Exegetical Studies in Revelation

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on January 13, 2013. It is the beginning of an expository study on the Book of Revelation, covering matters of introduction and the first phrase of 1:1.

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on January 20, 2013. It is the beginning of an expository study on the Book of Revelation and concludes matters of introduction.

This message, an exegesis of Revelation 1:1-2, was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on January 20, 2013. The exegesis of these two verses was the conclusion to Part 2 of the Introduction to Revelation miniseries.

This message, an exegesis of Revelation 1:3-8, was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on January 27, 2013.

This message, an exegesis of Revelation 1:9-20, was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on February 3, 2013. The focus is the first part of the 3-point outline given to John by the Lord Jesus Christ--"the things which thou hast seen." If the Bible student would just stick to the thematic outline of the Book of Revelation given by Jesus Christ (1:19), he would save himself a plethora of misunderstandings, complexities, and false teachings.

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on March 12, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST AMEN found in the Holy Scriptures, the very last word of the BIBLE. God told Israel to take every one of His WORDS seriously (Deuteronomy 32:46). The LORD keeps and preserves His WORDS (Psalm 12:6-7). We are to remember the WORDS of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 17). And there are dire consequences from adding to or subtracting from God's WORDS (Revelation 22:18-19). If it's the WORDS that are to be taken seriously, not just "the Word," then the Bible's very last word is certainly very important. AMEN. The first use of the word “Amen” in the Scriptures (Numbers 5:22) sets its tone, even unto its last use in the very last verse of the Bible. Amen is a very serious word and a dangerous word if spoken flippantly and lightly esteemed. However, when affirmed in truth and sincerity, it is a verbal declaration of the believer’s blessed hope, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament ends with a curse, but the New Testament ends with an Amen, “for all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (II Corinthians 1:20). Thus ends this long and detailed exegetical study of the Book of Revelation. To God be the glory!

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on March 5, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST BLESSING found in the Holy Scriptures and its relationship to the Bible’s FIRST BLESSING (Genesis 14:18-20). This relationship behooves us to consider types of blessings found in the Scriptures and some powerful examples thereof. A BLESSING is a wish or prayer imploring good fruit or benefit upon another. A blessing can be pronounced by God upon men, men upon God, and men upon men. Genesis 14:19 is an example of a BENEDICTION, a type of blessing rendered in response to something, an act of blessing or praise for favor. A benediction in Scripture can be pronounced upon men by God for their acts of faith (e.g. Solomon, Jehu, Josiah, Ebed-melech, etc.), or it can be pronounced upon the LORD by men for the great things He hath done. Genesis 14:20 is an example of another type of blessing, the DOXOLOGY. A doxology is a particular form of blessing or benediction ascribed to God alone. There are many great doxologies in the Bible, from the Song of Moses (Exodus 15) to the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-49) to the most important verse in the Bible (Revelation 4:11), doxologies that give glory to God for such things as only God can do. There is one last type of blessing that is unique to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Sermon on the Mount, a BEATITUDE. Beatitudes are declarations of blessedness made by Jesus the Saviour upon men of particular virtues. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Bible’s first blessing (Genesis 14:18-20) is what immediately follows Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek, God’s exhortation to him in Genesis 15:1: FEAR NOT. Let us so do with the Bible’s last blessing, reflect back upon its first blessing and FEAR NOT. When God’s Word says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,” we can rest in this and “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on February 26, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST BLESSING found in the Holy Scriptures: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” The last verse of the Bible contains a last blessing, the standard closing for all of Paul’s Epistles that John and his audiences in the seven churches of Asia Minor would have known well. The words grace, Lord, Jesus, and Christ are such pregnant and powerful words that all appear in this final blessing, and each of these is worthy of our careful attention. This concluding blessing of Revelation and, consequently, of the New Testament and the entire Bible, transcends space and time. The “you all” is as much to us in 2023 living in days of apostasy as it was to the churches of Asia Minor vexed by rising apostasy in their day at the close of the first century.

