For those who read my last post, you noticed how much I focused on details on the end times! Two very important points that I made are: 1)we don’t know the day or the time when He returns and 2)don’t listen to those who claim to be the Messiah and false prophets! There is some history behind the apostle John when he wrote the book of Revelation. Sometimes, people are concerned about reading this book. Don’t be afraid! When learning and applying Revelation, you will see that John had visions that were given to him by an angel and a lot of symbolism exists in this book.
The apostle John wrote Revelation around AD 95. John faced a great amount of persecution during the reign of Domitian. As a result, he was exiled. An angel revealed to John, what he was to write to the church. You will see the Isle of Patmos by the red dot on the map above. This Isle is in the Aegean Sea. When you look up pictures of Patmos on Google, you will see some gorgeous pictures. People today still visit Patmos. It must have been incredible for John to receive the visions from the angel while here.
Learning And Applying The Book Of Revelation Will Bless You
John states that those who read and apply this book of Revelation are blessed!. Think about this! You are blessed when you read this book and apply it to your life! Let us look together at how you can apply Revelation! In the first few chapters, you will read about the characteristics of the seven churches that John mentions at this time. Do you feel that your church fits any of these characteristics? If they are good or bad characteristics, how can you be part of changing your church if it needs to change? Since we are part of the church, if we know Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, our life may need to change for the better! Look at all of these churches then and learn from them and apply the book of Revelation to your life.
John starts talking and encouraging the seven churches in Asia! These seven churches are:
- Ephesus,
- Smyrna,
- Pergamum,
- Thyatira,
- Sardis,
- Philadelphia
- Laodicea.
The Alpha And Omega Loves The Seven Churches
John then writes that these seven churches are loved! Grace and peace are given by the one who is, was and who is going to come. So, God is eternal! He always exists! He is omnipresent, meaning He has always been everywhere. John is SO clear in verse five when he said that Jesus loved us SO much and set us free, by giving His blood for our sin. God has made us His kingdom and priests forever! He tells us too, that EVERY eye will see Him coming in the clouds, coming for us! Those who even killed Him will see Him coming in the clouds. This is clear to me that unbelievers, agnostics and atheists will even see Him then, coming in the clouds. I wonder how shocked they truly will be!
He is the Alpha and Omega(the beginning and the end, in Greek). Then, John hears this loud voice like a trumpet and John begins writing on a scroll. We will learn and break down the symbols in this first chapter of Revelation. When he turned to see whose voice he heard, there were 7 Gold Lampstands!
The Seven Gold Lampstands Described in Revelation Chapter 1
“I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven gold lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man,[v] dressed in a long robe and with a gold sash wrapped around His chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool—white as snow—and His eyes like a fiery flame. 15 His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and His voice like the sound of cascading[w] waters. 16 He had seven stars in His right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth, and His face was shining like the sun at midday.[x]
17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last, 18 and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this. 20 The secret of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven gold lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[y] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands[z] are the seven churches.
One Of These Lampstands
One of the Lampstands described like the Son of Man
- Dressed in a long robe, with a gold sash wrapped around His chest
- Head and Hair were white like wool, white as snow, his eyes were like a fiery flame
- His feet were like fine bronze that is fired in a furnace
- His voice was like the sound of cascading waters
- In his right hand, He held Seven Stars
- A sharp double-edged sword was in His mouth
- His face was bright, it was shining like the sun in the middle of the day!
John Surprised, Falls At Jesus’ Feet
Then, John falls at His feet when he sees Jesus! He put His hand on me and said “Don’t be afraid!” How many times do we hear in the Bible to not be afraid? Alot! Jesus told John that He is the first and last! Once, He was dead, but now, He lives forever!!!He holds the keys of death and Hades(hell). So, Jesus decides when people die and where they go. John, write what you see and what happens after this!
Interpretation Of Stars And Lampstands
The secret of the Seven Stars and the Seven Lampstands is:
Seven Stars– Angels of the Seven Churches
Seven Lampstands – Seven Churches
Application Of Chapter One
What did you find interesting and applicable in chapter one? I learned that there are several things to apply even in this first chapter! The blessing of reading Revelation is the first thing I recognize. We are told that we will be blessed. Also, we are given grace and peace. Our relationship with an eternal God, who gave us His Son Jesus to pay for our sin, is incredible. We can share Christ with a person who doesn’t know Him, even through this first chapter. There is evidence that He gave His life in this chapter! We see evidence of Jesus’ love in chapter one.
I see that Jesus is coming someday in the clouds for us believers. Even those who don’t know Him, will still see Him, including those who killed Him. Also, I really took time to break down the descriptions given and what they represent. I can come back to this chapter when I don’t remember what the seven Gold Lampstands and Seven Stars represent.
Hello
Many thanks for this post. I particularly like the ‘…read and apply this book of Revelation are blessed!’ It is always thus with the scripture, the Word of God.
As James says ‘Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.’
It has annoyed me intensely when I hear some believers say we receive a blessing by hearing only, they take that text out of context. Or perhaps I could say they are conning they themselves about the text, a con-text!
Which is what James says, ‘…you are deceiving (or conning) yourselves.’
Thank you again.
Kind regards
Baldmichael
I’m glad that you enjoyed and are blessed through my posts. Let the Lord continue working in and through your life! God bless you!
Great post on Revelation.
Wonderful! I can see you must be feeling much better to take on the Book of Revelations. I do enjoy the end times teaching and cannot wait to read what you have to say. There is going to be more isn’t there? You are a blessing!
Awww…. Thank you! Yes, I am working on more! I should have the next post available today or tomorrow! I’m glad that you are enjoying them!
I definitely am feeling better😁