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"THE BOOK OF REVELATION"

Chapter One

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To note that the Revelation was written to churches

of things that would soon take place

2) To appreciate the implications of what is said about

Jesus, both in the greeting by John and in the words of

Jesus Himself

SUMMARY

The Revelation of Jesus Christ begins with a clear

statement of origin and purpose. Given to Jesus by God

to show His servants things which must soon take place,

it is designed to bless those who read, hear and keep

the words of the prophecy (1-3). John then addresses

the seven churches in Asia (western Turkey), offering

grace and peace from each member of the Godhead with

descriptive terms which become more significant later

in the epistle (4-6). His greeting is followed with

a declaration concerning the Lord's coming, and a self-

designation as expressed by the Lord Himself (7-8).

At this point John explains how he was commissioned to

record the Revelation. While on the island of Patmos

(likely in exile for preaching the word of God), he was

in the Spirit on the Lord's day when he heard a loud

voice behind him. The voice identified itself as "the

Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last", and then

charged him to write what he saw to seven churches in

Asia (9-11). Turning to see the voice, John saw seven

golden lampstands and in their midst the Son of

Man. Describing the awesome appearance of the Son of

Man and his own reaction, John then records how Jesus

comforted and then charged him to write what he has

seen and will see (12-19). The chapter ends with the

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Lord's explanation that the seven stars in His right

hand represent the angels (messengers?) of the seven

churches, and the seven lampstands signify the seven

churches themselves (20).

OUTLINE

I. INTRODUCTION (1-8)

A. INTRODUCTION AND BENEDICTION (1-3)

1. Introducing the Revelation of Jesus Christ (1-

2)

Who is the main Subject of the book of

Revelation?_______________________________.

How is the Lord Jesus described in the following

references from Revelation?

Revelation 5:11-14

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Revelation 14:14-15

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Revelation 19:11-16

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Revelation 21:22-

26_____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

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a. Which God gave Him to show His servants

b. Regarding things which much shortly take

place

c. Sent and signified by His angel

Angels play a large role in this book.

The angel referred to in Revelation 1:1 was probably

G__________________.

Daniel 8:15-19

Luke 1:11-19

Luke 1:26-31

Based on these scriptures it would seem it was Gabriel

who brought the message to John, but no definite

identity of the angel is given in the book of

Revelation.

Verse 2 of chapter 1 reveals the book is simply the

written record of what John saw and heard, which was a

communication from and about J_____________

C____________

d. To His servant John, who bore witness...

1) To the w______ of G________

2) To the t______ of Jesus Christ

3) To a_______ things that he s________.

2. The benediction (3) (The S_________

BL______________)

Revelation is the only book in the Bible that promises

a S______________ BL_________________ to those who

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study it.

a. Bl________ is he who r________ and those

who hear this prophecy

b. Bl______ are those who k______ those things

written in it, for the time is near

But almost 2,000 years have pass since John wrote this

book?

2 Peter 3:8

B. GREETINGS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES (4-6)

1. From John, to the seven churches in Asia (4a)

2. With grace and peace (4b-6)

a. From Him who is and who was and who is to

come

b. From the seven Spirits who are before His

throne

E. The theme of this message (1:5b–8): Jesus

Christ is its grand and glorious theme.

From Jesus Christ

1. W______ h_____ i________ (1:5b–5e, 8)

a. God’s faithful witness (1:5b)

b. The f_______ from the dead (1:5c)

c. Ruler of the kings of this earth (1:5d)

d. The Alpha and O______ (1:8a)

e. The Eternal One (1:8b)

2. W______ h______ has d________ (1:5e–6)

a. Shed his bl____________ to redeem us (1:5e)

b. Made us a kingdom of priests (1:6)

f) Who loved us and washed us from our sins in

His own blood

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g) Who made us kings and priests to His God and

Father

-- To Whom be glory and dominion forever

and ever!

If you knew you would see Jesus in the morning, coming

in power and glory, what changes would you make in your

life today?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Acts 1:9-11

Revelation 1:7

C. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHRIST'S COMING (7)

What he will do (1:7) : He will come again in

the clouds.

a. Revealing himself to the Jews (1:7a)

b. Revealing himself to the Gentiles (1:7b)

1. He is coming with clouds

2. Every eye will see Him, and they also who

pierced Him

3. All the tribes of the earth will mourn because

of Him

-- Even so, Amen (so be it)

D. THE SELF-DESIGNATION (8)

1. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning

and the End"

2. "Who is and who was and who is to come, the

Almighty"

a. The place of this message (1:9): John was on

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the Isle of Patmos.

b. The time of this message (1:10a): It was on the

Lord’s Day.

c. The sound of this message (1:10b): “A voice like a

trumpet blast1

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?

- Introduction (1-8)

- The vision of the Son of Man (9-20)

2) What was Jesus intending to show His servants? (1)

- Things which must shortly take place (cf. 1:3;

22:6,10)

3) How is John described in verse 2?

- As one who bore witness to the word of God, to the

testimony of

Jesus Christ, and to all things that he saw

4) Who is this book designed to bless? Why? (3)

- Those who read and hear the words of this

prophecy, and keep the

things written in it

- For the time is near

5) To whom was the book addressed? (4,11)

- Seven churches in Asia

- Churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira,

Sardis,

Philadelphia, Laodicea

6) How is God described in the greeting from John? The

1 Willmington, H. L. (1999). The Outline Bible (Re 1:5–10). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

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Holy Spirit? (4)

- Who is and who was and who is to come

- The seven Spirits who are before His throne (cf.

4:5; Zech 4:1-6)

7) How is Jesus Christ described by John in this

greeting? (5-6)

- The faithful witness

- The firstborn from the dead

- The ruler over the kings of the earth

- Who loved us

- Who washed us from our sins in His own blood

- Who has made us kings and priests to His God and

Father

8) What is said about the coming of Christ? (7)

- He is coming with clouds

- Every eye will see Him, and they also who pierced

Him

- All the tribes of the earth will mourn because of

Him

9) How does the Lord designate Himself? (8)

- "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and

the End"

- "Who is and who was and who is to come, the

Almighty"

10) How does John identify himself to His readers? (9a)

- Your brother and companion tribulation

- In the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ

11) Where and when did John receive the Revelation?

(9b-10)

- On the island of Patmos for the word of God and

for the testimony

of Jesus

- While in the Spirit on the Lord's Day

12) What did he hear a loud voice say? (11)

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- "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the

Last"

- "What you see, write in a book and send it to the

seven churches

in Asia..."