John Newton, eighteenth-century slave-ship-captain-turned-abolitionist and hymn writer, wrote of Jesus, “In [Christ], I have an offering, an altar, a temple, a priest, a sun, a shield, a Savior, a Shepherd, a hiding place, a resting place, food, medicine, riches, honor, wisdom, righteousness, holiness, in short, everything.”

The Apostle John also was deeply moved by the glorious vision of Christ. John was in exile, a brother and companion in persecution alongside his original readers (vv. 9–11). For the sake of the gospel, they shared in “the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus”—a striking phrase. On the Lord’s Day, Sunday, the day Christ rose from the dead, John was worshiping “in the Spirit.” He heard a voice “like a trumpet” instructing him to write down what he was about to see and send it to the seven churches.

Naturally, he turned around to see who it was. There stood “someone like a son of man” (an allusion to Daniel 7:13), the Messiah, Jesus Christ (vv. 12–16). He wore a robe and a golden sash, indicating royalty. His white hair symbolized wisdom and eternality. His eyes blazed fire, indicating His penetrating insight and omniscience (Heb. 4:13). His feet of glowing bronze stood ready to trample His enemies. His voice sounded like rushing waters, powerful and beautiful. He held seven stars, the angels of the seven churches (v. 20). Out of his mouth came a double-edged sword, the Word of God (Heb. 4:12). His face shone like the sun (Num. 6:24–26). He is “the First and the Last,” “the Living One,” and holds the keys to everything.

John fell on his face in worship (vv. 17–18). Jesus, however, said, “Do not be afraid,” and told him again to write “what is now and what will take place later” (vv. 19–20).

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In Eat This Book, Eugene Peterson warned: “[W]e live in an age in which the authority of Scripture in our lives has been replaced by the authority of the self: we are encouraged on all sides to take charge of our lives and use our own experience as the authoritative text by which to live. The alarming thing is how extensively this spirit has invaded the church.”

In the opening chapter of the book of Revelation, the Apostle John strongly asserts the authority of Scripture. How was this book written? Christ sent an angel, who showed John visions of “what must soon take place” (v. 1). Then John testified to all that he saw (v. 2). At the time, about AD 95, John was in exile on the island of Patmos, a Roman penal colony.

The book of Revelation is an “apocalypse,” that is, an account of the end of the world. The term apocalypse means an “unveiling” or “disclosure.” This literary form consists mainly of symbolic visions and can be confusing or even overwhelming. This book also includes prophecies, narratives, and doxologies of praise. Though some see the events of the book as mainly in the past, a futurist interpretation will be taken here.

The main purpose of the book, for the original readers as well as for us today, is encouragement. This is why John offers a blessing for reading this book (v. 3). Revelation encourages us to stand firm in the face of persecution from Satan and the world. We should take its message to heart, implying a response of faith and obedience. We can be encouraged primarily because of the imminent return of Christ (1 Thess. 4:16–18). “Imminent” means Christ could return at any time. In a very real sense, “the time is near.”

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The author of Revelation, John, was one of the original twelve disciples called by Jesus. John and his brother James, along with Peter and Andrew, were fishermen whom Jesus invited to follow Him—“I will send you out to fish for people” (Matt. 4:18–22). John became “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:20) and wrote a Gospel as well as three epistles.

John had been walking with Jesus for nearly a lifetime by the time he wrote Revelation (v. 4). That’s why there is great spiritual depth even in his simple greeting in today’s reading. He offers “grace and peace” from the entire Trinity: God the Father, God the Holy Spirit (v. 4), and God the Son (v. 5). As the NIV note attests, “seven spirits” can be rendered “sevenfold Spirit,” which makes more sense. The number seven, here and throughout the book—it appears 54 times!—represents divine perfection.

The focus is on God the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the “faithful witness” who died to save us, the “firstborn from among the dead” who conquered death and rose again (Col. 1:18), and the sovereign “ruler of the kings of the earth.” John cannot help breaking into a doxology of praise here for Christ’s love and redemptive sacrifice and for how He has made us “to be a kingdom and priests” (vv. 5–6; Ex. 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9). Worship will be a major theme in this book.

The key theme and message, though, is Christ’s Second Coming (vv. 7–8). Christ is the telos or purpose of history, the “hinge” of God’s entire plan of redemption. The prophecies of Revelation are continuous with Old Testament prophecies: Jesus will return “with the clouds of heaven” (Dan. 7:13; 1 Thess. 4:16–17). “They will mourn for him” (Zech. 12:10; Matt. 24:30), the One they had pierced (Isa. 53:5).

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The best stories, the ones we delight in, end well. At the end of the story, evil is vanquished and courage rewarded. The future looks bright. But on this earth, there is a pervading sadness to even the most satisfying ending. Sin mars true happiness, leaving lingering dissatisfaction.

But that is not the way the Bible ends. Since Genesis, we have watched God work out His plan to restore what was lost in the Garden of Eden. Now, in the book of Revelation, we see the result: a new heaven and a new earth! These words are meant to echo the original Creation account before the world was marred by sin. That creation was good, but not perfect. Sin was a possibility.

But this new heaven and earth will be different. They are fit for a holy city, Jerusalem, and for God to dwell among His people (v. 3). What is more, the consequences of sin, death and the mourning, crying, and pain will be gone (v. 4). They characterize the way the world used to work. God declares that the old order of things is no more when He says, “I am making everything new!” (v. 5).

