Revelation 01: Jesus Wins
The book of Revelation is one of the most debated and possibly most misunderstood books of the New Testament. Even from the beginning, many were unsure about what to do with it. The Apostle John wrote it, and the Holy Spirit inspired it to be written. However, how should it be interpreted? The opening chapter gives us a window into how it should be read. The first verses indicate it is a revelation of Jesus Christ. The point of Revelation is to bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ and to encourage the persecuted churches of the first century. Let us read and see why this book would have been so encouraging.
Text: Revelation 1 (click to expand)
Prologue
This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, 2 who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.
John’s Greeting to the Seven Churches
4 This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia.
Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.
All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
7 Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven.
And everyone will see him—
even those who pierced him.
And all the nations of the world
will mourn for him.
Yes! Amen!
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”
Vision of the Son of Man
9 I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. 10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.
19 “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen. 20 This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Chapter Overview and Summary.
There has been considerable debate over how to interpret the book of Revelation correctly. Many view it as a portal to the future and often use the Book of Revelation to predict upcoming events, both near and distant. There may be numerous advantages to reading the Book of Revelation in this way. However, the goal of the Bible Breakdown podcast is to think of how it would have affected the original audience. This is because the Bible was written for us, but it was not primarily written to us. It was written principally to seven churches in Asia Minor, which were experiencing massive persecution and even great temptation to compromise with the worship of the Roman emperor. While experiencing all this, they receive a letter from the last living original apostle, who claims to have seen Jesus. He is exalted over all kingdoms of this world and has already won. The book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ's victory. When viewed through that lens, it becomes a powerful letter of hope and encouragement. The standout images of this chapter are the explanation of what Jesus looks like in His glorified form. It is essential to remember that John is speaking symbolically. Therefore, when we read about Jesus, much of the way John describes Him is through symbols from the Old Testament, which speak to authority and power.
SOAP Bible Study.
Title: Seeing Jesus Clearly
Scripture- (Revelation 1:1) This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John.
Observation- This is the point of Revelation. Many become mesmerized by all the analogies, missing the reason Jesus gave this vision to John. The point of Revelation was to see Jesus and His ways more clearly. Throughout the Revelation of Jesus, two scenes occur simultaneously. Things are happening on Earth, and those things are happening in Heaven. In both, Jesus reigns supreme. To the persecuted early church, the message is clear. They are being reminded that Jesus has already won and is already reigning in Heaven. This remains true today as well. No matter what we have experienced on this Earth, Jesus still reigns supreme.
Application- Think about how Jesus is waiting to reign. He is reigning now. This means your King is already in the place of authority.
Prayer- Thank you, Jesus, for having all authority and using it to set us free every day.
Reflection Questions.
- Have you ever been hesitant to read the Book of Revelation due to all the debates surrounding it?
- What are three questions you have about the book of Revelation that you hope to answer throughout this study?
- What is your favorite descriptor about Jesus?
- How does this first chapter help you see Jesus as the King?
- Based on this chapter, what is the next step you need to take?
Additional Resources
- (Video) Hamrick, Gary. Verse by Verse Bible Study | Revelation 1:1–11. YouTube video, 61:20. May 20, 2019. (Link)
- (Book) MacArthur, John F. Revelation 1–11. MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Word, 1999. Available online via Logos. (Link)
- (Article) “Revelation 1 Commentary.” Precept Austin. (Link)
- (Article) MacArthur, John. “Bible Introductions – Revelation.” Blue Letter Bible. (Link)
- (Video) “Revelation 1 • The Things John Saw.” YouTube video, 26:00. Apr 10, 2023. (Link)
- (Article/Video Resource) “Book of Revelation Summary: Revelation 1–11.” BibleProject video, 11:51. (Link)
