S A Bible Study on 40 REVELATION “Behold, I stand at the door and knock....” —Revelation 3:20INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 1The 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, 7who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to all things that he saw. *Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. —Revelation 1:1-3 Revelation, the last book of the Bible, has often been con- trasted with Genesis, the first book of the Bible. In Genesis we learn of the creation of heaven and earth. Satan appeared; sin, sorrow, and death entered the human race; and the tree of life was removed. But in Revelation we see what finally happens to heaven and earth. Satan and his works are doomed; sin, sorrow, and death are vanquished; the tree of life is restored to a new earth. The title of the book is The Revelation of Jesus Christ. The word “revelation” or the Greek “apocalypse” means an uncover- ing, an unveiling, a revealing. Here we see Jesus in all His glory as He truly is, Creator and Lord of heaven and earth. Rather than focus on interpretations of man, we can turn our eyes to Jesus, the central Person of the book. He is worthy to be worshiped and served with all our being. We may not know exactly when the events of Revelation take place. But we can be sure that everything written is true and cer- tain. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). May this Bible study turn our hearts to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. May our response to this study be to worship the Lord Jesus and serve Him with joy. .—V. R. Benson © 1996 by V. R. Benson The Bible text used is from the New King James Version ©1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. Used by permission. Cover art by Warner Sallman. Used by permission of Warner Press.LESSON 1. JESUS BRINGS US A MESSAGE Revelation 1:4-11 4John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, *and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ° and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ’Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, and they also who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. ® “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” °I, John, both your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. !° I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 1! saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Perga- mos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodi- cea.” The Life of Jesus Christ 1. Jesus had come to earth from the Father as the faithful witness. Isaiah had prophesied: “Indeed | have given him as a witness to the people, a lead- er and commander for the people” (Isaiah 55:4). Jesus Himself said, “For this cause | was born, ... that | should bear witness to the truth. . .” (John 18:37b).2. Jesus was the firstborn from the dead. He was the first person who rose from the dead never to die again. “Death no longer has dominion over Him” (Romans 6:9b). 3. Jesus is the ruler over the kings of the earth. He is “the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15b). 4. Jesus loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Jesus died for us so that His blood could wash our sins away. “For it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11b). Do you want your sins to be washed away? Jesus can hear you right now. Confess your sins to Him, repent of them (turn away from them). Ask Him to come into your heart and live in you. Thank Him for forgiving your sins. His Spirit will live in you and help you to overcome sin. 5. Jesus is coming back to earth with clouds—the same way He ascended into heaven after His res- urrection from the dead. “Now when He had spo- ken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’ ” (Acts 1:9-11). When He returns, will you be ready to meet Him? “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28). Those who are not ready to meet Him will mourn. Those who know Him will be glad. Jesus Christ Ils God Jesus calls Himself “the Alpha and the Omega.” The first letter of the Greek alphabet is “alpha.” The last letter is “omega.” Thus, Jesus is the first and last: He is eternal. “But to the Son He [God] says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever’” (Hebrews 1:8a). John Shared in Persecution The apostle John had been banished to a small island called Patmos because of his testimo- ny for Jesus Christ. “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecu- tion” (2 Timothy 3:12). The clos- er we come to the end of the age, the more persecution will come to true followers of Jesus. Earlier John had _ written Jesus’ words: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18). “Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service” (John 16:2b). “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, | have over- come the world” (John 16:33b). 3LESSON 2. JOHN SEES THE GLORIFIED CHRIST Revelation 1:12-20 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven gold- en lampstands, !° and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. '*His head and His hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; !°He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two- edged sword, and His counte- nance was like the sun shin- ing in its strength. '7And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. '*1 am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forever- more. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. ?°The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” Something to Do Write or print your answer to each question. Look for the answers in the Bible passage above. The number after each question refers to the verse number in the Bible lesson where the answer is found. Check your answers by referring to the, list of answers inside the back cover. 1. One like the Son of Man was in the middle of the 4