The Ten Basic Steps: Lesson 9-The Revelation of Jesus Christ
Objective: To look at prophecy and prepare for the coming of Christ.
Read: Revelation
1-3, 19-22
Memorize: Revelation
21:4
2. The Churches
3. Final Events
4. Life Application
The last book of the New Testament is the record of the revelation that the apostle John received during his imprisonment on the island of Patmos for being a Christian (1:9 and following). Many of the chapters of this book are difficult to interpret. Some of the greatest theologians in the history of the Church have felt unequal to the task of expounding these Scriptures. For example, John Calvin, one of the great reformers, wrote a commentary on every book of the Bible except Revelation.
Despite the fact that the meaning of every part of this book may not be immediately apparent, there is the promise that those who read (not necessarily understand) it will be blessed (1:3).
Though some parts may be obscure, certain ideas do stand out with unquestioned clarity. Chapters 1 through 3 describe Jesus as He appeared to John and record the messages to be sent to the seven churches of Asia Minor. These messages are quite clear in their meaning. Chapters 4 through 18 are more difficult, but chapters 19 through 22, which concern those events by which God brings final redemption to the world, are clear for the most part. These four chapters are extremely important to completing the history of redemption outlined since Genesis.
Jesus Christ
Write in your own
words your impression of Jesus Christ as John describes Him in Revelation
1:19-20.
How is this picture of Jesus different from the one of Him as Savior?
The Churches
Name the seven
churches to whom John was commanded to write, and tell the one main
message he was to give to each. (Revelation
2-3)
What qualities do you see in your church that are like the ones you read about?
Final Events
What great events
are described in Revelation
19:1-21?
What will be the
fate of the devil at the beginning of Christ's thousand-year reign (Revelation
20:1-3)? What will be his fate at the end (Revelation
20:7-10)?
What will be the
fate of all unbelievers (Revelation
20:11-15)?
List three ways in which the Christian's ultimate destiny will differ from this present existence (Revelation 21:1-7).
Life Application
How can you prepare
spiritually for Christ's coming and the events that will be taking place?
Below are a few of the commands to the churches. After each, write one way you can obey the command in a specific area of your life.
| COMMAND TO THE CHURCH | HOW I WILL OBEY |
| Ephesus: Keep first love fresh. | |
| Smyrna: Be faithful during trials. | |
| Pergamum: Repent. | |
| Thyatira: Keep my deeds. | |
| Sardis: Keep yourself pure. | |
| Laodicea: Be zealous for God, no lukewarm. | |
| Philadelphia: Keep God's word. |
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