MacArthur - Because the time is near: John MacArthur explains the book of Revelation

The late British prime minister Winston Churchill once described the former Soviet Union as a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Many Christians view the book of Revelation in much the same way. Bewildered by its mystifying symbolism and striking imagery, many believers and church leaders avoid serious study of the book. Such shortsightedness deprives believers of the blessings the book promises to those who diligently read it (1:3; 22:7).

Those who ignore Revelation miss out on a rich treasure of divine truth. Revelation takes a high view of Gods inspired Word. It claims divine inspiration for itself (1:2), and 278 of its 404 verses allude to the Old Testament Scriptures. Revelation reveals God the Father in all His glory and majesty, describing Him as:

Revelation also details the depths of mans sinfulness. Despite experiencing the final outpouring of Gods devastating judgment on unbelieving humanity, people will nevertheless harden their hearts and refuse to repent. Scripture contains no clearer summary of redemption than Revelation 1:5: Jesus Christ loves us and released us from our sins by His blood.

Some who study Revelation primarily seek evidence to support their own views regarding the end times. However, Revelation teaches much more than prophecy. While the book is a rich source of truth about the end times, Revelation also portrays Christs ultimate victory over Satan, depicts the final political setup of the world, and describes the career of the final Antichrist. It also discusses the rapture of the church (3:10) and the seven-year time of tribulation. It explains the three and one-half years of the great tribulation (7:14), the second coming of Christ, the climactic battle of Armageddon, the thousand-year earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ, the final great white throne judgment, the final state of the unbelievers in hell (the lake of fire), and the redeemed in the new heaven and new earth.

But the book of Revelation is preeminently the Revelation of Jesus Christ (1:1). It describes Jesus by many titles. (See next page.)

Revelation also affirms the full deity of Jesus Christ. He possesses the attributes of God, including sovereignty (1:5), eternity (1:1718), and the right to judge who lives and who dies (1:18; 2:23). He also receives worship (5:13) and rules from Gods throne (22:1, 3). Revelation affirms His equality of essence with God the Father by applying Old Testament passages that describe God to Jesus Christ.

• The faithful witness (1:5)

• The firstborn of the dead (1:5)

• The ruler of the kings of the earth (1:5)

• The Alpha and the Omega (1:8; 21:6)

• The first and the last (1:17)

• The living One (1:18)

• The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands (2:1)

• The One who has the sharp two-edged sword (2:12)

• The Son of God (2:18)

• The One who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet like burnished bronze (2:18)