Revelation 1 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rev 1:1-3

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

A. Find Out:

1. Whose revelation is this? v.1a
2. Why did God give it to him? v.1b
3. How did he communicate it? v.1c
4. What was John shown? v.2
5. Who will be blessed? v.3b
6. Why? v.3c

B. Think:

1. What is the chain of communication noted here?
2. What does it say about each one involved?
3. Why should such a chain be used do you think?

C. Comment:

      In Matthew 24:36 Jesus had said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”. Thus it is that God the Father now shares with His ascended Son the structure of things to come. Jesus is God’s communication with men (John 1:1,14) and so Jesus has the privilege of sharing it, but as he is central to the affairs of heaven (see later) he uses an angel to share.   There is a sense of immediacy about the message, “what must soon take place”, and “the time is near”. The letters to the seven churches (chapters 2 and 3) were indeed in the immediate future, instructions for the church of that day giving warnings of what would shortly happen.

     First of all comes the word of God, instructions from God to the seven churches, then comes the testimony of Jesus Christ, the revelation that John had of Jesus’ position in all that follows.

      Blessing is promised for the reader of this book. A young twelve year old with no previous church background became a Christian at a children’s mission and went home and read straight through this book. He shared of the wonder of what he had seen and was obviously thrilled by what he had read. May we be similarly!

D. Application?

1. God’s word always comes with practical content to today’s church.
2. God’s word reveals the glory of God to release faith in His followers.

Passage: Rev 1:4-8

4 John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits

 before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

7 ‘Look, he is coming with the clouds,’
    and ‘every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him’;
    and all peoples on earth ‘will mourn because of him.’
So shall it be! Amen.

8 ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’

A. Find Out:    

1. How is God first described? v.4a
2. How is the Holy Spirit described? v.4b
3. What threefold description is given of Jesus? v.5a
4. What has he done? v.5b,6
5. What is going to happen? v.7
6. How is God finally described? v.8

B. Think:

1. As a greeting to the seven churches what does it first convey in terms of wishes from the Godhead?
2. What impact, do you think, would the descriptions of the Godhead have had on the churches?
3. How does time come into this passage?

C. Comment:

     Initially we have a greeting to the seven churches in Asia Minor from the Lord in the form of a blessing of grace and peace. When the Lord wishes peace for you, you know that is good! Peace is also conveyed by a reminder of who it is who sends it. Thus, it is important to observe the descriptions of God.

     First of all, there is God the Father who once said to Moses, “I AM”, God who is, who always has been and always will be. A sense of eternity puts present history into perspective. Following a mention of the perfect (seven = perfect or complete) Spirit, comes the reminder of who Jesus is, the one who has come to witness to the truth and to God’s love, the one who rose from the dead, and who is now seated at His Father’s right hand ruling, the one who is in control, the one who died for us, to free us from sin, guilt and shame. With Jesus for us who can be against us! Not only that, there is a clear plan and purpose of God being worked out which will involve Jesus’ triumphant return. Yes, all of these things should bring a deep sense of peace as we allow the truth to settle in our hearts.

D. Application?

1. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are working together for our good.
2. Be at peace for God is working out His sovereign purposes.

Passage: Rev 1:9-16

9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: ‘Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.’

12 I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

A. Find Out:

1. What did John say he shared in? v.9a
2. Why was he on Patmos? v.9b
3. What did the voice tell him to do? v.11
4. Where was the speaker standing? v.12,13
5. How were his features striking? v.14-16
6. What was he holding? v.16

B. Think:

1. Why, apparently, was John on Patmos ?
2. What commission was he given?
3. By whom?

C. Comment:

      Tradition has it that John had been exiled because of his faith, to work on Patmos in the marble quarries there. On a day of the Lord’s choosing the Lord comes to him in a vision and brings him a command to write to the seven churches in Asia Minor.

     The manner of the Lord’s revelation is significant. In the vision he appears standing in the midst of the seven churches (v.20), holding seven stars, the seven angels or leaders of those churches. He is clearly coming as Lord of the church. He is dressed in the manner of a priest or judge of that day. In that form his characteristics are even more significant. His white hair indicates age and wisdom. His eyes penetrate and see everything. His mouth speaks words that cut right through to the heart of the matter and destroy all opposition. His face shines with absolute purity, there is no doubt whatsoever that what this Being says will be absolutely right.

      We see Jesus here in a very different form from that seen in the Gospels, as the Lord of the church, one who comes on behalf of the church of God (see 1 John 2:1,2), and yet one who comes with corrective and challenging words to His church. He is Lord AND Saviour (judge and priest)!

D. Application?

1. The church belongs to Jesus (see Acts 20:28c)
2. Jesus alone has the right and the ability to correct and discipline His church, for He alone can be judge and intercessory priest.

Passage: Rev 1:17-20

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

19 ‘Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

A. Find Out:

1. How did John respond when he saw Jesus? v.17a
2. What did Jesus do? v.17b
3. How did Jesus describe himself? v.17c,18
4. What did he say he held? v.18c
5. What 3 things did he tell John to do? v.19
6. Who are the stars and the lampstands? v.20

B. Think:

1. Why do you think John fell as though dead?
2. How do these descriptions clearly indicate this person is Jesus?
3. What position does he hold?

C. Comment:

      When John saw this being he was overcome and fell lifeless at his feet. Such was the awesome presence of Him! He then touched John, apparently to restore him, and encouraged him with one of the Bible’s 366 “fear not”s. He described himself as one who exists in eternity (first and last), who is living, but was dead, and who, because he was resurrected, now lives for ever. Without a doubt this is the risen and reigning Lord Jesus. Because of what he has done and who he is, he also has the authority to say who enters death, who enters Hades (hell) and when. He is the supreme overseer over life and death. He has earned that right.

      Jesus comes to reassure and the way He does it is by revealing the wonder of who He is Himself. Before He commissions John he reassures and strengthens him. Then he goes on to instruct John to record

a) what he has seen,

b) what is happening (Revelation 2 & 3) and then

c) what he will be shown will happen later on (Revelation 4 onwards).

       In conclusion He reveals Himself as the one who speaks as Lord over the church, and what follows in the next two chapters is His word to these churches.

D. Application?

1. “Familiar Jesus” or the awesome risen Son of God?
2. Jesus who is “friend & saviour” or also the holy Lord of the church?