I. The Struggle on Earth: (1-11) The church is persecuted on earth, but God avenges her. –Christ in the midst of the 7 churches, 1-3. –The Book with Seven.

I. The Struggle on Earth: (1-11) The church is persecuted on earth, but God avenges her.– Christ in the midst of the 7 churches, 1-3. – The Book with Seven Seals, 4-7. – The Seven Trumpets of Judgment, 8-11.

II. The Deeper Spiritual background: (12-22) Satan makes war with the saints, but Christ and the forces of heaven gain the victory!– Conflict between heaven & earth – the woman and

the dragon, 12-14. – The Seven Bowls of Wrath, 15, 16. – The Fall of the Great Harlot & the Beasts, 17-19– The Judgment upon the Dragon (Satan), 20– The New Heaven and Earth, 21-22

Lesson 2: Prologue (Revelation 1:1-8)

KEY VERSE: Revelation 1:1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John”

KEY POINTS IN THIS VERSE•Divine Source (cf. 1:4-7)•Divine Channel (Jesus > angel > John > servants)•Divine Media (signified = symbolic imagery)•Divine Timetable (cf. 22:6, 10; 1:3)

Prologue (Revelation 1:1-8)

• John will show us everything He saw (1:2, 11)

Those who read, hear and

keep these words are

blessed (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9;

20:6; 22:7, 14)

Prologue (Revelation 1:1-8)

Salutation to the Seven Churches (4-5a)• Grace and peace from…

– He who is and who was and who is to come.– The seven Spirits before His throne.– Jesus Christ.

Prologue (Revelation 1:1-8)

The sevenfold description of Jesus (1:5-6)• The Faithful Witness

(John 8:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; John 18:36-38)• Firstborn from the dead (Colossians

1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:20)• Ruler over the kings of the earth (Eph. 1:20-21)• Him who loved us (John 13:1, 34)• Washed us from our sins (Hebrews 9:14, 25-28)• Made us kings & priests (Rev 5:9-10; 1 Pet 2:9)• To Him be glory and dominion (Rev. 17:14)

Prologue (Revelation 1:1-8)

The Promise of His Coming (1:7-8)• All will SEE Him (1:7)• He declares Himself to be… (1:8)

– The Alpha and the Omega – The Beginning and the End– He who is, and was, and is to come– The Almighty

Christ Among the Churches(Revelation 1:9-20)

• John, their brother and companion (1:9)– In tribulation (Revelation 7:14-17)– In the kingdom

(Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:6; 5:10)– In the patience of Christ (Revelation 14:12-13)

• Exiled to the Island of Patmos “for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (1:9b)

• “In the Spirit on the Lord’s day,” John is instructed to write what he sees (1:10-11; Revelation 4:2; 17:3; 21:10)

The Island of Patmos

Patmos is an island in the Aegean sea. It has a land area of only 13 square miles.

This map shows the location of Patmos in relation to the Seven Churches of Asia, to whom John wrote.

The Island of Patmos

The Island of Patmos

PatmosPatmosCape Yenoupa

Christ Among the LampstandsRevelation 1:10-17

• The vision of Christ among the lamp stands in Revelation 1:10-17 serves as a case study illustrating how Historical References and Apocalyptic Visions are woven together throughout Revelation.

Christ Among the LampstandsRevelation 1:10-17

The image of the Son of Man in the vision of Revelation chapter one bears a striking

resemblance to a messenger sent to Daniel.

“…I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.”-- Daniel 10:4-6

Christ Among the LampstandsRevelation 1:10-17

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day” (1:10)

– Ezekiel 2:2 “And I heard behind me a

loud voice, as of a trumpet” (1:10)

-- Ezekiel 3:12 “Then I turned to see the voice

that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands (1:12)

-- Exodus 25:31-37; Zechariah 4:2.

Christ Among the LampstandsRevelation 1:10-17

“And in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man” (1:13)

-- Daniel 7:13-14 “Clothed with a garment

down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.” (1:13)

-- Exodus 29:5 “His head and hair were

white like wool, as white as snow” (1:14)

– Isaiah 1:18, Daniel 7:9