REVELATION STUDY
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THE BOOK OF REVELATION
By Glen Rogers
Introduction
I. Late date – According to early tradition, Revelation was written near the end of Domitian's reign, perhaps as late as AD 95. Domitian was murdered in AD 96. However, the late date does not seem to be the opinion held by the majority of biblical scholars.
Arguments for late date – Those who hold to the “late date,” place the writing of Revelation during the time of Domitian Caesar (AD 95-96).
A. The evidence offered in defense of the late date is the following statement by Irenaeus (AD 130 to 202), “We will not, however, incur the risk of pronouncing positively as to the name of Antichrist; for if it were necessary that his name should be distinctly revealed in this present time, it would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For it was seen no very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian's reign.”
B. Problems with the Irenaeus argument. There are things about this statement that need to be noted.
1. First, Irenaeus did not witness this. He only referred to Polycarp who reportedly knew the apostle John.
2. Secondly, the key part – “it is not long since it was seen” – is ambiguous. What defines “not long?” According to Irenaeus recollection, Polycarp saw “it” sometime in AD 95-96, during the last part Domitian's reign.
3. Thirdly, we do not know if the “it” Polycarp was referring to was John's visions he saw, the name of anti-Christ, or the book itself; and we do not even know if he meant that the book was written at that time. Furthermore, it comes to us through three people separated by three centuries. Simply put, this is nothing more than third-hand hear-say.
This statement, even with all of this uncertainty, is the best and only evidence used in support of the “late date” theory and has been accepted by generations of people without really questioning it or examining it in light of the book itself. The late date has been passed on to us in the same way it was passed on to Eusebius, “…it [was] handed down by tradition…” Tradition is not the way to interpret Scripture.
II. Internal Evidences in Support of the Early Dating of Revelation, Prior to AD 70.
A. I have heard it argued that in 10:11, John was told he “must prophesy again before many nations, peoples, nations, tongues, and kings” thus, suggesting this points to the early dating of the book. If this were true, it would be a good argument. But, to be fair with the grammar of the text, this argument will not work. Grammatically, this is a very poor argument. Ἐπὶ is typically translated as ‘before’ only when the noun it modifies is in the genitive case. It can also mean ‘concerning’, or ‘about.’ Its usage is determined by the case of the noun it modifies. Since the nouns ἐπί modifies in Revelation 10:11 are both dative of object – λαοῖς and ἔθνεσιν, the best rendering would have to be that John was to prophesy “concerning” or “about many nations....” (See Thayer).
B. Another point is that John wrote Revelation to a specific group of churches in Asia Minor, 1:4. This is a critical point that has been overlooked by many scholars, commentators, and historians. This shows that Revelation could not have been written before AD 61. This would suggest that John's exile was during the reign of Nero rather than Domitian.
1. There was only a very small opportunity of time in which these seven churches in Asia existed at the same time. This was in the late 50’s to early 60's.
The apostle Paul established nine churches in the area of Asia Minor, but only seven are addressed in Revelation. This is a good indicator that places the writing of Revelation sometime after two of these churches had disappeared. Around AD 60 or 61 the cities of Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea, were destroyed by an earthquake. Laodicea was soon afterwards rebuilt, but Colossae and Hierapolis were not. This left only seven churches in Asia during the five years just prior to the beginning of the Roman/Jewish war.
2. It is important to note Jesus' particular message to the specific Church of Philadelphia in 3:7-13. In verses 10 and 11. Jesus told John to warn the Church of Philadelphia that an “hour of temptation” was “about to come upon all the world.” That “hour of temptation” was to be the time of persecution executed by the Empire of Roman. Christ then told them that He was coming quickly and he admonished them to “hold fast.” This is important because this warning was given to a specific congregation of Christians in a specified area of Asia Minor in a specific time in history. The first Roman persecution of Christians took place under Nero in AD 64, but at the time of the revelation, it had not yet begun. Therefore, Revelation had to have been written before AD 64.
C. One of the most compelling proofs of the early date is the fact that the Jewish temple was still standing at the time John wrote Revelation, 11:1-2.
In verse one, John is given a measuring rod and told to go and measure the temple and count the worshipers there. “And there was given me a reed, like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.’”
1. In verse two, John is told not to measure the outer court because it has been given to the Gentiles and they will trample on it for 42 months which is also 1260 days or 3 ½ years. Isn't it amazing that history tells us that this is exactly how long the Romans trampled the holy city of Jerusalem from the spring of AD 67 to its destruction in the early fall of AD 70? This is a very compelling argument.
2. How do we know that this is speaking of Herod's temple and not of the Church?
This passage calls to mind Jesus words in Luke 21:20-24. Notice that Jesus told the disciples that they would themselves, see this event occur. They had asked Him about the temple in verse 5, and Jesus told them it would be destroyed before their generation passed away, 32. In verse 24, Jesus says, “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles.” This is the same thing John was told in Revelation 11:2. So, John is reminding the Church that the time of which Jesus had spoken in Luke 21 would soon be upon them.
D. Other internal temporal indicators that suggest the early dating of the book include the following which we will examine when we come to Those parts of the book.
1. Identifying the “woman” of chapters 17 and 18.
2. The seventh king of 17:10
III. Old Testament Symbols Mentioned by John
This is a book that is rich in its use of Old Testament imagery and symbolism. Here is some of the O.T. Imagery we will find in Revelation. Much of this information is taken from various sources on the internet.
The cherubim and the sword of Eden, Genesis 3:24
Jacob's ladder, Genesis 28:10-22
The burning bush of Mt Sinai, Exodus 3:1-10
The song of Moses, Exodus 15
The wilderness tabernacle, Exodus 25
The sword of Joshua 6
The vision of Isaiah 6:1-13
The dominion and death of Israel's lords, Isaiah 26: 13-19
The new heaven and the new earth, Isaiah 66:22
The winged creatures of Ezekiel 1:4-2
The eating of the little book, Ezekiel 3:1
The valley of dry bones, Ezekiel 37
The temple of Zechariah 8:9-11
The Branch of Zechariah 6:9-15; Hebrews 4:7-11:8:4
The fountain of sin, Zechariah 13:1-6
The living waters of Jerusalem, Zechariah 14:1-21
The image of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 2:1-45
The destruction of the temple, Matthew 24
This is certainly not an exhaustive list. This is to help us recognize the connection between these O.T. symbols and the realization of these symbols as they are found in Revelation.
By Glen Rogers
Introduction
I. Late date – According to early tradition, Revelation was written near the end of Domitian's reign, perhaps as late as AD 95. Domitian was murdered in AD 96. However, the late date does not seem to be the opinion held by the majority of biblical scholars.
Arguments for late date – Those who hold to the “late date,” place the writing of Revelation during the time of Domitian Caesar (AD 95-96).
A. The evidence offered in defense of the late date is the following statement by Irenaeus (AD 130 to 202), “We will not, however, incur the risk of pronouncing positively as to the name of Antichrist; for if it were necessary that his name should be distinctly revealed in this present time, it would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For it was seen no very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian's reign.”
B. Problems with the Irenaeus argument. There are things about this statement that need to be noted.
1. First, Irenaeus did not witness this. He only referred to Polycarp who reportedly knew the apostle John.
2. Secondly, the key part – “it is not long since it was seen” – is ambiguous. What defines “not long?” According to Irenaeus recollection, Polycarp saw “it” sometime in AD 95-96, during the last part Domitian's reign.
3. Thirdly, we do not know if the “it” Polycarp was referring to was John's visions he saw, the name of anti-Christ, or the book itself; and we do not even know if he meant that the book was written at that time. Furthermore, it comes to us through three people separated by three centuries. Simply put, this is nothing more than third-hand hear-say.
This statement, even with all of this uncertainty, is the best and only evidence used in support of the “late date” theory and has been accepted by generations of people without really questioning it or examining it in light of the book itself. The late date has been passed on to us in the same way it was passed on to Eusebius, “…it [was] handed down by tradition…” Tradition is not the way to interpret Scripture.
II. Internal Evidences in Support of the Early Dating of Revelation, Prior to AD 70.
A. I have heard it argued that in 10:11, John was told he “must prophesy again before many nations, peoples, nations, tongues, and kings” thus, suggesting this points to the early dating of the book. If this were true, it would be a good argument. But, to be fair with the grammar of the text, this argument will not work. Grammatically, this is a very poor argument. Ἐπὶ is typically translated as ‘before’ only when the noun it modifies is in the genitive case. It can also mean ‘concerning’, or ‘about.’ Its usage is determined by the case of the noun it modifies. Since the nouns ἐπί modifies in Revelation 10:11 are both dative of object – λαοῖς and ἔθνεσιν, the best rendering would have to be that John was to prophesy “concerning” or “about many nations....” (See Thayer).
