Revelation 2:1-3

    We now dive into the seven letters to the seven churches in the Roman province of Asia, modern-day Turkey. Some respectable Bible scholars maintain that each of these churches represent a period of time in the history of the church. The believe the letter to the church in Ephesus covered the period A.D. 30-100, the Apostolic church. The church in Smyrna was the church of Roman persecution from A.D. 100-313. The church in Pergamum represents the church during the reign of Constantine, A.D. 316-600. The church in Thyatira represents the church during the Dark Ages, A.D. 600-1517. The church Sardis represents the church during the Reformation period, A.D. 1517-1648. The church in Philadelphia represents the church during the missionary movement, A.D. 1648-1900. And finally, the church in Laodicea represents the church from A.D. 1900 and includes our current time. There is a compelling argument made here but I have a different take on this.

    I believe these seven letters were written to the seven churches in the Roman province of Asia but are applicable to all churches, from the First Century through the Twenty-first Century and until the Lord returns.

    That being said, here are my thoughts on these seven letters starting with the church in Ephesus.

    The city of Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia—modern day Turkey. It was the third largest city in the Roman Empire with an estimated population of 250,000 during the First Century. It was a city with a major commercial port and commerce. The city also hosted a number of artisans that crafted, among other things, idols of the Roman gods. It was a city steeped in paganism.

    During one of the Apostle Paul’s missionary journeys, he went to Ephesus and he found a group of disciples meeting there. He asked if they received the Holy Spirit when they became believers in Jesus. They had no idea what Paul was talking about. Paul began teaching the people, they received the Holy Spirit and the church began to grow. Paul spent over two years in Ephesus teaching every day. The first three months were in the synagogue but Paul ran into resistance so he met with the disciples in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 

(Rev 2:1a)

    I mentioned before that the word “angel” means messenger. God used celestial beings to carry messages. These are familiar stories of angels speaking to people such as the angel that spoke to Mary and told her she would conceive a child through the Holy Spirit. But angel can also mean a human messenger. I believe that the angel of the church in Ephesus was the pastor. If the messenger were a celestial angel as we understand them, they would not need John, a human, to tell them what God said and commanded. Celestial angels have access to the throne room of heaven and would receive their messages directly from God. 

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his

right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 

(Rev 2:1b)

    In each of these letters John reaffirms that this letter is not from him but from Jesus. He pulls from some of the descriptions found in the first chapter of Revelation. It is another reminder that God is speaking and when God speaks, His people should listen. The description goes on to describe Jesus as walking among the seven golden lampstands.

    It is also important to note that these seven messengers were held in Jesus’ right hand, an expression that means they were important to Jesus. As members of any church, we should remember this. Our pastors are called by God and are special but only as long as they remain Godly pastors. They are special to Jesus but they are also held to a higher standard.

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. 

(Rev 2:2a)

    The church in Ephesus apparently had a good reputation. They were against obstacles right from the beginning. After two years of preaching in Ephesus, Paul had to leave since a riot started and he was no longer safe. One of the issues involved the artisans who made idols. People coming to know the Lord quit buying these idols and the artisans’ businesses suffered. The church apparently continued to persevere even after Paul left.

I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested

those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

(Rev 2:b)

    One of their strengths was that they stood fast on sound doctrine. Many false teachers came looking to cash in on the Jesus industry. Even today, Jesus is a multi-billion dollar (euro) industry and false teachers are just trying to make a name for themselves in an effort to make money. They do not seek to glorify Jesus but themselves.

    The church in Ephesus called them out. They did not allow false prophets or false teachers to corrupt the true teaching of scripture. 

    Churches today face the same challenges. There are many prosperity gospel preachers around the world getting rich while leading people from the truth. Every church has a duty to safeguard the truth and sound doctrine but to do that the church needs to know sound doctrine. 

    There are also cults that claim to be Christian but are from sound doctrine. These cults were started by men with self-centered interests. Many of their followers continue to advance false teachings; why they do this and why people follow them can only be explained as the work of Satan. He seeks to keep mankind—God’s most treasured of all creation—from following God. Like many leaders of criminal organizations, Satan goes after God’s children.

