WE HAVE AT LAST REACHED THE SYNOPTIC EXPOSITION OF THE FINAL REVELATION OF CHRIST TO THE APOSTLE JOHN AS AN ENDURING MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD. THIS IS KNOWN AS THE BOOK OF REVELATION.
THE BOOK OF REVELATION
THE ENGLISH WORD “REVELATION” IS TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK WORD “APOCALYPSE,” MEANING TO MAKE KNOWN OR UNCOVER. THE MESSAGE OF REVELATION IS THUS: THERE WILL BE A TRIUMPH OVER THE DEVIL OR SATAN ON THIS EARTH.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A VICTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD OF THE SAINTS (MEMBERS OF CHRIST’S CHURCH) OVER THEIR PERSECUTORS, AND OVER THE KINGDOMS OF MEN (ONE WORLD GOVERNMENTS, MAGOG/RUSSIA AND THE KINGS OF THE EAST/CHINA) WHO ARE INSPIRED BY THE ANTICHRIST AND SATAN.
(COMMENTARY: THE BAD NEWS IS THAT GOD APPEARS TO MAKE NO MENTION OF AMERICA IN THE TEXT OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION. MANY SCHOLARS BELIEVE AMERICA IS DESTROYED JUST BEFORE THE TRIBULATION PERIOD BEGINS).
REVELATION TEACHES THAT THE VICTORY OF PERSONAL SALVATION CAN ONLY COME BY JESUS CHRIST.
THE TEXT OF REVELATION WAS RECEIVED FROM GOD BY JOHN THE APOSTLE ON THE SABBATH DAY WHILE IN EXILE ON THE ISLE OF PATMOS (A GREEK ISLE) NOT FAR FROM EPHESUS.
THE EXACT DATE OF THE RECEPTION OF THIS INFORMATION IS NOT KNOWN.
REVELATION SEEMS TO BE DIVIDED INTO 2 PARTS —
1. CHAPTERS 1 – 3 DEAL WITH “THINGS WHICH ARE”, THAT IS, THE PRESENT STATE OF THE CHURCH IN JOHN’S FIRST CENTURY TIME. IT IS ADDRESSED TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA MOST OF WHOM WERE RAPIDLY GOING DOWN INTO APOSTASY. (A FALLING AWAY OR REJECTION OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL).
2. CHAPTER 4 – 22 DEALS WITH “THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER,” THINGS YET IN THE FUTURE. IT BEGINS WITH JOHN’S TIME, AND CONTINUES TO THE END OF THE SECULAR WORLD WHICH COMES BRIEFLY AFTER THE YEAR 2000. (THIS IS A TERRIFYING MUST READ TALE FOR THE UNBELIEVING THAT HAS A HAPPY RESOLUTION FOR THOSE THAT TURN TOWARD REPENTANCE).
THE REVELATION OF SAINT JOHN THE DIVINE
REVELATION CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS:
JOHN BEGINS BY SAYING THIS IS THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST ABOUT THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS.
IT IS SENT TO THE SERVANT (JOHN) BY THE LORD’S ANGEL (THE ANGEL OF THE LORD LIKELY: MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL).
THE READER IS BLESSED FOR READING REVELATION, ESPECIALLY MORE SO FOR KEEPING THE SAYINGS OF THE PROPHECY.
JOHN WRITES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA ~
GRACE FROM JESUS CHRIST AND THE SEVEN SPIRITS IS INVOKED TO THEM.
JESUS IS DESCRIBED AS THE FAITHFUL WITNESS, THE FIRST BEGOTTEN OF THE DEAD, AND THE PRINCE OF THE KINGS OF EARTH. HE LOVED US AND WASHED OUR SINS IN HIS BLOOD. HE MADE US (THE SAINTS) KINGS AND PRIESTS TO GOD.
GLORY AND DOMINION TO HIM FOREVER.
“BEHOLD, HE COMES WITH CLOUDS: AND EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM (COMMENTARY: THROUGH TELEVISION AND MEDIA), AND THEY ALSO WHICH PIERCED HIM: AND ALL THE KINDREDS (THE GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE LIKE THOSE WHO PIERCED HIM) OF THE EARTH SHALL WAIL BECAUSE OF HIM.”
“I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING, SAITH THE LORD, WHICH IS, AND WHICH WAS, AND WHICH IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.”
“I WAS IN THE SPIRIT ON THE LORD’S DAY (THE SABBATH), AND HEARD BEHIND ME A GREAT VOICE, AS OF A TRUMPET, SAYING, I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST: AND, WHAT YOU SEE, WRITE IN A BOOK, AND SEND IT UNTO THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA.” (EPHESUS, SMYRNA, PERGAMOS, THYATIRA, SARDIS, PHILADELPHIA AND LAODICEA, ALL OF WHICH WERE LOCATED IN WESTERN TURKEY).
” . . . I TURNED TO SEE THE VOICE THAT SPOKE TO ME . . . I SAW SEVEN GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS.” (ALSO KNOWN AS A MENORAH OR LAMP-STAND.)
IN THE MIDST OF THE SEVEN CANDLESTICKS JOHN SEES JESUS CHRIST, “HIS VOICE HAD THE SOUND OF MANY WATERS.”
