Daniel 12:4 - But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Revelation 1:1 - The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Revelation is translated from the Greek word apokalupsis. It may be defined: to take the cover off. Let’s rewrite the first phrase from Revelation 1:1 using this understanding, "Taking the cover off of Jesus Christ." With that understanding before you, this question might cross your mind: Where is He covered up? or, restated, Where does He need to be unveiled? Logically speaking (in answer to that question), Jesus Christ needs to be uncovered (revealed) in the Church, His people.

Daniel prophesied that knowledge would increase in the last days. Have you ever considered what kind of knowledge he was referring to? Surely you can see that natural knowledge has increased via internet, mass media, etc., but could he have meant spiritual knowledge…knowledge, even personal revelation knowledge, of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Revelation is the unveiling of the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is the disclosure of a Person; the unveiling of a man…Jesus Christ. To help you see this, we’re going to ask and answer a few questions, first:

Where is He needing to be unveiled?

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 - Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Hebrews 8:10 - For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Often, we that are in Christ are the only bibles some people will ever see or read. We are the epistles of Christ, living letters to the world we’re traversing. Jesus Christ must be seen in the Church, His people. He is hidden in us. The whole earth wants to see Him. We talk about Him in the church, but we desperately need to see Him.

When is the appearing of Christ going to happen (when is it to be accomplished)?

Ephesians 4:11-13 - And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

In the fifth chapter of Revelation, a sealed book is described. I believe that book is the Church, for we are living epistles. It had seven seals. The only One worthy to "open the book" and "loose the seals thereof" was the Lamb (as it had been slain). We know the lamb slain is Jesus Christ. Now, Revelation 6 describes the opening of the seven seals.

The first four seals speak of a mind renewal to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Let’s look briefly at these. 1) the white horse speaks of the righteous earth-walk of Christ, 2) the red horse speaks of Christ’s identification with our sin, 3) the black horse speaks of Christ’s identification with Adam (our sinful nature), and 4) the pale horse speaks of Christ’s substitutionary work…even death and hell. As these seals are opened, these horses (metaphorically) trample through our minds to give us personal revelation of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Our minds being renewed to these truths will bring about the revealing, of the Christ in you, in your soul (mind, will, emotions) and body.

An expression of Christ is what the world needs most. We can’t just say the same words He said; it has to be Him revealed through His body, the Church.

What hinders the unveiling?

John 17:12 - While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Romans 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 - Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

1 John 2:18 - Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1 John 4:3 - And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

There is something in you and me that is keeping Jesus Christ from appearing in and through us. God recognizes only two men, Adam and Christ. If you are still in Adam, you are rejected by God. If you are in Christ, you are accepted by God. As Adam is the man of sin, Christ is the person of righteousness. Let’s define antichrist: anything that is not of Christ. There may be aspects of our lives that are not yielded to Christ. It may be our money…could be anything. Look at 1 John 4:3 (above), a spirit that does not confess Christ is a spirit of antichrist. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ accomplished the doing away of the old Adam nature in you while also the creating of the new Christ nature in you. Areas not yielded to that truth is, well, you get the point.

What about the son of perdition mentioned in the passage from Second Thessalonians? Who does Jesus call the son of perdition? John 17:12 definitely implies Judas Iscariot. What did Judas do? Judas betrayed Jesus, witnessed the consequences of that betrayal, and hanged himself in desperate grief.

Jesus Christ bore our sins and iniquities on the cross that we may be healed. The spirit of Judas is working in us we go about trying to crucify our flesh. The fact is that has already been done. Galatians 2:20 says, "I am crucified with Christ…" We must renew our mind to these truths.

Revelation 13:16-18 - And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Consider the mark of the beast. As a Christian, you have the Spirit of Christ as your spirit man, so the son of perdition (man of sin) won’t truly be found there. The mark of the beast is to be found in their right hand or in the forehead. The forehead is symbolic of the mind. The influence of the old sinful (Adam) nature is in your mind, learned after many (perhaps) years of living after the flesh. What keeps Christ from appearing is: there must come a falling away (complete doing away with) of the old man and all his influence. Christ will not appear until the man of sin be removed by the constant renewing of the mind by "the washing of the water of the word."

Revelation 2:1-7 - Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Note particularly verse 5….except you repent. Repentance is not confession. Repent means a change of mind. Doing the "first works" speaks of the constant mind renewal required to overcome. The Adam nature is not in our spirits (heart) but in our mind. He (Adam nature) is revealed and removed in the Book of Revelation. The theme is progressive growth and maturing in Christ, feeding on the bread and the wine: the body and blood of Christ.

God is working between our ears. Christ will appear when the man of sin is taken away.

The Location of the Man of Sin

The purpose of the Book of Revelation is the uncovering or unveiling of Jesus Christ: not earthly end-time events.

Revelation 1:1 - The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

“Signified” means symbols are used to describe the process of revealing Christ. The Book of Revelation is a progressive process of eliminating that which is in us that doesn’t express Christ…even the parts that won’t allow Him to be expressed in us.

