David Hawking brings to life the vibrant and detailed vision John received on Patmos, focusing on the unity and shared struggles of believers across generations. Discover the timeless encouragement for all who face trials, as John’s words remind us that amidst all tribulations, the steadfast love and mercy of God endure. Join us to deepen your understanding of the spiritual insights and eschatological revelations that promise hope for the church today.
Jesus said, let no one deceive you. If in the last days somebody comes to you and says, the Messiah is over there, he said, don’t believe him. If they say the Messiah lives out in the wilderness, he said, don’t believe it. If they say he lives in Palm Springs, definitely don’t believe it. If they say he’s from Pakistan and lives in the suburbs of London, no, he is not the Messiah. Now, how do we know that those people are not the Messiah? And how will we know it when he comes?
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Welcome to Hope for Today with David Hawking. We’re back in Revelation chapter 1, verses 7 through 11 today. A powerful testimony under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit from the Apostle John, the disciple who walked with Jesus, knew him best, and yet never made it about himself. He always pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, the early church fathers, Polycarp, Irenaeus, and Ignatius, said they owed their faith to John’s brilliance and courage. And today we hear that same voice calling the church to wake up and stand firm. Jesus is coming, and John’s vision leaves no room for doubt. Turn to Revelation 1, verses 7-11, and we’ll be back in the passage in just a moment. First, let me quickly tell you about Meditations in the Psalms. This is our free online daily devotional in the Psalms. You can find it right on the homepage at davidhawking.org. Now, each post is packed with scripture from the Psalms, encouragement, and solid biblical truth to keep you grounded and growing one day at a time. Meditations in the Psalms, right on the homepage at davidhawking.org. And of course, it’s free. And here’s David with today’s study.
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What is the main purpose of the message? This is a revelation of Jesus Christ. Father, thank you so much for your wonderful love to us and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, how we thank you that you’re the God of all comfort, who comforts our hearts in all of our trial. And Lord, I know there are many folks who came in here with heavy hearts. Some we know about, some we don’t know about. but you know about every one of them. You tell us that you’re near to those who are brokenhearted. God, I thank you for your love and your compassion. I thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you, Lord, that you can take a messed up life and make it into something beautiful. Nothing’s too hard for you, Lord. Yes, Lord, your steadfast love endures forever. Your mercies are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. Father, I pray that you will help us to see your glory, that you’ll help us, Father, to focus on what the Word says about who Jesus Christ is and what is soon to take place. And I pray, Lord, that all of us will sense again what John said when he said, Beloved, it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man who has this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Thank you, Lord. And it’s in the precious name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. Come back to Revelation 1 verse 9. Look at the position of John when he wrote the book. The fourth thing that we want to talk about in the message to the churches. We talked about the places to which the message was sent, the persons from whom this message was given, and the main purpose of the message. Let’s look at the position of John when he wrote the book. And I’d like you to see three things. First is relationship to other believers. I was really struck by this when John wrote in verse 9, I am your brother. We’re talking the Apostle John here. We’re talking about a man who had revelations like none of us have ever experienced. We’re talking about an apostle. We’re talking about the man that knew Jesus better than anybody else. If anybody had a right to tell every folks, hey, I know more than you do. John did. John was called the theologian of the early church. Most of the church fathers of the second century said they owed everything to the brilliance of John. But it’s interesting to me to hear this great theologian, this man who knew Jesus, who also cared for his mother until the day of her death, this man who was on the inner circle of the three guys that were with Christ where no one else was, this one who leaned on Christ’s breasts at the Last Supper, This disciple whom the Bible says is the disciple Jesus loved. He loved them all, but he had something special for John. And this man is the man who in exile says, I, John, who am your brother. And I think it’s time for us to recognize that the titles we give to people often cloud the issue that we are brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ. We all have different gifts and we’re to use them for his glory and to be ever mindful of of our responsibility and stewardship to him. But there’s a lack of humility, and I think we’re all guilty. You want to be great? Be a servant of all. That’s what you need to do. As one of the pastors said to me the other day, you want to be great? Take out the trash. I’m your brother, John said. He didn’t talk down to them. He talked with them. He knew they were suffering also. I’m your brother. I’m your companion. I’m going through trials and tribulation. We’re in this together. I need you. You need me. We’re