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Revelation introduction
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29
In Revelation we have a beautiful picture of God's love for us. Jesus does not leave His church without light. It is His wish to reveal the future so that His followers, from the first Century until His return, will know what dangers are ahead. Even as we find Christ, our High Priest, standing in the midst of His church represented by the seven candlesticks. Seven being the number of completeness; the whole church in time, as it were. From the teachings of the Apostles until the glory of His return, the seven bearers of God's light are filled with His presence and intercession in the Heavenly sanctuary. Jesus' people shall bear the message of His work as shown by these symbols.
The entire book of revelation shows the careful watch of Christ over His church, beginning with the proclamation that all His faithful followers are priests and kings. Priests in the sense of the duty to teach and minister His word to the world, and kings as those who inherit the kingdom by the grace of Jesus. Unless we are washed by His blood, we can not enter into the promise. This is no mere issue of talk, this is the reality of salvation: to have sin purged from our life. This involves change, it involves recognizing the sin, and by the work of Jesus, no longer entering into sin. Just as sin is not overcome by human effort, sin is by no means defined by human decision. God defines sin by His law, just as He defines salvation through the work that Jesus effects in us; a process that begins and ends with faith. The strong foundation that Jesus stands on shines forth as brass. The path of His feet we are to follow.
“Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” If Jesus spoke this admonition 2,000 years ago, it is key for us to come to understand this book, which is a revelation of His word for the church from His day until ours. The most quoted verse in scripture has to be John 3:16. It is proclaimed by Christians of all faiths as the determining factor in salvation. It has the force of a significant doctrine that seems indisputable. Yet, is it quite as simple as so many Christians, who like to talk-the-talk, sling it around? To believe in Jesus is more than a patronizing acknowledgment of His existence, His Deity, His humanity, or His sacrifice. As James says, “The devils also believe, and they tremble.” To know Jesus is to follow Him, His teachings, His example of obedience to God's laws, His life of love and selflessness, His saving grace, His word. What the book of Revelation tells of Jesus has a lot more to do with than whether or not one believes He's alive. It tells us of an involved Savior who is constantly leading through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and through light given to His church to give to the world. Home | About Us | Bible Study | Billerica Blog | Bible Commentary | Devotional | Online Giving | Ministries | Prayer | Media | Bookstore | News | Calendar | Contact Us | Sermons
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