Revelation

The word revelation means “the uncovering, the unveiling, or the disclosing. Revelation is the disclosing of Jesus Christ. It is the revealing of what He intends to do starting with the Church Age and running through to the end of time.

The “Church Age” is that period of the time when the “Church” is on earth. The church consists of the followers of Jesus Christ. The “Church Age” started fifty days after the resurrection of Christ on the Jewish holy day called Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks). It will end when the Church is raptured. Just as one week is divided into seven days, the Church Age is divided into seven periods.

John, one of Christ’s original twelve disciples, was selected by Jesus to record Revelation. Since he knew Jesus personally, John is often called the apostle John. He never boasted of that, but simply called himself “a servant of Jesus.”

Chapter 1

Introduction and Benediction

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,

[God gave the message of Revelation to his Son, Jesus. He wanted Jesus to pass it on to His servants, so Jesus gave it to an angel. The angel then gave it to John, who gave it to the church].

2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.

[John wrote it. It was his task to record what he saw, and what he saw was the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. The things written in this book are the word of God and they come from God through his son, Jesus. The book of Revelation has been called the Book of Sevens: seven churches, seven spirits, seven seal judgments, seven trumpet judgments, seven bowl judgments, seven thunders, seven blessings, seven “I AM” statements of Jesus (54 in all). Many scholars call them evidence of divine inspiration and instruction].

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

[Revelation is more than a book of doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction. It is also a book of prophesy. The fulfillment of this prophesy began on the first day of the “Church Age” (Pentecost). God had did not want the book to be ignored. He had John write it to be read, heard (hear), and kept (keep, take to heart). Some won’t read it because they are either uninterested, scared, or find it difficult to understand. All God asks is simply for us to read Revelation. The word “keep” requires obedient action to do what the Bible says. God promised a blessing to those who read, hear, and keep the Word of God. This means He will help us understand it].

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

[Revelation is for all believers, but here it at the beginning is a section addressed to seven particular churches. The greeting “grace and peace,” the common need of all people. Without the grace of God, we would perish. Without the peace of God, we would be unsure of our salvation. The source of grace and peace is the eternal God, the God who is, who was and who is to come. The Bible also talks about peace between people and peace between nations. The world does not have to have wars, a tribulation period and things like that. I can have peace between people and nations through Jesus Christ].

[The Holy Spirit occupies a place before the throne of God. He has a sevenfold nature made up of seven virtues, which are called the seven spirits. 1) The Spirit of the Lord– the nature of Jesus; 2) The Spirit of Wisdom– the ability to make right decisions; 3) The Spirit of Understanding- the ability to understand everything; 4) The Spirit of Counsel- the ability to give sound advice; 5) The Spirit of Might- the power to do what God wants; 6) The Spirit of Knowledge- the ability to know beyond human comprehension; 7) The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord- the ability to respect God’s will].

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

[God intends to establish his kingdom here on earth and Jesus is the chosen One who will rule over that kingdom and of whose kingdom there would be no end. The promise that God would send his Son, Jesus, the first time to die on a cross was literally fulfilled. Many believe the promise that God will send his Son, Jesus, a second time to rule over all things will also be literally fulfilled].

[Jesus is called The Faithful Witness- He was faithful in all things God gave Him to do. He was the Word Made Flesh, a faithful example of the very nature of the living God (Jesus). The Firstborn from the Dead- the first to die and be raised from the dead, never to die again. The Ruler over the Kings of the Earth- this is His position in the world. The day will come when he will physically reign over every power on earth].

[We are also told that Jesus loves us; an everlasting love that never fails. And the proof of that love is in the fact that he removes our sins through the shedding of his own blood- His crucifixion. We should never forget that we are what we are and we are participants in the grand scenario of history, because Jesus Christ in his own blood has given forgiveness and cleansing].

6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus has made us a kingdom of priests, a royal priesthood. We can give Him glory and dominion throughout all eternity. Jesus is our King and we are subjects in His kingdom. Because he has exalted us, we will exalt him. Through Jesus Christ, believers are spiritually set apart to belong to God, serve Him, worship Him, represent Him, and proclaim His truth with direct access to Him].

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,

13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;

15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;

16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.

18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

19 “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

20 “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”