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**********THEME:
The revelation (unveiling) of (from) Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show His servants (and later generations) things (events) which must 'shortly come to pass' (Rev. 1:1). These "things" were to take place from John's (the Apostle John, the writer of the book) day to and including the eternal events of the new heaven and the new earth. The events are consecutive in order with parenthetical passages inserted inbetween the main events, which explain certain things that are to happen along with the main events but which are not the same as them.
Revelations is clearly divided into 3 seperate stages:
1. THE THINGS WHICH THOU HAST SEEN: i.e, the vision of Christ in the midst of the 12 candlesticks (Rev. 1:12-20) which, together with the introduction of the whole book forms chapter 1.
2. THE THINGS WHICH ARE: i.e, the 7 letters to the 7 churches in Asian Minor (present day Turkey) to whom the whole book is addressed (1:19; 2:1-3:22). These messages apply to the entire church age (past, present and future until the the rapture of the church just before the return of Jesus and before the future tribulation and coming of the Antichrist who will be here for the last 7 years of the age (Dan. 9:272 Th. 2:7-12; Rev. 6:1-19, 21).
3. THE THINGS WHICH MUST BE HEREAFTER: i.e, events after the rapture of the church (1:19; 4:1-22). These include the scenes in heaven (Rev. 4:5), the 7 seals and their parenthetical statements (6:1-8:1), the 7 trumpets and their parenthetical statements (8:2-13:8), the 7 vials and their parenthetical statements (14:1-19:21), the Millenium (Rev. 20), the new heavens and the new earth (21:-22:5) and the events of the conclusion (22:6-21).
STATISTICS: Revelation is the 66 th and last book of the Holy Bible. It contains 22 chapters, 404 verses, 12,000 words, 9 questions, 53 verses of history, 10 verses of fulfilled and 341 verses of unfulfilled prophecy.
DATE AND PLACE: written on the isle of Patmos about 96 A.D. (1:9).
AUTHOR: THE the Apostle John (1:1)
**********THEME:
The revelation (unveiling) of (from) Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show His servants (and later generations) things (events) which must 'shortly come to pass' (Rev. 1:1). These "things" were to take place from John's (the Apostle John, the writer of the book) day to and including the eternal events of the new heaven and the new earth. The events are consecutive in order with parenthetical passages inserted inbetween the main events, which explain certain things that are to happen along with the main events but which are not the same as them.
Revelations is clearly divided into 3 seperate stages:
1. THE THINGS WHICH THOU HAST SEEN: i.e, the vision of Christ in the midst of the 12 candlesticks (Rev. 1:12-20) which, together with the introduction of the whole book forms chapter 1.
2. THE THINGS WHICH ARE: i.e, the 7 letters to the 7 churches in Asian Minor (present day Turkey) to whom the whole book is addressed (1:19; 2:1-3:22). These messages apply to the entire church age (past, present and future until the the rapture of the church just before the return of Jesus and before the future tribulation and coming of the Antichrist who will be here for the last 7 years of the age (Dan. 9:272 Th. 2:7-12; Rev. 6:1-19, 21).
3. THE THINGS WHICH MUST BE HEREAFTER: i.e, events after the rapture of the church (1:19; 4:1-22). These include the scenes in heaven (Rev. 4:5), the 7 seals and their parenthetical statements (6:1-8:1), the 7 trumpets and their parenthetical statements (8:2-13:8), the 7 vials and their parenthetical statements (14:1-19:21), the Millenium (Rev. 20), the new heavens and the new earth (21:-22:5) and the events of the conclusion (22:6-21).
STATISTICS: Revelation is the 66 th and last book of the Holy Bible. It contains 22 chapters, 404 verses, 12,000 words, 9 questions, 53 verses of history, 10 verses of fulfilled and 341 verses of unfulfilled prophecy.
DATE AND PLACE: written on the isle of Patmos about 96 A.D. (1:9).
AUTHOR: THE the Apostle John (1:1)
Actually it is a sin not to teach the book of Revelations as Jesus prefers that people have the fear of God to make their own judgment for their lives , and it is a sin not to have any faith in these scriptures , but In China the government leaders believe that the book of Revelations is a threat that the Book is censored and people are forbidden to teach or even quote from the Book of Revelations ....One day the censors may be coming to America when the days the fig tree has full fruit , as the fig leaves represents sin
The book of Revelation is one Revelation. One Revelation or a revealing comprised of 16 different very-vivid word pictures or visions, but only one singular Revelation.
