THE BOOK OF REVELATION

CHAPTER ONE - THE MESSAGE AND WARNING OF TRUMPETS - BLESSED THOSE WHO HEAR

1:1-3 This is a revelation of Jesus Christ to show His servants the things which are to come. (Amos 3:7) Blessed is he who reads this and keeps the things written here for the time is at hand.

1:4-6 The seven spirits of God before the throne represent the character and qualities of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-4) This is Jesus, the faithful witness, first begotten of the dead, prince of the kings of the earth, who has washed us in His blood and made us kings and priests.

1:7-8 He is coming again in the clouds and will be seen by those who have pierced Him. (Zech 12:10) He is the Alpha-Omega, the beginning and the end, which is, was, and is to come--the Almighty.

1:9-11 John proclaims he is our brother in tribulation! in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. He hears a voice like the sound of a trumpet telling him to write down in a book all that he is going to be shown and send it to the seven churches in Asia.

1:11-16 John turns to see the voice and sees seven golden candle sticks. In the midst of these he sees one like the Son of man clothed in a long garment with a golden girdle. His head and hair white as snow, eyes like a flame of fire, feet like fine brass, and a voice like the sound of many waters! In his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth a sharp two edged sword, and he shined like the sun.

1:17-20 John falls at his feet as dead and is told not to fear. The Lord tells John, “ I am he that lives and was dead: behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of hell and of death. The Lord tells John to write the things he is going to see; which are things that are, and things to come. John is told the mystery of the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. The golden candlesticks are the seven churches.

There is so much here! This is a revelation of Jesus Christ. This revelation is of the Jesus who is coming to judge the world. His first coming was to save the world, but this is Jesus as King and Judge. This is the Jesus who will come in the clouds and which every eye shall see. Those who have pierced him will mourn (Zech 12:10). In a sense all mankind has pierced or crucified the Lord by rejecting Him.

The warning trumpets remind us of the month of Elul and the Feast of Trumpets (Lev 23.23-25) which follows on the 1^st of Tishri. The Lord’s people should be making ready. Those who know him should recognize the warning sounds. Our Lord Jesus is going to show us the things that are coming. The voice John hears sounds like a trumpet (shofar). John tells us he is our companion in tribulation! He who has an ear to hear should know what this means!

John sees a vision of Jesus as our Dread Champion flaming like a fire. The church is purified by fire. Tribulation and persecution will be the final purifying and separation of the Bride to her Groom. The servant is no greater than the master.

John is told to write all that he is going to be shown in a book. The mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden candle sticks are explained. Stars most always represent angels. The candlesticks, which give off light (we are to be light to the world) represent the seven churches. Seven is a number representing completeness and perfection. It is the number of God (Elohim (אֱלֹהִ֔ים).

As we go forward we will see imagery of the Tabernacle in the wilderness described in Exodus 25-30. The Tabernacle is a type of Heaven and the Throne Room of God. We will see this imagery all through the Book of Revelation. Imagery: When we look up into the sky the blue we see is the bottom of the floor of heaven! Exodus 24.10