JESUS HAD IN HIS RIGHT HAND SEVEN STARS (COMMENTARY: EMBLEMS OF THE SEVEN MINISTERS OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES).
OUT OF CHRIST’S MOUTH JOHN SAW A TWO-EDGED SWORD COME FORTH (SEE HEBREWS 4:12)
JOHN SEES CHRIST’S FACE WAS AS THE SUN SHINING (TRANSFIGURATION).
WHEN JOHN SAW HIM HE FELL OVER LIKE HE WAS DEAD.
JESUS PUT HIS RIGHT HAND ON HIM AND SAID, “FEAR NOT: I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST. I AM HE THAT LIVES, AND WAS DEAD; AND BEHOLD, I AM ALIVE FOR EVERMORE, AMEN; AND HAVE THE KEYS OF HELL AND DEATH.”
JESUS TELLS JOHN TO WRITE WHAT HE SEES, THINGS WHICH ARE, AND THINGS WHICH SHALL BE.
REVELATION CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS:
JESUS TELLS JOHN TO WRITE TO THE MINISTERS AT THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS —
“I KNOW YOUR WORKS, AND YOUR LABOR, AND YOUR PATIENCE, AND HOW YOU CAN’T BEAR THEM WHICH ARE EVIL: AND YOU HAVE TRIED THEM WHICH SAY THEY ARE APOSTLES, AND ARE NOT AND HAVE FOUND THEM LIARS.”
“NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE SOMEWHAT AGAINST YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE. (COMMENTARY: THEY HAD LEFT THEIR FERVENCY OF LOVE FOR CHRIST WHICH THEY HAD IN THE BEGINNING). CHRIST ADMONISHES THEM TO REPENT. HE SAYS,
“HE THAT HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES; TO HIM THAT OVERCOMES WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE PARADISE OF GOD.”
AND TO THE MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA WRITE;
“I KNOW YOUR WORKS, AND TRIBULATION, AND POVERTY . . . AND I KNOW THE BLASPHEMY OF THEM WHICH SAY THEY ARE JEWS AND ARE NOT, BUT ARE OF THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN.”
CHRIST TELLS THEM TO NOT FEAR SUFFERING, BUT BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, AND THEY WILL BE GIVEN A CROWN OF LIFE.”
TO THE MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS JOHN IS TOLD TO WRITE:
I KNOW YOUR WORKS, YOU HAVE NOT DENIED THE FAITH BUT I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU (COMMENTARY: THEY BELIEVED IN SEXUAL FREEDOM TAUGHT BY FALSE PROPHETS).
JESUS TELLS THEM TO REPENT OR HE WOULD FIGHT AGAINST THEM.
“HE THAT HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES; TO HIM THAT OVERCOMES WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE HIDDEN MANNA, AND WILL GIVE HIM A WHITE STONE.”
(COMMENTARY: THESE STONES ARE FROM GOD TO HELP MAN OBTAIN REVELATION. IT IS THE GIFT AND RIGHT OF A SEER. IT WAS PROBABLY USED FROM ADAM’S TIME.)
“AND IN THE STONE A NEW NAME WRITTEN, WHICH NO MAN KNOWS SAYING (EXCEPT) HE THAT RECEIVES IT.”
AND TO THE MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA JOHN IS TO WRITE:
I KNOW YOUR WORKS, AND CHARITY, AND SERVICE, AND FAITH, AND YOUR PATIENCE, AND YOUR WORKS; AND THE LAST TO BE MORE THAN THE FIRST (COMMENTARY: THE LAST WORKS MAN DOES ON EARTH ARE MORE IMPORTANT, WHETHER THEY BE GOOD OR EVIL) TO GOD.
“NOTWITHSTANDING I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU,” (COMMENTARY: THEY HAD ALLOWED FORNICATION AMONG THEM, AND WERE EATING THINGS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS.)
CHRIST WARNS THEM OF PUNISHMENT TO COME IF THEY DON’T REPENT.
“AND HE THAT OVERCOMES, AND KEEPS MY WORKS UNTO THE END, TO HIM WILL I GIVE POWER OVER THE NATIONS.”
REVELATION CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS:
AND TO THE MINISTER OF THE CHURCH IN SARDIS JOHN IS TOLD TO WRITE:
I KNOW YOUR WORKS AND I HAVE NOT FOUND THEM PERFECT BEFORE GOD. REPENT FOR JESUS COMES AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT.
“HE THAT OVERCOMES, THE SAME SHALL BE CLOTHED IN WHITE . . . AND I WILL NOT BLOT OUT HIS NAME OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, BUT I WILL CONFESS HIS NAME BEFORE MY FATHER, AND BEFORE HIS ANGELS.”
AND TO THE MINISTER OF THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA JOHN IS TOLD TO WRITE:
I KNOW YOUR WORKS AND YOU HAVE KEPT MY WORD AND HAVE NOT DENIED THE NAME OF CHRIST.
