Life Study of Revelation message 1

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it, for the time is near. 

the book of Revelation is a book of prophecy according to this verse.
This book does contain prophecies. Most of the visions in this book are the things to come. but if we read this book, we will also discover that the apostle John wrote this book in the past tense, seems like in the eyes of God and in John's eyes also, all these things have been accomplished already. we, human beings are living in time, constricted by time element. but God is different, God is not confined with time or space. God is from eternity to eternity. so in God's view, all these are already fulfilled. 

in this book, two main things have transpired:

1. the testimony of Jesus: has been accomplished for eternity. the New Jerusalem, as the consummation of all that God has been doing, and is still working, is accomplished. and we are the New Jerusalem.

2. Satan, the enemy of God has been dealt with. Satan is in the lake of fire. 

Satan's destiny is the lake of fire, and our destiny is the New Jerusalem. 

the book of Revelation is the conclusion, as the last book of the whole Bible. all the divine seeds were first sowed in the beginning, Genesis, developed among all the books in the Bible, and harvested in the concluding book, Revelation. 

like the matter of the heaven, many Christians think, after we die, we all go to the heaven, and enjoy the golden mansion. is that really what God plans for us? if we read Revelation, we find our destiny. 

Revelation 1:6 says " And made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be the glory and the might forever and ever. Amen. " the verse before, which is verse 5 says that the Lord loves us, and released us from sin through His blood shed for us. so did the Lord die for us just for us to go to heaven??? verse 6 gives us the answer. He redeemed us so that we can become a royal, priestly kingdom to God the Father. Also, the kingdom is for God's dominion, because the kingdom is a realm, a sphere, where God can exercise His right freely according to His will. in this book, it mentions about Christ coming back to earth, to claim the earth, to recover the earth, to make the earth His kingdom. and it starts from us, the church!!

Therefore, Revelation, is a conclusion book, to John's writing (his gospel, and his epistles; to the New Testament; and to the whole Bible. 

the main contents of Revelation are:

1. the revelation of Christ: at the beginning of this book, in verse 1, John writes "the revelation of Jesus Christ." the Bible does reveal many things, but the focus of its revelation is just this wonderful person, Jesus Christ.  

2. the testimony of Jesus: The testimony of Jesus is the church. Revelation presents the revealed Christ and the testifying church. 

3. the economy of God: in this book, the book of God's administration, it reveals that God is carrying out His government and administration, for the fulfilment of His economy. His administration revealed in the book of Revelation, includes the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls. 

Revelation 1:19 Write therefore the things which you have seen and the things which are and the things which are about to take place after these things. 

the 22 chapters of Revelation can be divided into 5 main sections:

1. the introduction: chapter 1 verses 1 through 8. the revelation of Christ and the testimony of Jesus. 

2. the things seen: chapter 1 verses 9 through 20. the Son of Man with the seven stars, walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.

3. the things present: chapters 2 and 3. the seven local churches. 

4. the things to come: chapter 4 until chapter 22 verse 5. the things to come from Christ's ascension until eternity future. 

5. the conclusion: chapter 22 verses 6 through 21.