brothers and sisters in the Lord. It’s wonderful what he said. He said companion in tribulation. My mind went back to his gospel that he wrote. Turn back to John 16 and look at verse 33. I’m your brother. I’m your companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. John 16.33, Jesus said to John, and he recorded it, and perhaps it was on his mind when revelation hit him, these things have I spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Turn to Acts 14. You know, some of us have been wrong in telling new Christians about how great things are going to be. Now, if you’re talking about the future and the second coming of Christ and all of that, I can understand that. But you know, sometimes in life, it isn’t a bed of roses. And when you read the Bible, the Bible doesn’t present that in its discipleship message. It rather presents that there’s going to be trouble, lots of suffering. On the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14.22, it says, confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. A fellow told me just last week, he said, I didn’t have any problems until I became a Christian. He thought if there was a card, he could check it in. And he said, I can’t believe the trouble I’m having. I said, welcome to the family of God. Folks, we’re going to have tribulation. Jesus said so. You’re going to have trouble in this world. Lots of it. Look what Paul said in his last letter, 2 Timothy. The last letter Paul wrote before he was executed. In 2 Timothy. He’s trying to get final advice and final words to help the church of Jesus Christ and its leaders. And here’s what he said in 2 Timothy 3, verse 12. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Evil men and seducers shall become worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. All who will live godly will what? Suffer persecution. No one wants to hear that message, but it’s repeated over and over again. There’s going to be suffering. There’s going to be trial. There’s going to be tribulation. Back to Revelation 1. His relationship to other believers, though, must have encouraged those believers’ hearts as they knew what was happening to John and to think that he would write them and say, I’m your brother. I’m your companion. I know what we’re going through. But we’re in this together. And the Lord is going to bring us on the other side. To him who overcomes great rewards. Hang in there. Jesus is coming. But look at the reason behind his position. Why was he in this position? It says he was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. That’s why he was there. Patmos. I’ve been on the island several times. Six miles by ten miles. It’s 40 miles south of Miletus, that island where Paul called the elders of the church of Ephesus. It’s about 24 miles from the coast of Turkey as the crow flies. It’s the most deserted, barren, volcanic rock place you’ll ever see in your life. No wonder the Romans used it for a prison. Nowhere to go, nowhere to be trying to escape. A desolate place, Patmos, that’s where John was. Interesting, he was there, according to Eusebius, the church historian, under the emperorship of Domitian. Domitian ruled from 81 to 96 AD, and Eusebius, the church historian, said the apostle John was let go by Nerva, who was the emperor who came to power in 96 AD. So he was there under Domitian. And the reason why I find this interesting is because Domitian was the brother of Titus, who carried out the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. And I thought in the wonderful providence and wisdom of God, how interesting that Titus, who carried out that destruction and thought finally we finished him, his own brother has to compete with this one last apostle. All the rest of them are dead. Let’s get rid of this guy too. They put him on the island and what does God do? Give him the greatest revelation and vision the world has ever seen about the final triumph of God over all the rulers of the world, including Domitian. I love it. Wonderful. By the way, to let you know that John suffered, Hippolytus, a church father, said that John was first plunged into boiling oil, and then he was sent to this island exile. Another leader, Victorinus, says that John was forced to work in the mines that were located on Patmos, and as an old man, on many days he thought it was his last. Irenaeus, Clement, and Eusebius all say that John returned to Ephesus after his exile and he went to the churches, appointed leaders, set things in order, and delivered this wonderful message. Jesus is coming. He was in his 90s. This old man who could hardly walk. but almost died through all the suffering he had on that island, came back and said, be faithful, weary pilgrims. It won’t be long now. Jesus is going to come. He’s coming with clouds and every eye will see him. Can you imagine what this message meant to the churches of Jesus Christ? Take a look at the reality of his experience in verse 10. Here’s a troublesome verse. I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day. and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet. What does that mean? I want you to see four things here in verses 10 to 11 that maybe will help you understand what John is saying about his personal experience. One, his personal involvement in the experience is spiritual, not physical. When he said, I was in the Spirit, he’s not referring to the Holy Spirit, or his own spirit. He’s referring to the realm of the spiritual. Let me give you some reasons why I believe that, that it’s not the Holy Spirit. He’s not saying I was spirit-filled on Sunday. He’s saying I was transferred in the realm of spirit to the day of the Lord. That’s what the whole book of Revelation is about. It’s not spirit-filled on Sunday, but I’m in the