    Verse one through three give us the accolades Jesus gave to the church in Ephesus. They endured much because of Jesus’ name, they did not grow weary in doing the work He called them to do. They stood up to false teachers and protected sound doctrine within the church.

    The next post will look at their shortcomings.

Revelation 1:12-20

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned 
I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son 
of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.

(Rev 1:12-13)

    We’ll skip over the seven golden lampstands for now and the seven stars. When John writes that he saw someone that was like a son of man, this is a Messianic title. During His earthly ministry, Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man on several occasions. The Jewish leaders knew this was a title for the Messiah and this infuriated them. I’ve heard some people argue that Jesus never claimed to be God. They’re wrong. When Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man, He was clearly claiming to be Messiah. He accepted worship and forgave sins. All of these are things that only God can do. 

    In addition to the golden sash, verses fourteen and fifteen give further descriptions of Jesus. The golden sash was a symbol of purity. I skipped over the other descriptions. They all have meaning but right now we’re laying the foundation for a study of the seven letters.

His head and hair were white like wool—white as snow—and His 

eyes like a fiery flame. His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a 

furnace, and His voice like the sound of cascading waters.

(Rev 1:14-15)

    Is there significance in this description? Absolutely! His head and hair being white as snow shows that He is "the ancient of days," a phrase found in Daniel when talking about God. The white hair also symbolized wisdom. We ofetn associate people with white hair as having acquired wisdom through a long life. God always had the wisdom of the world. He never learned anything nor did He ever forget anything. He does need to have the wisdom of the ages. He is the wisdom of the ages!

    His eyes being like fiery flames means He sees everything and His rage burns against the unrepentant sin that He sees. His feet being like fine bronze, in scripture, bronze is often associated with justice. He will stamp out al that is evil in His time and in His way. And His voice being like the sound of cascading waters; have you ever stood near a large waterfall? The noise is overwhelming. When God speaks, His voice often thunders. Sometimes we read in scripture that when God makes His presence known, thunder and lightning accompanied Him. 

In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.

(Rev 1:16)

    The sharp, double-edged sword is the Word of God. In the fourth chapter of Hebrews we read, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb 4:12).

The Word of God is powerful. God spoke the entire universe into existence out of nothing simply by command. In Genesis we see the phrase, “And God said let there be…”. Each time God said this, whatever He spoke came into existence.

 
God’s word is still powerful. By His word He can create or destroy. God has given us His written word in the Bible and it is just as powerful as it ever was. When we read the Bible and we find a command, it is the same as if God were speaking in an audible voice. We should listen, heed, and obey.

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His 

right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and 

the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive 

forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.

(Rev 1:17-18)

    What would be your response if you suddenly found yourself in the presence of Jesus? He walks through your front door and it is unmistakably Him. You do not need to ask, "Who are you? Can I help you?" MercyMe wrote a a powerful song about such an encounter, I can only imagine. 

    John's response was to, "...fall at His feet like a dead man." He passed out. What was Jesus' response? He touched John. The human touch can bring about great comfort during times of great stress. Imagine being touched by the Lord and then hearing words of comfort. 

    After telling John not to be afraid, Jesus assured John of who He was and what He did. He was the first and last (the Alpha and the Omega) and He is the One who conquered death and gave us the hope of eternal life with Him.

Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

(Rev 1:19)

    God is commanding John to write. Some Bible scholars use this passage to divide the book of Revelation into three parts. 

• What you have seen: The past.
• What is now: The seven letters to the seven churches. This is the church age, from the First Century right up to the Twenty-first Century and until the church age comes to end when the Lord returns.
• What will take place later: This includes everything else in Revelation, chapters four through chapter twenty-two. Those chapters will reference things of the past including many Old Testament prophecies but those chapters are, by and large, prophecies not yet fulfilled. Although we do not find the words, “As it was written,” bringing us a direct quote or paraphrase of the Hebrew scripture, there are more than 500 references to things from the Hebrew scripture.

