How can Revelation 1:19 encourage us to discern past, present, and future events?

Setting the Scene

“Therefore write the things you have seen, the things that are, and the things that will take place after this.” (Revelation 1:19)

---

The Threefold Time Frame

• “the things you have seen” – John’s vision of the glorified Christ (1:9-18)

• “the things that are” – the seven churches of Asia Minor, representing the Church Age (ch. 2-3)

• “the things that will take place after this” – the prophetic events that follow the Church Age (ch. 4-22)

---

Discerning the Past

• Scripture records actual history; what John “saw” really happened.

• Looking back helps us affirm God’s faithfulness (Psalm 77:11).

• Lessons learned: Christ’s majesty, authority, and victory were already demonstrated in John’s vision—fuel for present confidence.

---

Living in the Present

• “the things that are” calls believers to read the seven letters as evaluations of today’s congregations.

• Examine:

– Love cooling (Ephesus)

– Compromise (Pergamum)

– Lukewarm faith (Laodicea)

• Immediate obedience flows from accurate self-assessment (James 1:22-25).

---

Anticipating the Future

• God reveals literal, upcoming events—seals, trumpets, bowls, return of Christ, millennium, new heaven and earth.

• Hope is anchored in certain prophecy (Titus 2:13).

• Knowing what lies ahead steadies us amid present turmoil (John 14:29).

---

Catching the Theme in the Rest of Scripture

• Isaiah 46:9-10 – God declares “the end from the beginning.”

• 1 Chronicles 12:32 – the sons of Issachar “understood the times” to know what Israel should do.

• 2 Peter 1:19 – prophecy is “a light shining in a dark place.”

---

Practical Takeaways for Today

• Keep a three-column journal:

1. Past works of God you’ve seen in Scripture and life.

2. Present areas where the Spirit is speaking through the letters.

3. Future promises that motivate faithfulness.

• Approach news headlines through the lens of Revelation’s framework—God is never surprised.

• Let certainty about Christ’s future reign energize present witness and holy living (1 John 3:2-3).

---

Summing It Up

Revelation 1:19 provides a divinely inspired outline that trains believers to look back with gratitude, live now with discernment, and look ahead with unshakable hope.