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on February 19, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST PRAYER found in the Holy Scriptures: “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” This last prayer begins with an AMEN, an affirmation to Christ’s final words in the first half of the verse (the last promise found in the Bible) and an affirmation that opens John’s petition for Christ to simply do as He hath said. The first prayer of the Bible can be found in Genesis 4:25-26 when men began to CALL upon the Lord. Such is the essence of the Bible’s last prayer, John calling upon the Lord to do what He said He is going to do. Let us not pray as the heathen, using mantras and vain repetitions (see Matthew 6:7). Let us call upon God; let us call upon the Lord Jesus; let us call upon the Name of Messiah. We don’t need another election here in America, another President, another political solution. We need the Messiah to come and rescue His Church from this madness. Interestingly, John’s prayer in Revelation 22:20b can be summed up in one single word found in I Corinthians 16:22—MARANATHA. We should make this cry a regular part of our discourse, a regular part of our prayers. “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on February 5, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST PROMISE found in the Holy Scriptures, the very last of more than 3,500 Bible promises. These last words of promise are also the last red letter words of the New Testament, and they hearken to the substance of the Bible’s very first promise found in Genesis 3:15. The Bible’s first promise affirms the seed of the woman is coming. in the Bible’s last promise, the seed of the women affirms, “Surely, I come quickly.” The last promise of the Bible shouts loudly that God hasn’t forgotten the very first promise of the Bible. How then should we respond in these dark days when it seems the Lord bears long with us? Cry out to Him (Luke 18:7-8). Watch (Mark 13:31-37). Occupy (Luke 19:11-13). Stand in the gap for the land (Ezekiel 22:30-31). Be willing to stand alone (2 Samuel 23:8-12). Anchor yourself (Hebrews 6:13-20). God’s promises, first and last and everything in between, are truly an anchor for the soul.

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on January 29, 2023. The focus of this message is the second half of the LAST WARNING found in the Bible, a dire warning: DO NOT SUBTRACT FROM GOD’S WORD. This grave warning appears at the beginning (Deuteronomy 4:2), the middle (Proverbs 30:5), and the end of the Bible. Those who are adopted into the Body of Christ and are guilty of subtracting from God’s Word will lose of their allotment, their authority, their share and inheritance in Christ’s Kingdom. Moreover, such will lose out “of the things written in this book,” of its promises and blessings realized in this present pilgrimage. Subtracting from God’s Word has consequences for the believer in this life, and in the life to come. Beware! Beware also the modern English Versions of the Bible! These have foolishly subtracted from God’s Word in many places. In most editions, fourteen complete verses are missing from the New Testament. Doctrinal teachings are removed, weakened, and changed by such omissions. Foolishly claiming that these omissions are “minor” and don’t affect any fundamental doctrine because all the “essential” biblical truths can be found in other places in the Bible … such logic is tantamount to claiming it’s no big deal to remove a stop sign or a traffic signal from a busy intersection in a town simply because there are other stop signs and traffic signals at other intersections in that same town. The Bible’s last warning cautions us against adding to or taking away from God’s Word. What then should be do with it? Tremble before it (Isaiah 66:2). Study it (II Timothy 2:15). Get off the tit and the bottle, and start chewing on the meat of the Word (Hebrews 5:11-14). Therein lies the honed ability to discern good from evil in dark days of deception.

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on January 15, 2023, the 10-year anniversary of the beginning of this exegetical study in the Book of Revelation (see Introduction to Revelation, Part 1 preached on January 13, 2013). The focus of this message is the first half of the LAST WARNING found in the Bible, a dire warning: DO NOT ADD TO GOD’S WORD. This grave warning appears at the beginning (Deuteronomy 4:2), the middle (Proverbs 30:5-6), and the end of the Bible. Modern English Bible versions have foolishly added to God’s Word. Those who elevate anything else to the table of authority upon which rests the Word of God are guilty of the same. Assigning religious tradition, church programs, superstition, papal decrees, the American flag, even the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the same level of authority as the Holy Scriptures is dangerous. It’s adding to God’s Special Revelation, the Written Word of God, and it invites very serious consequence.

This message was preached by Jesse M. Boyd on January 8, 2023 at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC. Its focus is the very last warning found in the Book of Revelation and, consequently, the Holy Scriptures. The God of the Bible is a merciful God, for He never dispenses judgment WITHOUT warning; and it is this element of His character that sets Him apart from all the false gods of men and mythologies. To warn is to love, and the act of warning, in fact, is a great act of mercy. The Bible is full of warning, and Jesus Himself, the Living Word, utters the very last of those in Revelation 22:18-19, concerning the Written Word. DO NOT MESS WITH GOD’S WORD! Don’t mess with the prophecies, the Book of Revelation, any other Book of the Bible, or the very words themselves. To do so invites very serious consequences. This warning is two-fold, and its simple: Don’t add to God’s Word, and don’t subtract from God’s Word.

