[Revelation is a hated, rejected, and ignored book. The natural world does not understand this book at all, and does not want to understand it. Religious charlatans, on the other hand, pretend to understand it for their own purposes, making merchandise of it and deceiving other religious folks. More lies are told about this book of the bible than any other, with the possible exception of Genesis. (The pope claims both Genesis and Revelation to be mythology.) The Catholic institution (the whore of Revelation) naturally claims that Revelation cannot be understood because it utterly exposes the old whore, and most of the world likewise prefers to believe that if anyone thinks he understands even a portion of it, he is nuts. This book clearly reveals the heart of the man who hates it. (See: Hebrews 4:12.)]
Chapter 1 Introduction to the Revelation
[The first two verses deal with the delivery of this book.]
1:1 “THE Revelation . . .” (This is not a book of hidden things, but of things REVEALED!)
“of Jesus Christ . . .” (This is NOT the revelation “of John.”)
“to shew . . .” (not to hide)
“unto his servants . . .” (For those who are NOT his servants, this book of “revelation” will remain a mystery!)
“ things which must shortly come to pass . . .” (From God’s point of view two thousand years is a “short” time.)
(Psalm 90:4 “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”)
(2nd Peter 3:8 “. . . with the Lord . . . a thousand years [is] as one day.”)
“and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John. . . .”
[The Lord typically uses angels to run errands for him and frequently even uses them to speak for him.]
v. 2 “Who bare record . . .” (John is testifying)
“of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, . . .” (These two things are the same thing repeated.)
“and of all things that he saw.” (John is not providing his conclusions and opinions: he is testifying of the facts.)
The third verse deals with the receiving of this book.
v. 3 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”
Verses 4-5 deal with whom this book is to, and whom it is from. (just as does any letter, fax, or E-mail)
v. 4 “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: . . .” (These are referred to again repeatedly.)
“Grace be unto you, and peace, . . .” (This greeting is also a blessing.)
“from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; . . .” (That is, from God himself, specifically, Jesus Christ.)
(The significant aspect of the blessing is who it is from. If you disagree, then consider the case where it is you who gets the blessing, but it comes from, for example, Hilary Clinton, the “pope,” Billy Graham, or Satan.)
“and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; . . .”
(These “seven Spirits” are referred to only in Revelation (3:1; 4:5; and 5:6).)
v. 5 “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.” (The Lord is personally referred to here by four different names.)
“Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood . . .”
(One of the “archaic” dictionary definitions for “unto” is somewhat like the word “until.”)
v. 6 “and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; . . .” (The effect of this action is future.)
(Revelation 5:10 “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”)
“to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
(This is not, “to US be glory and dominion for ever and ever.”)
v. 7 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, . . .”
Acts 1:6-11 “. . . this same Jesus . . . shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up . . . in the clouds. . . .”
Matthew 24:30 “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Matthew 26:64 “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
“and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”
v. 8 “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.”
1:11 “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. . . .”
1:17 “Fear not; I am the first and the last. . . .”
2:8 “These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive. . . .”
21:6 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.”
22:13 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
v. 9 “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
[John, our “brother” and “companion” is not there on vacation: he is marooned there by the Roman government because he knows the truth and preaches accordingly; so they got rid of him. They would have killed him if they could, but they did not have that privilege! (See: John 21:23)]
v. 10 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day . . .”
[The “Lord’s day” is not Sunday (as decreed by “pope” Sylvester, and adhered to by the daughter harlot “churches”), but is that future day of the Lord’s coming in power and glory. John was taken forward in time!]
“and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,”
[This may simply be a description of the nature of the Lord’s voice as heard here by John.]
v. 11 “Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last . . .”
[This is he from whom this is written, Jesus Christ the Lord, as he is here referred to twice.]
“and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”
Λ v. 12 “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks . . .”
(John is repeatedly testifying of what he saw and heard.)
v. 13 “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man . . .”
(He whom John sees, “one like unto the Son of man”, IS the Son of man, although in a glorified body.)
“clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.”
(Roman soldiers will not have opportunity to cast lots for this garment.)
vs. 14-15 “His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.”
(Incidentally, his feet are not brass: they are “like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace”, in other words, they were bright with the nature of that glowing color.)
