
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We just aren’t use to all the imagery of
Revelation. When we understand the
Biblical references, we understand the message more clearly.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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NIV Revelation 1:1 The revelation of Jesus
Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw-- that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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We are to take these words to heart. They are not to be learned as mere head knowledge or curious speculation of future events (1:3).
NIV Luke 6:47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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4 John, To the seven churches in the province of
Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father-- to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in
Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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Christians are like John, exiles on this earth. The model of
Christ and His followers is resistance from the secular world around us still entrenched in the belief that life is better in being hostile and apathetic to God's presence, care, and will.
NIV John 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.
NIV John 15:20 Remember the words I spoke to you:
'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
NIV 1 Peter 4:16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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We are priests. The priesthood is fulfilled in Christ and reflected in His New Testament people. We have seen the sacrifice before us, speak the words of mercy from His atonement to the world, and intercede for the world before
Almighty God in the Risen and Ascended Lord. This is why the early Church had overseers (Acts 20:28, Phillipians 1:1,
Titus 1:7, etc.), not priests. The priesthood was fulfilled in
Christ.
NIV 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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NIV Isaiah 66:20 And they will bring all your brothers, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD-- on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels," says the LORD.
"They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the LORD in ceremonially clean vessels. 21 And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites," says the LORD.
NIV Exodus 19:5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. 8 "I am the
Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord
God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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The Lord who appears to John is the Messiah whom Daniel saw at the end of time with power and authority from the
God-head. The Messiah in Daniel's book is God and begotten from God as He is worshipped and glorified as God Himself.
NIV Daniel 7:13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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10 On the Lord's Day I was in the
Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said:
"Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum,
Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and
Laodicea."

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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On a Sunday (called the Lord's Day by early Christians), John was on the desolate island of Patmos. He was put there for witnessing
Christ.
Suddenly, he hears the voice of Christ thunder like the last trumpet.
He sees the glorious "Son of Man" whom Daniel saw. Christ is in His full glory, as on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Will we look like this?
NIV Philippians 3:21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
NIV 1 John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp doubleedged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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Light issues from this Lord. Remember we were created to shine as His image, reflection.
NIV Matthew 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
We will wear white robes and golden sashes tailored by the
Lord Himself when we are resurrected.
NIV Revelation 7:13 Then one of the elders asked me,
"These in white robes-- who are they, and where did they come from?" 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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Our Lord may not always have a tongue that looks like a sword. He is stating that our humble looking Scriptures and their teachings are
His mighty and powerful Word from His very mouth.
NIV Ephesians 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
NIV Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active.
Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
NIV 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
NIV Isaiah 66:2 Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18
I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!
And I hold the keys of death and
Hades.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Revelation, Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
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Other interesting notes:
Coming with the clouds.
References: Daniel 7:13; Matthew 24:30; 26:64; Mark
13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27; Acts 1:9.
Twelve times the word Almighty is mentioned in Revelation.
Other throne room appearances in Scripture.
NIV Exodus 24:9 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10 and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself.
NIV Ezekiel 1:26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
NIV Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.

For whom is this book written?
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The Churches in Asia.
Us – We are to take their lessons to heart for our own congregations and lives.