B. Another point is that John wrote Revelation to a specific group of churches in Asia Minor, 1:4. This is a critical point that has been overlooked by many scholars, commentators, and historians. This shows that Revelation could not have been written before AD 61. This would suggest that John's exile was during the reign of Nero rather than Domitian.
1. There was only a very small opportunity of time in which these seven churches in Asia existed at the same time. This was in the late 50’s to early 60's.
The apostle Paul established nine churches in the area of Asia Minor, but only seven are addressed in Revelation. This is a good indicator that places the writing of Revelation sometime after two of these churches had disappeared. Around AD 60 or 61 the cities of Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea, were destroyed by an earthquake. Laodicea was soon afterwards rebuilt, but Colossae and Hierapolis were not. This left only seven churches in Asia during the five years just prior to the beginning of the Roman/Jewish war.
2. It is important to note Jesus' particular message to the specific Church of Philadelphia in 3:7-13. In verses 10 and 11. Jesus told John to warn the Church of Philadelphia that an “hour of temptation” was “about to come upon all the world.” That “hour of temptation” was to be the time of persecution executed by the Empire of Roman. Christ then told them that He was coming quickly and he admonished them to “hold fast.” This is important because this warning was given to a specific congregation of Christians in a specified area of Asia Minor in a specific time in history. The first Roman persecution of Christians took place under Nero in AD 64, but at the time of the revelation, it had not yet begun. Therefore, Revelation had to have been written before AD 64.
C. One of the most compelling proofs of the early date is the fact that the Jewish temple was still standing at the time John wrote Revelation, 11:1-2.
In verse one, John is given a measuring rod and told to go and measure the temple and count the worshipers there. “And there was given me a reed, like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.’”
1. In verse two, John is told not to measure the outer court because it has been given to the Gentiles and they will trample on it for 42 months which is also 1260 days or 3 ½ years. Isn't it amazing that history tells us that this is exactly how long the Romans trampled the holy city of Jerusalem from the spring of AD 67 to its destruction in the early fall of AD 70? This is a very compelling argument.
2. How do we know that this is speaking of Herod's temple and not of the Church?
This passage calls to mind Jesus words in Luke 21:20-24. Notice that Jesus told the disciples that they would themselves, see this event occur. They had asked Him about the temple in verse 5, and Jesus told them it would be destroyed before their generation passed away, 32. In verse 24, Jesus says, “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles.” This is the same thing John was told in Revelation 11:2. So, John is reminding the Church that the time of which Jesus had spoken in Luke 21 would soon be upon them.
D. Other internal temporal indicators that suggest the early dating of the book include the following which we will examine when we come to Those parts of the book.
1. Identifying the “woman” of chapters 17 and 18.
2. The seventh king of 17:10
III. Old Testament Symbols Mentioned by John
This is a book that is rich in its use of Old Testament imagery and symbolism. Here is some of the O.T. Imagery we will find in Revelation. Much of this information is taken from various sources on the internet.
The cherubim and the sword of Eden, Genesis 3:24
Jacob's ladder, Genesis 28:10-22
The burning bush of Mt Sinai, Exodus 3:1-10
The song of Moses, Exodus 15
The wilderness tabernacle, Exodus 25
The sword of Joshua 6
The vision of Isaiah 6:1-13
The dominion and death of Israel's lords, Isaiah 26: 13-19
The new heaven and the new earth, Isaiah 66:22
The winged creatures of Ezekiel 1:4-2
The eating of the little book, Ezekiel 3:1
The valley of dry bones, Ezekiel 37
The temple of Zechariah 8:9-11
The Branch of Zechariah 6:9-15; Hebrews 4:7-11:8:4
The fountain of sin, Zechariah 13:1-6
The living waters of Jerusalem, Zechariah 14:1-21
The image of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 2:1-45
The destruction of the temple, Matthew 24
This is certainly not an exhaustive list. This is to help us recognize the connection between these O.T. symbols and the realization of these symbols as they are found in Revelation.
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Chapter One
I. The Revelation OF Jesus Christ, 1-3
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”
The revelation was the judgment of God upon the oppressors of the saints, and the vindication of the saints. Revelation is a letter of hope and encouragement to the early Christians. What was about to be revealed or unveiled about Jesus was his direct involvement in linear time. The events of the first century were not to be viewed as just a set of random occurrences. These events were the result of the direct involvement of Jesus in the world of men. In Revelation, human history is represented as something that would be manipulated and organized by God. In man's world of economics, politics, international affairs, war, religion, sociology, etc..., everything in their world was about to feel the effects of Jesus presence in world affairs. This revelation to John closes the distance between the natural world and the unseen world. Jesus was about to demonstrate under no uncertain terms that he is in control!
A. “Revelation” – To make known that which was hidden or perhaps not fully understood.
B. “OF” Jesus Christ – Genitive of possession – The revelation is his by transference, “Which God gave to him.”
C. The revelation continuum is presented to us in this way – From God---to Jesus Christ---to his angel---to John---to the messengers of the seven Churches.
1. The source of the revelation is the mind of God.
2. The purpose of the revelation was to reveal “things that must shortly come to pass” or “things it behooves to occur with speed” or “things that must come to pass quickly.”
a. Word meanings
Δεῖ – must, behooves
This is an imperative as in something that is binding, something that has to be. The same word is used in 1 Timothy 3:2 regarding the qualifications of elders. “An elder must....”
Τάχει – relative to time, this refers to something that is to happen soon, shortly, quickly, in haste, in a short time to come, thus something that is limited to a brief space of time. (See Acts 12:7; 22:18 and 1Timothy 3:14)
b. Generalizations
This is meant to put the world of human experience into a revealed context of divine purpose. These events are not just the result of random, out of control events resulting in unknown consequences.
This show us that man's world is NOT governed by kings and rulers of nations but by the Almighty. God is in control, even when things appear to be the most out of control.
This teaches us that human experiences, no matter how terrible they may be, are ephemeral and non-determinate.
This revelation was to teach Christians (specifically those of first century Asia) that having to endure horrific suffering and even death was not a matter for concern.
3. “Signified it by his angel.”
Ἐσήμανεν means to signify or set forth in symbols or in signs, to reveal something through the use of signs. The revelation then comes as a set of revealed symbols. The revelation will be received by John in a series of visual and linguistic forms which John then conveys to the Church as a set of linguistic symbols – words. John will be shown visions and these visions will be explained. The explanations assigned to these visions will provide a revealed interpretation of their meaning. This is to give understanding to John and to the seven Churches in Asia concerning the things which were about to come upon them.
D. John is a witness, 2
“Who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.”
1. To the word of God
This seems to be specific to that information which John had received by way of this particular revelation.
2. To Jesus Christ.
As he confirms in 1 John 1:1-3, he provides sensorial conformation of the actuality of Jesus in material form.
a. We heard him – auditory confirmation
b. We saw him and beheld him – visual confirmation
c. Our hands handled him – tactile confirmation
This represents complete natural confirmation. The apostles were witnesses to the fact of Jesus in the flesh. What John is saying is, “Take our word for it, He was real.” His presence in the flesh consisted of actual matter.
E. Confirmation of the fact that he had seen Jesus alive again in this vision.
1. John declares himself a witness “to the word of God.” This seems to be specific to that information which John had received by way of this particular revelation.
2. To everything he saw in these visions
This information is not the product of hear-say. He saw these things as they were given to him to see by the Lord himself. He is getting the information first hand. No chance that the message has been corrupted or distorted by any uninspired chain of communication.
F. The certainty of the prophetic message, 3
1. Blessed are those who read and hear – Those who receive this information through the hearing or the reading of it.
2. Blessed are those who heed what is written. Τηροῦντες – hold fast, keep, or to guard. This is an exhortation for them to act upon the information they have received.
3. “For, the time is at hand” or “the time is near.”
a. “For” – γὰρ – ‘because’ expresses reason. Their need to act upon the information they were about to receive was “because, the time is near.”
b. “Near” – ἐγγύς – has to be understood in the perception of the hearers since it directly concerned them and their impending experiences. Literally or figuratively, it is used of place or time. In other words, these are events that are near to the recipients in respect to time. These are things that were about to happen to them. How could they be charged to act on events that were 2000 plus years removed from them? Quite simply, they could not.