Apostate Jerusalem, represented by that dried-up fig tree, was sinful in rejecting Jesus.
Apostate Christendom [ so-called Christian in name only ] is like that dried-up fig tree.
God used the political/military world to go against unfaithful Jerusalem in the first century.
Once again God will use the political/military realm to go up against religions that have run afoul playing false to God and His Word.
**********THEME:
The revelation (unveiling) of (from) Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show His servants (and later generations) things (events) which must 'shortly come to pass' (Rev. 1:1). These "things" were to take place from John's (the Apostle John, the writer of the book) day to and including the eternal events of the new heaven and the new earth. The events are consecutive in order with parenthetical passages inserted inbetween the main events, which explain certain things that are to happen along with the main events but which are not the same as them.
Revelations is clearly divided into 3 seperate stages:
1. THE THINGS WHICH THOU HAST SEEN: i.e, the vision of Christ in the midst of the 12 candlesticks (Rev. 1:12-20) which, together with the introduction of the whole book forms chapter 1.
2. THE THINGS WHICH ARE: i.e, the 7 letters to the 7 churches in Asian Minor (present day Turkey) to whom the whole book is addressed (1:19; 2:1-3:22). These messages apply to the entire church age (past, present and future until the the rapture of the church just before the return of Jesus and before the future tribulation and coming of the Antichrist who will be here for the last 7 years of the age (Dan. 9:272 Th. 2:7-12; Rev. 6:1-19, 21).
3. THE THINGS WHICH MUST BE HEREAFTER: i.e, events after the rapture of the church (1:19; 4:1-22). These include the scenes in heaven (Rev. 4:5), the 7 seals and their parenthetical statements (6:1-8:1), the 7 trumpets and their parenthetical statements (8:2-13:8), the 7 vials and their parenthetical statements (14:1-19:21), the Millenium (Rev. 20), the new heavens and the new earth (21:-22:5) and the events of the conclusion (22:6-21).
STATISTICS: Revelation is the 66 th and last book of the Holy Bible. It contains 22 chapters, 404 verses, 12,000 words, 9 questions, 53 verses of history, 10 verses of fulfilled and 341 verses of unfulfilled prophecy.
DATE AND PLACE: written on the isle of Patmos about 96 A.D. (1:9).
AUTHOR: THE the Apostle John (1:1)
Why did you capitalize antichrist when in Scripture there is No upper-case letter "A" ?_________
All who are against Christ are anti Christ.
The false clergy man of the cloth [ 2nd Thess. 2 vs 2-8 ] often sit themselves in the ' temple' [ houses of worship ] as if they are God when in reality they are anti-God.
Jesus likened our day to Noah's day [Matt. 24 v 37 ] there was No rapture and No 7 years of rain.
The end came ' hard and swift ' not prolonged.
How do you arrive at 7 years of tribulation from Daniel chapter 9, Thess. and Rev. 6 ?______
We are nearing the final signal, so to speak, of 1st Thess. 5 vs 2,3 when surprisingly ' they' [ political powers that be ] will be saying ' Peace ' as a precursor to the coming great tribulation of Rev. 7 v 14.
Why did you capitalize antichrist when in Scripture there is No upper-case letter "A" ?_________
All who are against Christ are anti Christ.
The false clergy man of the cloth [ 2nd Thess. 2 vs 2-8 ] often sit themselves in the ' temple' [ houses of worship ] as if they are God when in reality they are anti-God.
Jesus likened our day to Noah's day [Matt. 24 v 37 ] there was No rapture and No 7 years of rain.
The end came ' hard and swift ' not prolonged.
How do you arrive at 7 years of tribulation from Daniel chapter 9, Thess. and Rev. 6 ?______
We are nearing the final signal, so to speak, of 1st Thess. 5 vs 2,3 when surprisingly ' they' [ political powers that be ] will be saying ' Peace ' as a precursor to the coming great tribulation of Rev. 7 v 14.
