Revelation 1

“Prepare to meet your Maker!”

Scripture passage: Revelation 1:8-20

NOTE to leaders: I suggest using the New Living Translation (NLT) version of the Bible while teaching as it’s easier for children to understand. Keep in mind that it’s best to stay consistent with the version of Scripture used with the children each week.

Key Points: 

• Jesus is the King.
• God uses symbols to explain complex things.

Intro activity: As children arrive, have them draw pictures of Jesus – as they think He looked 2000 years ago while He was on earth. Be sure to collect the pictures when class begins, as these will be used during their teaching time.

Preparation before class:

• Gather the needed supplies.
• Create symbols to represent the different aspects of the story.

Supplies Needed:

• Paper
• Markers or crayons
• Blue/white tack
• Whiteboard & markers (for memory verse)
• NLT Bibles
• Scissors
• Tape
• Costume supplies, such as:
  • Seven lamp stands: toilet plungers and gold/yellow tissue paper
  • Long robe: sheet
  • Gold sash: cloth or yellow paper
  • White hair: white wool or cotton, hair net, (sewing needle?)
  • Eyes like flames of fire: coloured card paper, sunglasses or airline sleep mask
  • Feet like polished bronze: aluminum foil or paper
  • Seven stars: coloured card paper or foam stars (pre-cut)
  • Sharp two-edged sword: cardboard and aluminium foil
• Bright light … to shine on the face of the costumed Jesus before the photo shoot
• Camera (or camera phone)
• Print or draw the symbols that represent the different parts of the story; enough for each group to have a set of symbols
• Prizes for learning the memory verse

Class Agenda:

Tack the pictures of Jesus (that the kids drew during the worship activity) to the wall. Take a few minutes to allow children to explain their drawings.

Pray (or allow a child to pray) for today’s lesson and for God to teach us His Truth.

Begin with a brief history (paraphrase) of who John is – his background, setting, relationship to Jesus and his vision. The children should be given some idea of who John is, how he knew Jesus and the situation he’s in when he’s writing Revelation. Although John wrote this book, he is not the author. (Rev. 1:1-3, 9-11) Jesus gave John a vision and told him to write everything down. The book of Revelation foretells the future, and it is truth. It is a forewarning given to us by Jesus.

Read the Scriptures: Revelation 1:8-16. Then discuss the passage and try to answer any questions the children may have. Don’t be afraid to say that you don’t know the answer.

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,’ says the Lord God. ‘I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.’ I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. It said, ‘Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.’ When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.”

(Revelation 1:8–16, NLT)

Activity: Divide the children in groups, provide materials for them and let them make costumes to dress up a chosen leader to resemble the way Jesus looks in heaven. (Example: They can make a white wig out of cotton balls or sunglasses with flames of fire, etc.) Have them include as many items as possible, such as the sword, stars, etc. After dressing up the leaders, take pictures of the costumed leaders.

Read the Scriptures: Revelation 1:17-20. Discuss the meaning of the passage and allow time for children to ask questions or give their own ideas/feedback.

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “‘Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen. This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.’”

(Revelation 1:17–20, NLT)

Discuss how symbolism is used throughout the book of Revelation – as well as other places in the Bible.

• Give examples from previous lessons they’ve learned and see if the children can come up with a few more symbols. (Examples: parable of the sower, the story of the sheep in the David/Nathan story, the stars representing children/descendants in the Abraham story, etc.)
• Talk about the symbolism used in the Scriptures from today’s lesson. (Example: the seven stars representing the angels/spirits of the seven churches; the seven lampstands representing the seven churches, etc.)

Game: Before class, create symbols to represent different parts of the story. Tack the symbols around the room (or hide them if you’re able). Let the children find/gather the symbols and work in teams to lay them out in the order of the story. Perhaps provide prizes for the winning team.

Sample documents:

• KEY – Revelation 1 with symbols
• Symbols for Revelation 1

Have some volunteers try to retell today’s story using the symbols.

Memory verse: Play a simple (repetitive) game to help the children learn the memory verse for today: Revelation 1:8.

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,’ says the Lord God. ‘I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.’”

(Revelation 1:8, NLT)

Optional: Give prizes to anyone who can retell the memory verse without assistance.

Take-home: Provide a short handout for parents to tell them what the children learned today and their memory verse.