I. The Revelation OF Jesus Christ, 1-3
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”
The revelation was the judgment of God upon the oppressors of the saints, and the vindication of the saints. Revelation is a letter of hope and encouragement to the early Christians. What was about to be revealed or unveiled about Jesus was his direct involvement in linear time. The events of the first century were not to be viewed as just a set of random occurrences. These events were the result of the direct involvement of Jesus in the world of men. In Revelation, human history is represented as something that would be manipulated and organized by God. In man's world of economics, politics, international affairs, war, religion, sociology, etc..., everything in their world was about to feel the effects of Jesus presence in world affairs. This revelation to John closes the distance between the natural world and the unseen world. Jesus was about to demonstrate under no uncertain terms that he is in control!
A. “Revelation” – To make known that which was hidden or perhaps not fully understood.
B. “OF” Jesus Christ – Genitive of possession – The revelation is his by transference, “Which God gave to him.”
C. The revelation continuum is presented to us in this way – From God---to Jesus Christ---to his angel---to John---to the messengers of the seven Churches.
1. The source of the revelation is the mind of God.
2. The purpose of the revelation was to reveal “things that must shortly come to pass” or “things it behooves to occur with speed” or “things that must come to pass quickly.”
a. Word meanings
Δεῖ – must, behooves
This is an imperative as in something that is binding, something that has to be. The same word is used in 1 Timothy 3:2 regarding the qualifications of elders. “An elder must....”
Τάχει – relative to time, this refers to something that is to happen soon, shortly, quickly, in haste, in a short time to come, thus something that is limited to a brief space of time. (See Acts 12:7; 22:18 and 1Timothy 3:14)
b. Generalizations
This is meant to put the world of human experience into a revealed context of divine purpose. These events are not just the result of random, out of control events resulting in unknown consequences.
This show us that man's world is NOT governed by kings and rulers of nations but by the Almighty. God is in control, even when things appear to be the most out of control.
This teaches us that human experiences, no matter how terrible they may be, are ephemeral and non-determinate.
This revelation was to teach Christians (specifically those of first century Asia) that having to endure horrific suffering and even death was not a matter for concern.
3. “Signified it by his angel.”
Ἐσήμανεν means to signify or set forth in symbols or in signs, to reveal something through the use of signs. The revelation then comes as a set of revealed symbols. The revelation will be received by John in a series of visual and linguistic forms which John then conveys to the Church as a set of linguistic symbols – words. John will be shown visions and these visions will be explained. The explanations assigned to these visions will provide a revealed interpretation of their meaning. This is to give understanding to John and to the seven Churches in Asia concerning the things which were about to come upon them.
D. John is a witness, 2
“Who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.”
1. To the word of God
This seems to be specific to that information which John had received by way of this particular revelation.
2. To Jesus Christ.
As he confirms in 1 John 1:1-3, he provides sensorial conformation of the actuality of Jesus in material form.
a. We heard him – auditory confirmation
b. We saw him and beheld him – visual confirmation
c. Our hands handled him – tactile confirmation
This represents complete natural confirmation. The apostles were witnesses to the fact of Jesus in the flesh. What John is saying is, “Take our word for it, He was real.” His presence in the flesh consisted of actual matter.
E. Confirmation of the fact that he had seen Jesus alive again in this vision.
1. John declares himself a witness “to the word of God.” This seems to be specific to that information which John had received by way of this particular revelation.
2. To everything he saw in these visions
This information is not the product of hear-say. He saw these things as they were given to him to see by the Lord himself. He is getting the information first hand. No chance that the message has been corrupted or distorted by any uninspired chain of communication.
F. The certainty of the prophetic message, 3
1. Blessed are those who read and hear – Those who receive this information through the hearing or the reading of it.
2. Blessed are those who heed what is written. Τηροῦντες – hold fast, keep, or to guard. This is an exhortation for them to act upon the information they have received.
3. “For, the time is at hand” or “the time is near.”
a. “For” – γὰρ – ‘because’ expresses reason. Their need to act upon the information they were about to receive was “because, the time is near.”
b. “Near” – ἐγγύς – has to be understood in the perception of the hearers since it directly concerned them and their impending experiences. Literally or figuratively, it is used of place or time. In other words, these are events that are near to the recipients in respect to time. These are things that were about to happen to them. How could they be charged to act on events that were 2000 plus years removed from them? Quite simply, they could not.
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II. John's Salutation and Warning, 4-8
“John, to the seven churches which 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 who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
A. The salutation
1. “To the seven churches that are in Asia.”
a. This seems to represent the total number of churches existing in Asia at the time of the revelation. Notice, John does not say to seven of the churches in Asia but, to THE seven churches in Asia. This is very specific. This does not include all of greater Asia but only a small Roman province on the west coast of Asia Minor of which Ephesus was the capitol. This is numerically and geographically limiting.
b. This is an exclusive audience. We know there were more churches scattered throughout the world other than just these seven churches, so why is John told to address this revelation only to them? It was because they are the ones who were to be directly affected by the events of the revelation.
2. “Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come.”
This is a typical form of greeting which is found in all of Paul's writings. The only other time John uses this greeting is in the epistle of 2 John.
3. “From Him who is and who was and who is to come,”
John's exaltation of the presence of God is represented in the three-fold concept of time – past, present, and future thus, the God who occupies all of time. This greeting is from the Eternal One.
4. “And from the seven spirits who are before His throne.”
There is no justification for the capitalization of ‘spirits’ here. This is not a description of the nature of God.
a. This statement cannot be understood apart from 4:5 which reads “And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God;” The seven spirits which are the seven lamps of fire that burn before to throne are the seven churches to whom this revelation is sent (verse 20), “As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
b. Their position is “before” the throne.
The significance of “before the throne” could be for the purpose of judgment, particularly since we will see the judgment of the fidelity of these seven churches weighed in the balances in chapters two and three.
Since this is found in the body of the salutation, “before the throne” could also simply represent the position that the church holds as those who belong to God, hence the expression, “which are the seven spirits of God;” ('Which are' – ἃ – nominative neuter plural)
B. Four descriptive titles used for Jesus, 5
“And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” All of these relate to function and define what he is in relationship to man.
1. He is the Christ.
The term Christ – Χριστός – is an appellative term from the root χρίω meaning to anoint. This is equivalent to the Hebrew term Messiah meaning the anointed one. As this term is applied to Jesus, it relates to function. In the tradition of the Law of Moses, three offices were confirmed through the anointing with oil – the priests (Exodus 29:4-9 in the anointing of Aaron and his sons), the prophets (1 Kings 19:16 where Elijah is commanded to anoint Elisha as prophet), and the kings (1Samuel 10:1 in the anointing of Saul as king). In relation to human redemption, Jesus is anointed as prophet, priest, and King thus fulfilling all three functions in one person.
2. He is the faithful witness.
We generally think of this word in terms of a person who was an eye witness to a particular event and able to give testimony to the facts of that event. The word μάρτυς however, needs to be understood from a broader context. The use of this word can be represented in three ways. As a short definition, μάρτυς simply means a witness. This is one who has seen or heard.
a. In the legal sense, it refers to one who by reason of first-hand knowledge, offers testimony either for or against another.
b. In the historical sense, it refers to one who was present during some point of history and able to observe the events in real time.
c. In the moral sense, it refers to one who is willing give his life for a cause.
We know from such passages as John 8:12-20 that Jesus testified concerning himself about who he was, where he came from, and where he was going. We also know that Jesus was certainly an eye witness not only of the limited time that marked his fleshly existence, but of all things from an eternal perspective. He is not only an eye witness of the creation of the natural world, but of everything in the eternal dimension. While these aspects of the word μάρτυς are certainly applicable, it is the third use of the word that probably has the most significance in this text as Jesus will say in verse eight, “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” John seems to be holding up Jesus as the “faithful martyr” of his own cause. This sentiment is further amplified by the statement from John that immediately follows.
3. He is the firstborn of the dead – 3. “First-born” – πρωτότοκον.
This defines the first of anything that is born of the flock, heard, or even of men. Jesus became the first, the προς τον τυρων – the one for the pattern. He is the prototype of a new society of those who would become children of God, Romans 8:29; those of whom John says “are born not of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of the God,” John 1:12-13. Jesus became the forerunner of the sons of God through his resurrection. First-born also implies that others are to follow.
The significance of first-born has its roots in the Old Testament. Being the first-born son carried prestige, honor, privilege, blessing, authority, and double portion inheritance. Being the first-born was also a matter of consecration to God, Exodus 13:3 and 11-16.
In the New Testament, Jesus is called “first-born” eight times to either establish preeminence over creation or to illustrate his position in relation to the Church.
a. He was the first-born of Mary, Luke 2:7 and Matthew 1:25.