spirit, transferred to the day of the Lord, and actually saw the events happening before my eyes. For instance, the definite article the is not in the Greek text in front of the word spirit, which is the normal reason we would make it the Holy Spirit. Somebody wrote me a letter and asked me about that. And you can’t trust the English text, which sometimes capitalizes spirit, sometimes doesn’t, but you have to look at what’s actually in the text. The article the is not in the Greek text. That’s the first thing that tells me it’s probably not the Holy Spirit. Also, the little verb translated I was is the Greek genomai, meaning to I became. It indicates a change of condition. Something is happening to him. I became in spirit. It also helps me to explain Revelation 4. Look at Revelation 4, verse 1 and 2. In Revelation 4, 1 and 2, it says, After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven. The first voice that I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up here, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. So now we know the time is in the future. And immediately I was in, and again notice the text says, the Spirit. So it’s leading you to think it’s the Holy Spirit. But I was in spirit. Same thing as Revelation 1.10. And behold, the throne was set in heaven. Now he’s actually transferred up to heaven. He’s in the realm of spirit, is what he’s saying. God somehow did this. We don’t know how. It also explains Revelation 17, verse 3. Turn there, please. Revelation 17, verse 3. It says, so he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness. Here he’s carried away. You find a similar thing in chapter 21, verse 10, where he sees the new Jerusalem, the heavenly city. Now, I think he’s transferred in some sort of spiritual time machine. The personal involvement of John in this experience was spiritual, not physical. Secondly, the special insight that he received was eschatological, meaning future, last days. It’s not Sunday. It’s the day of the Lord, the day belonging to the Lord. a future period of time we often call the tribulation period. And the third thing I’d like you to see is that the identity of the voice was supernatural. It says in verse 10 of Revelation 1, it was supernatural, Revelation 1.10, I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet. You’ll find that frequently in Revelation, a great voice. It’s mentioned 20 times. It means loud, loud. The single word great or loud appears 82 times in Revelation. It’s the loud book of the Bible. Because the praise of God, I like what one writer says, is an explosion in Revelation. Thanking the Lord, blessing the Lord, praising the Lord, getting excited about the second coming. It’s an explosion of praise to the Lord God Almighty. I am alpha and omega, it says in verse 11, same words we read before. And here it adds the first and the last. Turn to the book of Isaiah, please, chapter 44. The first and the last is a statement about God. And if anybody comes to you and tells you Jesus is not God, say, well, I’ve got a problem. He definitely called himself by the names that only refer to God. Look at Isaiah chapter 44. And verse 6, I am the first and the last. Isaiah 44, 6. Thus saith the Lord, Jehovah, the king of Israel, and his redeemer, the Lord, same word Jehovah of hosts, I am the first and I am the last, and beside me there is no what? God. So the term I’m the first and the last is referring to God. Isaiah 48, verse 12. Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called. I am he, I am the first, I also am the last. Who’s talking? God is talking. As the whole text indicates, the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, he is the first and the last. You’ll find this phrase again in the last chapter of Revelation, chapter 22, verse 13 and 16. Finally, look at verse 11 again. The instruction he received was very practical. Write… What thou seest, write it in a book and send it to the seven churches. Folks, God wants us to know the book of Revelation. Backing up and looking at the reality of his experience, we said that his personal involvement was spiritual, not physical. Secondly, that his special insight was eschatological. It was on the day of the Lord. It was in the future. Third, that the identity of the voice makes it supernatural. It’s the first and the last. It’s God Almighty. Jesus is declared to be God in the book of Revelation. And the instruction he received was practical because all of us need to hear it. We need to know two great doctrines that are taught in the book of Revelation. One, Jesus is coming again. Two, he is God. And in that is the summary of what you and I need to know. He is coming again and he is God. And only those who bow the knee to him, only those who believe that he is the Savior, and the only one who can forgive us of our sins, the only one who can take us to heaven, the moment we believe that and put our trust in him, we are saved. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, the Bible says thou shalt be saved. You could be saved right now, right where you are. Father, We rejoice in the exaltation of Jesus Christ found in the book of Revelation. May people look at us and really know we’re Jesus people. We love him. He’s our Lord. He’s our master. He’s our savior. Thank you, Lord, for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ. And it’s in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Amen.
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Amen. Both of these are absolutely free if you don’t know Jesus, if you don’t know Christ, or if you’re new to the Christian faith. Call us at 1-800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. And before David returns, Matt’s here, and together we want to tell you about a great book by David.
