The Book of Revelation – God’s Final Written Notice to this World.

1. Final Notice from the Owner

The Book of Revelation is one of the most exciting books in the Bible. It is written for and about our time. Its message is clear: GOD IS IN CONTROL.

Over the next few weeks, I am planning to present a “birds-eye” view of this amazing book so we may better understand it’s relevance today.  Get ready for some powerful insights from the Bible about our world and its future.

Meaning of the Word “Revelation”

The meaning of the word “Revelation” – translated from the Greek “Apocalypse” -is uncovering, unveiling, revealing.

The title of this book tells us it is not a “mystery” or allegory with hidden meaning. It is the uncovering and unveiling of God’s special revelation of His purposes and plans.

This is history written in advance. As events unfold, its prophecies become clearer.  Dr. Schofield, a noted Bible scholar commented in 1930: “The book is so written that, as the actual time of the events approach, the current events will unlock the meaning of the book.”

The Revelation of God’s Purposes and Plans

This last book in the Bible is God’s FINAL NOTICE to mankind. It deals with the future of Israel and all the nations – as well as the church – in specific detail. Tomorrow’s headlines are written on its pages.

Author and Date of the Book of Revelation

John, the Apostle wrote the Book of Revelation in approximately AD 90. He was also the author of the Gospel of John and three New Testament epistles (1,2,3 John). He had been exiled to the Isle of Patmos (a small Greek island) by Domitian, Emperor of Rome, during a time of tremendous persecution of the Christians. The prophet, Daniel, was given similar visions in BC 600 and the Lord told him to seal his writings. John was told to write down everything he saw and send it to seven churches. God’s Final Warning was now officially delivered.

“But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase. ” Daniel 12:4

“Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen” Revelation 1:19.

Outline of the Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation falls naturally into three parts:

1. “The things which you have seen” – John’s vision of the Risen Christ (Chapter 1).
2. “The things which are” – a reference to the Church Age (Chapters 2 and 3).
3. “The things which will take place after this” – referring to events that will take place after the Rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ (Chapters 4-22).

Symbolism of the Book of Revelation

Parts of the vision are shown to John in a series of pictures. Many of them are also found in other prophetic books such as Daniel and Ezekiel. Can you imagine the difficulty of a 1st Century man describing 21st Century technology in the language of his day? John was used to sailing ships, chariots, and horses. Now he is called upon to describe supersonic jets, helicopters, tanks, rocket launchers, and nuclear warfare. How would you cope?

“And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months” Revelation 9:9-10.

The Focus of the Book of Revelation

The book is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. It is “the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1) – History is HIS story. It describes prophetic events leading to His Second Coming and milestones we may observe – but the focus is always on Him.

The Book of Revelation is very Encouraging

The Book of Revelation is not designed to frighten or confuse you. It is one of the most encouraging books in the Bible. What do we learn from the Book of Revelation? Just this – the Sovereign Lord of Creation has everything under control. He knows the end from the beginning and everything is going according to His Plan.  No devil or human being can thwart the outcome. Even humankind’s worst excesses fulfill prophecy and will be used by the Lord to ensure the final outcome He promises in this book. Judgment will follow evil, but will never confuse God’s Will. Read more about prophetic events.

The Book assures us there is a day coming when the prayer we have prayed for so many generations will be answered: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:10.

From our perspective, things may look dark, but this book assures us His light will dispel the darkness at the appointed time. It gives us a roadmap of events leading to a glorious destination.

The Purpose of the Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation is a final warning from the Lord of all creation to prepare for His Return. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” Revelation 22:7.

In the next blog post, we will be talking about the FINAL NOTICE from the Owner – John’s Vision of the Risen Lord. Let’s find out more about the real Author of this incredible book.  He knows the future and it is a privilege to be allowed a small glimpse of His Plans and Purposes.

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Val

www.valwaldeck.com – Reaching Our Generation One Book at a Time

Val Waldeck

Author & Bible Teacher
www.valwaldeck.com – Reaching Our Generation One Book at a Time
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