We know Mary had other children whose names are recorded in Matthew 13:55-56, but Jesus was her first-born. He was the first in the order of others that followed.
b. He is called the first-born among many brethren, Romans 8:29. He is the prototype into whose image Christians are to be conformed.
c. He is called the first-born in Hebrews 12:23 to whom the church belongs.
d. He is called the first-born of every creature, Colossians 1:15-19.
In these five verses, we are given the most comprehensive definition of the word “first-born” found anywhere in scripture. Jesus is not first-born because he was created first. He is first-born because – γὰρ – for the following reason:
All things were created by him.
He is before all things – this establishes preeminence. Not as a point of order, but as a point of exalted position.
He holds all things together. Thus, He is the sustainer of all things.
He is the beginning. Beginning is used here to refer to the resurrection of the dead, not the creation of the natural world.
All fullness dwells in him.
Πλήρωμα – fullness, filling, fulfillment, completion. He not only possesses fullness in and of himself, but he is the element that fulfills the redemptive purposes of God. He is the final piece of the redemptive puzzle.
He is not only the reconciler; he is also the one to whom all things are reconciled.
e. He is called first-born from among the dead, Colossians 1:18.
This does not mean that he was the first one ever resurrected from the dead. It does not even mean that he is the first one resurrected from the dead never to die again. What it means is that he holds preeminent status among those who are raised from the dead because – γὰρ – for this reason:
He is the head of the body.
The first-born is the head, and those who follow are the body, those who have been raised from the dead in baptism.
He is the ἀρχή – the beginning, as in active cause, he is the one through whose power all things had their beginning.
He is the first one of a new society who are called sons of God. The first one of all those who are born of God, John 1:12-13.
f. He is called in Hebrews 1:6 the first-born of the Father.
4. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth.
In spite of the fact that he has suffered death does not affect his status over the kings of the earth.
a. He appointed them and he takes them down.
b. He controls their fates and their function within the historical context.
c. He will be their Judge.
“John, to the seven churches which 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 who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
A. The salutation
1. “To the seven churches that are in Asia.”
a. This seems to represent the total number of churches existing in Asia at the time of the revelation. Notice, John does not say to seven of the churches in Asia but, to THE seven churches in Asia. This is very specific. This does not include all of greater Asia but only a small Roman province on the west coast of Asia Minor of which Ephesus was the capitol. This is numerically and geographically limiting.
b. This is an exclusive audience. We know there were more churches scattered throughout the world other than just these seven churches, so why is John told to address this revelation only to them? It was because they are the ones who were to be directly affected by the events of the revelation.
2. “Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come.”
This is a typical form of greeting which is found in all of Paul's writings. The only other time John uses this greeting is in the epistle of 2 John.
3. “From Him who is and who was and who is to come,”
John's exaltation of the presence of God is represented in the three-fold concept of time – past, present, and future thus, the God who occupies all of time. This greeting is from the Eternal One.
4. “And from the seven spirits who are before His throne.”
There is no justification for the capitalization of ‘spirits’ here. This is not a description of the nature of God.
a. This statement cannot be understood apart from 4:5 which reads “And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God;” The seven spirits which are the seven lamps of fire that burn before to throne are the seven churches to whom this revelation is sent (verse 20), “As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
b. Their position is “before” the throne.
The significance of “before the throne” could be for the purpose of judgment, particularly since we will see the judgment of the fidelity of these seven churches weighed in the balances in chapters two and three.
Since this is found in the body of the salutation, “before the throne” could also simply represent the position that the church holds as those who belong to God, hence the expression, “which are the seven spirits of God;” ('Which are' – ἃ – nominative neuter plural)
B. Four descriptive titles used for Jesus, 5
“And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” All of these relate to function and define what he is in relationship to man.
1. He is the Christ.
The term Christ – Χριστός – is an appellative term from the root χρίω meaning to anoint. This is equivalent to the Hebrew term Messiah meaning the anointed one. As this term is applied to Jesus, it relates to function. In the tradition of the Law of Moses, three offices were confirmed through the anointing with oil – the priests (Exodus 29:4-9 in the anointing of Aaron and his sons), the prophets (1 Kings 19:16 where Elijah is commanded to anoint Elisha as prophet), and the kings (1Samuel 10:1 in the anointing of Saul as king). In relation to human redemption, Jesus is anointed as prophet, priest, and King thus fulfilling all three functions in one person.
2. He is the faithful witness.
We generally think of this word in terms of a person who was an eye witness to a particular event and able to give testimony to the facts of that event. The word μάρτυς however, needs to be understood from a broader context. The use of this word can be represented in three ways. As a short definition, μάρτυς simply means a witness. This is one who has seen or heard.
a. In the legal sense, it refers to one who by reason of first-hand knowledge, offers testimony either for or against another.
b. In the historical sense, it refers to one who was present during some point of history and able to observe the events in real time.
c. In the moral sense, it refers to one who is willing give his life for a cause.
We know from such passages as John 8:12-20 that Jesus testified concerning himself about who he was, where he came from, and where he was going. We also know that Jesus was certainly an eye witness not only of the limited time that marked his fleshly existence, but of all things from an eternal perspective. He is not only an eye witness of the creation of the natural world, but of everything in the eternal dimension. While these aspects of the word μάρτυς are certainly applicable, it is the third use of the word that probably has the most significance in this text as Jesus will say in verse eight, “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” John seems to be holding up Jesus as the “faithful martyr” of his own cause. This sentiment is further amplified by the statement from John that immediately follows.
3. He is the firstborn of the dead – 3. “First-born” – πρωτότοκον.
This defines the first of anything that is born of the flock, heard, or even of men. Jesus became the first, the προς τον τυρων – the one for the pattern. He is the prototype of a new society of those who would become children of God, Romans 8:29; those of whom John says “are born not of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of the God,” John 1:12-13. Jesus became the forerunner of the sons of God through his resurrection. First-born also implies that others are to follow.
The significance of first-born has its roots in the Old Testament. Being the first-born son carried prestige, honor, privilege, blessing, authority, and double portion inheritance. Being the first-born was also a matter of consecration to God, Exodus 13:3 and 11-16.
In the New Testament, Jesus is called “first-born” eight times to either establish preeminence over creation or to illustrate his position in relation to the Church.
a. He was the first-born of Mary, Luke 2:7 and Matthew 1:25.
We know Mary had other children whose names are recorded in Matthew 13:55-56, but Jesus was her first-born. He was the first in the order of others that followed.
b. He is called the first-born among many brethren, Romans 8:29. He is the prototype into whose image Christians are to be conformed.
c. He is called the first-born in Hebrews 12:23 to whom the church belongs.
d. He is called the first-born of every creature, Colossians 1:15-19.
In these five verses, we are given the most comprehensive definition of the word “first-born” found anywhere in scripture. Jesus is not first-born because he was created first. He is first-born because – γὰρ – for the following reason:
All things were created by him.
He is before all things – this establishes preeminence. Not as a point of order, but as a point of exalted position.
He holds all things together. Thus, He is the sustainer of all things.
He is the beginning. Beginning is used here to refer to the resurrection of the dead, not the creation of the natural world.
All fullness dwells in him.
Πλήρωμα – fullness, filling, fulfillment, completion. He not only possesses fullness in and of himself, but he is the element that fulfills the redemptive purposes of God. He is the final piece of the redemptive puzzle.
He is not only the reconciler; he is also the one to whom all things are reconciled.
e. He is called first-born from among the dead, Colossians 1:18.
This does not mean that he was the first one ever resurrected from the dead. It does not even mean that he is the first one resurrected from the dead never to die again. What it means is that he holds preeminent status among those who are raised from the dead because – γὰρ – for this reason:
He is the head of the body.
The first-born is the head, and those who follow are the body, those who have been raised from the dead in baptism.
He is the ἀρχή – the beginning, as in active cause, he is the one through whose power all things had their beginning.
He is the first one of a new society who are called sons of God. The first one of all those who are born of God, John 1:12-13.
f. He is called in Hebrews 1:6 the first-born of the Father.
4. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth.
In spite of the fact that he has suffered death does not affect his status over the kings of the earth.
a. He appointed them and he takes them down.
b. He controls their fates and their function within the historical context.
c. He will be their Judge.
C. Jesus’ mission, 5 and 6 “To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood, and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father.”
1. Loves us
He holds a favored relationship with those who are about to suffer for his name. Divine favor will accompany them in suffering, even in death.
2. Released us from our sins by his blood
Blood is the spiritual currency by which redemption, atonement, and reconciliation are made. He suffered too. This places all who suffer for his name in commonality with him.