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven 

golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the 

seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

(Rev 1:20)

    And finally, the mystery of the seven golden lampstands and the seven stars that Jesus holds in His right hand. The seven golden lampstands represent the seven churches of Asia Minor. A church should be a light on a hill, piercing the darkness and illuminating the way to Jesus for all who seek Him. If the lampstand is not doing what it is intended to do, Jesus will remove its light.

    The seven stars represent the seven angels of these churches. Some believe these are angelic beings, guardian angels over those seven churches. Since the word “angel” means messenger and a messenger can be a person, I believe these are the seven pastors of those seven churches. It does not make sense that a celestial angelic being would need a letter transmitted through a human (John) to know God’s will. Celestial angels are regularly in the presence of God and He can communicate His will to them directly. 

    Chapter one covered things that were. Next I'll dive into the seven letters to the seven churches of the Roman province of Asia and try to focus on what those letters have to say to the churches of the Twenty-first Century.

Revelation 1:9-11

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and 

patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of 

Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

(Rev 1:9)

    Many of the churches in Asia Minor and across the known world at the time were under severe persecution. The few that were not under extreme persecution were the ones that allowed the surrounding cultures to influence their doctrine and behavior. John was letting the churches know that he—a disciple and an apostle of Jesus Christ—was also suffering persecution. In fact, John was an elderly man. We don't know his specific age but if we assume he was about twenty when he started following Jesus, he would be about 80 years old at the time of his exile and the writing of Revelation. Emperor Domitian was exiling believers in Christ and others. Domitian wanted to be worshipped and all who refused suffered the consequences. This was around the year A.D. 94. 

    John was the only one of the original disciples/apostles that was still alive in A.D. 94. As an elderly man he was exiled to an undeveloped island. He did not grow bitter. He did not say, “I’m too old to do anything,” or, “I cannot do anything here from this island.” Instead, he was, “In the spirit on the Lord’s day.” What do we know about that? He was a man of prayer and he was probably praying when he received the vision. From this vision he was commanded to write the book we now know as Revelation and it has been passed down and studied for almost 2,000 years. Not a bad accomplishment for an old man living in a cave on an island.

    We should be encouraged by this. No matter where we are, no what our circumstances, our age, or anything else going on in our lives, we can be used by God if we abide in him and remain obedient. He will use us if we let Him. 

    In John, chapter eight, verse forty-seven, we read, “Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” Convicting. But what if you do belong to God but you still feel like you do not hear what God says? Are you listening? Do you abide in Him? For those of you who are married, communication is an important part of a healthy, happy marriage. If you only give your spouse the same amount of time you give God on any given day, how strong will your marriage be?

On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a 

trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches:

(Rev 1:10-11a)

    We already talked about John being in the spirit on the Lord’s day. Now we see the fruit of John’s labor in prayer. He heard a loud voice like a trumpet. 

    Trumpets were a regular part of Jewish religious life. The two most common types of trumpets were the hashasora—a trumpet made out of silver—and the better known shofar, a ram’s horn. Both were used in worship and the shofar was used to call people to worship. It was a way of announcing God is ready to speak through His word and ready to receive worship from His people. John heard the voice of the Lord “like” a trumpet. It is an analogy, not an actual trumpet sound but it was unmistakable. 

    The message: Write what you see and send it to the seven churches. Then these churches were identified.

“…to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

(Rev 1:11b)

    These letters were specifically written to those seven churches. Seven is the number of completion. They are applicable to all churches. At or near the end of each letter we read this. “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” In addition to being seven letters to those seven specific churches, I believe they are letters to all churches from the First Century, through the Twenty-first Century, and until the day the Lord returns.

Revelation 1:7-8

Look! He is coming with the clouds,

and every eye will see Him,

including those who pierced Him.

And all the families of the earth

will mourn over Him.

This is certain. Amen.

