February 20
Chapter 1
John was exiled about 90 AD to the isle of Patmos, an island just off the coast of Asia Minor (current day Turkey). He was exiled for refusing to quit preaching, in Jesus, the forgiveness of sins and the resurrection from the dead. This prophecy was given him either during Nero’s or Domitian’s reign over Rome. History tells us that Nero wanted to refurbish an entire section of Rome so he set it on fire. When he was confronted about this dastardly deed, he blamed the Christians and began an all out assault on any who claimed to be followers of Christ. It was during this time that Paul was rearrested and thrown in prison for the second time and executed (the time he wrote II Timothy), and Peter wrote II Peter. If you read those two books knowing the historical background they will take on new meaning for you. John is told by the angel the Revelation he was receiving was to show His bondservants “the things that are soon coming.” The Revelation was communicated by His angel (probably Gabriel) to John. Finally, John speaks by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and says, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear and those who heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” I have high-lighted the three verbs in the pronounced blessing to make sure we realize this is a three part blessing. The Revelation is the only book in the bible that promises a blessing for the one who reads, hears, and heeds its contents. I have read it more times than I care to mention, written two novels based on it, written a previous exposition on it, and am writing this study, in an attempt to inform and forewarn those who are really in Christ about the things that are soon coming upon us. For some reason, great multitudes of professing believers seem to think this book is only for a chosen few to read and understand. Think about it. If that’s true, God promised this incredible blessing knowing only a select few believers would ever receive it.
Certainly that’s possible. But I seriously doubt that was God’s intention. Certainly, on a world wide scale, out of billions of souls, many are called, but only a few are chosen. Among the chosen however, I believe it is the perfect will of God that all of His church read, hear, and heed the magnificent truths contained in this Revelation of Jesus, communicated by His angel, to the Apostle John, for the time is near.
1. Whose revelation is this? 1:1a
2. Who gave it to Jesus Christ? 1:1b
3. To whom was it to be shown? 1:c
4. What was it going to show them? 1d
5. By whom was this revelation communicated? 1e
6. To whom was it shown? 1f
7. To what did he testify? 1:2
a.
b.
c.
8. What are the three parts of the promised blessing? 1:3
a.
b.
c.
9. According to verses 4 and 5, from whom was the revelation?
a. Him . . .
b. from the seven . . .
c. and from . . .
10. How is Jesus described in 1:5
11. According to the last part of 1:5, what has He done?
12. What has he made us to be? 1:6a
13. To whom has He made us to be a kingdom of Priests? 1:6b
14. From where will Jesus appear when He comes? 1:7a
15. Who will see Him when He comes? 1:7b
16. Why do you suppose all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him when He returns? 1:7c
17. Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet; omega is the last. What, about God, does this represent? 1:8
John begins delivering the prophecy addressing the seven churches of Asia (called Asia Minor today, currently Turkey). He identifies the source of the message as the triune God, “. . . from Him who was, is, and is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” (1:4, 5) He briefly identifies Jesus, His ministry, and the position of the saints (made to be a kingdom of priests). He then explains how Jesus will return to the earth when He does so. He makes sure to include that the Jews will recognize Him as the one they pierced. Upon seeing the one they rejected, those who were not annihilated at Armageddon will mourn the fact they didn’t believe those who spoke of His return during the tribulation. Upon realizing the futility of the past seven years rejecting His authority, they finally realize He has come to hold them accountable. When He returns to begin His one thousand year earthly reign, those who have refused to acknowledge Him as the rightful heir to the throne of David will bemoan that foolish decision. Like the millions in our prisons today who never thought they’d get caught for their dastardly deeds, those who finally realize the Judge has come will not be happy campers.
In verse 8, the returning King identifies Himself for those who don’t yet know His link to God the Father (the Jews who rejected Him at His first coming). He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the Lord God, who is and was and is to come, the Almighty” (cf. v. 4). Some suggest verse 8 is God the Father speaking. That’s possible. Later (22:12, 13), the reference of Himself as the Alpha and Omega is clearly the Son, so the cross reference either establishes both the Son and the Father call themselves the Alpha and Omega, or this is statement in verse 8 is the Son.
18. Why was John on the Isle of Patmos? 1:9
19. What does John mean when he says he was “in the
Spirit on the Lord’s day?”1:10a
20. What did he hear, and from where was it coming? 1:10b
21. What was the instruction he got about what he was seeing? 1:11
22. What did John see when he turned around? 1:12-16
23. What did he do when he saw Him? 1:17a
24. What did “Him” do? 1:17b
25. What did “Him” say? 1:17c-20
In verses 9-20 John explains how he got onto the isle of Patmos, what he saw, and from whom he got this revelation. The historical records of the church indicate he was exiled for preaching the gospel during the time of great persecutions against Christians by Titus Flavius Domitianius (Domitian). Eusebius tells us the emperor Marcus Cocceius Nerva (AD 32-98), released him from Patmos about 96 A.D, the year Domitian was assassinated. He stated he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when he received this vision. Clearly he was transported into heaven (in the Spirit) on the first day of the week (Sunday), the day the early church began celebrating as the Lord’s Day. He saw Jesus, who was in the middle of seven golden lamp stands. (see Exodus 25:37) These lampstands foresaw, in the tabernacle built by Moses, the coming of the church age almost three thousand years before they existed. John was told to write to the seven churches of Asia Minor (Turkey), Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardus, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. He saw Jesus as, like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to his feet, wearing a golden sash, head and hair white, eyes like a flame of fire, feet like burnished bronze aglow, voice like Niagara Falls. He had seven stars (the angels of the churches) in his right hand, a sharp two-edged sword in his mouth (the word of God), his face shone like the sun.
John fell on his face like a dead man. Jesus told him not to be afraid. He explained to John that the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches of Asian Minor and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches. He was told to write a message to each of them beginning with Ephesus. These churches have a threefold importance for us to today. First, they were literal churches which existed when John wrote the book of the Revelation. They received this letter from John, thus realizing what they had to do to get their act straight if they didn’t want the judgment of God to come upon them. Second, these churches represent the seven phases the church has undergone historically since John wrote these warnings. And third, they represent the condition churches all over the world are in today. Today, in what I believe is the final few years of the church age, the apostasy, heresy, idolatry, immorality these churches were told to deal with is still rampant in churches around the globe. I have been in churches in the United States alone whose leadership and teaching was just like that described in these letters to the churches of Asia Minor.
It’s time for us to wake up and let the Holy Spirit of God revive our luke-warm spirits, setting them ablaze to do that to which we have been called. Before evangelism will ever take its correct place in churches in this country, there will have to be revival in hearts of its members. Our apathy has reached epidemic proportions. The number of people in churches across America today who do little more than attend church once or twice a week is incalculable. I suspect it would boggle all of our minds if we were able to discover how many people who call themselves “Christian” get every ounce of theology they have from the pastor/teacher of their local church. I recently heard less than 35% of the pastors preaching from pulpits across America today believe in the verbal, plenary, inspiration of scripture. Actually, research indicates 1% more of these preachers’ congregations believe the bible was inspired. Is it any wonder the rate of moral decline in this country is rising exponentially?
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