I capitalized Antichrist as a title while the generic term antichrist refers to many. In 2 Thess. 2:2-8 v3-5 refers to the Antichrist of the later days although yes, many who oppose God are a type of antichrist and give place to the Spirit of antichrist (atheists, agnostics etc...). These verses state that 2 things must precede the day of the Lord: apostasy (which is here now and the revelation of the Antichrist (has not happened yet). v 6-8 state that one more thing must take place before the revelation of the Antichrist: the rapture of the saints. v 7 refers to "he who now letteth".. This is a reference to the hinderer or restrainer of lawlessness or specifically the man of lawlessness which is the Antichrist. This could be one of three things:
1. governments
2. the Holy Sprit.
3/ the church
Will it be the governments of the world? No, in the times of the Antichrist each nation will still have it's own governments even though the Antichrist rules over many other nations. Will it be the Holy Spirit? No, although the Holy Spirit inhabits the children of God He is omnipresent and will be here all through the tribulation period (Jn. 14:16; Acts 2:16-21; Rev. 12:17). It must be the church therefore. It will be raptured BEFORE Antichr4ist comes and this is the only one of the hinderers of lawlessness that will be removed from the earth (1 Th. 4:16).
The book of Daniel chapter 9:
Verses 1-2 starts Daniels 3rd vision: the 70 weeks of YEARS. V's 1&2 state time and occasion. V's 3-19 give Daniels prayer and confession for himself and Israel: the 12 sins of Israel. V's 20-23 are the angelic interpreter. V 's 24: 70 weeks of years upon Israel and Jerusalem to accomplish the 6 things stated in the verse.
V25-26 are the beginning of the FIRST PERIOD of 7 weeks to rebuild Jerusalem after the captivity, following which was the second period of 623 weeks (of years) from the rebuilding of Jerusalem to the Crucifixion of the Messiah, a period of 483 years (Neh. 2; Jn. 19:30-31. )
V27 ends the chapter and prophecies the 3rd period of one week in which the Antichrist will make (or confirm) and then break a covenant with Israel ending with the second advent of the Messiah (Rev. 4:1-19:21; Mt. 24:15-31).
The 70 weeks are a cause of much confusion. Look at them this way:
There are 14 main parts to this prophecy.
THE MEANING OF THE 70 WEEKS:
1. The phrase 70 weeks literally means 70 SEVENS (Heb. for week is SHABUA, meaning seven).
70 sevens of years because:
a. Daniels prayer, to which this vision was an answer did not concern DAYS, but YEARS (Dan. 9:2)
b. The last 7 is one and is divided into 2 parts, the last half explained to be 3 1/2 years.
c. If the last 1/2 of the 70th week is 3 1/2 years then the first half must be also, making the one 7 of v 27 to be 7 years.
d. If the last or ONE SEVEN is a period of 7 years, the other sevens are also 7 years each. the whole period, therefore is70X7= 490 years.
DIVISION OF THE 70 WEEKS or 70 SEVENS:
They are divided into 3 main periods:
1 the first division: 7 sevens, 49 years for the rebuilding of Jerusalem (v25)
2. the second division; 62 sevens, 4324 years from the completion of the city at the end of the 49o years to the time Messiah is CUT OFF or crucified for man (v 25-26).
3. the 3rd division: one seven, 7 years, the last 7 years of this age, ending with the 2nd advent of Christ to fulfill the 6 events of v24.
Rev. 6:1-19,21 refer to Daniels' 70th week and the tribulation, the first 3 1/2 years of Daniels 70th week and the 1st SEAL: the rise of the Antichrist (Dan. 7:8, 23-26; 8:8-10, 20-25; 11:35-45; 2 TH. 2:1-12; Rev. 13:1-18 and 17:10-16.
Daniel chapter 9 is about Daniel's prophecy of 70 weeks of years in connection to Messiah's appearance on earth - Dan. 9 vs 25,26
In other words, 5 centuries in advance was prophecied Messiah's appearance on earth.
That advance time was measured in weeks of years meaning that each week was 7 years long.
That would be 7 plus 62 of such weeks, making a total of 69 weeks of years.
According to Scripture that span of years began with Nehemiah arrival in Jerusalem to rebuild the city.
[Persian history establishes that date as 455 BCE - Neh. 2 vs 1-8 ]
Jesus appeared on the scene right on time - Luke 3 v 15 - when the people were in 'expectation' [ or expecting ] Messiah's arrival.
When John the Baptizer came on the scene the people already could know the recorded words of Daniel 9 vs 24-26.
Jesus became Messiah right on time when John baptized Jesus.
