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Revelation

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Revelation 1

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John; 2who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw.

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

2Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Commentary · verses 1-2

This was the revelation of Jesus Christ that was given to John to show believers the things that will come to pass. This was done by an angel. John saw everything that was in this account.

3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.

3Blessed 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.

Commentary · verse 3

This book came with a blessing!: Blessed are those who read and hear/understand (the WHY) the words of this prophecy and keep those things that were written within. After all, the purpose of this book was to uncover/unveil what would happen. The point of this book was that we can understand the events of this book, to the point the reader would receive a blessing. The reason this book is so difficult to understand is that it contained a tremendous amount of Doctrine and one must understand Doctrine at a high level to receive the blessing from reading this book.

In this commentary for the Book of Daniel, we stated that Daniel had the greatest understanding of Doctrine among any author of the Old Testament. Likewise, John had the greatest understanding of Doctrine among any author of the New Testament. Consequently, like Daniel, he was the author of the book with the greatest prophecies within his dispensation.

4John to the seven churches that 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 that are before his throne;

4John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

Commentary · verse 4

Doctrine: There are seven Spirits before the throne of God. Isaiah 11:2 listed the seven Spirits of God. They were the Spirit of: Jehovah, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of Jehovah.

5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood; 6and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Commentary · verses 5-6

John began his letter to the seven churches in Asia with a greeting from God the Father, the seven Spirits of God, and Jesus Christ.

7Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

7Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Commentary · verse 7

Verse 7 referred to the physical coming of Christ to earth at the end of the Tribulation. John referenced Zechariah 14:1-5 and Zechariah 12:10.

8I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Commentary · verse 8

This was stated to John by Jesus.

Doctrines on this passage

9I John, your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patience which are in Jesus, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

9I 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.

Commentary · verse 9

John was exiled to the island of Patmos because of his beliefs when he received this revelation.

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

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

Commentary · verse 10

Even though John was exiled to this island, he was still in the Spirit. He heard a great voice as of a trumpet, which was Jesus.

11saying, What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

12And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven golden candlesticks;

11Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: 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.

12And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

Commentary · verses 11-12

The seven gold candlesticks represented the seven churches that Jesus told John to write to.

13and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle.

13And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

Commentary · verse 13

Daniel saw something similar in Daniel 7:13 and Daniel 10:5-10.

14And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters.

16And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

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

15And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

16And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Commentary · verses 14-16

The phrase "out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword" was similar to Matthew 4:4 when Jesus referenced Deuteronomy 8:3 which stated that man lived by everything that proceeded out of the Mouth of God. In Matthew 4:4 everything was replaced by every word, and "word" was rhema. We have seen in Ephesians 6:17 that rhema, the Word of God, was the sword of the Spirit. Notice throughout this book, Jesus will fight with what proceeds out of His Mouth. Jesus will do spiritual warfare with words.

17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last,

17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

Commentary · verse 17

Daniel responded in a similar way in Daniel 10:9.

18and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Commentary · verse 18

Doctrine: Jesus has the keys of death and Hades, which we also call hell.

19Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter; 20the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks are seven churches.

19Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

20The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Commentary · verses 19-20

The seven stars represented the angels of seven churches. Each church had an angel.

Commentary · verse 20

Chapters 2 and 3 covered the letters John wrote to the seven churches in Asia. Each of these letters to the seven churches in Asia were similar to a performance review. We should look at what Jesus told these churches to see if we can learn what He expects out of His Church (Bride). Each of these churches were actual churches to whom John sent these writings. Also, many scholars believed each of these churches represented a "church age" during our current dispensation, with the last church (Laodicea) representing our time today. Finally, each letter followed a general structure:

  • the beginning gave a description of Jesus,
  • the church was told what it did well and what it did not do well, and
  • the end told of a benefit to those who overcome, those that make it to eternal life.

Each section closed with the exhortation for those who have ears to hear. For the first three churches, the exhortation introduced the benefit to the overcomer.

Doctrines on this passage

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