Principles in Handling the Book of Revelation

In this part of the sermon: Martin contrasts idle curiosity about trivial subjects with the necessary reverence and engagement required when considering the person and work of Jesus Christ, especially His…

Compares listening to discussions on South Pacific weather or Borneo agriculture with reading National Geographic – interesting but not life-and-death. This highlights the irreverence of approaching the gospel with mere idle curiosity or indifference, contrasting it with the vital importance of Christ's work.

I am sure that all of you would agree with me that there are many subjects that we could examine with a legitimate degree of curiosity or even a detached indifference. If I were to announce this morning that we were going to occupy our minds with a discussion on the weather patterns in the South Pacific or the agricultural problems of South Borneo, you could listen, if you would listen at all, with a legitimate degree of indifference or, at best, idle curiosity. Sort of the attitude with which some of us read many of the articles in National Geographic.

0:02 - 0:43 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The book of the revelation is not pre-written history describing in cryptic or code language a detailed account of the world. And of the church...

Describes the common misconception of Revelation as a 'Christian's crystal ball' where one can see detailed world history by unlocking cryptic symbols. This illustrates the error of seeking specific historical predictions rather than spiritual truth.

The book of the revelation is not pre-written history describing in cryptic or code language a detailed account of the world. And of the church, you see, there are many people who approach the book of the revelation with a presupposition, and the presupposition is this, that this is the Christian's crystal ball. And as you look into the book of the revelation, you will be able to see the entire panorama of detailed world history. But now the problem is in the crystal ball, you have these unusual figures, you have the beast and you have the dragon.

6:38 - 7:22 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The book of the revelation is not pre-written history describing in cryptic or code language a detailed account of the world. And of the church...

Lists historical figures (Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini, Mao Zedong) and political entities (Balkan wars, European alliance, United Nations) that people have fancifully 'seen' in Revelation. This exemplifies the problematic and useless nature of interpreting Revelation as pre-written secular history.

And you have these strange creatures that are the combination of locusts and of lions and of horses. And people say, if only we can unlock those cryptic, mysterious symbols, why then we'll have the keys to understand the Christian's crystal ball. And we'll be able to look into history and see it all laid out. And many books are written in which there is a very, very fanciful interpretation.

7:22 - 7:51 Read in full sermon

The point: Sit prepared to hear things that would impinge upon the ethical and practical dimensions of your Christian life.

Compares Revelation 1:1-3 to a caption on a picture, providing a summation of the book's purpose. This helps listeners understand that the opening verses immediately set the tone for the book's ethical and practical nature.

The contents of the book of the Revelation are essentially ethical and practical. Notice in the caption, verse 3. Verses 1 to 3 of chapter 1 are a caption, probably written after the entire book was composed. Just as a picture will have a caption on it to give us a summation of what it's all about, we read in verse 3, Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things of the gospel.

15:55 - 16:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He deduces four essential characteristics from Revelation's nature: it is ethical and practical, imminent and contemporary, conflict and conquest-oriented, and fundamentally…

Contrasts finding comfort in a 'crystal ball' showing Napoleon with finding comfort in 'seeing the Lamb in the midst of the throne.' This illustrates that true Christian comfort in suffering comes from Christ's sovereignty, not speculative predictions.

Now why is that so? Well, for the simple reason that Christ is the life of his people. And if his people in the midst of suffering and conflict, in the midst of agony and persecution are to have any comfort, my friend, their comfort does not come from looking into a crystal ball and seeing Napoleon on his horse with his hand inside his tunic. Their comfort comes from seeing the Lamb in the midst of the throne.

29:46 - 30:18 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Faith regards that, that aspect of Christ which is most suited to its present need. Faith exercises itself upon that facet of His personal work which is tailor-made for my need.

Illustrates how a saint bowed down by weakness and temptation contemplates Christ as a sympathetic, tempted high priest (Hebrews 4:15), rather than primarily in His majesty. This demonstrates the principle of faith regarding the aspect of Christ most suited to present need.

Let me illustrate this. When the saint is bowed down with a sense of weakness, human infirmity, bowed down with a sense of shame that he is tempted by sin, what aspect of Christ is faith to contemplate? Well, the Scripture is plain. We have not an high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

34:01 - 34:29 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Faith regards that, that aspect of Christ which is most suited to its present need. Faith exercises itself upon that facet of His personal work which is tailor-made for my need.

Illustrates how a believer conscious of guilt contemplates Christ as the curse-bearer (Galatians 3:13), gazing at Calvary, rather than His humanity or sympathy. This further demonstrates the principle of faith regarding the aspect of Christ most suited to present need.

Now, it does not deny all the other things He is, nor does it push Him totally into the peripheral, but faith, you see, fastens upon that aspect of Christ's glory which it most desperately needs. When the believer is conscious of his guilt, and he thinks of his sin in the light of God's holy law, what facet of Christ's person and work is to be the basis of his comfort, to be the conscious exercise of his faith? Well, is it not the biblical concept that Christ is our substitute? Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.

34:55 - 35:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He expounds Revelation 1:4-8, showing how grace and peace come from the eternal God, the full Spirit, and especially from Jesus Christ as the 'faithful witness,' 'firstborn of the…

Describes death as a 'large wound' into which all God's people enter, with Christ as the 'firstborn' leading the way. This vividly illustrates the assurance of resurrection for martyrs and all believers, rooted in Christ's own resurrection.

He says, take heart. Jesus Christ is the firstborn of the dead. It's as though death is a large wound, and in it are all the people of God, and Christ is the firstborn, and all the rest are going to follow. He says, take heart.

44:34 - 44:49 Read in full sermon