2~ Revelation Study:
Before we get into the verses of the Revelation of Jesus Christ , I want to point out a few more great truths to do with this book of prophecy, its the only book of prophecy in the N.T. there are several prophetic references in the N.T. but Revelation is the only book. There are 17 in the O.T.
?Listen, Paul had sent different letters to seven different churches.
Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica he sent two epistles to the Thessalonians, and at least three to the Corinthians, we have copies of two that Paul sent to the Corinthians. 1st. 2nd.
We know that he sent a 3rd one because we read in 1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
Lets realize that we’re reading this in 1ST.COR. Paul says here that he had written to them before.
But John addressed the same message to seven different churches.
Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Thyatira Sardus Philadelphia Laodicea.
Paul had sent different letters to seven individual churches. John sent one message to seven churches.
In chapters 2 & 3 John had a special message from Christ to each church.
They were real local assemblies in the western section of the Roman province of Asia Minor Turkey . Although only seven churches are mentioned, probably more existed in the area. Most likely they were established through Paul's missionary outreach from Ephesus, the principal city in Asia Minor, but not necessarily by Paul himself.
John does not say why only these seven churches are mentioned, it may be because these seven named churches were representative of the various types of churches in John's day. Many believe, my self as well, that these 7 particular churches also give a picture, or state of the church, during the time its here on earth, from Pentecost unto the rapture We’ll have much to say about these 7 churches as we get into chapters 2 & 3.
Revelation is the only book with a promise of blessing to the reader and to the people that hear it read. In the early days of the Church before the invention of the printing press, there was a limited number of handwritten copies of Gods Word, this meant that a public reader would to go from church to church, so the reader would receive a blessing and those that heard it read would be blessed as well.
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy,
The Book of the Revelation commences with a blessing (1:3) and concludes with a blessing (22:7).
Six other blessings are mentioned in this book 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14 7 blessed s altogether.
It contains 22 chapters, 404 verses and 12,000 words, It has no quote from the O.T. But is alluded to many times.~ Revelation mentions ANGEL or ANGELS 76 times.
The prophecy of Daniel was penned over 500 years before the N.T. yet the books of Revelation and Daniel tell much the same prophecies.
God told Daniel in
Daniel 12:4 4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased is not a reference to today's transportation, or the advancement of education, although there’s no doubt knowledge has certainly increased as Doctors today can perform operations that not too long ago was unheard of, man has been to the moon.
But God's promise to Daniel is that, in the last days, His people Israel as well as all believers, can and will increase in their knowledge of prophetic Scripture as we study Gods word. Some believe,"to and fro" means searching to and fro over the Scriptures.
When did the last days begin?
Hebrews 9:26 but now once in the end of the world age hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
So the last days begin when Jesus was on earth.
But unlike Daniels prophecy, Revelation is not a sealed book, God told John in;
Revelation 22:10 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Listen The book of the Revelation is the book of consummation, that is, the closure of all things, the act of bringing to completion.
The book of the Revelation is the book of consummation, and so God had it placed at the end of His Bible.
? Genesis is the book of commencement; Revelation is the book of consummation. Listen:
Gen.1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Rev.21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;
Gen.3:1 The entrance of sin and the curse.
Now the serpent was more subtil cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
Listen When God created all things, He said it was good, sin had not yet crept in.
But in the last verse of the O.T. Malachi 4:6 we find the last word is CURSE
All because of SIN. As the saying goes; Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.
Rev.21:27 The end of sin and the curse.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth,
Gen. 3:1 we also have the beginning of Satan and his activities dealing with man.
Now the serpent was more subtil cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Notice, his lying and deception begins, as he places doubt in Eve mind.
I personally think that the reason Satan goes to Eve instead of Adam is because she didn’t personally hear Gods command as Adam did, she had not yet been made, what Eve heard was 2nd. hand information from Adam, did Adam emphasis the importance of obeying Gods command?
Adam was FORMED. Eve was made.
Genesis 2:7 7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:16-18 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: He did not say YOU
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.
18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Notice, after God had commanded Adam He made Eve.
Eve was MADE not FORMED.
Genesis 2:21-22 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. notice, brought HER, not a “HIM”.
Lets be sure and notice, God made Adam a WOMAN to be his companion, not a MAN for his companion.
These queers and lesbians that we see today are an abomination to God. They may walk proudly about and flaunt their sin in Gods face but God will have the last laugh.
Proverbs 1:26-27 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when not if your fear cometh; -- 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Proverbs 15:3 - The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it Gods holy city any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Obama has declared the month of JUNE to be Homosexual month. I have the written documentary of that happening if any of you would like to have a copy, let me know and I’ll make and send you a copy.
Gen.3:1 The entrance of sin and the curse.
Rev.20:10 The end and doom of Satan and his activities.
10 And the devil that deceived them during the tribulation was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. the Antichrist and the false prophet will already have been there for 1000 years. they will be cast alive into the lake of fire during Armageddon.
Rev.19:20 And the beast Antichrist was taken, and with him the false prophet who I believe will be a pope that wrought miracles before him, Antichrist with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, Antichrist and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
All in Gods plan and time, and its all in Gods book of Revelation.