Λ v. 16 “And he had in his right hand seven stars . . .” (We know from verse 20 that these seven stars represent something else, so we are made willing to receive this verse as figurative in its implications.)
“and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword . . .” (This is only in one other place in the new testament.)
(Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword. . . .”)
“and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” [This is Jesus Christ, revealed in his power, although his identity is concealed from those who cannot believe that this is he. (See: 2nd Corinthians 11:4)]
v. 17-18 “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.”
(This is the immediate and natural reaction of anyone with any sense!)
“And he laid his right hand upon me . . .” (Have you ever considered how personal that action is?)
[As other examples of the Lord’s personal warmth and nurturing compassionate kindness, see:
John 20:11-16 “Mary” (By this one word, the Lord reveals himself and at the same time puts Mary at ease.)
Luke 13:34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!”
John 13:21-25 “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.”
(Does it seem inconsistent to you, that the king of the universe should suffer people to lean on him?)
6:37 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”]
“saying unto me, Fear not . . .” (What the Lord said to John is consistent with his action.)
“I am the first and the last . . .”
(The Lord again positively identifies himself as being the beginning and finisher of all things.)
“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen . . .”
(Compare this with Revelation 17:8 “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder . . . when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”
[The copycat Antichrist will be somewhat technically like the Lord, even in this.]
“and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Praise the name of the Lord!)
Acts 12:1-10 “And his chains fell off from his hands.”
16:22-26 “ . . . [T]he foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.”
Isaiah 42:7 “To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”
[QUESTION: Can you think of a Satanic imposter who has phoney, good-for-nothing “keys”?]
v. 19 “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter . . .”
(This is what John is testifying concerning, what he has seen, and knows.)
v. 20 “The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks.”
[Yes, it would be a mystery, unless the Lord revealed its meaning to us.]
Λ “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” (See: vs. 12 & 16)
(If we assume “the angels of the seven churches” MEANS “the seven angels of the seven churches” then, in simple logic, within the framework of the symbolism used in the bible, we have:
(1) 7A = 7B, so we know that A=B, or put another way, a “star” is an “angel.”)
(2) This relationship is repeated here as: 7C=7D, so that similarly we know: C=D, or “candlesticks” = “churches”.
(3) More important than just the meaning of the symbolism here, is the fact that the USE of symbolism is proved.
(4) Importance is placed on the number 7 itself, which is repeated more often than the symbols, so that it cannot be said the number is irrelevant.
(5) What we learn here comes into great significance in chapter 12, verse 1.
Chapters 2-3 Seven Churches are addressed through seven writings to their angels.
(See: “Revelation 2&3 (Table of the Churches)”)
[#1 Ephesus] Revelation 2:1 “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write . . .”
[Referring back to verse 1:11, this is to whom this is written, not to the church directly, but to its angel.]
(See, John 11:41-42, wherein there also is a less obvious reason why the Lord speaks to whom he speaks.)
“These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks . . .” [This is from whom this is written, Jesus Christ the Lord, as he is here referred to twice.]
v. 2-3 “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.” (The first thing mentioned is “thy works”.)
v. 4 “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”
(They have fallen out of love with the Lord!)
(Matthew 24:12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”)
v. 5 “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen . . .”
(Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?”)
“and repent . . .” [Did you get that? The Lord is telling the church to repent!]
“and do the first works . . .” (Are you clueless?)
(Deuteronomy 6:4-7 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children. . . .”)
“or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”
v. 6 “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
(How different from modern religious and “ecumenical” thinking!)
Λ v.7 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Would you need more incentive than that?)
[#2 Smyrna] v. 8 “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write . . .” (Again, it’s not written to the church directly.)
“These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive . . .” (And, again, this is whom it is from.)
v. 9 “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) . . .” (The first thing mentioned is “thy works”)
(Compare Smyrna with Laodicea, which, being the opposite, thinks it is “rich”, but is really “poor”.)
[“but thou art rich” appears to be capable of meaning either “rich” in “works” or “rich” in heavenly treasure.
(Matthew 6:19-21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth . . . but . . . in heaven. . . .”)