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This month, we’re featuring a special price on my dad’s book, Babylon, its history and prophecies. It’s a study guide and commentary of scriptures addressing Babylonianism. Normally $15, but just $10 in June.
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Matt, the ancient city of Babylon holds a pivotal place in Bible prophecy. symbolizing the idolatrous world system opposed to God that Babylon was famous for.
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Scripture declares that Babylon’s ultimate fate is one of sudden divine judgment. The prophet Isaiah foretold Babylon will be overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah and never inhabited again, a prophecy echoed in Jeremiah.
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Revelation chapter 17 and 18 pick up on that theme. John describes an end times Babylon the Great doomed to fall under God’s wrath.
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Yeah, as an angel announces, Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen. And a heavenly voice calls God’s people to come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins.
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It’s an authoritative warning that reminds you and me and everyone listening that no matter how powerful the Babylonian world system appears, it is prevalent and powerful today. today, isn’t it?
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And the Lord’s going to ultimately judge it, urging God’s people to remain faithful and untainted amid a fallen world.
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Well, again, we’re featuring a special price on David’s book, Babylon, Its History and Prophecies. Now, normally $15, just $10 in June. Order at davidhocking.org.
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DavidHawking.org or call us in Canada at 1-888-75-BIBLE. In the U.S., call us at 1-800-75-BIBLE. And Bible by the Numbers is 242-53.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, we’d also like to mention a resource that’s been helping listeners follow along in our current series in Revelation. This is David’s complete message outlines and sermon notes through the book of Revelation. These are the notes he used to preach each one of these messages in the series. The set covers all 48 messages, and we have it available in print or download format for just $10. To order, visit us at davidhawking.org or call us at 1-800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. And if you’d like to send in a donation beyond the cost of any resource purchase, or maybe send a donation by itself, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3927, Tustin, California, 92781. In Canada, write to Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO7OAKS, Abbotsford, B.C., V2S 8P1. Every gift, whatever the amount, helps us bring solid Bible teaching to more people in more places, and we’re deeply grateful for your ministry with us. And we do need additional support right now. To give by phone, call us at 1-800-75-BIBLE, in Canada, 888-75-BIBLE, or online at davidhawking.org. Once again, here’s David.
SPEAKER 01 :
I don’t know how many times this happens, but I know it happens quite a bit. We get a letter or a call from people who have heard the broadcast because we’re interested not only in their growth in the Word of God if they’re believers, but if they don’t really know the Lord, we want to communicate with them as well. We believe in repentance. That’s getting right with God and confessing our sin. The Bible teaches, repent and believe the gospel. Our Lord said that, so we’re not questioning that. And a lot of times people want a ticket to heaven without getting right with the Lord. That’s not the way to do it. Let’s come clean with God. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Folks, we need to do it the way the Bible says it. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. But Peter also told us on the day of Pentecost to repent, and he said it a few days later. Repent and be converted. It’s very important to get right with the Lord by acknowledging our sin. Well, God bless you, and thanks for listening.
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Friend, if what David said has stirred your heart, if you know it’s time to repent and come back to the Lord, we want to put a special resource in your hands. It’s a downloadable guide called Revival Now. It’s written by Hope for Today friend Richard A. Bennett for believers who know they need to return to God with a whole heart. And then two more resources if you’re new to the faith or if you want to know more about what it means to follow Jesus, we’ll send you a booklet called What is Christianity? by David Hawking, as well as a simple Bible study by mail. These are free if you don’t know Christ or if you’re new to the Christian faith. Call us at 800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada or visit davidhawking.org. We’d be honored to hear from you. Next time on Hope for Today, David Hawking walks us into one of the most powerful passages in all of Scripture, the glory of Jesus Christ in Revelation 1, verses 12 through 15. Now, this isn’t a man-made portrait. It’s the risen, exalted Son of God in power and majesty, eyes like fire, voice like thunder, and face like the sun. Get ready to have your view of Jesus expanded like never before. Don’t miss it and invite a friend to listen along with you right here on Hope for Today with David Hawking.
David Hawking brings to life the vibrant and detailed vision John received on Patmos, focusing on the unity and shared struggles of believers across generations. Discover the timeless encouragement for all who face trials, as John’s words remind us that amidst all tribulations, the steadfast love and mercy of God endure. Join us to deepen your understanding of the spiritual insights and eschatological revelations that promise hope for the church today.
