Revelation Part 1 (Nasb 95), Written By John Around Ad 95 On The Island Of Patmos In The Aegean Sea

Revelation 1- The things which you have seen (prologue, vision of the glorified Christ, apostle’s commission to write the things which are)

The following is from David Barr, Professor of Religion, Wright State University:

1:1,4 Letter opening and closing

1:1 - An angel sent, will soon take place, the servants

1:3 Reader blessed, the Time is near

1:4 Grace to you

1:8 The Alpha and Omega

1:9 John names himself

1:10 The Spirit

1:16, 20 Stars and angels

1:17 John falls at feet

Revelation 2 – letters to the churches:

Ephesus - the apostolic age, 96 AD

Smyrna - the church of persecution, 97 AD

Pergamum/os - the church of imperial favor (when Constantine embraced the church along with the idolatry of his age, 313 AD

Thyatira - the church of apathy, Papacy, 450 AD

Revelation 3 – letters to the churches:

Sardis - the church of reformation, 1517 AD

Philadelphia - the latter-day outpouring of the church age

Laodicea - the lukewarm church at the end of the age

2:16 Christ will come and war against Nicolaitins, Christ victory assumed (Barr)

Revelation 4 – The things which will take place – worship in heaven and Revelation 5:

1, I saw in the right hand of Him (Jesus) who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. I worked at Marilyn Hickey Ministries in their TV station while I was in college. I respect her knowledge of the Bible. She reminds us there are 4 books mentioned in the Bible 1) the Book of Life (Daniel 7); 2) The Book of Works of Righteousness (Mal 3); 3) The Title Deed of the Earth (Rev 5); and 4) the Book of the Deeds of the Wicked (Rev 20)

2 And I saw a strong angel (are there weak angels?:) proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5 and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals." This is a reference to Jesus. Judah was the Old Testament tribe of praise, and it was prophesied that the Messiah would come through the line of David, who wrote many psalms. John 7: 42 states, "Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" That’s why CS Lewis made Narnia about Aslan the lion. He’s growling.:)

6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. The Lamb is another symbol of Christ. Another song we could’ve done (not in the hymnal) is

Let our praise to You be as incense

Let our praise to You be as pillars of Your throne

Let our praise to You be as incense

As we come before You and worship You alone

As we see You in Your Splendor

As we gaze upon Your Majesty

As we join the host of angels

And proclaim together Your Holiness Holy, Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord

9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. That is why I try to slowly introduce new songs to us. “It is estimated that 1.6 billion of these people have never had the chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ win1040.com”

10 "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth." 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands. I help run sound for a choir on Thursday nights. Imagine thousands in a choir!