Revelation Lesson 5

What Jesus Has Done For Us,
What He is Fixin’ To Do For Us

(Rev 1:5-6) "… To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. …”

*Israel Text of the week (we left out last week’s so we have two)

Genesis 17:1-20, the final seal and sign of the Abrahamic Covenant.

• Circumcision
• Sarah will bear a child, who shall be called Issac
• Issac will be born and will inherit
• Ishmael shall not be the Seed bearer, nor shall he participate in the Covenant

1. He Loved Us First— (Rev 1:5-6) "… To Him who loved us…”

a. This is the Lover of my soul—and what a name for Him—“Him Who loved us.”

b. We must always keep this in the front of our minds—It is not about us!

(1) First, it is not for our benefit—we do benefit, and marvelously so, but it is not about us—it is about His Glory, His Name

(2) Is not that we loved Him, it is NEVER about our love for Him, which is fickle, imperfect, incomplete and shot through with our own motives and agendas—it is always and only about His love for Us.

(3) (1 John 4:9-10) "… 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us… and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

(4) He loved us and what? What is this thing called propitiation?

(5) Using our Built in Bible Dictionary—

(a) (Rom 3:24-26) "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

(i) Propitiation deals with God, not men, God set Christ up as a propitiation to justify Himself for forgiving sin

(b) (Heb 2:17) "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people."

(i) Again, it is between God and Christ

(ii) It is about the faith of our better high priest

(iii) Again, the action is Gods, as the Son of God mediates and also becomes the propitiation

(c) We find that this propitiation is available for all (1 John 2:2) "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world."

(d) This thing comes from God’ own love toward us. 1 John 4:10) "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

(e) Finally we have the largest clue yet, as an Old testament concept is given this name of propitiation—hilisterion = propitiation=mercy seat (Heb 9:3-5) "and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail."

(f) The mercy seat is where the Hebrew worshipper’s sins were rolled over every year, and where God’s wrath against sin was covered by the blood that covered that seat of mercy

(g) The only element of this definition then not yet fulfilled is the mention of wrath, which takes place in Rom 1:18, 5:8-9

(h) Propitiation is the sacrifice and satisfaction set forth by God the Father and carried out by the voluntary submission of Christ that covered the sins of all who would believe and receive His salvation—“in His blood through faith.”

(i) How much did He love us? Enough to have His OWN SON carry not only our sins, but also the Father’s Wrath against our sin and our sins—for us.

c. “…loved us…” this is present tense—Christ keeps on loving us, it is a permanent and continually new and renewed act of God

d. Characteristics of His Love

(1) The origin of His love, in the eternity of God— (John 17:20-26) ""I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 "O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.""


(2) The indestructible nature of His love—(Rom 8:35-39) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? {36} As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." {37} Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. {38} For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, {39} nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


(3) The longevity of His love—(Heb 13:5-6) "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?""

(4) The undeservedness of those who receive His love—(Rom 5:8) "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

(5) The self-initiated nature of His love—(1 John 4:19) "We love Him because He first loved us."

(6) The missional intent of His love—(John 3:16) ""For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

(7) His Love works toward our holiness in life—(Rom 1:7) "To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

(8) His love brings a consoling confidence— (2 Th 2:16) "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,"

(9) It is a quickening love—(Eph 2:4-5) "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),"’

(10) It is a saving love— (Titus 3:4-5) "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,"

(11) It is a chastening love—(Heb 12:6) "For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.""

(12) It is an adopting love—(1 John 3:1) "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."

(13) It is an abiding love—(1 John 4:15-16) "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him."



2. He Washed Us From Our sins in His Own Blood—(Rev 1:5-6) "… To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood…”

a. First, note—He loves, He washed, His Blood—Christ is the Author and finisher of our Faith—It is not because of the actions of anyone else but the Triune God

(1) Loved us—present tense, continual

(2) Washed = loosed us = aorist

(3) Light from the Greek—

(a) “…Note the change of tense. Christ loosed us once for all, but loves us always…” ATR

(b) By his blood . As in 5:9. John here as in the Gospel and Epistles states plainly and repeatedly the place of the blood of Christ in the work of redemption.

b. Blood redemption is a doctrine despised by liberal theologians, but it is the Blood of the Lamb that washes our sins away.

(1) It is not the waters of baptism that wash us

(2) It is not our works that cleanse us—but His work

c. The Importance of The Blood of Christ

(1) Blood Sacrifice in general

(a) When an OT sacrifice was made, all of the blood was drained from the body of the sacrifice

(b) This is why Kosher, or Jewish approved meat must be slaughtered in a certain way.

(c) Then as much of the blood as is possible must be drained from the meat before it is sold.

(2) Christ’s Sacrifice

(a) All of His blood was drained—just because the Roman soldier was doing what he was ordered to do—God’s sovereignty is so amazing! (John 19:34) "But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out."

(b) Jesus’ announcement of the New Covenant stressed the blood—(Mat 26:28) ""For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

(c) The Blood purchased the church—(Acts 20:28) ""Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."

(d) It is His blood sacrifice that makes our justification effective—(Rom 5:9) "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."

(e) Through the Cross, peace with God is offered to all—(Col 1:20) "and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross."

(f) His Blood turns wrath aside—(Rom 3:24-25) "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith…”

(g) His blood continually cleanses us—(1 John 1:7) "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."

(i) It is not our submission to God

(ii) It is not because God sent Christ as a mere example—

(iii) It is because our Lord is the Sacrifice of all sacrifices, the Ram with his horns hung in the thicket—Gen 22!


(h) His blood was a vital part in the eternal plan of God to Redeem us—(1 Pet 1:18-20) "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you"


(3) When applying the Bible’s Own Dictionary, we find that the blood of Christ is more than just His physical blood, though the physical blood of Christ is a necessary part—the blood of Christ is the voluntary substitution of Christ’s blood sacrifice, poured out by Christ in accordance with the Plan and purpose of The Father, with the assistance of the Spirit

(4) Wonder of wonders, glory of glories, Christ Himself poured out His Own Blood for Our salvation.



3. Then He Made Us A Royal Priesthood— (Rev 1:5-6) "… To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father,…”

a. Israel had been offered the job, but turned it down—(Exo 19:6) "'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.""

b. See the parallel—

(1) (1 Pet 2:5) "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

(2) (1 Pet 2:9) "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;"

(3) (Rev 5:10) "And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.""

c. Adopted into royalty

(1) Every believer is also a royal heir!

(2) We are joint heirs with Jesus

d. The Priesthood of the believers

(1) What is a priest?

(a) A priest is someone who has the privilege and right, under certain defined circumstances, to directly communicate with God

(b) In the OT, the priesthood was
Hereditary—Aaron and his sons,
Very defined in actions but also limited in effects

(Heb 9:6-7) "Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins…"

(c) In the New Testament, the veil has been torn in two, so the way is open—Heb 10:18-25

(d) Every believer, therefore, is a priest with direct access to God, 24/7—“there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” 1 Tim 2:5