A KINGDOM AND PRIESTS TO SERVE GOD

Passage: Revelation 1:1-8

Key verse: 5b,6

NIV

Prologue

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave(A) him to show his servants what must soon take place.(B) He made it known by sending his angel(C) to his servant John,(D) 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God(E) and the testimony of Jesus Christ.(F) 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it,(G) because the time is near.(H)

Greetings and Doxology

4 John,

To the seven churches(I) in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you(J) from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,(K) and from the seven spirits[a](L) before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,(M) the firstborn from the dead,(N) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.(O)

To him who loves us(P) and has freed us from our sins by his blood,(Q) 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests(R) to serve his God and Father(S)—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.(T)

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[b](U)
    and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;(V)
    and all peoples on earth “will mourn(W) because of him.”[c]
So shall it be! Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”(X) says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come,(Y) the Almighty.”(Z)

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Footnotes
  1. Revelation 1:4 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 1:7 Daniel 7:13
  3. Revelation 1:7 Zech. 12:10
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Prologue

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God (A)gave him (B)to show to his servants[a] the things that must soon take place. (C)He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 (D)who bore witness to the word of God and to (E)the testimony of Jesus Christ, even (F)to all that he saw. 3 (G)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, (H)for the time is near.

Greeting to the Seven Churches

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from (I)him (J)who is and (K)who was and who is to come, and from (L)the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ (M)the faithful witness, (N)the firstborn of the dead, and (O)the ruler of kings on earth.

To (P)him who loves us and (Q)has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us (R)a kingdom, (S)priests to (T)his God and Father, to him be (U)glory and (V)dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, (W)he is coming with the clouds, and (X)every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail[b] on account of him. Even so. Amen.

8 (Y)“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, (Z)“who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

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Footnotes
  1. Revelation 1:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant later in this verse
  2. Revelation 1:7 Or mourn
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

THE INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION

The writer introduces this book as 'the revelation of Jesus Christ...to his servant John.' Another word for 'revelation' is apocalypse--unveiling or disclosure. This revelation is about Jesus Christ and it is from Jesus Christ. God gave this revelation to Jesus for his servants--all believers. Jesus made it known by sending his angel to John. John the Apostle also wrote the Gospel of John and the three Epistles of John. He calls himself 'the disciple whom Jesus loved.' He served the church in Ephesus, lived to be an old man and spent his last days as an exile on the Isle of Patmos.

He wrote this letter to believers who were suffering in the fires of persecution. The seven churches of Asia Minor represent the whole Church. John speaks about suffering, the kingdom and patient endurance. He proclaims the victory of the Sovereign God over the powers of evil.

Outline

1. Jesus' words to the 7 churches (1-3)

2. The throne, the scroll and the Lamb (4-5)

3. The 7 seals (6:1-8:1)

4. The 7 trumpets (8:2-11:19)

5. The dragon, the beasts and the Lamb (12-14)

6. The 7 bowls (15-16)

7. Babylon the prostitute (17:1-19:5)

8. Hallelujah! God Almighty reigns (19:6-22:21)

1. Blessed are those who read (1-3)

The words of this book were given by God to all believers to encourage them in times of suffering and persecution. Jesus sent his angel to his servant John to show him what must take place. John testified in this book to what he saw--that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. A blessing is promised to those who read this book, and a blessing to those who hear and take it to heart.

2. Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega (4-8)

Jesus is the beginning and the end. All things were made through him. He was and is and he is to come. He is the faithful witness who died and rose and who will come again in clouds of glory. He loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood so that we may serve God as a kingdom of priests. He freed us, so we are truly free. It is our priestly duty to bring the knowledge of God and of the saving work of Christ to a sinsick world. (Ro 15:26;1Pe 2:9)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the love and grace of Jesus who set us free from sin by his blood. Make us a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

One Word: A kingdom of priests