This message was preached by Jesse M. Boyd at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2023. Its focus is the 3-fold invitation of Revelation 22:17, the very last invitation found in the Holy Bible. The Spirit, the Bride, and those that hear the words of God BID CHRIST COME. Those that are thirsty and “whosoever will" are then invited to COME TO THE ONE BIDDEN TO COME by those who know Him. Come on! Come while there is yet time! Come to Him before He comes to you! Fall on Him and be broken, or He will fall upon you and grind you to powder (Luke 20:18). The very first word of God ever revised by man (Genesis 3:2) is found in the Bible’s very first invitation (Genesis 2:16). Interestingly, it also appears in the Bible’s very last invitation, and it’s a great stumblingblock to both Jew and Gentile. Notwithstanding, eternal life and reconciliation with God by Jesus the Messiah is and remains a FREE GIFT. Drink before it is too late. The water of life is free, but it isn’t cheap. It’s available, but it’s certainly not automatic.

This message was preached by Jesse M. Boyd at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on Christmas Day, December 25, 2022. Its focus is the INVITADOR (Spanish for one who invites) of the very last INVITATION found in the Bible. It is “I, Jesus” who testifies these things “to the churches” and offers one last invitation. Who is this Jesus? He is the Messiah. He is both the ROOT and OFFSPRING of David. He is both David’s LORD and His DESCENDANT (Psalm 110). He is 100% GOD; He is 100% MAN. This Invitador’s identity as “the root and offspring of David” relates to His First Advent. He is also “the bright and morning star,” as relates to His certain Second Advent. Joy to the World, Our Lord is Come. Let Earth Receive Her King.

This message was preached by Jesse M. Boyd at New Testament Christian Fellowship on December 18, 2022. Because the Jewish Feast of Hanukkah began at sundown this particular Sunday, Mr. Boyd begins by sharing something he wrote back in 2020 concerning Hanukkah and how it IS in the Bible. Jesus used the observance of that feast an an opportunity to preach bold truth in the temple on Solomon’s porch (John 10). The events of the first Hanukkah were prophesied in great detail more than 360 years before they took place, history written in advance (Daniel 11). And, the courage of the faithful who took a stand at the time of the first Hanukkah are referenced in the Great Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11). These allusions ought to provoke us to courage and an unflinching resolve in these days of darkness and tyranny. Moreover, they ought to compel us to heed the very last exhortation found in the Bible (Revelation 12:7-15). The last exhortation of the Book of Revelation and the Holy Scriptures contains two blessings (22:7, 22:14), two simple commands (22:9, 22:10), and one very important truth repeated word-for-word twice: “Behold, I come quickly” (22:7, 22:12).

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on December 11, 2022. It’s been almost ten years since this exegetical study saw John on the Isle of Patmos in Chapter 1. Now begins the Epilogue of the Book and the Epilogue of the entire Bible in the last chapter of Revelation, the very last chapter of the Bible. Back on the Isle of Patmos, John is given a last exhortation (22:6-15), the final exhortation of the Holy Scriptures. To best contemplate the “lasts” of the Bible, one should consider the “firsts” of the Bible. The particular focus of this message is Revelation 22:6, where the angel exhorts John by hearkening back, not only to the very first verse of the Book (Revelation 1:1), but also to the entire Old Testament. The same God who gave the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John via His angelic messenger “to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass” (1:1) is “the Lord God of the holy prophets” (22:6), the God of the Old Testament. It’s all one: ONE GOD, ONE BOOK, ONE BIBLE, ONE INCREDIBLE REVELATION. Therefore, it’s last exhortation demands a look at its first exhortation. There is a basic hermeneutic principle for the study of the Scriptures called The Law of the First Mention: The first time something (be it a word, a principle, a concept, or a syntax) appears in the Holy Scriptures, how it appears or is used sets the tone, association, connotation, and/or basic meaning throughout the rest of Scripture. In other words, subsequent appearances are always connected back to the first appearance and should not be divorced from the original connotation. In this message, Jesse Boyd highlights the first mentions of the words love (Genesis 22:2), believe (Genesis 15:6), sin (Genesis 4:7), wicked (Genesis 13:3), and sinner (Genesis 13:13) in the Bible. He then addresses the Bible’s VERY LAST EXHORTATION (Revelation 22:6-15) by considering its VERY FIRST EXHORTATION (Genesis 1:27-30).