[Two things:]
(1) The Lord knows us and our situation better than we might realize, and
(2) as usual, the Lord does not judge things the way we do.
“and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”
[Most of the people who consider themselves “the people of God,” are just religious and of the devil:]
John 8:38-42 “Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.”
16:1-3 “. . . [T]he time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”
v. 10 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days . . .”
Λ “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Would you need more incentive than that?)
[Compare this with verse 7 above, given to the church at Ephesus.]
Λ v. 11 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”
[#3 Pergamos] v. 12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write . . .” (Again, it’s not to the church directly.)
“These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges . . .” (And, again, this is whom it is from.)
v. 13 “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.” (Satan’s “seat” is in Pergamos at this time.)
v. 14 “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam . . .”
(The first thing mentioned that’s wrong about them is their “doctrine”!)
“who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”
v. 15 “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”
(The last thing mentioned that’s wrong about them is their “doctrine”!)
(The only thing mentioned that’s wrong about them is their “doctrine”!)
v. 16 “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”
(Was that clear enough for you?)
Λ v. 17 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”
[#4 Thyatira] v. 18 “And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write . . .” (Again, it’s not written to the church directly.)
“These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass . . .”
(And, again, this is whom it is from.)
v. 19 “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works . . .”
[Two things:]
(1) The attribute of “works” is repeated.
(2) The attribute of “works” is mixed in the same sentence with “faith”. (Remember: James, chapter 2.)
(Though Baptists go around saying, “You can’t mix works and faith!”) (See: James 2:17-26)
“and the last to be more than the first.” [What is RIGHT about this church is that their works are on the increase!]
v. 20 “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel . . .”
[Persons such as these should not be suffered, they should be “cast out”.]
(Compare this church in this respect with the church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:2))
(See: 1st Corinthians 5:1-13 “Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”)
“which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.” (again 1st Corinthians 5:6 “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?”)
v. 21 “And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”
v. 22 “Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.”
QUESTION: Is this “great tribulation” here, the same as the coming “great tribulation”?
ANSWER: If it is, then this church is associated with the future, and not only with historical Christians in Asia!
v. 23 “And I will kill her children with death . . .” [Think about the strangeness of this statement.]
QUESTION: Is there a way to kill someone besides “with death”?
ANSWER: (See: Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”) (This fact is debated: see: Genesis 3:4)
“and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts . . .”
(They may not like it, but they will “know” it!)
“and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” (This theme is absolutely consistent!)
v. 24 “But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.”
v. 25 “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.”
v. 26 “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”
v. 27 “And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.”
v. 28 “And I will give him the morning star.”
v. 29 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
[#5 Sardis] Revelation 3:1 “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”
v. 2 “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.”
v. 3 “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
v. 4 “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.”
v. 5 “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; 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.”
v. 6 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
[#6 Philadelphia] v. 7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;”
v. 8 “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”
v. 9 “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.”
v. 10 “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”
QUESTION: Is this a promise to protect, or to remove, this church from the tribulation?
v. 11 “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
v. 12 “Him that overcometh 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 cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”
v. 13 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
[#7 Laodicea] v. 14 “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;”
v. 15 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.”
v. 16 “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
v. 17 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
v. 18 “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
v. 19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
v. 20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
v. 21 “To him that overcometh 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.”
v. 22 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
Similarities: (The writings to the churches are highly structured and patterned.)
(See: “Revelation 2&3 (Table of the churches).wpd”)
(1) The first thing provided is that it is written “unto” or “to” “the angel of the church”.
(2) The second thing provided is whom it is from, wherein the Lord identifies himself, using, in every case a different name for himself.
(3) The Lord begins with, “I know thy works”.
(4) Except Laodicea, the Lord begins the substance of the writing with what is right about the church. (There is nothing right about Laodicea!)
(5) The Lord follows what’s right about the church with what’s wrong, except Smyrna and Philadelphia. (There is nothing wrong about those two churches, in the Lord’s opinion, worth mentioning.)
(6) Every writing (concerning each church) contains a warning.
(7) A conditional promise is made with respect to every church.
(8) The conditional promise is made individually concerning “Him” (or “He”) “that overcometh”.
(9) It was said every time, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
QUESTION: What did the Lord say unto the churches?