(Rev 1:7)

    There is some debate about whether this passage refers to Jesus coming when He raptures the church or at the end of the seven year tribulation. I believe it is the latter. Opponents of that view argue against what they call an invisible rapture of the church. They use First Thessalonians, chapter four, verses sixteen and seventeen. It reads in part, “...with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God,...”. I believe the shout and the trumpet call will be heard by those Jesus is calling home but not by non-believers. Support for this view is found in Matthew, chapter twenty-four, verses forty and forty-one. “Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one left.” 

    The sudden disappearance of all genuine believers at some future point makes the most sense when we take all passages related to the Rapture in full context. Moreover, verse seventeen of First Thessalonians, chapter four reads, “Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord.” If we are meeting Him “in the air” that means Jesus did not actually return to the Earth.

    This event fulfills two prophecies. The first is found in Isaiah, chapter nineteen, verse one. “An oracle against Egypt: Look, the Lord rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. Egypt’s idols will tremble before Him, and Egypt’s heart will melt within it.” In this prophecy, Egypt refers to all people and nations that reject the one true God. 

    The second prophecy fulfilled is found in Zechariah, chapter twelve, verse ten. “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for Him as one weeps for a firstborn.” This is more than those who actually crucified Jesus in the First Century. It includes all who reject His vicarious death and resurrection as the only means of salvation.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the 

One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.”

(Rev 1:8)

    Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The New Testament was written in Greek. The message here is that Jesus is everything. The second part strengthens that claim by using a phrase familiar to the Jews. “The One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.” The first part of that declaration is an exposition of the statement made by God found in Exodus, chapter three, verse fourteen. Here Moses asked the Lord who he should tell the Israelites sent him to lead them out of captivity. God replied, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” I think this conveys the idea that God is too great to comprehend. It is a commandment to walk in faith.

“The Almighty” also goes back to the Old Testament description of God. He is referred to as the Almighty forty-eight times in the Old Testament, seven of those times as God Almighty. The Hebrew words for this description of God are El Shaddai. For those who say Jesus never claimed to be God, this clearly refutes that assertion.

Verses seven and eight put forth a few major points. Jesus’ second coming will fulfill the Hebrew prophecies. The Jews were expecting the Lord to return on, “the day of the Lord.” Jesus will fulfill that prophecy after the seven year tribulation. Another point is that people who rejected Him on His first coming will weep and mourn when they see the One who they crucified and rejected. And finally, Jesus clearly brought to an end the argument that He never claimed to be God.

Revelation 1:4-6

John, 

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

(Rev 1:4a)     

    This is where we are introduced to the seven churches in the province of Asia. This area occupies what is now known as Turkey. The churches will be specified by John in verse eleven. There were more than seven churches located in Asia Minor.

    Most of these churches were smaller churches that met in homes or businesses. People would travel for commerce. Perhaps they met the Apostle Paul and listened to his teaching. After that they would return home and share what they heard and learned. These larger, perhaps more formal churches, were a base of operations for its members to get equipped, encouraged, and sent to carry out the Great Commission.

    Home Bible studies are a good idea today. Many non-believers will not come into a formal church building. They are more likely to go to a less formal setting, such as a friend’s house. Over a meal they might listen to what you have to say and ask questions. I believe most people come to know the Lord through small, personal contacts. There are examples of people seeking answers to spiritual questions who enter a church service, fall under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, then confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Everyone of us can be a missionary in our homes.

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,...

(Rev 1:4b)

    Most of the book of Revelation is filled with doom. The four horsemen of the apocalypse: Conquest, War, Famine and Death. Great earthquakes; not just localized earthquakes from a fault line shifting, but an earthquake that shakes the entire planet. Other cataclysmic events will occur and nearly half the world’s population will disappear or die over the course of seven years. Yet God greets His church with these words. “Grace and peace to you.”

    The rest of that verse would be very familiar to Hebrew listeners. The one who is, who was, and who is to come was known to the Hebrews as the great I AM, the Ancient of Days, Yahweh by His formal name. For Christians we know Him as God the Father.

…and from the seven spirits before his throne,...