“HIM THAT OVERCOMES WILL I MAKE A PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE OF MY GOD, AND HE SHALL GO NO MORE OUT: AND I WILL WRITE UPON HIM THE NAME OF MY GOD, AND THE NAME OF THE CITY OF MY GOD, WHICH IS NEW JERUSALEM, WHICH COMES DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN FROM MY GOD: AND I WILL WRITE UPON HIM MY NEW NAME.”
(COMMENTARY: YES, A NEW GLORIFIED CITY OF JERUSALEM WILL COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN IN THE LAST DAYS, JUST AFTER THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND THE PURIFICATION OF THE EARTH AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM. THE TIME FRAME AROUND 3000 AD, MORE ON THIS LATER!)
AND TO THE MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF THE LAODICEANS JOHN IS TOLD TO WRITE:
“I KNOW YOUR WORKS THAT YOU ARE NEITHER COLD NOR HOT: I WOULD (WISH) YOU WERE COLD OR HOT. SO THEN BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKEWARM (TOWARD THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST), I WILL SPUE (VOMIT) YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH. BECAUSE YOU SAY, I AM RICH, AND INCREASED WITH GOODS, AND HAVE NEED OF NOTHING; AND KNOW NOT THAT YOU ARE WRETCHED, AND MISERABLE, AND POOR, AND BLIND, AND NAKED: I COUNSEL YOU TO BUY OF ME GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE, THAT YOU MAY BE RICH.”
(COMMENTARY: SEE MATTHEW 12:44-46 CHRIST IS TELLING THE RICH IN THE CHURCH TO SELL ALL THEY HAVE AND GIVE TO THE POOR AND THEN THEY WILL TRULY BE RICH.)
“TO HIM THAT OVERCOMES WILL I GRANT TO SIT WITH ME IN MY THRONE, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, AND AM SET DOWN WITH MY FATHER IN HIS THRONE.”
(COMMENTARY: This message to the Laodicean church has been often speculated by prophecy experts to be the historical time period of the years 1900 AD up to the beginning of the Tribulation period.This is message to the people of our modern time. It is not hard to see, for how did people become so cold in this modernity? Surely as this passage alludes, it has to do with prosperity (and arguably the lack of prosperity) turning people’s hearts away from the truth found only in Christ. Though much of the judgment now befalling our nation since WW2 is directly related to the way people horde their wealth as an all-encompassing obsession of misdirected love. There is nothing wrong with being prosperous, but amassing wealth to privately sequester it is a sin. There is nothing wrong with retirement planning and leaving something for your children, but leaving behind millions is not the way. Remember the LOVE of money is the root of all evil, not money itself. Money is merely a tool like a hammer, if we bless others in need by building on their lives by way of either gift or non-interest bearing investment, we will overcome this world indeed.)
(COMMENTARY: NOW, WE HAVE JUST COVERED CHAPTERS 1 – 3 OF REVELATION, “THE THINGS WHICH ARE” OF JOHN’S TIME. BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO “THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER” JOHN’S TIME, LETS CONSIDER AGAIN THE SYNOPTIC WARNINGS OF CHRIST TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES:
TO EPHESUS — REMAIN IN THE INNOCENT CHILDLIKE LOVE OF CHRIST ALWAYS.
TO SMYRNA — DO NOT FEAR SUFFERING, BELIEVE IN CHRIST UNTO YOUR DEATH.
TO PERGAMOS — DO NOT FOLLOW FALSE PROPHETS OR TEACHERS, WHICH LEAD YOU INTO SEXUAL TRANSGRESSIONS.
TO THYATIRA — REMEMBER THE LAST WORKS WE DO ON EARTH ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAT OUR FIRST.
TO SARDIS — MAKE SURE YOUR WORKS ARE PERFECT BEFORE GOD.
TO PHILADELPHIA — KEEP THE WORD OF THE LORD IN YOUR HEARTS AND NEVER DENY HIS NAME.
TO LAODICEA — DO NOT BE LUKEWARM ABOUT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, ADMINISTER YOUR OWN WEALTH TO THE POOR AND FIND OUT WHAT RICHES IN CHRIST YOU TRULY HAVE. OVERCOME THIS WORLD.
AGAIN THESE DIRECTIVES TO THE CHURCHES OF ASIA ARE THE MESSAGE BEHIND REVELATION CHAPTERS 1 – 3.
(COMMENTARY: THERE IS AN INTERESTING FOOTNOTE TO ALL OF THIS, BIBLE SCHOLARS SAY IT IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT CHRIST SENDS WORD TO THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA LAST.
MANY SCHOLARS SAY THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA CLOSELY MATCHES THE CHURCHES OF OUR TIME HERE IN THE LAST DAYS BEFORE THE TRIBULATION HOUR. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE IN THIS SERIES, MANY LATTER DAY CHRISTIAN CHURCHES LACK THE SPIRITUAL FIRE OF THE HOLY GHOST BECAUSE OF ALL THE WEALTH IN THESE CONGREGATIONS. MATERIALISM STIFLES THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT AS QUICK AS ANY OTHER VICE.
IN OUR NEXT SERIES ON REVELATION, WE MOVE ON TO “THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER” AS SHOWN TO JOHN THE APOSTLE BY JESUS CHRIST.
NEXT . . . “THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER”