John begins Revelation by showing Jesus is not only our great high priest, but is God Himself. John uses a repetition of sentences, to identify Jesus Christ as the great "I am". John quotes the Old Testament prophets in a sequence which is to bring to light a salient feature, the divinity of Christ as follows:
* vs. 5 Witness Isaiah (Isaiah 55:4)
* vs. 7 Coming with the Clouds Daniel (Daniel 7:13)
* vs. 7 Pierced Zechariah (Zech 12:10)
* vs. 8 I am, Alpha & the Omega Isaiah (Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12)
* vs. 11 I am, Alpha & the Omega Isaiah (Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12)
* vs. 12 Golden Lampstands Zechariah (Zechariah 4:2)
* vs. 13-15 Heavenly High Priest Daniel (Daniel 10:5,6)
* vs. 16 Mouth, Sword Isaiah (Isaiah 49:2)
The first and the last quotes are from Isaiah, the second and second last from Daniel, the third and third last from Zechariah and the double quote in the middle from Isaiah. This is the feature highlighted and thus repeated. Christ is the great "I am". Sadly, some modern translations leave out the second "I am" quote in Revelation 1:11 and thus nullify the epanados.
Christ, the great "I am", is thus the central theme of the book of Revelation and the church through all the ages the besieged bride through whom He disseminates His truth to call a people out of the world. Satan the great foe is depicted as the one bent on destroying this work and the battle as it unfolds is delineated to the point of the final destruction of sin and the establishment of the kingdom of righteousness. The messages are not given to instill fear, but to encourage.
"Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore; Amen; and have the keys of hell and death." Revelation 1:17, 18
Then John goes into the letters to the Seven Churches. The letters were written to seven specific churches of Asia Minor, present-day Turkey. Although these messages to these churches had a specific relationship to the experiences through which the Church was then passing. They are also prophetic of the experiences of the Church through the centuries. Each of the letters also contain admonishments appropriate to God's people in every age. In this chapter, we will concentrate largely on the prophetic aspects of the letters to the Churches.
The seven churches to which the seven letters were addressed were those of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. These cities stood along one of the ancient postal Roman roads of that day, and, beginning at Ephesus, would have been visited in the order in which they are named. The distance between them is about 50-60 kilometres; a full day's journey, on foot.
The names of the cities are significant in that they convey a spiritual message relevant to the church as a whole. It is incredible that the sequence in which the cities lie, in which their names are given and in which historic events were to unfold, so accurately reflect the history of the church. It is one of the great evidences for the inspiration of the Word and the omnipotence of God. The letters contain a number of common features which had application to the church in John's day, but also reflect the church in prophetic time.
Names in ancient times conveyed a message. One of the names given to the Messiah was Immanuel, conveying the message that God would live amongst men. In the same way, the names of the seven cities convey a message which in the sequence in which they are given, provides information as to the state and nature of the Church from the time of John to the end of time. The sequence is as follows:
1. Ephesus - desirable
2. Smyrna - sweet smelling (myrrh)
3. Pergamum - elevation or exalted
4. Thyatira - sacrifice of contrition or sweet savour of labour
5. Sardis - renewal
6. Philadelphia - brotherly love
7. Laodicea - notion of judgment (judging the people)
Each letter starts with a commendation, all but two have a reproof, and each receives counsel and a promise.
* vs. 5 Witness Isaiah (Isaiah 55:4)
* vs. 7 Coming with the Clouds Daniel (Daniel 7:13)
* vs. 7 Pierced Zechariah (Zech 12:10)
* vs. 8 I am, Alpha & the Omega Isaiah (Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12)
* vs. 11 I am, Alpha & the Omega Isaiah (Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12)
* vs. 12 Golden Lampstands Zechariah (Zechariah 4:2)
* vs. 13-15 Heavenly High Priest Daniel (Daniel 10:5,6)
* vs. 16 Mouth, Sword Isaiah (Isaiah 49:2)
The first and the last quotes are from Isaiah, the second and second last from Daniel, the third and third last from Zechariah and the double quote in the middle from Isaiah. This is the feature highlighted and thus repeated. Christ is the great "I am". Sadly, some modern translations leave out the second "I am" quote in Revelation 1:11 and thus nullify the epanados.
Christ, the great "I am", is thus the central theme of the book of Revelation and the church through all the ages the besieged bride through whom He disseminates His truth to call a people out of the world. Satan the great foe is depicted as the one bent on destroying this work and the battle as it unfolds is delineated to the point of the final destruction of sin and the establishment of the kingdom of righteousness. The messages are not given to instill fear, but to encourage.
"Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore; Amen; and have the keys of hell and death." Revelation 1:17, 18
Then John goes into the letters to the Seven Churches. The letters were written to seven specific churches of Asia Minor, present-day Turkey. Although these messages to these churches had a specific relationship to the experiences through which the Church was then passing. They are also prophetic of the experiences of the Church through the centuries. Each of the letters also contain admonishments appropriate to God's people in every age. In this chapter, we will concentrate largely on the prophetic aspects of the letters to the Churches.
The seven churches to which the seven letters were addressed were those of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. These cities stood along one of the ancient postal Roman roads of that day, and, beginning at Ephesus, would have been visited in the order in which they are named. The distance between them is about 50-60 kilometres; a full day's journey, on foot.
The names of the cities are significant in that they convey a spiritual message relevant to the church as a whole. It is incredible that the sequence in which the cities lie, in which their names are given and in which historic events were to unfold, so accurately reflect the history of the church. It is one of the great evidences for the inspiration of the Word and the omnipotence of God. The letters contain a number of common features which had application to the church in John's day, but also reflect the church in prophetic time.
Names in ancient times conveyed a message. One of the names given to the Messiah was Immanuel, conveying the message that God would live amongst men. In the same way, the names of the seven cities convey a message which in the sequence in which they are given, provides information as to the state and nature of the Church from the time of John to the end of time. The sequence is as follows:
1. Ephesus - desirable
2. Smyrna - sweet smelling (myrrh)
3. Pergamum - elevation or exalted
4. Thyatira - sacrifice of contrition or sweet savour of labour
5. Sardis - renewal
6. Philadelphia - brotherly love
7. Laodicea - notion of judgment (judging the people)
Each letter starts with a commendation, all but two have a reproof, and each receives counsel and a promise.