Part 1...

The book of Revelation is one truly amazing "way out there" book of the Bible.

 It is the last book... but is in no way the least. The opposite would be true.

 Revelation is the only book of prophecy in the New Testament... 

This prophetic book will make you sit up and take notice about what will happen in the future on our planet Earth.

It deals with the end times... 

It speaks about the end of the world as we know it... 

It tells us who are going to be the winners and who are the losers.

 Revelation ties up all the loose ends and threads presented in the rest of the Bible.

Everything on Earth is at long last brought to a conclusion... God's conclusion... a conclusion involving God's judgement... and more correctly, it deals with a judgement involving the wrath of God.

☆ Revelation 6:17.

 All evil, wickedness, deceit, corruption, sin, sickness, death, pain, sorrow, tears and all the forces of darkness are finally done away with.

 All that was started in the book of beginnings (Genesis) is consummated in Revelation.

 • In Genesis the heaven and earth were created—in Revelation we see a new heaven and a new earth.

• In Genesis we see the sun and moon appear—in Revelation we read that there is no need of the sun or moon, for Christ is the light of the new heaven.

• In Genesis there is a garden—in Revelation there is a holy city. 

• In Genesis there is the marriage of the first Adam—in Revelation there is the marriage supper of the second Adam, Jesus Christ. 

• In Genesis we see the beginning of sin—in Revelation sin is done away with. 

• In Genesis we see the appearance of the great adversary, Satan, and sorrow and pain and tears—in Revelation we see Satan, sorrow, pain and tears destroyed.

 I want to deal with the first chapter literally... just as it is... just as it stands. Letting the text interpret itself. Chapter 1 is like an introduction for the rest of the book.

 No embellishments and no wild speculations, will be made, remembering that...

 • God's Word is Truth. 

• God's Word is Relevant for all times for all people. 

• God's Word is Powerful. 

• God's Word is Spirit and life.

• God's Word is forever settled in Heaven... unchangeable.

• God's Word is Eternal. 

 

I want to say right from the outset that...

I believe in God... I believe God and... I believe that...

"God says what He means and He means what He says."

 

God speaks to us through His Word.

It is through His Word He directs, guides, teaches, encourages, admonishes, sustains and builds us up.

 

The Greek word for revelation is "apokalupsis"... and means...

• laying bear, making naked...

• a disclosure of truth or instruction...

                a. concerning things before unknown.

                b. used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto hidden are made visible to all

• manifestation, appearance

 

The Greek word "apokalupsis" is where we get the word "apocalypse" from.

One meaning the dictionary gives for the word "apocalypse" is...  any universal or widespread destruction or disaster. Hollywood has capitalised on this word making several movies using that very theme of doom, gloom, misery and destruction... 

 

I have to ask... "Why such movies?" To put fear into people? Or is Satan our adversary using such movies to desensitise us from what's going to happen?