What Daniel wrote applies exclusively to the coming of Jesus as Messiah.
Messiah was ' cut off ' in death. So, the first half of that ' last week of years ' Jesus spent on earth.
The new covenant would take effect at Pentecost leading to Cornelius a gentile now becoming part of the Christian congregation thus completing that last week of years.
There is No capital "A" in scripture for antichrist. Anyone against Jesus is antichrist.
As in the ' days of Noah ' [ Matt. 24 v 37 ] In Noah's day the end came hard and swift, so the end for the wicked will be hard and swift.
-Isaiah 11 vs 3,4; Rev. 19 vs 11,15
The ' final signal ', so to speak, is recorded at 1st Thess. 5 vs 2,3 which is a precursor to the coming great tribulation of Rev. 7 v 14
Whenever ' they ' [ the powers that be ] are saying, " Peace " then by surprise those powers will turn on the world's religions which have run afoul by playing false to God and His Word.
**********Revelations chapter one starts with a beatitude of blessing for those (all) who read the book of Revelations, hear the words of this prophecy and KEEP "those things which are written: for the time is at hand (v3)."
V's 4-6 are a 7 fold salutation to the churches and a threefold exaltation of Jesus Christ.
V7 states the chief theme of Revelations.
V8 proclaims the eternity of Jesus Christ.
V9 speaks of the author of the book, the prophet and Apostle John while on the Isle of Patmos; followed by v 11 where he is "in the spirit [wholly in union with the Holy Spirit] and totally yielded to Him and His leading and guidance.
V11 gives John's commission from God to write the Revelaton: "what thou seeth write in a book and send it to the 7 churches which are in..."
THE THINGS which thou HAST SEEN
1. The vision of Christ
(1) 8 characteristics of Christ
V 12- He saw 7 golden candlesticks which represent the 7 churches (v20)-EPHESUS, SMYRNA, PERGAMOS, THYATIRA, SARDIS, PHILADELPHIA AND LAODICEA.
V13 John sees Jesus in the midst of His churches
V14 He describes Jesus' head and hair (was white like wool and His eyes were "as a flame of fire";
V15 describes His feet and His voice
V16 "And He had in His right hand 7 stars; and out of His mouth went a sharp 2 edged sword; and His countenance was as the sun shineth in His strength."
V17& 18 describe the effect the vision has upon John (compare to Isa. 6; Ezek. 1:28 and 2:3; Dan. 8:27 and 10: 5-18; and Acts 9:3-8).
V19 is a command to write "the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter."
V20 interpretes the symbols: "The 7 stars are the angels of the 7 churches...
Here God liberally uses the word ANGELS in conjunction with it's literally meaning of MESSENGERS. He refers to the leaders of the churches. We would say pastors, ministers, or preachers today. This is also used of MEN in Rev. 1:1, 20; 2:1,8,12, and 18; 3:1,7 and 14; 15:1,6 and 8; 16:1-17; 17:1; 21:9; and 22:8-10. God's different uses of the word angels has been a continuous source of confusion in mankind for centuries.
The messages to the churches are given IMMEDIATELY after the vision of Christ of Rev. 1 and contain only THE THINGS WHICH ARE, that is, the things which concern the church on earth until its rapture.
The letters to the churches have a 3 old application:
1. a local application to the churches in Johns day. The letters portray actual conditions in 7 local churches in Asian Minor.
2. a prophetic application to the churches throughout this dispensation to the rapture, revealing spiritual conditions in local churches and in individuals in churches.
3. and individual application s, so that the individual in any church in any generation may be warned and profit by the failures of the 7 churches (1:3; 2:7, 11, 17,and 26; 3:5, 12 and 21.)
END OF CHAPTER ONE
Why did you capitalize antichrist when in Scripture there is No upper-case letter "A" ?_________
Please note all letters in both the OT and NT were written as one size. They had no upper or lower characters. Thus it was either "antichrist" or "ANTICHRIST". Never "Antichrist" except in English at the translators choice.
Chapter 2 of Revelations starts (2) "THE THINGS WHICH ARE". These are things concering the churches until the rapture (2:1-3:22)
1. The epistle of EPHESUS
V1 states that it is Jesus who is speaking to the pastor of the church of Ephesus
V2 & 3 commend the church for their good works, patience and intolerance of evil and their stedfastness.