3. Made us a kingdom of priests or kings and priests.
There is a textual variance in this verse in the use of the word kings and opposed to kingdom. The weight of evidence is very much in favor of βασιλείαν – kingdom, rather than βασιλεῖς – kings. The consensus of the vast majority of Greek scholarship suggests that “a kingdom of priests” is the better reading. This is certainly the reading that is best supported by manuscript evidence. He has advanced us to priestly status within the kingdom. This is the fulfillment of the statement made regarding the people of God in Exodus 19:6 – “and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
D. The doxology, 5 “To Him be the glory and the dominion (κράτος – strength, might, power, dominion) forever and ever. Amen,” because of who he is and what he has done on our behalf.
E. Coming with the Clouds, 7.
This and similar expressions are always used in scripture as judgment figures. John is calling to mind the sentence pronounced upon Jerusalem by Jesus in the gospels.
“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So, it is to be. Amen.”
1. “Behold, he is coming with the clouds,”
a. Matthew 24:26, “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” (Also, Mark 13:26)
b. Matthew 24:30, “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.”
c. Matthew 26:63 and 64, “But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless, I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
This is why the high priest tore his cloths and accused Jesus of blasphemy. He knew what Jesus was claiming by this statement. Only God comes in the clouds or rides on the swift clouds. He did not misunderstand what Jesus was implying. In effect, what Jesus is telling the high priest was “You are going to see ME coming back as Judge upon the nation.”
2. “And every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.”
a. Ὄψεται
According to Thayer, ὄψεται means to behold, to perceive, to see, properly, to stare at. In other words (by implication), to discern clearly whether physically or mentally; by Hebraism it means to experience. The impact of the destruction of Jerusalem would be universal in scope to both Jews and pagans alike. This would be something that would reverberate throughout the entire Roman Empire.
b. “Even those who pierced Him;” All those responsible for his crucifixion, but especially the Jewish leadership.
c. “All the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.”
This is an exclusive reference to the Jewish tribes scattered throughout the world and particularly those within the Roman Empire. Scripture NEVER refers to Gentile nations as the tribes. “The tribes,” always referred to the tribes of Israel. It is important that we understand this because we will see this again from time to time in our study of Revelation. The imminent destruction of Jerusalem would have, by the time Revelation was written, become common knowledge among Jewish Christians all over the world. When the news of the fall of Jerusalem began to reach the tribes of Israel scattered all over the world, all Jews would mourn her calamity. “...will mourn over Him,” not her (Jerusalem). In other words, they are mourning because of what God has done. The mourning is in direct relationship to their understanding that Jesus is the cause of the destruction. He is the Judge riding on the swift cloud bringing judgment and war with him, 19:11.
3. Old Testament imagery of this judgment figure is used to emphasize the exercise of power, doom, and destruction. Remember what I have said all along, the meaning of biblical symbols is determined by scripture, not by us. He is how scripture uses the imagery is God coming in the clouds.
a. Isaiah 19:1, “The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.”
b. Psalms 104:3, “He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind;” Here, the Psalmist demonstrates the power of God over the natural world.
c. Jeremiah 4:13, “Behold, he goes up like clouds, and his chariots like the whirlwind; His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!”
This was the destruction of Judah Israel by Nebuchadnezzar. Chariots, horses, whirlwind, eagles, these are all images that represent war and destruction. When God is riding on his swift cloud or coming in the clouds, this is never a good thing. Destruction is immanent and the end result was be the woes of the people.
F. Three titles of divinity, 8
Each of these titles relate to Jesus' nature. These define who he is. By his nature, Jesus is:
1. The Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End.
This is the equivalent to the Hebrew expression “Yea and Amen” and simply designates the beginning and the end of a matter and everything that lies between the two points.
2. The Eternal One – The one who is, who was, and who is to come.
3. The Almighty – This is the only time in scripture this term is ever applied to Jesus, but its meaning is absolute. Jesus is the Almighty!
1. Loves us
He holds a favored relationship with those who are about to suffer for his name. Divine favor will accompany them in suffering, even in death.
2. Released us from our sins by his blood
Blood is the spiritual currency by which redemption, atonement, and reconciliation are made. He suffered too. This places all who suffer for his name in commonality with him.
3. Made us a kingdom of priests or kings and priests.
There is a textual variance in this verse in the use of the word kings and opposed to kingdom. The weight of evidence is very much in favor of βασιλείαν – kingdom, rather than βασιλεῖς – kings. The consensus of the vast majority of Greek scholarship suggests that “a kingdom of priests” is the better reading. This is certainly the reading that is best supported by manuscript evidence. He has advanced us to priestly status within the kingdom. This is the fulfillment of the statement made regarding the people of God in Exodus 19:6 – “and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
D. The doxology, 5 “To Him be the glory and the dominion (κράτος – strength, might, power, dominion) forever and ever. Amen,” because of who he is and what he has done on our behalf.
E. Coming with the Clouds, 7.
This and similar expressions are always used in scripture as judgment figures. John is calling to mind the sentence pronounced upon Jerusalem by Jesus in the gospels.
“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So, it is to be. Amen.”
1. “Behold, he is coming with the clouds,”
a. Matthew 24:26, “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” (Also, Mark 13:26)
b. Matthew 24:30, “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.”
c. Matthew 26:63 and 64, “But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless, I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
This is why the high priest tore his cloths and accused Jesus of blasphemy. He knew what Jesus was claiming by this statement. Only God comes in the clouds or rides on the swift clouds. He did not misunderstand what Jesus was implying. In effect, what Jesus is telling the high priest was “You are going to see ME coming back as Judge upon the nation.”
2. “And every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.”
a. Ὄψεται
According to Thayer, ὄψεται means to behold, to perceive, to see, properly, to stare at. In other words (by implication), to discern clearly whether physically or mentally; by Hebraism it means to experience. The impact of the destruction of Jerusalem would be universal in scope to both Jews and pagans alike. This would be something that would reverberate throughout the entire Roman Empire.
b. “Even those who pierced Him;” All those responsible for his crucifixion, but especially the Jewish leadership.
c. “All the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.”
This is an exclusive reference to the Jewish tribes scattered throughout the world and particularly those within the Roman Empire. Scripture NEVER refers to Gentile nations as the tribes. “The tribes,” always referred to the tribes of Israel. It is important that we understand this because we will see this again from time to time in our study of Revelation. The imminent destruction of Jerusalem would have, by the time Revelation was written, become common knowledge among Jewish Christians all over the world. When the news of the fall of Jerusalem began to reach the tribes of Israel scattered all over the world, all Jews would mourn her calamity. “...will mourn over Him,” not her (Jerusalem). In other words, they are mourning because of what God has done. The mourning is in direct relationship to their understanding that Jesus is the cause of the destruction. He is the Judge riding on the swift cloud bringing judgment and war with him, 19:11.
3. Old Testament imagery of this judgment figure is used to emphasize the exercise of power, doom, and destruction. Remember what I have said all along, the meaning of biblical symbols is determined by scripture, not by us. He is how scripture uses the imagery is God coming in the clouds.
a. Isaiah 19:1, “The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.”
b. Psalms 104:3, “He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind;” Here, the Psalmist demonstrates the power of God over the natural world.
c. Jeremiah 4:13, “Behold, he goes up like clouds, and his chariots like the whirlwind; His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!”
This was the destruction of Judah Israel by Nebuchadnezzar. Chariots, horses, whirlwind, eagles, these are all images that represent war and destruction. When God is riding on his swift cloud or coming in the clouds, this is never a good thing. Destruction is immanent and the end result was be the woes of the people.
F. Three titles of divinity, 8
Each of these titles relate to Jesus' nature. These define who he is. By his nature, Jesus is:
1. The Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End.
This is the equivalent to the Hebrew expression “Yea and Amen” and simply designates the beginning and the end of a matter and everything that lies between the two points.
2. The Eternal One – The one who is, who was, and who is to come.
3. The Almighty – This is the only time in scripture this term is ever applied to Jesus, but its meaning is absolute. Jesus is the Almighty!
III. The Historical Setting, 9-10
“I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet…”
A. John’s present association with his readers – “I am…”
1. Your brother – He shares kinship with them through Christ.
2. Your companion in tribulation. This is hardship, troubles, even persecution; in other words, he was a fellow sufferer with them. He was one who could identify with their sufferings having endured sufferings himself for the gospel.
3. Your companion in the kingdom – What is the nature of the kingdom? This was a present reality for John, not a future expectation.
a. The millennial view requires a futuristic reign of Christ on the earth.
His future rule would be from Palestine.
His rule would extend over all the nations.
He would rule from the literal, physical throne of David.
His rule would be for 1,000 years.