(Rev 1:4c)

    There is a lot of debate about these seven spirits before the throne of God. The short answer is they represent the Holy Spirit. In the third chapter of Revelation, when John writes the letter to the church in Ephesus, he starts with, “These are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God.” The One who holds the seven spirits is God. The trinity is an impossible doctrine for the human mind to fully comprehend. It is a mystery. With study, discernment and faith it might begin to make sense to us as individuals but when we try to explain it we will always come up short.

Imagine the most amazing thing you have ever seen. When hikers ascend to the top of a hill and look out over a valley, or see snow capped mountains on the horizon, perhaps looking at the Alps or the Rocky Mountains, the view is awesome. When asked to describe it people are often forced to say, “It is hard to describe. You have to see it for yourself.” When trying to explain some of the mysteries of God we are at the same loss of words, no matter how many languages one might speak fluently.

…and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,...

(Rev 1:5a)

    John’s greeting and his proclamation of peace are from the triune God; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are presented in a different order here but are still one God in three distinct persons. This is more than just God’s signature block. These are God’s authoritative words. When He speaks, we should listen. When He commands, we should obey. When He admonishes, we should repent. When He speaks words of encouragement, we should continue to stay on that course and never grow weary of advancing His kingdom and glorifying His name.

God is looking for obedience. He is not forcing it. He has given each and everyone of us the ability to disobey but not without consequences. He does not need me; He does not need any of us. He chooses to use us in His work. He allows us to be part of something amazing. Why would you not want to join Him? He has blessed everyone one of us in great measure. Obedience will bring even greater blessings although those blessings may not be in our lifetime.  

…the firstborn from the dead,...

(Rev 1:5b)

    Jesus being firstborn from the dead draws on Psalm, chapter eighty-nine, verse twenty-seven. “I will also make Him my firstborn, greatest of the kings of the earth.” This psalm is a Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. A Maskil can be defined as, “a poem, a song, or a poem of contemplation.” 

    The psalmist writes that God spoke in a vision saying, “And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.” (Psalm 89:27). The psalmist cannot mean that King David is the firstborn. That title belongs to Cain, the first son of Adam and Eve. The reference here is to one of David’s descendants who will sit on the throne forever. That is a clear reference to Jesus as a descendant of David, making Jesus the Messiah, and since He died and was resurrected He is the firstborn among the dead. All of David’s other descendants died and remain dead. I am sure there are Jews alive today who are descendants of David but they will also die. There were those who died and Jesus brought back from the dead but they died again. Jesus died and resurrected to die no more. That is the distinction. 

…and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

(Rev 1:5c)

    I don’t think this verse needs much explanation. Jesus is sovereign over all the Earth. There is not a leader anywhere in the world who is not serving God’s purpose; even the bad, incompetent or evil leaders. Whether they are elected, appointed, whether presidents, prime ministers, kings, or people who took the leadership role by force, they serve God’s purpose.

    There seem to be a lot of bad leaders scattered across the globe. Why is that? Perhaps part of the problem is because God’s people are not giving serious prayer to the leaders that God has appointed over us. In the United States, even people of faith spend considerably more time complaining about our elected leaders than we do praying for them. I think people pray a brief prayer of thanks when their candidates win elections but when it is the other candidate, we grumble.

...and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—the 

glory and dominion are His forever and ever. Amen.

(Rev 1:6)

   

    During the Exodus God told the Israelites, "...and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation." (Ex 19:6). God did not call them because they were naturally righteous and holy. He even said of them that, "Understand that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people." (Dt 9:6).  Before we laugh at the Israelites because they were chastised by God, we need to understand we are no better. Indeed, all of us are a stiff necked people, not wanting to obey God unconditionally but constantly testing the limits of His patience as we seek to do our own thing. 

    God did not chose the Israelites because they were the best. He is not a sporting scout looking for the best players. He is a sovereign God that looks to redeem the lost to Himself and use them not because He needs them but because He loves them. We are saved to serve. Serving the Lord is not a burden or a chore. It is an undeserved privilege. We are kingdom of priests, chosen by Him to offer worship and sacrifices; not the sacrifice of animals as delineated in the Law, but sacrificing all that He has entrusted to us to use for His glory, not four our comfort and selfish enjoyment.

