Title: Revelation and the Apostle John
Contents
2006' The pulpit of the tendency to expound on the book of Revelation (5)
"Revelation and the Apostle John"
Revelation 1:9-11
The book of Revelation is called the Book of Revelation. It is because the inevitable revelation of the end times was given to us by the apostle John.
The text given today tells how the book of Revelation was given.
I. The identity of the recorder of revelation was the apostle John.
In Revelation 1:9, it says “I, John”. He is the one who has already appeared in Revelation 1:1, verses 2, and 4.
1. He said “your brothers” (Revelation 1:9).
The apostle John did not call himself an apostle, but called “your brother”.
This is an expression that contains ① the meaning of humility, ② belonging to one family in the kingdom of God, and ③ the meaning of a spiritual family that does the will of my Father in heaven.
2. It is said to be a partaker in the sufferings of the Lord.
Revelation 1:9 also says, “He is a sharer in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus.”
“Jesus’ tribulation” refers to the persecution, abuse, and hatred of this world through the cross (Matthew 5:11, John 16:33).
“Nation” refers to the movement of the Church of God that is being accomplished in this world. It means that your people will reign with you in the world (2 Timothy 2:12).
“Patience” refers to perseverance in the midst of “tribulation” and the pain of death because of “the kingdom”. Matthew 24:13 says, “He who endures to the end will be saved.”
By revealing his identity and mission in this way, he shows his familiarity with the readers of Revelation as a person in common destiny.
3. They are called Lord's Witnesses
In Revelation 1:9, “Because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus… ' said.
The “Word of God” here refers to the gospel of salvation. “The testimony of Jesus” refers to the events of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. He was a sure field man who heard this fact with his ears, saw with his eyes, noticed and touched this with his hands (1 John 1:1).
II. The place of the revelation was said to be ‘Patmos Island’.
Revelation 1:9 says, “I was on an island called Patmos.”
It was said that the place where he received the revelation that must come soon was “Patmos.”
The island of Patmos is about 70 miles southwest of Ephesus and can be reached by sailing about 14 hours. At the time, it was an uninhabited island with a small red rock elevation about 5 miles wide and 10 miles long.
It was the place where the Apostle John went to worship under the persecution of the Roman emperor Domisian. At that time, several felony prisoners from the Roman Empire were also imprisoned there, and it is said that they were given quarrying labor.
Now the island has been transformed into a very beautiful island, inhabited and attracting tourists.
Turkey was originally a Turkish territory, but after World War II, Turkey was defeated along with Germany, and had to give up all the islands to Greece. So it is now part of Greece.
At that time, it is thought that the Apostle John prayed in a cave (?) when he had time to work breaking stones in a quarry.
There he met the Lord of heaven and received a revelation. Although it was a settlement on an uninhabited island, the Lord made the place of suffering the most holy place of glory by opening the gates of heaven and receiving revelations from heaven.
Irenaeus, Eusebius, and Jerome testify that he was released again later (about A.D. 96) and returned to Ephesus to preach a long life.
John Bunyan wrote that immortal masterpiece ‘The Journey of the Heavenly Fathers’ in the place of suffering during the 12 years of imprisonment. Whether it is a booth or a palace, wherever the Lord's revelation and grace come from, it becomes heaven.
Ⅲ. The situation at the time of the revelation record.
1. When the revelation was received, it was called “the day of the Lord.”
In Revelation 1:10, it is called “the day of the Lord.”
This day is the day the early church celebrated, worshiped, and gave thanks as the 'Day of the Resurrection of the Lord'. It was a day of victory, a day of triumph, a day of life, a day of glory, and a day of fulfillment of promises.
2. The circumstance of receiving the revelation was that he was “inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Revelation 1:10 says, “On the day of the Lord I was moved by the Holy Spirit.”
3. The method of giving revelation was “a loud voice like a trumpet.”
In Revelation 1:10, “… Behind me I heard a loud voice like a trumpet... ' said.
It doesn't necessarily mean 'trumpet', but "like the sound of a trumpet." That sound was a kind of spirit that woke the apostle John. Just before the resurrected Lord appeared to the Apostle John, it was a voice that called new attention and focused his attention.
IV. It is the mandate of the revelation codification.
Revelation 1:11 says, "Write what you see in a book, and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea."
1. It is a command to ‘write in a book what you see’.
Why was the record ordered?
① This is because the revelation of the Bible is not a private property, but a common property to be owned by all saints in all ages.
② This is to accommodate a large amount of revelation content.
③ For accurate and complete preservation and delivery.
④ Because it is the best way to go anywhere.
2. What did you see?
This is the entire book of Revelation.
3. Where will you write your book and send it?
The seven churches in Asia. The seven churches here represent the global church of all generations to come and come until the Second Coming of the Lord.
Saints!
The apostle John went to the Isle of Patmos because of the tribulation and kingdom of Jesus. But it was the place of revelational grace for God to record the end-time revelation that must soon come.
The whole creation is the stage of evangelism that God uses for his people. God's revelation has appeared to us by means of a book called the record. So all of God's revelations have been given to us through the means of 'codification'. Indeed, blessed are those who read this, those who hear it, and those who keep what is written in them (Revelation 1:3).