All of this is physical, geographical, material, and temporal.
b. The conservative view – some call this the preterist view.
The Kingdom was established and had its beginning on the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus in or about AD 33.
The Church is the kingdom.
c. The comprehensive view – The Kingdom is:
An eternal entity – As the kingdom relates to Jesus, this emphasizes the reign of Messiah, Psalms 89:27-29 and 33-37; Revelation 11:15, Daniel 2:44 and 7:14. The Kingdom as it defines the scope of the reign of Messiah, is all-encompassing and includes:
The worlds of the seen and the unseen
The temporal and the eternal
The material and the spiritual
All earthly kingdoms, Psalms 72:8-11, Revelation 1:5 and 11:15
All national and ethnic groups, Daniel 7:14 and Revelation 5:9
All creation, Philippians 2:10-11, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:6 and 9-12, 1 Peter 3:22.
Both the living and the dead, 2 Timothy 4:1, Revelation 20:4ff.
Both the righteousness and the unrighteous, 1 Corinthians 5:13 and
Psalms 110.
The Kingdom is also the place for covenant relationship.
From the perspective of the prophets, this was something that existed only in shadowy reflections of the nation of Israel as the covenant people of God. As shadow, it was a covenant of fleshly exclusion and segregation. Now, the kingdom is a covenant of spiritual exclusion.
4. Your companion in the patience – ὑπομονῇ – endurance in Jesus Christ. Being in Christ should set our expectations for at least the possibility of suffering. This is the place of suffering.
B. John establishes his location at the time of his receiving the revelation, 9-10.
1. “…was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” This offers two possible explanations.
a. “Because of the word of God” could imply that John was on Patmos, not as a prisoner, but in a mission effort preaching the Word of God.
b. “Because of the word of God” more probably suggests that John was actually a prisoner on the island of Patmos because of his preaching of the Word of God.
2. The fact that John says he “was” on the island of Patmos may suggest that his time on Patmos was an event that was in his past. If this is so, then sometime between his receiving of the revelation while on Patmos and the time of his writing of the book, he may have been released from exile which means that the book would have been written between the time of his release from Patmos and the beginning of the events seen in the revelation.
3. “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day.”
This was a “Lord’s day” that was a part of a past experience. The phrase “in the spirit” is simply another way of saying that he was worshiping on the Lord’s Day.
4. The voice as a trumpet. The heralding of the King; the King is approaching.
IV. John’s Vision of the Son of the Man, 11-22
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, and, what you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
A. Designated recipients of this letter – “the seven churches:” 11.
1. Jesus calls for the documentation of the visions, “Write in a book what you see.”
The purpose of preserving a written record was so that it could be sent to the seven Churches. This is scripture.
2. Send what you wright to the seven Churches in Asia.
a. Ephesus – A port city and the capitol city of Asia Minor.
According to estimates, Ephesus had a population of between 30,000 to 50,000 in the first century making it the third largest city of Asia Minor after Sardis and Alexandria Troas.
The city was famed for the temple of Artemis which remains one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus was also an important center for early Christianity since the AD 50s. Paul lived in Ephesus working with the congregation and apparently coordinating the mission efforts that were sent out from there. This is where Paul angered the idol makers whose livelihood depended on selling the statuettes in the temple of Artemis, Acts 19:23-41. It would seem from Acts 18 that Priscilla and Aquila were instrumental in establishing the Church in Ephesus when they were left there by Paul as he sailed from there to Caesarea. It was at Ephesus that Priscilla and Aquila met and baptized Apollos.
b. Smyrna was a port city of predominately Gentile population and reported to be the home of Polycarp and the place of his martyrdom. The Church there is represented as a strong Church.
c. Pergamos is referred to in 2:13 as the throne and dwelling place of Satan, the place where Antipas was martyred. It was a city that prided itself in its intellectual pursuits and boasted a massive library that was second only to that of Alexandria.
d. Thyatira – the home of Lydia, Acts 16:14-15
e. Sardis – the dead Church
f. Philadelphia is described as a strong Church where Christians in John's day were suffering vicious Jewish persecution.
g. Laodicea as one of the three Phrygian cities. Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis had all been destroyed by earthquake in AD 60. Laodicea was a very rich city and the only one of the three to be rebuilt. Laodicea was the most inland of the seven cities mentioned and boasted a heavy Jewish population. Paul's letter to the Colossians mentions Laodicea as one of the Churches with which he was concerned. He also sent greetings from Epaphras from Colossae asking for greetings to be sent to the Christians in Laodicea. Paul also requested that the Colossae letter itself be read publicly also to the Church at Laodicea and that another letter addressed to the Laodiceans be read publicly at Colossae. As the Church, they appear to be despised by the Lord for their lukewarmness. This Church is given the harshest criticism by the Lord of all the seven Churches.
“I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet…”
A. John’s present association with his readers – “I am…”
1. Your brother – He shares kinship with them through Christ.
2. Your companion in tribulation. This is hardship, troubles, even persecution; in other words, he was a fellow sufferer with them. He was one who could identify with their sufferings having endured sufferings himself for the gospel.
3. Your companion in the kingdom – What is the nature of the kingdom? This was a present reality for John, not a future expectation.
a. The millennial view requires a futuristic reign of Christ on the earth.
His future rule would be from Palestine.
His rule would extend over all the nations.
He would rule from the literal, physical throne of David.
His rule would be for 1,000 years.
All of this is physical, geographical, material, and temporal.
b. The conservative view – some call this the preterist view.
The Kingdom was established and had its beginning on the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus in or about AD 33.
The Church is the kingdom.
c. The comprehensive view – The Kingdom is:
An eternal entity – As the kingdom relates to Jesus, this emphasizes the reign of Messiah, Psalms 89:27-29 and 33-37; Revelation 11:15, Daniel 2:44 and 7:14. The Kingdom as it defines the scope of the reign of Messiah, is all-encompassing and includes:
The worlds of the seen and the unseen
The temporal and the eternal
The material and the spiritual
All earthly kingdoms, Psalms 72:8-11, Revelation 1:5 and 11:15
All national and ethnic groups, Daniel 7:14 and Revelation 5:9
All creation, Philippians 2:10-11, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:6 and 9-12, 1 Peter 3:22.
Both the living and the dead, 2 Timothy 4:1, Revelation 20:4ff.
Both the righteousness and the unrighteous, 1 Corinthians 5:13 and
Psalms 110.
The Kingdom is also the place for covenant relationship.
From the perspective of the prophets, this was something that existed only in shadowy reflections of the nation of Israel as the covenant people of God. As shadow, it was a covenant of fleshly exclusion and segregation. Now, the kingdom is a covenant of spiritual exclusion.
4. Your companion in the patience – ὑπομονῇ – endurance in Jesus Christ. Being in Christ should set our expectations for at least the possibility of suffering. This is the place of suffering.
B. John establishes his location at the time of his receiving the revelation, 9-10.
1. “…was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” This offers two possible explanations.
a. “Because of the word of God” could imply that John was on Patmos, not as a prisoner, but in a mission effort preaching the Word of God.
b. “Because of the word of God” more probably suggests that John was actually a prisoner on the island of Patmos because of his preaching of the Word of God.
2. The fact that John says he “was” on the island of Patmos may suggest that his time on Patmos was an event that was in his past. If this is so, then sometime between his receiving of the revelation while on Patmos and the time of his writing of the book, he may have been released from exile which means that the book would have been written between the time of his release from Patmos and the beginning of the events seen in the revelation.
3. “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day.”
This was a “Lord’s day” that was a part of a past experience. The phrase “in the spirit” is simply another way of saying that he was worshiping on the Lord’s Day.
4. The voice as a trumpet. The heralding of the King; the King is approaching.
IV. John’s Vision of the Son of the Man, 11-22
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, and, what you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
A. Designated recipients of this letter – “the seven churches:” 11.
1. Jesus calls for the documentation of the visions, “Write in a book what you see.”
The purpose of preserving a written record was so that it could be sent to the seven Churches. This is scripture.
2. Send what you wright to the seven Churches in Asia.
a. Ephesus – A port city and the capitol city of Asia Minor.
According to estimates, Ephesus had a population of between 30,000 to 50,000 in the first century making it the third largest city of Asia Minor after Sardis and Alexandria Troas.
