The Book of Revelation: The Eschatological Book of Acts
I. THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION
A. The Book of Revelation is called the “revelation of Jesus” because it reveals His heart, power and leadership in
preparing the nations for God’s glory. It is secondarily a book about “events”.
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him (Jesus) to show His servants--things which must shortly take place.
He…signified it by His angel to His servant John… (Rev. 1:1)
B. Theme: Jesus returning to take leadership of the earth in deep partnership with His people
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth
will mourn because of Him. (Rev. 1:7)
C. Daniel prophesied that the Messiah as the Son of Man (God-Man) would rule all the nations.
9 The Ancient of Days (the Father)…His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool…13
Behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days…14 To Him was
given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples…should serve Him...27 Then the…the greatness of the
kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. (Dan. 7:9-14, 27)
D. Jesus will replace all the unrighteous governments on earth with righteousness leaders and laws.
15 The seventh angel sounded…voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our
Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever!" (Rev. 11:15)
15 He should strike the nations…He Himself treads…the fierceness and wrath of God. 16 He has on His robe…a name
written: King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev. 19:15-16)
E. Jesus will prepare His church to bring a Great Harvest of souls to God.
9 A great multitude…of all nations…and tongues standing before the Throne… (Rev. 7:9)
14 This gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
(Mt. 24:14)
F. Jesus will come in context to a prepared Bride in unity with the Spirit and anointed in prayer to release God’s glory
on earth. The Book of Revelation is the “eschatological Book of Acts”.
7 For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. (Rev. 19:7)
17 The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!" (Rev. 22:17)
3 Another angel…was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar…
4 The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God…5 Then the angel took the censer,
filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth…6 The seven angels…prepared themselves to sound.
(Rev. 8:3-6)
G. The most important question in this hour of history is who Jesus is.
13 He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 14 They said, "Some say John the Baptist,
some Elijah, and others Jeremiah..." 15 He said, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Peter answered…, "You are the Christ
, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered…, "Blessed are you…for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,
but My Father…18 On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you
the keys of the kingdom…and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven." (Mt. 16:13-19)
H. Jesus is fully God and fully man. The Gospels emphasized His humanity with some reference to His deity, whereas
the OT emphasized His deity with some reference to His humanity. In Rev. 1, we have a much fuller picture of Jesus as
the God-Man who is Prophet, Priest and King of kings.
I. Jesus highlighted 24 aspects of His majesty when He appeared to John (Rev. 1-3). These 24 descriptions of Jesus
give us the clearest picture of who He is (how He thinks and feels) and what He does in context to His plan to cleanse the
earth to prepare it for His return (Rev. 6-22).
10 I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 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 7 churches…
12 Having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 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. 14 His head and hair were white
like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace,
and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-
edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 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. 18 I am He who lives, and
was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. I have the keys of Hades and of Death. (Rev. 1:10-18)
J. Jesus describes Himself in 24 distinct ways in Rev. 1-3, giving us 18 descriptions in Rev. 1 and 16 in Rev. 2-3, for a
total of 34 descriptions. However, since 10 are used in both Rev. 1 and Rev. 2-3, we end up with 24 distinct descriptions.
Jesus gives 8 descriptions in Rev. 1 that are not mentioned in Rev. 2-3 and 6 descriptions in Rev. 2-3 not mentioned in
Rev. 1.
II. 18 DESCRIPTIONS OF JESUS IN REVELATION 1
A. Jesus is the First and the Last: Humanity. He is the first to raise from the death and the first in authority (Col. 1:15,
18; Rev. 5:12). This is title Jesus used most (Rev. 1:11, 17; 2:8; 22:13): He spoke it in context to His death and
resurrection calling us to resist fear even before martyrdom.
8 These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life…10 Do not fear any of those things which
you are about to suffer…be faithful until death. (Rev. 2:8-10)
15 He is…the firstborn over all creation…18 He is the head of the body…who is the beginning, the firstborn from the
dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Col. 1:15-18)
B. The Alpha and the Omega: Deity with absolute completeness in wisdom and love. The Greek alphabet started
with “alpha” and ended with “omega”. The common phrase Alpha and Omega means the first and last letters including
all the letters in between to indicate completeness.
