Revelation: Letters to the Seven Churches

Revelation:  Letters to the Seven Churches

Revelation is a book of Hope, Mercy, and Redemption!

Revelation means to reveal something.  In this case it is to reveal [Jesus Christ] what the Lord will do in the last days of this earth and human life on this earth and what will take place in Heaven!  It is an exciting book.  God wants us to know that is why He made sure it was written down and He gave it to us.  He said in chapter 1 Verse 3 "Blessed {Happy} is he that reads and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein:  for the time is at hand."
And it is at hand!  All the prophecies concerning Israel that needs to happen before the Lord's return has all been fulfilled.  [Not all prophesy, but all concerning Israel]  Now He is pouring out His Spirit on all flesh for an awakening to Him and to the Truth of His Word; for people to be born again and to walk closely with Him before the rapture takes place.
Chapter 1
Jesus had John write letters to seven churches in Asia-seven different messages from the mouth of Jesus and John acted as secretary and wrote.
But these letters are not just for those seven church, but the are also for us today.  For at the end of each letter Jesus tells us:  “He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the church...”           There are certain benefits given to those who heed these words.
 
These letters are given to “us” just before Jesus reveals what will happen in the very last day--the very end.  We need to listen to what is contained in them and take inventory of our lives as we read them.

V1 “must shortly come to pass”  1722 (en) and 5034(tachos)  brief space of time i.e. in haste; quickly, shortly, speedily.  
When it happens, it will happen in a short space of time––quickly.

Time shortened. Matthew. 24:22-28; Mark 13:20-23

...signified by His angel...(Webster’s)  to show by a sign; to communicate by any conventional token as words, gestures, signals or the like.  To make known; announce.   ...to John:  who bare record of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus


V2 John bare record:  of the Word of God
                                    of the testimony of Jesus Christ,          
                                   of all things that he saw

V3 Blessed is he that:  reads, hear, and keeps–2083 watch, observe, guard
                                     that hear the word of this prophecy
                                     and keep (guard from loss or injury; keeping an eye                         on) those things which are written therein

Blessed––Makarois–one who's in the world, yet independent of the world; his satisfaction comes from Go and not from favorable circumstances.
...for the time is at hand

    Romans 13:11 ...time closer now than when we first believed
    James 5:8 Be patient, stablish your hearts
    1 Peter 4:7...all things are at hand.   Now more than ever
Sober 4993 so-phro-eh-o. to have a sound mind i.e. sane e in right mind; not to drink.

V4-20 is a cover letter (Hilton Sutton) that was included to each of the churches along with the personal letter that the Lord had John write to each.

V4 Grace 5485 (Charis) to rejoice, joy, favor, acceptance, a kindness granted or desire, a benefit, thanks, gratitude.  A favor without expectation of return; absolute freeness of the lovingkindness of God to people, finding its only motive in the bounty and free heartedness of the Giver.  Unearned, unmerited favor.

Peace 1515 (Eirene) The absence or end of strife.  Such a state of peace is the object of divine and saving promises and is brought about by God's mercy, granting deliverance and freedom from all distresses that are experienced as a result of sin...referring to a new relationship between man and god brought about by the atonement.  To set at one again.

From Him which is, and which was, and which is to come and from the Seven Spirits which are before His throne;  
...Seven Spirits or seven-fold Spirit Isaiah 11:2
Revelation 3:1    7 Spirits of God,
Revelation 4:5   7 lamps                            > all refers to the Spirit of God
Revelation 5:6   7 horns, 7 eyes
Zechariah 3:9     7 eyes

V5 And from Jesus Christ,
    Who is the Faithful Witness,        
        John 8:12-19
        John 5:19-47
The Lord always has a witness--2 or 3; Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15-16
1. Himself, 2. John, 3. His works, 4. the Father

    Compare John 5:31 with John 8:14.  Why the difference?  Must look at John 5:30––He is not seeking His own will but the will of the Father.  If He were, His witness would not be true.  Read John 5:30-31 in Amp.

    First begotten of the dead 1 Corin 15:20-23, Col. 1:18
    Prince of the kings of the earth.
Prince 758 One first in power, authority, dominion, hence a ruler, lord
        Rev. 17:14 *
        Eph. 1:20-23
        1 Tim 6:15-16
He: washed us from our sins in His own blood

Life in the blood––Leviticus 17:11, 14

V6 made us kings and priest unto God and His Father
    (hand-outs)

Kings 935 basileus (bas-il-yooce) meaning king, monarch ie. one who
exercises royal authority and sovereignty

Matthew 28:18-20  Jesus won back the power Adam gave to satan,
            Jesus gave it to us
Mark 16: 15-18 & 20       
Luke 9:1-5  Jesus gave disciples authority

Priests 2409 hiereus (hee-er-yooce) a priest, one who performs the
sacred rites:  prayer, communion, sharing the gospel

1 Peter 2:5, 9 A royal priest...holy nation
Exodus 19:5-6 If you will obey....kingdom of priest; even in the OT before                     redemption
Malachi 1:11––Make His name great among the heathens
Acts 1:6-8   power + witness

V7 He comes with clouds
    Daniel 7:13-14
    Mark  14:62
    Hebrews 12:1––clouds of witness?

