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The Big Reveal

Words of Faith Final

The Big Reveal

Words of Faith 10-23-2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2020

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Today, we will begin a series of devotions in the first five chapters of Revelation. I am currently teaching in Revelation 14-22 at Faith Fellowship, which are some of the most difficult to interpret. These first chapters in Revelation are well worth the time to savor devotionally. These passages are among the most applicable in the Bible to our devotional life and daily living.  Past and current messages that I have taught in Revelation are available a www.faithfellowshipweb.com

JDH

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Revelation 1

        [1] The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, [2]  who testifies to everything he saw--that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 

         Revelation can be one of the most enthralling and perplexing books in the Bible. It uses symbolic language and images we are not used to seeing to communicate thoughts that are difficult to ponder.

         It is also one of the richest books in terms of worship and understanding who God is and how He is at work. We discover the majesty, wonder, and power of God in Revelation. We also see the eternal work of the Spirit and of the glorified Jesus.

         Revelation is the last inspired (God-breathed) book of the Bible. Other "gospels" and writings appeared later. These were attributed to various Apostles, but they are best dated in the second to fourth centuries. Revelation gives us a picture of God’s plan for His church in difficult times and His eternal destiny for all things.

         This book revealed to John the Apostle when he was the last guy standing, in about AD95. He had survived the various struggles of the early church. Under the persecution of the Roman Emperor Domitian, John was exiled to the prison island of Patmos, off the coast of what is now Turkey. If you go there today, you can see a simple cave where many believe the Revelation was given.

          A debate has raged over the differences in the writing style of Revelation and the Gospel of John. It is very possible, if not likely, that John dictated what he was seeing and hearing to an amanuensis or secretary, who wrote everything down. The Apostle Paul us Tertius of Iconium as such a scribe for the letter to the Romans. 

         The book begins with the words “revelation of Jesus Christ.”  The Greek is ap-pok-al-oop-sis, or apocalypse, which simply means appearing or disclosure. “Apocalypse" has nothing to do with catastrophes, judgments, or zombies. It is simply a removing of cover to what will be in the future.

         People often avoid the book of Revelation because they think it is about judgment. There is a large portion of the book that details judgment. But Revelation does not trace out an ending of judgment. It actually concludes the large plan of the Bible, which begins in Paradise and ends in Paradise. More than judgment on the evildoers, Revelation is a book about hope for the faithful in Christ.

          This is not the disclosure of John. It is the disclosure of Jesus Christ to John and through John. Much of it is directed to the church, the true believers who refuse to surrender to the idolatry of the age. It is very much a disclosure to you and me, not just John.

          I love this description by Chuck Swindoll: “What pains or indignities have you suffered? What broken relationship have you wept over? Has death’s sword struck deep into your heart? Revelation promises a world where pain and tears and death pass away. Revelation reminds us that there is indeed hope beyond the momentary trials and struggles of this life. One day the darkness will pass away, and we will all dwell in perpetual light.” (Charles Swindoll, Insight for Living.)

          For us today, Revelation calls us to ponder eternity. We consider the power, strength, and faithfulness of the One who is the beginning and the end of things. We open our hearts to trust the One who holds the keys to life and everything we long for. 

 

         Father God, I confess that You are bigger than any concern I have. You are bigger than the issues of the day and worries of the week. You have been faithful in every generation, and I declare my trust in You for this age and the age that is to come. I rejoice in the intimacy that You have offered to me in Your Son, Jesus. I receive the power and gifting of Your Spirit. In the mighty Name of Jesus.

 

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.