The city was famed for the temple of Artemis which remains one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus was also an important center for early Christianity since the AD 50s. Paul lived in Ephesus working with the congregation and apparently coordinating the mission efforts that were sent out from there. This is where Paul angered the idol makers whose livelihood depended on selling the statuettes in the temple of Artemis, Acts 19:23-41. It would seem from Acts 18 that Priscilla and Aquila were instrumental in establishing the Church in Ephesus when they were left there by Paul as he sailed from there to Caesarea. It was at Ephesus that Priscilla and Aquila met and baptized Apollos.
b. Smyrna was a port city of predominately Gentile population and reported to be the home of Polycarp and the place of his martyrdom. The Church there is represented as a strong Church.
c. Pergamos is referred to in 2:13 as the throne and dwelling place of Satan, the place where Antipas was martyred. It was a city that prided itself in its intellectual pursuits and boasted a massive library that was second only to that of Alexandria.
d. Thyatira – the home of Lydia, Acts 16:14-15
e. Sardis – the dead Church
f. Philadelphia is described as a strong Church where Christians in John's day were suffering vicious Jewish persecution.
g. Laodicea as one of the three Phrygian cities. Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis had all been destroyed by earthquake in AD 60. Laodicea was a very rich city and the only one of the three to be rebuilt. Laodicea was the most inland of the seven cities mentioned and boasted a heavy Jewish population. Paul's letter to the Colossians mentions Laodicea as one of the Churches with which he was concerned. He also sent greetings from Epaphras from Colossae asking for greetings to be sent to the Christians in Laodicea. Paul also requested that the Colossae letter itself be read publicly also to the Church at Laodicea and that another letter addressed to the Laodiceans be read publicly at Colossae. As the Church, they appear to be despised by the Lord for their lukewarmness. This Church is given the harshest criticism by the Lord of all the seven Churches.
B. The seven golden lampstands, 12
“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands.” These represent the seven churches he just named in verse 11.
C. The Son of Man who stands in the midst of the seven golden candle sticks, 13.
“And in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.”
The term Son of Man comes out of Daniel 7:13 “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him.”
D. His appearance, 14-17
“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.”
This is the same vision seen by Daniel in chapter 10, although there is more detail given in John's revelation concerning his appearance. “I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.”
Everything about his appearance will represent something about his character or his function.
1. “Son of Man”
This is a picture of glorified man. The term Son of Man as it applies to Jesus is used to emphasize his human nature just as the term Son of God defines his divine nature. This term, as it relates to Jesus, seems to always be used in relation to his mediatorial or redemptive function as man.
2. “Clothed with a garment down to his feet.”
This could represent the royal garments that were traditionally worn to the feet. More probably, this represents the priestly outer garment robe that was worn by the high priest.
3. “Girded across His chest with a golden sash.”
This is a priestly garment that was worn by the high priest of the Levitical system, Leviticus 16:4. The sash, girdle, or belt was to represent righteousness and faithfulness, Isaiah 11:5 “Also righteousness will be the sash about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist.” also, Paul charges Christians in Ephesians 6:14 to “gird your loins with truth.” John is seeing Jesus adorned as High Priest.
4. “His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow;”
Obvious symbolism of purity, sinlessness, or holiness as seen in Isaiah 1:18. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”
5. “His eyes were like a flame of fire.” Discerning, judging, piercing.
6. “His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace.” Χαλκολιβάνω – literally, white brass. This appears to be a symbol of strength and stability.
7. “His voice was like the sound of many waters.” Ezekiel 43:2, “Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east, and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory.”
It is important that we understand the use of symbols as a language use that is employed to express things about God that have no earthly equivalent of comparison. To what could we possibly compare the voice of the Almighty? This comparison gives us at least some sense of the power associated with the voice heard by both John and Ezekiel.
8. “In His right hand He held seven stars.”
The seven stars are the seven messengers of the seven Churches. The right hand represents his authority, power, or dominion over the seven Churches. This also suggests the authority of God given to these seven messengers for they are in his right hand, the place of authority.
9. “Out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword;”
This is for judgment and discernment. This is the Word of God, Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
10. “His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”
This is a representation of the overwhelming glory of God that cannot be looked upon. Again, this is a use of natural world objects to describe what can not be described. To man, the sun is the most glorious thing in his field of observation, so this is used to express the glory of the Son of Man.
E. Identity of the Son of Man, 17-18.
“But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, 'Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.’”
1. The overwhelming effect of the presence of the Son of Man upon John was just like that of Daniel and Ezekiel. Compare:
a. Revelation 1:17 – “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.”
b. Daniel 10:9-11 – “But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground. Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said to me, ‘O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.’ And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.”
c. Ezekiel 43:3 – “And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.”
2. Divine title
a. “I am the First and the Last.”
This is equivalent to the Hebrew expression “Yea and Amen” and simply designates the beginning and the end of a matter and everything that lies between the two points. This is the same Jehovah who was speaking to Isaiah in Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12-13.
b. “I am the Living One.” The One who has life in himself – The Self-existing One.
3. His power over death – “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” The power of death is destroyed.
4. His authority over death – “I have the keys of death and of Hades.”
a. Keys represent authority, power, and control.
b. Authority over death to either impose it or to free one from its power.
c. Hades is the world of the unseen. The word ᾅδην means simply the unseen. The world of the ᾅδην is the receptacle of disembodied spirits. This is not the same thing as hell as we will see later in the book.
F. Jesus confirms the identity of the “seven stars,” and the “seven golden lampstands.”
“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels (ministers) of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”
“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands.” These represent the seven churches he just named in verse 11.
C. The Son of Man who stands in the midst of the seven golden candle sticks, 13.
“And in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.”
The term Son of Man comes out of Daniel 7:13 “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him.”
D. His appearance, 14-17
“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.”
This is the same vision seen by Daniel in chapter 10, although there is more detail given in John's revelation concerning his appearance. “I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.”
Everything about his appearance will represent something about his character or his function.
1. “Son of Man”
This is a picture of glorified man. The term Son of Man as it applies to Jesus is used to emphasize his human nature just as the term Son of God defines his divine nature. This term, as it relates to Jesus, seems to always be used in relation to his mediatorial or redemptive function as man.
2. “Clothed with a garment down to his feet.”
This could represent the royal garments that were traditionally worn to the feet. More probably, this represents the priestly outer garment robe that was worn by the high priest.
3. “Girded across His chest with a golden sash.”
This is a priestly garment that was worn by the high priest of the Levitical system, Leviticus 16:4. The sash, girdle, or belt was to represent righteousness and faithfulness, Isaiah 11:5 “Also righteousness will be the sash about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist.” also, Paul charges Christians in Ephesians 6:14 to “gird your loins with truth.” John is seeing Jesus adorned as High Priest.
4. “His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow;”
Obvious symbolism of purity, sinlessness, or holiness as seen in Isaiah 1:18. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.”
5. “His eyes were like a flame of fire.” Discerning, judging, piercing.
6. “His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace.” Χαλκολιβάνω – literally, white brass. This appears to be a symbol of strength and stability.
7. “His voice was like the sound of many waters.” Ezekiel 43:2, “Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east, and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory.”
It is important that we understand the use of symbols as a language use that is employed to express things about God that have no earthly equivalent of comparison. To what could we possibly compare the voice of the Almighty? This comparison gives us at least some sense of the power associated with the voice heard by both John and Ezekiel.
8. “In His right hand He held seven stars.”
The seven stars are the seven messengers of the seven Churches. The right hand represents his authority, power, or dominion over the seven Churches. This also suggests the authority of God given to these seven messengers for they are in his right hand, the place of authority.
9. “Out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword;”
This is for judgment and discernment. This is the Word of God, Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
10. “His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”
This is a representation of the overwhelming glory of God that cannot be looked upon. Again, this is a use of natural world objects to describe what can not be described. To man, the sun is the most glorious thing in his field of observation, so this is used to express the glory of the Son of Man.
E. Identity of the Son of Man, 17-18.
“But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, 'Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.’”
1. The overwhelming effect of the presence of the Son of Man upon John was just like that of Daniel and Ezekiel. Compare:
a. Revelation 1:17 – “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.”
b. Daniel 10:9-11 – “But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground. Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said to me, ‘O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.’ And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.”
c. Ezekiel 43:3 – “And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.”
2. Divine title
a. “I am the First and the Last.”
This is equivalent to the Hebrew expression “Yea and Amen” and simply designates the beginning and the end of a matter and everything that lies between the two points. This is the same Jehovah who was speaking to Isaiah in Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12-13.
b. “I am the Living One.” The One who has life in himself – The Self-existing One.
3. His power over death – “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” The power of death is destroyed.
4. His authority over death – “I have the keys of death and of Hades.”
a. Keys represent authority, power, and control.
b. Authority over death to either impose it or to free one from its power.
c. Hades is the world of the unseen. The word ᾅδην means simply the unseen. The world of the ᾅδην is the receptacle of disembodied spirits. This is not the same thing as hell as we will see later in the book.