V8. Which is:  always present.
Almighty 3841––The All Ruling, i.e. God; Absolute
He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending
Isaiah 41:4 (AMP
      44:6-8
      48:11-13

V9  John:
brother 80 deriving from the same Father
companion 4791 in tribulation 2347 co-participant, partake with or in affliction, anguish, trouble
kingdom 932 royalty, rule, dominion–reign that is the exercise of kingly power
patience 5281 endurance, constancy, patient continuance, bearing up under

10-19  John talking to the 7 churches, telling them he can relate to them.
(10) I (John) was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
(11) saying, “I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last and, what thou seest write in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”  
(12)  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.  And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
(13) and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.  
(14) His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire;
(15) and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.  
16) And He had in His right hand seven stars:  And out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword” and His countenance was as the sunshineth in his strength.  
(17) And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.  And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, “Fear not; I am the first and the last:  
(18) I am He that liveth, and was dead, and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and Have the keys of hell and of death.  
(19) Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
(20) the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks.  The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:  and he seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Lampstands 3087 luchnis (lookh-nee-ah lampstand from 3088 luchnos
a portable lamp; illuminator

First of all we see Jesus explaining the seven stars and the seven candlesticks, V20. The word angels means:  messengers,  heavenly beings or pastors.   The seven lampstands are the churches.  So it makes sense that the angels are probably pastors of the churches.  And these letters are being written to the pastor of each of these churches to be shared with their congregation.  

Stars and lampstands offer light.  Pastors and the churches are to be a beacons of light to show those in darkness the way to go.  Jesus holds the stars––pastors––in His right hand.  They are precious and valuable to Him.
The right hand––high in rank; highest honor; and it means He is their Helper and Protector.  

Secondly, we will be looking specifically at the attributes of Jesus listed in the verses above and how they relate to the different churches, and will only be looking at the highlights of each church because there is so much more to each of these churches.
Revelation chapters 2 through 3

Thirdly, after each letter, chapter 2 verses 7, 11, 17, 29, chapter 3 verses 6, 13, 22, Jesus ended each of these letters with "He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches...".  So then, not only are these letters written to the actual church but to us today and we are to pay attention to what is beings said––the warning, as well as to the praises that in included in each of these.

Amos 8:11. "Behold, the days come", says the Lord God, "That I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor of thirst for water, but of hearing the Words of the Lord."

V17-18     Fear is cancelled because of verse 18
I AM He that lives
was dead, and behold I AM Alive forevermore
Amen
and have the keys of hell and of death.

No reason to fear any more.

Revelation Class Notes:

Revelation means to reveal something.  The Lord is showing us what will come to pass.  This book is an exciting book, not one to fear.

Revelation is written in an order.  1.  Chapter one tells that things are about to happen.   2.  Chapters 2 and 3 are letters to the Churches---to the pastors of the churches.  These are warning, call to repentance, and encouragement to not fear, to remain in faith, and trust toward the Lord and His Word.   These are foundational.  3.  The sensational comes after and the sensational is the judgment.  

We need to be in the foundational.  We need to have the Word of God in us and before us.  It is our life.    We are facing things today that we have never before faced in this country.  We need to know what the Lord says to us and about us.  

Chapter 1

V1  Shortly come to pass:  Shortly comes from two greek words 1722 (en) meaning "in"; and 5034 (tachos) meaning brief space of time.  The meaning then is "in haste".    It has the meaning that 'when it happens, it will happen quickly'.


V2. John bore record:   of the Word of God
                of the Testimony of Jesus Christ
                of all things that he saw.

V3. Blessed is he that:  reads, hear, and keeps
                that hear the Word of this Prophecy
                and keep those thing which are written therein
...for the time is at hand
    Romans 13:11 ...time closer now than when we first believed
    James 5:8. Be patient, stablish your hearts
    1 Peter 4:7 ...all things are at hand.   Now more than ever.

V4-20 This is a cover letter that was included to each of the churches along with the person letter that the Lord had John write to them.



V4. From His which is , and which was, and which is to come and from the Seven Spirits which are before His throne;  Isaiah 11:2

Isaiah 11:2
Revelation 3:1. 7 Spirits of God        >All refers to the Spirit of God
Revelation 4:5. 7 Lamps
Revelations 6:7 Horns, 7 Eyes

V5. Jesus Christ, Who is:
    the Faithful Witness,
        John 8:12-19
        John 5:19-47
    Compare John 5:31 with John 8:14.  Why the difference?  Must look             at John 5:30––He is not seeking His own will but the will of the                 Father.  If He were, His witness would not be true.

    First begotten of the dead. 1 Corin 15:20-23, Col. 1:18
    The Prince of the kings of the earth

V6 made us kings and priest unto God and His Father

Kings 935 basileus (bas-il-yooce) meaning king, monarch ie. one who
exercises royal authority and sovereignty
Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 16: 15-18 & 20
Acts 1:6-8
Priests 2409 hiereus (hee-er-yooce) a priest, one who performs the
sacred rites:  prayer, communion, sharing the gospel
1 Peter 2:5, 9 A royal priest...holy nation
Exodus 19:5-6 If you will obey....kingdom of priest
Malachi 1:11––Make His name great among the heathens


V7 He comes with clouds
    Daniel 7:13-14
    Mark  14:62
    Hebrews 12:1––clouds of witness?



V8. Which is:  always present.
Almighty 3841––The All Ruling, i.e. God; Absolute




V9  John:
brother 80 deriving from the same Father
companion 4791 in tribulation 2347 co-participant, partake with or in affliction, anguish, trouble
kingdom 932 royalty, rule, dominion–reign that is the exercise of kingly power
patience 5281 endurance, constancy, patient continuance, bearing up under


Lampstands 3087 luchnis (lookh-nee-ah lampstand from 3088 luchnos
a portable lamp; illuminator


Stars and lampstands offer light.  These are pastors and their churches who offer light to those who sit in darkness.