1. This title sets forth Jesus as the sovereign Lord over everything that takes place in the entire course of history.
Jesus established an eternal plan for us in which nothing is missing. His Bride has all the elements necessary for eternal
love, joy, peace, and fascination without sin yet retaining a free will. The government is right, the human dynamics are
right, eternal rewards are right in varying measure according to love yet there is no jealousy but only gratitude in God’s
partnership with people forever.
2. Because of His wise leadership we will live forever with awestruck affectionate gratitude.
C. Voice like a trumpet: witness who faithfully warns the people of coming judgment (Rev. 3:14)
6 If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned… (their) blood I will
require at the watchman's hand. (Ezek. 33:6)
D. Son of Man: the God-Man who rules all nations as King of kings
E. Garment down to His feet: sympathetic High Priest who made a way
F. Girded about the chest with a golden band: breastplate of the high priest (Ex. 25:7; Lev. 16:4)
G. Head and hair white like wool, as white as snow: Ancient of Days has white hair (Dan 7:9). Jesus’ eternal
preexistence with pure and perfect wisdom and dignity (Lev 19:32; Prov 16:31).
H. Eyes like a flame of fire: His knowledge searches and penetrates all things as fire penetrates metal. His eyes of
love and zeal for His people as a Bridegroom. He imparts love and holiness.
18 The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass…20 I have a few things against you,
because you allow that woman Jezebel…to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality… 21 I gave her
time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who
commit adultery with her into great tribulation…23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that
I am He who searches the minds and hearts. (Rev. 2:18-24)
I. Feet like fine brass: judgment of sin. His commitment as a mighty warrior to trample over Jezebel in victory. He will
bring all His enemies under His feet (Ps. 110).
J. Voice as the sound of many waters: powerful as in Gen. 1 and directs the armies of heaven
K. Holding the 7 stars in His right hand: His tenderness towards us even when we feel inadequate or like a failure. Jesus
holds His leaders as He helps us to do that which He entrusts to us.
L. Walks in the midst of the 7 golden lampstands: manifest power with consequences because of His goodness and
holiness. He walks with us aware of our needs, frailty and pressures.
3 I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way… (Ex. 33:3)
M. Sharp two-edged sword coming out of His mouth: releases the Holy Spirit and judgment. The breath of Jesus’
mouth is another way of expressing the power of His words.
17 The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God… (Eph. 6:17)
15 Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. He Himself will rule them with a rod of
iron. (Rev. 19:15)
N. Countenance like the sun: exhilarates His Church and is a weapon against His enemies since it is impossible to
look directly into the sun.
8 Then the lawless one (Antichrist) will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with
the brightness of His coming. (2 Thes. 2:8)
O. He who lives: He came back to life. He has power over death and gives eternal life
P. Keys of kingdom: authority over Hades and Death and key of David to establish the Kingdom
III. 6 DESCRIPTIONS OF JESUS IN REVELATION 2-3 (NOT MENTIONED IN REV. 1)
A. Son of God (Rev. 2:18): He has all power as the eternal omnipotent God.
6 "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! (Rev. 19:6)
B. Has the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 3:1): Jesus has authority to release the diverse ministries of the Spirit to equip
and revive us.
C. Jesus is holy (Rev. 3:7): two primary applications, His holiness as a man and as God. As a man, Jesus lived set
apart fully to obey the Father. He understands what it means to walk out costly commitments among sinful people. He
is sympathetic (Heb. 4:15). As God, He is transcendent (wholly “other than”) or infinitely superior to all. He is worth
whatever it costs to obey Him.
8 He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. (Heb. 5:8)
D. Jesus is true (Rev. 3:7): reliable in giving extravagant promises that seem too good to be true
E. The Amen (Rev. 3:14): finishes what He started and is faithful to follow through with us
F. Jesus is the Beginning of the creation of God (Rev. 3:14): first in cause and authority. The power and authority
over all creation “begins” with Him (Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16-17; Rev. 1:8; 21:6).