F. Jesus confirms the identity of the “seven stars,” and the “seven golden lampstands.”
“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels (ministers) of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”
Re: "the things WHICH ARE" they surely could. 
(Rev1:19b)
[the phrase "the things WHICH ARE" (Rev1:19b, which by the way are NOT said [of them] "must come to pass IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]") is in contrast to "the things which must come to pass IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" which are the "future" aspects of the Book (i.e. Rev1:1 / 1:19c / 4:1-->)...; BTW, the phrase "in quickness" is a NOUN, not adverbs like "quickLY" and "shortLY," or "SOON" (for verse 1).... This phrase (the NOUN) is also used in Lk18:8 and Rom16:20 (I believe in connection to this 1:1 verse, as opposed to merely being randomly used in these three places)]
(Rev1:19b)[the phrase "the things WHICH ARE" (Rev1:19b, which by the way are NOT said [of them] "must come to pass IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]") is in contrast to "the things which must come to pass IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" which are the "future" aspects of the Book (i.e. Rev1:1 / 1:19c / 4:1-->)...; BTW, the phrase "in quickness" is a NOUN, not adverbs like "quickLY" and "shortLY," or "SOON" (for verse 1).... This phrase (the NOUN) is also used in Lk18:8 and Rom16:20 (I believe in connection to this 1:1 verse, as opposed to merely being randomly used in these three places)]
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I'll have to go back over your posts more thoroughly (perhaps I overlooked where you may have covered this point), but here's a post I made some time back, about Rev2:13's "Antipas, my faithful martyr" :
Post #187 - https://christianchat.com/threads/w...ed-in-prophecy-see-rev-12.187277/post-4041265
Comments? Thoughts?
Post #187 - https://christianchat.com/threads/w...ed-in-prophecy-see-rev-12.187277/post-4041265
Comments? Thoughts?
With all respect, you presented your views on the book of Daniel, I oppsed your teachings in at least 3-4 of your claims, you continue on as if my questions in opposition didn't exist.
Your platform is invalid, in the fact it appears you believe your (Historicist) teaching is truthful, and the final authority, its not, and you haven't answered those who bring correction to this error.
One Example: Antiochus Epiphanes didnt fulfill Daniel 11:37 as you have claimed, as he was a married man that fathered many children, and his fathers didnt worship the true Hebrew (God Of His Fathers) but were polytheistic in their beliefs.
Its for these reason I consider your platform, and teachings invalid, in love.
Daniel 11:37KJV
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
Another Example: You have claimed Emperor Domitius 81-96AD fulfilled Daniel 7:8-11 the (Little Horn) below?
Scripture below clearly teaches that this figure will be present on earth to witness the second coming and final judgment, and be cast into the lake of fire, in perfect agreement with John's (The Beast) seen in Rev 9:20 below (Future)
Daniel 7:8-11KJV
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Revelation 19:20KJV
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Your platform is invalid, in the fact it appears you believe your (Historicist) teaching is truthful, and the final authority, its not, and you haven't answered those who bring correction to this error.
One Example: Antiochus Epiphanes didnt fulfill Daniel 11:37 as you have claimed, as he was a married man that fathered many children, and his fathers didnt worship the true Hebrew (God Of His Fathers) but were polytheistic in their beliefs.
Its for these reason I consider your platform, and teachings invalid, in love.
Daniel 11:37KJV
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
Another Example: You have claimed Emperor Domitius 81-96AD fulfilled Daniel 7:8-11 the (Little Horn) below?
Scripture below clearly teaches that this figure will be present on earth to witness the second coming and final judgment, and be cast into the lake of fire, in perfect agreement with John's (The Beast) seen in Rev 9:20 below (Future)
Daniel 7:8-11KJV
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Revelation 19:20KJV
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
--why does Rev5:10 say (of the ppl in 5:9 who are IN HEAVEN in this scene, and sitting on "thrones" there), "and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God; and they WILL [FUTURE tense] reign upon the earth" ? (does that mean, "on the earth"?)
--why does Rev19:15b say, "and He SHALL [FUTURE tense] rule/shepherd them [the nations] with a rod of iron..." (future tense from that point in the chronology [Rev19]--i.e. why not, say, from 32ad/the Cross/His Resurrection point in time?? [as you seem to be alluding to])
--why does Rev2:26-27 say similar ^ , likewise, re: "he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him WILL [FUTURE tense] I give power/authority over the nations: And he SHALL [FUTURE tense] rule/shepherd them with a rod of iron... even as I have received [PERFECT indicative] of My Father" ?
--more... but this is enough for the moment = )
Whether βασιλεύσουσιν refers to the present or future continues to be a matter of some debate among scholars. Whether one perceives it as present or future will largely depend upon one's eschatological view. For example, the ERV, ASV :-[, and the WNT all render it simply as "they reign upon the earth." I would suggest that the context in which the word is used must be the deciding factor.
Yes, ποιμανεῖ is FIA - will shephard, just as βασιλεύσουσιν is FIA. However, this does not negate the fact that the reign of Jesus over all things is a present realty as we are informed in 1 Peter 3:22, "who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers HAVING BEEN subjected to Him."
In 11:17, the 24 elders declare ”Because You have taken Your great power and reigned." There are two verbs here that need to be noted.
εἴληφας which is PIA refering to an already completed action, and
ἐβασίλευσας which is AIA refering to an action completed in the past and that continues to remain. This is the force of the indicative.
You have to remember that the things John was shown were still of things in his future. There were things that were to shortly come to pass thus, the use of the future tense.
Yes, ποιμανεῖ is FIA - will shephard, just as βασιλεύσουσιν is FIA. However, this does not negate the fact that the reign of Jesus over all things is a present realty as we are informed in 1 Peter 3:22, "who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers HAVING BEEN subjected to Him."
In 11:17, the 24 elders declare ”Because You have taken Your great power and reigned." There are two verbs here that need to be noted.
εἴληφας which is PIA refering to an already completed action, and
ἐβασίλευσας which is AIA refering to an action completed in the past and that continues to remain. This is the force of the indicative.
You have to remember that the things John was shown were still of things in his future. There were things that were to shortly come to pass thus, the use of the future tense.
So you are referring to the events surrounding 70ad then? (rather than, say, from the time of Jesus' resurrection in 32ad?)
Recall, verse 1 does not state, "things which must SHORTLY [ADVERB] come to pass," but rather, Jesus was given something by God, "TO SHEW [<--comp. 4:1] UNTO his servants [<--see 7:3] things which must come to pass [<--comp. 1:19c (in contrast to 19b)] IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" (not things which would transpire "immediateLY [ADVERB]"/"shortLY [ADVERB]"/"SOON [ADVERB]", and also not "things which would unfold over the course of some 2000 yrs," as the Historicist has it... but rather, "things which must come to pass IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" [speaking here of the "future" aspects of the Book in contrast to "the things WHICH ARE"]...; And then one can compare "the beginning of birth PANGS" with the "SEALS" [they are equivalents] and further ascertain "timing and chronology issues" from there, which I won't go into here in this post--but which are very pertinent to the topic under discussion).
Recall, verse 1 does not state, "things which must SHORTLY [ADVERB] come to pass," but rather, Jesus was given something by God, "TO SHEW [<--comp. 4:1] UNTO his servants [<--see 7:3] things which must come to pass [<--comp. 1:19c (in contrast to 19b)] IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" (not things which would transpire "immediateLY [ADVERB]"/"shortLY [ADVERB]"/"SOON [ADVERB]", and also not "things which would unfold over the course of some 2000 yrs," as the Historicist has it... but rather, "things which must come to pass IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" [speaking here of the "future" aspects of the Book in contrast to "the things WHICH ARE"]...; And then one can compare "the beginning of birth PANGS" with the "SEALS" [they are equivalents] and further ascertain "timing and chronology issues" from there, which I won't go into here in this post--but which are very pertinent to the topic under discussion).
Yes.
I had intended to point out a point of grammar when we get to chapter 20, but now seems a good time since you asked the question in your previous post.
In 20:4, we are told "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."
Both verbs ἔζησαν - lived, and ἐβασίλευσαν - reigned are in the aorist indicative mode meaning they "continued to live and reign." We will look at the implications of this when we get to chapter 20.
I had intended to point out a point of grammar when we get to chapter 20, but now seems a good time since you asked the question in your previous post.
In 20:4, we are told "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."
Both verbs ἔζησαν - lived, and ἐβασίλευσαν - reigned are in the aorist indicative mode meaning they "continued to live and reign." We will look at the implications of this when we get to chapter 20.