Colossians 1:24-29 - Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 - Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Hebrews 10:25 - Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

What hinders the uncovering of Christ in us is not a spiritual problem, for we are alive in our spirit. Paul was given the revelation of the person and work of Jesus Christ so that he would make it “manifest to his (Christ’s) saints.” Paul was called to fulfil the word…make it complete. The Gospels were written to give a historical chronicle of the righteous earth walk, the overcoming ministry, and the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Book of Acts was written to describe the event following the outpouring of the Spirit and the missionary journeys that followed. The epistles were written to complete the Word with an explanation of all that proceeded them.

We are in desperate need of a personal revelation of Christ. We need to come to the knowledge of what has happened. Our soul needs to be saved (as our spirit already has been).

Salvation of the Soul

James 1:21 - Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

1 Peter 1:9 - Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Our soul consists of our mind, will, and emotions. Can you see how important renewing your mind is? Constant exposure to the Word is pinnacle. Let’s pursue this line of truth…

Psalm 34:1-2 - I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

Romans 7:2-4 - 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

2 Corinthians 11:3 - But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Your spirit and soul live in your body. The relationship of your spirit and soul control your body and its members. Psalm 34:2 and 2 Corinthians 11:3 equate your mind (which is an aspect of your soul) with a woman, Eve. When you were born, Adam (the old sinful nature) was married to Eve (your soul). Eve was created for Adam…to be his helpmate. When you received Christ (when you were born again), the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ became your death, burial, and resurrection (the death of your old man, and the birth of your new man, Christ). However, Eve (your mind) still thinks she is in union with Adam. In Romans 7, Paul is telling us that since Adam is dead, Eve (your mind) can freely marry (be united with) Christ…and feel great about it.

Revelation 17:1-5, 15 - And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH....And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Revelation 18:7 - How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

The waters of Revelation 17:1 are revealed in verse 15 are the “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” She sits on all of us. Who is she…Mystery Babylon. Babylon means confusion. If her name is “Mystery Babylon,” that means she is confusion you didn’t even know about. Where was her name written? On her forehead. The forehead speaks of the mind. You see, confusion exists in our minds, and we don’t even know about it. Look at Revelation 18:7. This is what Mystery Babylon says, “I sit a queen, and am no widow…” She doesn’t believe that Adam is dead.

Romans 8:6 - For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Revelation 18:24 - And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Thank you Jesus. In Mystery Babylon, the blood of ALL was found. Our minds must be renewed to the truths in our spirit. The salvation of the soul occurs when our minds come in line with our spirits.

Quick Review

What hinders Christ’s appearing? The man of sin

Where does he exist? In our minds

What gets rid of it? Personal revelation of the cross

2 Thessalonians 2:7 - For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Colossians 1:26-28 - Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Revelation 1:13 - And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

The mystery of iniquity and the mystery of righteousness/godliness. These are two "mysteries" that are revealed and explained in New Testament Scripture. The mystery of sin has been at work in us since the day we were born. Since your rebirth (born again experience), the mystery of righteousness has been at work…Christ in you, the hope of glory. These two "mysteries" are no longer mysteries…for they are revealed in Scripture and are being revealed in us as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Son of God.

Matthew 24:36-44 - But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

As in the days of Noah. God destroyed the world in those days (Genesis 6-8). Even so, we are living on the same earth that Noah lived on. According to Matthew 24 (above), the end of the world we're living in will come about the same way. What way? Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8), and he and his family were saved. Jesus says there will be two in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Which one will remain? Noah was the man of God, and he was saved from the destruction of the flood. The one who will remain is the man of God.

2 Peter 3:3-15 - Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

Now would be a good time to define "world". In verse 6, the word translated "world" is kosmos (Strong's 2889). It is defined as the order or arrangement of things. The "world" that was destroyed in Noah's day was the worldly, fleshly way of doing things. That world, even now, is present. Look around you. Here is an interesting point to ponder. That world, in Noah's day, was overflowed by water. Ephesians 5:26 helps us to understand that the water that washed the "world" out of us is the Word, even Jesus Christ. He shall come as a thief in the night. What does a thief steal? He takes that which does not belong to him. Christ, the Word, will come to take away that which does not belong to him. While that may be some small corner of your soul, for others it may the entirety of their person.

Oh, the fire (fervent heat) that burns up the earth's elements and works is the ministers (Hebrews 1:7) who minister the word (Jeremiah 23:29).

Revelation 1:3 - Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Revelation 1:10-13 - I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

Revelation 1:20 - The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

The Man in the CandlestickThe Book of Revelation is a progressively intense revelation of the person of Jesus Christ and His work: the cross of Calvary. Don't worry or have fear about the end times. Why not? Revelation 1:3 says, "Blessed is he that readeth…and they that hear the words of this prophecy."

The Apostle John, the writer of this book, walked closely with Christ. He was part of the inner circle of three: Peter, James, and John. In verse 10, John said he heard a voice behind him. He knew the voice of Jesus very well and undoubtedly expected to see Him when he turned around (v12). Instead he saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the candlesticks, he saw Jesus.

In verse 20, Jesus tells us that the seven golden candlesticks are the seven churches. Can you see that Christ is in the midst of the church, but is still in need of revealing. We need to see Him in the church, corporately, and in us individually. The body (the church) must grow up to express the Head (Christ)…that's what this book is all about.

Introduction to Revelation

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 G R A C E
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 C hrist’s
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Spiritual Maturity Through a Revelation of the Person and Work of Christ