Revelation 1 Lesson

THE BOOK OF REVELATION

The Book of Revelation has 21 Chapters.   It was written by John while he was in exile for his testimony about Jesus on the small island of Patmos off the coast of present-day Turkey.  Most scholars put the time of writing to be approximately 95-96 AD.  

An angel of the Lord spoke to John and commanded him to:

• “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 1:11.

John’s use of imagery and symbolism add to the book’s beauty and complexity.   The Book of Revelation provides hope to Christians throughout the world. It is a blessing to all who read and hear its message!   Revelation reveals how Jesus will defeat Satan, and how He has prepared a place for His believers in Heaven.     

REVELATION DEFINED

According to google.com, a revelation is defined as:

“A surprising and previously unknown fact, especially one that is made known in a dramatic way.”

The Book of Revelation is a prophecy given to John to provide hope and to further our understanding of what is still to come.  

BLESSINGS

John writes at the beginning of his letter:

• “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.

Those of us who read and hear the Book of Revelation will be blessed in three important ways:

1. We will gain a new perspective on the final days on Earth and what they will be like,
2. We will have a better understanding of the glory that awaits those who are faithful until the end,
3. We will be filled with hope and peace, knowing that Jesus defeats Satan and good prevails over evil.  

THE LOVE OF JESUS

John begins his writings in the Book of Revelation by sending a greeting from God the Father to the seven churches of Asia.   He then proceeds to talk about the love of Jesus:

• “To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood.” – Revelation 1:5.

Other books of the Bible talk about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.   The Book of Revelation builds on these foundations by revealing to us how Jesus has made his followers into a kingdom where we are to serve as priests to God the Father (Revelation 1:6).

THE RETURN OF JESUS

In his revelation, John talks about the return of Jesus:

• “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.

This verse again gives us hope because it shows Jesus as the powerful and conquering Savior of the World that He is!   For today’s lesson, we will highlight three additional scriptures about the return of Jesus:

1. “So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” - Hebrews 9:28,
2. “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward iswith Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” - Revelation 22:12,
3. “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” - John 14:1-3.

CONCLUSION

The Book of Revelation provides hope to Christians and a blessing to all who read and hear its message!   Jesus, through His angel, allowed John to see and write about things that were previously unknown.  

As we study the book, we will gain new insights into the final days on Earth and what that will be like. We also get a taste of how glorious Heaven will be for those who remain faithful until the end!

We will end today’s lesson with the following scripture.   It is a scripture that is full of hope and blessings for all who read and hear its message:

• “And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:4.