1. DEFINITIVE LOOK AT CHAPTER ONE
   1. ORIGIN OF THE BOOK
      1. Author: Verse 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

      2. Messenger: Verse 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

      3. Scribe: Verse 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

         Verse 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

         Verse 9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

         Verse 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

         Jesus gave it. The Angel delivered it. John transcribed it.

   2. PURPOSE OF THE BOOK, Verse 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

   3. PROMISE OF THE BOOK, Verse 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
      1. Read

      2. Hear (Understand)

      3. Keep (Do)

   4. RECIPIENTS OF THE BOOK, Verses 1, 3, 4, 11
      1. Universal
         All who read it, verse 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

      2. Individual
         verse 4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
         verse 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

   5. PERSON OF THE BOOK
      1. TEN CHARACTERISTICS OF JESUS CHRIST, Verses 12-18
         1. One like unto the Son of man, v.13 "And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle."

            Daniel 7:13 - "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him."

            Gospels: Matthew 8:20; 9:6; 12:8, 32, 40; 13:37, 41; 16:13, 27, 28; 17:9, 12, 22; 18:11; 19:28; 20:28; 24:27, 30, 37, 39, 44; 25:13, 31; 26:2, 24, 45, 64

            * Speaks of His Humanity

         2. Clothed with a garmet down to the foot, v.13

            * Priestly robe - speaks of His priesthood

         3. Golden Girdle, v.13

            (Only those in authority wore a girdle)

            Daniel 10:5 - Dress of the Messenger of God - "Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:"

            * Speaks of Him as Prophet, Priest and King

         4. Head and Hair White as Wool, v.14 "His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;"

            Daniel 7:9 - "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire."

            * Speaks of:

            Age - eternal existance of Christ
            Purity - sinlessness of Christ

         5. Eyes as a flame of fire, v.14

            Daniel 10:6 - "His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude."

            Hebrews 4:13 - "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."

            * Speaks of His Omniscience

         6. Feet like unto fine brass, v.15 "And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters."

            (Sin was judged at the brazen alter of the Tabernacle) Exodus 38:1-2 - "And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof. And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass."

            * Speaks of Judgement

         7. Voice like the Sound of Many Waters, v.15

            Ezekiel 43:2 - "And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory."

            * Speaks of power and authority

         8. Seven stars in His right hand, v.16 (see Revelation 1:20 - "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.")

            * Speaks of His compassion and care for the Churches

         9. Sharp two-edged sword, v.16 "And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength."

            Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

            Isaiah 49:2 - "And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; "

            * Speaks of the authority of Scripture

         10. His countenance, v.16

             Matthew 17:2 - "And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. "

             * Speaks of His Glory

      2. FOUR REASONS NOT TO FEAR, v.17-18
         1. He is the First and the Last, v.17 "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:" (Revelation 1:8)

            * He is the beginning, the ending and everything in-between
            * Speaks of His Deity
            * Jehovah claimed this title three times
            Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12
            *Jesus claimed the same title three times
            Revelation 1:17, 2:8; 22:13

         2. He is the One that Liveth who was dead, v.18 "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

            * Speaks of His redemptive death and resurrection
            * 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-8

         3. He is alive for evermore, v.18

            * Speaks of His present state
            * Because He lives, we live

         4. He has the keys of hell and of death,

            * Speaks of authority and power
            * Death demands the body; Hades claims the soul
            * Hades here means the unseen world

      3. THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK, v.19 "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; "
         1. "Things which thou has seen", v.12,17
            (Covers chapter one)

         2. "And the things which are", v.20b
            (Covers chapters 2,3)

         3. "And the things which shall be hereafter", 4:1
            (hereafter means "after these things")

   6. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE SEVEN CANDLESTICKS

      Verses 12-13 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

      Verse 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

      Verse 20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

   7. THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK

      Verse 19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

   8. THE SEVEN BEATITUDES OF THE BOOK
      1. Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

      2. Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

      3. Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

      4. Revelation 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

      5. Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

      6. Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

      7. Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

   CONCLUSION

   Three prerequisites necessary to receive the blessing of the book of Revelation 1:3

"If you do not understand where everything is going, then it doesn't matter what it's doing while it is going."
John MacArthur

"When the plain sense of the Scripture makes sense, seek no other sense."
Cooper

To Chapter 2