Understanding the Symbolism of Revelation

Faith Fellowship Boca · Understanding the Symbolism of Revelation

First - The Revelation unveils something that has previously been hidden. 

·      “The Revelation” comes from Apocalupsis, which means, “The Unveiling” or “Uncovering”

 

Second – The Revelation reveals what happens in the Final Act.

 

** You might say that the Bible can be summarized like this:

 

·      Creation

·      Corruption

·      Redemption

·      Re-Creation

 

** So, Revelation is a new unveiling of What?

 

1.     This book is all about Jesus. 

 

v. 1 - “The revelation of Jesus Christ...”

 

2.     This book is all about the Future... it is a book of Prophecy.

 

v. 1 - The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soontake place.  

 

3.     This book is all about God’s blessing. 

 

v. 3 - Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it.

 

Point: What I can tell you is this:

 

·       Wherein John uses non-symbolic language, take it literally.

·       Wherein John uses symbolic language, get the drift.

 

 

I. Outlining the Book of the Revelation

 

** With "Symbolism" in mind, here is a suggested Outline of Revelation.

Chapter 1: Setting the Scene – God’s Intention for this Revelation

 

Chapters 2-3: 7 Actual Churches that are a Microcosm of the Universal Church

 

1.     Ephesus: The Loveless Church

2.     Smyrna – The Suffering Church

3.     Pergamum – The Faithful Church in Satan’s City

4.     Thyatira – The Adulterous Church

5.     Sardis – The Dead Church

6.     Philadelphia – The Protected Church

7.     Laodicea – The Useless Church

Chapters 4-5: The Heavenly Scene

 

·       The Throne Room of God

·       Jesus is at the Right Hand of the Father

·       All of Heaven rejoices in the revelation that Jesus is the key to God’s plan.

 

Chapters 6-8:6: The 7 Seals = Signs that the End is Near

 

Chapters 8:7-11: The 7 Trumpets = God’s Judgments

 

Chapters 12-14: The Counterfeit Trinity

 

·       The Evil “A-Team” = 

o   The “Dragon” = Anti-God

o   The “Beast” = Anti-Christ

o   The False Prophet = Anti-Holy Spirit

 

Chapters 15-16: The 7 Bowls = The Earth’s and its People’s Greatest Suffering

 

Chapter 17-19: The Beginning of the End for Evil

 

·       God punishes the False Churches, False Prophets, False Religions

·       God punishes the False Political Leaders

·       God punishes the Economic Heretics who dishonored Him

 

Chapter 20:1-6: A Foreshadowing of the Re-Creation – The Millennium

 

·       A period of Peace when all of Evil is bound from activity and Earth is full of the righteous.

 

Chapter 20:7-14: The Final Battle

 

·       Satan and his followers are released from their captivity during the Millennium only to raise war against Jesus.

·       Jesus wins the Battle.

·       All that is Evil, including Satan, are ETERNALLY cast into a “Lake of Fire” = judgment, resulting in eternal separation from God.

 

Chapter 21-22: The Re-Creation

 

·       Given the victory over Evil, Jesus reigns on Earth.

·       There is a “new” heaven and Earth where Jesus lives with his people and every person who has received salvation, Jew and Gentile, will live with Jesus, face to face.

·       There will be “no more death or mourning or crying or pain”...only joy and peace and wholeness and restoration.

 

 

The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place. Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.”

Revelation 22:6-7

James 5:13-20 - Peace

 

Faith Fellowship Boca · James 5:13-20 - Peace

 

I.  Understanding the Practice of Anointing

 

Symbolic Significance - Presence of Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.

 

1 Samuel 16:13 - “So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the olive oil he had brought and poured it on David’s head. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him from that day on.”  (NLT)

 

Point:  Anointing celebrates the work of God in our lives. 

 

 

Practical Usage - Preparation for service to God.

 

Exodus 30:30 - “You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, in order that they may serve me as priests.”

 

James 5: 14 – “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

 

Point: Anointing sets apart a person for God.

 

Example:  Jesus’ Baptism (Matthew 3)

 

Ultimate Purpose – Anointing is a Confession of God’s blessing that reflects 

our peace with God.

 

“Peace” = Lacking nothing… or, completion in Christ.

 

Colossians 2:10 - “You are complete through your union with Christ.”  (NLT)

 

Application: In Peace we live confidently in and comforted by faith.

 

 

Heidelberg Catechism - 

 

Question 1 - What is your ONLY comfort in life and in death?

 

Answer - That I belong - body and soul, in life and in death - not to MYSELF but to my faithful Savoir, Jesus Christ…that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven NOT A HAIR can fall from my head; indeed, that everything must fit HIS PURPOSE for my salvation.  (emphasis added)

II.  The Benefits of Living in Peace

 

Benefit 1 - You can live confidently in a world of chaos.

 

“Confidence” = Our outward expression of Peace.

 

James 5:15a, 16b - “The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”

 

Anonymous - “Why not go out on a limb?  Isn't that where the fruit is?”