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on August 7, 2022. Its focus is the detailed blueprint of the New Jerusalem, the Lamb’s wife, as unveiled in Revelation 21:10-22:5, particularly the city’s CIVIC AFFAIRS (22:1-5). In verses 3-5 of this final chapter of Revelation, we look at the INTERNAL affairs of the New Jerusalem, its municipal administrations that direct inward: IDYLLIC SOCIETY (22:3a); DIRECT ACCESS (22:3b); and GUARANTEED LIVELIHOOD (22:3c-5). In the New Jerusalem, a great big giant international park of sorts, the Church will have a guaranteed livelihood, permanent employment as servants of the Living God WHO SHALL SEE HIS FACE: what Moses (Exodus 33:23) and the elders of Israel (Exodus 24:10-11) were not able to do, what only Gideon (Jehovah 6:22-24) and Manoah (Judges 13:15-25) were able to taste. Such is the reward for the pure in heart, those washed in the blood of the Lamb (Matthew 5:8). May these patterns and visions of future blessings make us ashamed of our lukewarmness and thereby strengthen our hands in these dark times. May we with PATIENT CONTINUANCE endure in well-doing, not succumbing to our weariness (Romans 2:7; Galatians 6:9).

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on July 31, 2022. Its focus is the detailed blueprint of the New Jerusalem, the Lamb’s wife, as unveiled in Revelation 21:10-22:5, particularly the city’s CIVIC AFFAIRS (22:1-5). In verses 3-5 of this final chapter of Revelation, we look at the INTERNAL affairs of the New Jerusalem, its municipal administrations that direct inward: IDYLLIC SOCIETY (22:3a); DIRECT ACCESS (22:3b); and GUARANTEED LIVELIHOOD (22:3c-5). Inside the city limits of the New Jerusalem during the Millennial Reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, there will be none of what befell the earth following man’s Fall in the Garden of Eden—a foretaste within the city walls of what will extend to all of creation in the new heavens and the new earth. There will be neither hurt nor destruction in God’s holy mountain (e.g. the New Jerusalem suspended above the earth), and the lion will lie down with the lamb—idyllic society inside a great big international park administered by the Bride of Christ (Isaiah 11; Micah 4). And, there will be direct face-to-face PHYSICAL ACCESS to God’s Throne, what born-again believers only enjoy now in the spiritual through prayer. May these patterns and visions of future blessings make us ashamed of our lukewarmness and thereby strengthen our hands in these dark times. Let us live as if to be a doorkeeper in the mountain of the Lord’s House, where there will be no more curse, is far better than to dwell in the great big circus tent of wickedness that is the United States of America (Psalm 84:10).

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on July 24, 2022. Its focus is the detailed blueprint of the New Jerusalem, the Lamb’s wife, as unveiled in Revelation 21:10-22:5, particularly the city’s CIVIC AFFAIRS (22:1-5). In the first two verses of this final chapter of Revelation, we look at the EXTERNAL affairs of the New Jerusalem, its municipal administrations that direct outward: a RIVER OF LIFE (22:1), and the TREE OF LIFE (22:2), once a single tree in the the Garden of Eden and now a whole species of tree in abundance in the midst of the Paradise of God. In these verses are found more clues that the New Jerusalem, the Church’s future home, comes down to this present creation in the Millennial Reign of Christ and then transcends into the new heavens and the new earth. May these patterns and visions of future blessings make us ashamed of our lukewarmness and thereby strengthen our hands in these dark times. For this same scene, a tree planted by a river of water, is used to describe the way of the righteous in Psalm 1. Moreover, the Book of Proverbs likens the tree of life to at least four things that are sorely lacking in Americas churches: wisdom from above, soul-winning, hope fulfilled, and a wholesome tongue.