Let’s be sincere: Revelation could be a scary guide. Due to that, a few of us have prevented Revelation, contemplating it too tough to interpret and perceive, too controversial, or too scary. Maybe we’ve got ignored it as a result of we’ve got assumed that the guide is just concerning the future, with nothing sensible for us at this time.
The reality is that whereas the apocalyptic prophecy in Revelation presents some challenges to us as fashionable readers, it additionally affords presents of perception and understanding to these prepared to have interaction with it. Revelation is a letter written to gird us for devoted allegiance to Christ as we await His return. And that is encouragement all of us want!
I might invite you to check Revelation for the enjoyment of it.
I need to invite you to check Revelation for the enjoyment of it. And since Revelation is stuffed with sevens (seven church buildings, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls, and plenty of extra sevens), it appears applicable to provide seven the explanation why Revelation is a pleasure to check.
1. Revelation is a message from God despatched to us.
It’s superb that the God who created the world has condescended to talk to us in human language. Within the Bible, the God of the universe tells us what we most have to know. And there’s something particular about the best way his message within the Guide of Revelation is delivered to us. At first, they bought their particular provide chain:
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to indicate his servants what should quickly happen. He made it recognized by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the phrase of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even the whole lot he noticed. (Revelation 1:12)
What John wrote down within the Guide of Revelation got here from God the Father, to Jesus Christ, to his angel, to John, who then wrote it down first for the seven church buildings that initially acquired it, and in addition for all who have been then or would . turn into companions within the tribulation and the dominion and the affected person endurance that’s in Jesus (Rev 1:9). God has a message for you within the guide of Revelation that you do not need to miss!
2. Revelation opens our eyes to see the resurrected and glorified Christ.
Most of our psychological photos of Jesus have been formed by the Gospels. In our minds we see him as a child in a manger standing on the hillside studying and hanging on the cross. However within the guide of Revelation, John will get a imaginative and prescient of Jesus as he’s proper now, at this time. When John was in jail on the Isle of Patmos, he heard the voice of Jesus talking to him, felt Jesus attain out and touched him, and noticed Jesus in all his resurrected, ascended glory (Revelation 1:920).
We don’t need our understanding of Jesus to be restricted to the years of His earthly humanity, that are superb as these Gospel photos are. The Jesus we name upon and talk with daily is the resurrected and glorified Jesus. Seeing Him as He’s now, by means of John’s vivid report of His imaginative and prescient, builds our confidence in Him, will increase our consideration to Him, and widens our pleasure in Him.
3. Revelation offers an image of Jesus’ presence with us.
In Revelation 1, John sees Jesus within the midst of the candlesticks (verse 13). Instructed that the candlesticks symbolize the church buildings (verse 20). When those that first acquired this letter gathered to listen to it learn to them, it should have drastically inspired them that Jesus didn’t stand aloof whereas his followers suffered for him. He was proper there with them, strolling of their midst, holding their fireplace for the gospel burning, correcting them, watching over them, strengthening them.
We want the identical reminders, do not we? What a pleasure to have this image that Revelation offers of Jesus standing within the midst of his individuals. Within the midst of struggling for our faithfulness to Him, once we face the temptation to be untrue to Him, we will ensure that He’s with us and offers what we want for affected person endurance.
4. Revelation allows us to see this world from heaven’s perspective.
In Revelation 4:1, John data that he’s invited to ascend into heaven and enter by means of an open door to see one thing. In a visionary state, John appears into God’s heavenly throne room and sees the thunderous worship happening across the throne. However from this vantage level he’s additionally in a position to see what’s going on on earth from the attitude of heaven.
Generally we foolishly assume that we’ve got all the info we have to consider what is going on in our world. However we do not. Our views are restricted by our humanity and our earthly vantage level. However as we take what John recorded of what he noticed, we discover that we’re higher in a position to see the true nature of our current actuality. It is perspective we want. As an alternative of seeing the choices of this world as enticing, from heaven’s perspective we will see how ugly and unsatisfactory they’re. As an alternative of seeing the persecution of devoted believers as a tragic defeat, one may see it as a wonderful victory.
5. Revelation assures us that God will take care of the evil on this world.
Jesus taught us to wish: Ship us from evil (Matthew 6:13). He delivers us daily, and Revelation reveals us that at some point He’ll ship us in an final and closing method. His outpouring of wrath would be the reply to our prayers. You and I don’t need to stay perpetually in a world marked by evil, revolt, idolatry and immorality. And we should not. The day is coming when God will cleanse all ugliness and evil from his creation and make it appropriate for us to stay in as our everlasting dwelling.
6. Revelation reveals us what our everlasting future will appear to be.
Generally the notion of heaven or eternity can appear so imprecise. We wish particulars. And whereas the Bible might not give us all the main points we like, the ultimate chapters of Revelation give us uniquely stunning footage that give us a way of our everlasting future.
Once we take within the books’ footage of marriage, we will smile, sense the intimacy we might get pleasure from in face-to-face communion with God. As we learn by means of its imagery of a metropolis, we discover ourselves anticipating the richness of being a part of a individuals from each tribe, tongue, and nation. Its imagery of a temple makes us think about what it will likely be wish to bask perpetually in God’s radiant glory. And as we take within the photos of a backyard, we exhale as we envision what it will likely be wish to stay in an environment of therapeutic, wholeness, and full satisfaction for all eternity. Are you able to nearly really feel the enjoyment of this marriage, this metropolis, this temple, this backyard?
7. Revelation guarantees blessing.
Once we consider beatitudes, most of us most likely consider the blessed. . . statements from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:312). However do you know that Revelation has its personal beatitudes? On its pages are seven statements about the one who is blessed. Once we look at the seven beatitudes of Revelation, it turns into instantly obvious that the blessing God guarantees is nothing like the trendy model of social media #blessed.
Who will probably be blessed in keeping with Revelation? Those that hear and hold what’s written within the guide of Revelation (Rev 1:3; 22:7). Those that refuse to compromise with the world (Revelation 19:9). Those that die within the Lord (Revelation 14:13). Those that hold awake and look ahead to Christ’s return (Revelation 16:15). Those that rule with Christ (Revelation 20:6). Those that have had their robes washed within the blood of the Lamb and have the correct to eat of the tree of life (Revelation 22:14).
Revelation units earlier than us true and lasting fairly than false and fleeting blessing.
Revelation units earlier than us true and lasting fairly than false and fleeting blessing. That is the blessing round which we need to orient our lives. That is the blessing of everlasting Sabbath relaxation into which Adam failed to steer mankind. We are able to ensure that Jesus, the final Adam, won’t fail to steer us into it. Revelation reveals us how he’ll do it. Anticipation of this blessing is what fills us with actual pleasure now.
My good friend, don’t be intimidated by the guide of Revelation. Do not ignore it. Dive into it. Discover it. Have your perspective modified by it. Discover the enjoyment in it. Expertise the promised blessing in it.