 

Application:  We go out on a limb because God is able to support us.

 

 

 

Benefit 2 - You can live completely forgiven by Christ.

 

Katie Funk Wiebe - “What happened to the reality that forgiveness of sin, before God or before humankind, is a spiritual cleansing, not just a coping skill?”

 

James 5:15b, 16a - “Anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.”

 

Application:  In Christ, You are forgiven… you are new…you are whole = Peace!

 

 

 

Benefit 3 - You can help others (re)connect with Christ.

 

James 5:19-20 - “My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

 

Point: Peace with God is a gift to be shared.

 

Practicing Patience - James 5:7-12

Faith Fellowship Boca · Practicing Patience - James 5:7-12

 

Defining “Patience” = big picture passion

Key Verse: “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.”  - James 5:7 

Point: We know the end of the story = Jesus WINS!

 

I.  3 Truths Considering “Patience”

 

Truth 1 - Dry seasons are absolutely necessary to grow the healthiest life.

 

James 5:7b - “Consider the farmers who eagerly look for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They patiently waitfor the precious harvest to ripen.”  (NLT)

 

Philippians 1:6 - “I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”  (NLT)

 

Application:  Sometimes we subvert our growth by forcing our agendas. 

 

Truth 2 – Your patience will be tested.

 

London Street Corner Sign - “Be a patient pedestrian...avoid being a pedestrian patient.”

 

Point: God may not be in a hurry to fulfill his promises...but he will fulfill them!

 

James 5:10 – “Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”

 

James 5:11a – “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.”

 

Note: Patience and Perseverance:

 

·      Patience = long-term endurance usually related to prolonged suffering

 

·      Perseverance = immediate/short-term endurance to face immediate situations

 

Jesus – “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10

 

Truth 3 – God has his purpose for the delay.

 

James 5:11a - “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.”

 

James 5:11b - “You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”

 

Application:  We can subvert or support our growth by exercising patience.

 

Jeremiah 29:11 - “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  

 

II.  Reminders in Developing a Patient Attitude

 

Reminder 1 - Take the necessary, full amount of time to grow.

 

James 5:7 - “Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord.”

 

James 5:8 - “You also must be patient.”

 

Application:  A mature spirit does not happen overnight.

 

Key:  Listening…asking for the wisdom to know when to move ahead, when to let things rest.

 

 

Reminder 2 - Stand Firm.  

 

Note:  Sometimes we give up on God too soon.

 

Key: Be Resolute...hunker down and seek God’s purpose.

 

James 5:8 - “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”

 

“Stand Firm” = to “strengthen” or to give solid support.” 

 

** Paul mentions it in 1 Thessalonians 3:13 - 

 

“May God strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”

 

  

Unworldly Generosity - James 5:1-6

Faith Fellowship Boca · Unworldly Generosity - James 5:1-6

“I continually find it necessary to guard against that natural love of wealth and grandeur which prompts us always to claim an exception.”

 – William Wilberforce

 

I.  Issues that Condemn the Wealthy

 

Issue 1 - Hoarding.

 

James 5:1-3 – “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³ Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 

 

“Weep” and “Wail” are, of course, words associated with judgment in the Bible.

 

Point:  Hoarding is not a spiritual gift.

 

Issue 2 - Dishonesty.

 

James 5:4 - “Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.”

 

Point: Greed can dull our commitment to ethics.

 

Henri Nouwen – “Wealth takes away the sharp edges of our moral sensitivities and allows a comfortable confusion about sin and virtue.”

 

Issue 3 - Indulgence.

 

James 5:5 – “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.”

 

Point: The wealthy have a hardening of the spirit that, if left unattended, will eventually cause death.

 

Issue 4 - Destruction.

 

James 5:6 - “You have condemned and murdered the innocent men, who were not opposing you.”

 

Point:  Riches can lead to the demise of others.

 

James 2:16 – “If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?”

II.  To be Unworldly Generous …

 

A. ...work on being content.

 

Philippians 4:11 - “I have learned to be content with whatever I have.”

 

Philosopher Epictetus: “Contentment comes not so much from great wealth as from few wants.”

 

Point:  The content heart is a sacrificial heart.

 

Hebrews 13:5 - “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’”

 

B. ...focus on being rich in spirit. 

 

James 5:2-3 - “Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten.  Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days.”

 

Point: Being rich in spirit is permanent and eternal.

 

C. ...embrace the Generosity Challenge.

 

Point:  If your wealth controls you, you will pay some kind of price for it.

 

Calvin Coolidge - “No person was ever honored for what he received.  Honor has been the reward for what he gave.”

 

** Paul has the most profound word for those who would be dare to take the Generosity Challenge - 2 Corinthians 9:7-8, 10-11 (NLT) - 

 

“⁷ You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. ⁸ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 

 

¹⁰ For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. ¹¹ Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.”

 

Application:  Practical suggestions to developing a Mindset of Generosity

 

·      Do the old “clean out your closet” discipline.

·      Tithing is a privilege

·      Keep food cards to give away to the homeless

·      Avoid “comfort consumption”