Chapter 21 of Revelation describes that future reality. How would the readers in the first century have known they could trust it to come to pass? How can we, today, know and look forward to it? God declares that it is trustworthy and true (v. 5). The hope of everyone with faith in Christ for salvation rests on these words. They are true. God has committed Himself to restoring the world we live in. The work of Christ secured that future for us. This is our hope. This is our victory. The story ends the best possible way it could.

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The end of every journey provides a moment for reflection. You’ve arrived at your destination. If you’ve been on this two-month journey with us, I encourage you to take a moment and consider what you’ve learned. We have touched almost every book of the Old Testament and every book of the New Testament.

We’ve seen God create the world and work to redeem it. We’ve seen Him make promises and fulfill them. We’ve seen the tragedy of sin in people’s lives, but we’ve also seen the power of the gospel to transform those lives. We’ve seen the faithless receive judgment, and the faithful a reward. Finally, we’ve seen the hope of redemption: Christ will return!

As we close this series it’s good to remember that we’ve just scratched the surface. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul reminds his spiritual son to remain faithful by not leaving the things he has learned and had committed himself to (v. 14). He trusted the Scriptures, and Paul wants him to continue to do that. Paul reminds him that the Scriptures are “God-breathed” (v. 16), meaning that God is their source. Yes, He used people to write the words, but He made sure they wrote what He wanted them to write.

As a result, Scripture is of ultimate usefulness. Any time invested in studying God’s Word will equip the believer to teach what it says. Knowing the Bible gives us confidence to speak the truth, to challenge, and correct. It teaches us how to live righteously. Christians need to be able to do these things for others and for themselves. Attention to the Scriptures equips us. So, don’t stop now. Lean into your study of the Word of God and continue to equip yourself for every good work!

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If you live in a city, you know that road rage is real. Judging by the behavior of some drivers, that inch of space separating your car from the car in front of you was worth the price of their car and your life. To some, the penalty for not driving quickly enough is risking their lives to ride your bumper until you get the hint. When I see an instance of road rage, I wonder, Was the fight worth it?

Jude, the brother of Jesus, wrote his letter to remind Christians that, indeed, some fights are worth it, especially the fight for faith. In a world that assaults our confidence in Christ and the gospel, it is important to expend energy to keep our faith strong. This type of fight is willing to say “no” to certain things. As Titus 2:12 encourages, we are to “say ‘no’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”

Jude’s readers were at risk because individuals had secretly infiltrated their community and were living contrary to the faith. Jude calls these people ungodly because by their behavior they were abusing God’s grace. They believed forgiveness meant they could live immoral lives (v. 4). By doing so they denied the authority of Christ! These people were a significant danger to the community. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor. 15:33). Sinful conduct could spread throughout the community.

What should Jude’s readers do? He calls them to fight for faith (v. 3). In this case it means saying “no” to ungodliness, protecting themselves and their community from those who would lead them astray. Now, that is a fight worth fighting!

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Christian fellowship is an amazing thing to behold. There is nothing quite like the experience of meeting a total stranger and finding out they are a believer in Christ. There is a bond between Christians that the Bible describes using familial language. When you meet someone who knows the Lord, you are meeting a brother or sister. Salvation unites us as a family.

In a world where Christians left their homes to preach the gospel, it was necessary for them to depend on the hospitality and welcome of other Christians. But hospitality came at a cost, and from time to time, Christians needed encouragement to be hospitable (Rom. 12:13). John wrote this letter to his friend, Gaius, encouraging him to keep up the good work. Gaius had a habit of serving brothers and sisters in Christ, even if they were strangers to him (v. 5). These men and women went on to tell others about his kindness, described by John as love (v. 6).

Recognizing that guests sometimes overstay their welcome, John encourages his friend to bid them farewell, when the time comes, in a God-honoring way (v. 6). Did John sense that showing hospitality was becoming wearisome? That’s why he reminds Gaius that these visitors went on the road for God’s Name (v. 7). They left at risk to themselves, taking no money from unbelievers, whom John describes as “pagans” (v. 7). As a result, they needed help from the family of God. Rather than call these travelers irresponsible, John reminds Gaius that it was right to help them. They are on a mission for the gospel.

As a final encouragement he reveals that when Gaius helped them, he was joining in their efforts for the gospel; he was working with them! Christians can partner with the gospel efforts of other believers by showing hospitality when necessary.

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Brands protect their reputations vigorously. They work hard to hire the best spokesperson and generally pay that person well. But if that representative does something to tarnish their image, brands will release them from their contracts just as purposefully as they hired them. Associations matter and brands understand that association with the wrong people can hurt.

In this brief second letter, John warns his readers to be on guard against people who associate with Christians but reject a core doctrine of the faith. They do not believe that Jesus Christ appeared in the flesh (v. 7). By this time, the gospel had spread widely enough, and different communities developed in different parts of the Roman world. As a result, strange teachings about Christ began to appear. One argued that Jesus Christ was not actually a flesh-and-blood human being but only appeared to be such. False teachers were spreading this doctrine as they travelled.

John feared that his readers would give in to this false teaching, and he would lose what he worked for and the reward that comes with faithfulness in Christ (v. 8). These people are deceivers (v. 7)! His advice is simple: Stick with what you have been taught. Stay with Christ who leads through His teaching. Reject Christ’s teaching, and you reject God. There are many details about the Christian life that God has not fully explained. Avoid speculation!

But what should we do with the false teachers who want to associate with us? Do not welcome them or even bring them into your home (v. 10). This may seem harsh, but the consequence of such friendship is clear. If you associate with them, you associate with their wickedness.

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