Revelation 1:1-3

The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave 

Him to show His slaves what must quickly take place. 

(Rev 1:1a)

    The book of Revelation was never meant to remain clouded in mysteries that could not be comprehended. The title of the book, Revelation, comes from the Greek word apocalypsis from which we get the word apocalypse. The word apocalypse means to make known, to reveal a mystery and its meaning. It is meant to be understood. This book is a revealing of the mysteries of the end times. Jesus fully intended for it to be understood.

    God wants to reveal this mystery and its meaning to His servants. That is you and me, and everyone who has received the free gift of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation but we are saved to serve. If you fully comprehend the price Jesus paid for our sins, for your sins, and you willingly accepted His free gift of grace, He expects that you will serve Him by sharing the love He gave you. That means sharing the gospel so that people have a chance to come to know the Lord as their Savior, people you know and meet. These same people are people that God loves.

He sent it and signified it through His angel to His slave John, who testified 

to God’s word and to the testimony about Jesus Christ, in all he saw.

(Rev 1:1b-2)

    The text clearly shows that God the Father gave this message to Jesus (God the Son) and used an angel to deliver it to John who then recorded it in writing so that the church—the entire church throughout church history—would have, know and act on these words. John was one of the original twelve disciples and an apostle. He was one of the first disciples called by Jesus. He witnessed Jesus’ entire earthly ministry. He was one of the three that witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus and was probably the only one of the original twelve to be present at the cross when Jesus was crucified. John’s credibility as a witness and an apostle is indisputable. 

The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this 

prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near!

(Rev 1:3)

    During Bible times many people were illiterate, Even those who could read did not have private libraries and getting access to written materials was difficult. People went to synagogue and a rabbi read the scripture then interpreted it. That must be understood when looking to receive the blessing that is promised in this scripture. 

    The other condition of receiving this blessing is to take it to heart. These are the words of God. If all we do is listen but what we hear does not make a difference in our lives, then what’s the point. That is worse than then going home, turning on the TV to watch a football game, and falling asleep on the couch. When you wake up, the game has long been over and some other program is playing. Why is it worse than this? The outcome of a football game has no real bearing on the eternal fate of human souls. God’s goal is summarized in Second Peter, chapter three, verse nine. “God is patient with [us], not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (Emphasis mine.) 

    Here is another mystery. He chose us to help see that end vision come to fruition. Why would He chose me? I am the least likely person to be called by God to do something on His behalf. If he can use me, He can use anyone. Since I am so unlikely, anything good that comes out of my efforts can only be attributed to God. 

    If you want to receive the promised blessing of this scripture, read it, listen to it, embrace it, and obey it. 

Introduction to Revelation

 CHAPTER ONE—JOHN’S PROLOGUE AND VISION

Introduction

    The book of Revelation can be divided into four parts. The first part, chapter one, is an introduction. It tells us the who, what, why, when and where of this book. The who: The Apostle John was given a vision from God. The what: He was told to write what he saw and what he heard. The why: So that God’s servants can know how the end times are going to unfold. The when and where: John’s vision came to him on the Island of Patmos while he was exiled for his faith in Jesus Christ and His word. This took place around A.D. 95 during the reign of Emperor Domitian who wanted to be worshipped as god. 

    The second division of Revelation encompasses chapters two and three. In these two chapters we have the seven letters to seven churches located in the Roman province of Asia, what is modern day Turkey. These were letters written to seven specific churches. However, each of these letters were and remain applicable to all churches from the First Century, into the Twenty-first Century, and until the return of the LORD. At or near the end of each of these seven letters there is the command, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” The phrase, “let them hear,” is an active verb. It means more than just listening to sounds. It means to hear, to understand, and to embrace the words of this book. We must hear these words, understand these words, and act on these words.

    The third division of Revelation includes chapters four through eighteen and deals primarily with the tribulation period.

    And the fourth division includes chapters nineteen through twenty-two and deals with the defeat of Satan and the establishment of the new Heaven and the new Earth.

    I'll be doing a verse by verse exposition of this book over the coming months so please subscribe or check back.