V4- Jesus has an objection because the church has ''left thy first love" (backslid).
V5- Jesus commands the church to repent and do their first works to be restored to God (who is) their first love. It comes with a warning that the church will be removed out of his place except they repent. God gives terms here for the Ephesians because of their sins and a warning of His judgment if they fail to meet His terms. Compare to 1 Peter 4:17- "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"
V6 God commends the Ephesians for hating the deeds of the Nicojatanes, which He also hates. The "Nicolaitanes " were followers of Nicolas, a heretic. They are supposed to have been a sect of gnostics who practiced and taught impure and immoral doctrines, such as the community sharing of wives, that committing adultry and fornication was not sinful etc... These were similar doctrines to that of Balaam and Jezebel of Thyatira. The Ephesians were PREOCCUPIED.
V7- Jesus includes scripture stating that it is the Holy Spirit speaking through Him to the churches, proving hathat God is 3 in one and one in unity in heaven.
(2) THE EPISTLE TO SMYRNA
(Smyrna was a rich city in Turkey now called Ismir, about 50 miles N.W. of Ephesus.)
V8 Jesus commands John to write "These things saith the first and the last (the Alpha and the Omega) which was dead and is alive... Here Jesus confirms His death and resurrection.
V9 Jesus acknowledges theirs works and tribulations and financial poverty (while they were rich in the Lord however.) Located in a rich city the church was persecuted and poor). He then states that He knows "the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan). Within Smyrna was a sect of Jews who professed Judaism, but blasphemed God and in truth served Satan.
V10 God Jesus warns of an impending persecution but tells them not to fear the things to come. He warns them that people acting under the influence of Satan will cast some of them into prison and be tried in court. He promised that if they will be faithful (even unto death) He will give them a Crown of Life. Compare this to Paul's testimony of his impending death (Phil 1:20-26 and here in 2 Tim. 4:8)- "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." This sets up v11 where Jesus verifies that "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second (spiritual) death."
(3) THE EPISTLE TO PERGAMOS
(Pergamos was a town in Mysia on the river Caicus about 50 miles N. of Smyrna). V12 Jesus speaks of Himself "saith He which hath the sharp sword with 2 edges;..." Compare to the battle of Armageddon, chapter 19 verse 15- "And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should mite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."
V13 contains a mysterious verse as follows: "I know thy works, and where thou dwells, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and has not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth." There are 2 references to Satan
1) "where Satan's Seat is..."
2) "where Satan dwelleth..."
The first is supposed to refer to the removal of the headquarters of the ancient Babylonian cult from Babylon to PERGAMOS (the very city in which this letter to the church is located). The Antipas mentioned here is an unknown Christian who became known by his martyrdom for Christ. There is a book called THE ACTS OF ANTIPAS, which makes him the bishop of Pergamos and states that he was put to death by being enclosed in a burning brazen bull (allegedly).
Again we see "where Satan s dwelleth..." or some mention of the devil. The common theme here is that, though the church is young Satan has already set his sights on them and goes about to destroy them continually trying to drive a wedge between God and man.
V14,15 Jesus has issues with this church also, chiefly being that they held fast also to the doctrine of Balaam, they ate things sacrificed to idols, committed fornication and also held to the doctrines of Nicolaitanes, "which thing I hate".
V16 Here Jesus tells this church also to repent, a recurring theme in these letters.
V17- An opportunity for those who will hear and obey the Word of God: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the (holy) Spirit saith unto the church; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in these stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." We still use this saying today spoken toward atheists, agnostics, and other non-believers. Overcomers will be given real manna to eat - what specific kind is not made clear. These stones were known to the ancients as VICTORY STONES. They meant PARDON and were the physical evidence of it. Judges had both black and white stones. Black stones were given to the criminal if he was condemned, white if pardoned by the judge. Conquerors in the games were also given white stones with their names in them, which entitled them to be supported the rest of their lives at public expense. Perhaps all 3 things or any one of them were meant by the white stones. The idea was clear to the early church while most of us scratch our heads and wonder what in the heck is He talking about?
The fact that all these churches are being told to repent indicates that some (or most) of their members were in a backslidden condition. They are all warned to REPENT or face judgment. If backsliders in the early church were told to repent does that not hold true of backsliders today and all times in between? The church at Pergamos was POLITICAL.
These were the first 3 letters to the 7 churches in Asia Minor.
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