We Only Know Part Of The Story

God will judge the world, and he has given us an outline of how that judgment will go.  It will start with God allowing mankind to try to control human relations, proving they aren’t even capable of making peace or preventing starvation or diseases such as COVID 19.  Then he will allow nature to run amok to demonstrate they can’t control nature either, despite their claims that they can control global warning. With the first four trumpets he begins to actively punish them for their lack of belief, causing supernatural events that destroy nature as we know it.  The fifth and sixth trumpets are creatures that attack those who do not serve God personally.  Despite this, most of mankind chooses to follow Satan. 

While those seals and trumpets are taking place, other things will be happening as well.   In Acts 1:7, Jesus told his disciples, “…It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”  In Revelation 10:1-4 we learn there are other things we do not know either.  “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.  And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.” 

In Daniel 12:9. The Lord told Daniel, “… Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”  The Angel told John the same thing about what the seven thunders said.  People tend to get distracted about details and forget what they are supposed to do.  To prevent this, God has only told us what we need to know in order to trust him in the situations we face.  They are not to frighten us, but to encourage us by reminding us that it is all going according to God’s plan.

The angels were very clear that when the last trumpet sounds, the world we know will be changed, and people will clearly see God’s working, as Revelation 10:5-7 tells us.  “And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”

John wrote the book of Revelation about 90-95 AD.  He had been preaching for almost sixty years, and probably felt it was almost time to retire especially after some of the persecution he had experienced.  At the time, he had been banished to Isle of Patmos so that he couldn’t preach to anyone.  The Lord made it clear his ministry was not finished, in Revelation 10:8-11.  “And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”  The message John would give would be sweet initially, but later it would upset his stomach.  Today, as we talk about the Lord’s return and spending eternity in heaven, it is very sweet, but it can be very troubling to realize what people will go through before it happens. 

For those who are alive at the time, it will be very unpleasant.  In Matthew 24:15-22 Jesus warned, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.   And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”  As we saw in the fifth seal in Revelation 6:9-11, many believers will be killed and some who claim to be believers will turn away.  If God didn’t limit the time, no one would survive.  It isn’t hard to understand why such a sweet message would leave John with an upset stomach.  While the Judgment will be for those who reject God, believer’s lives will be affected by them as well.   

The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets

The first four trumpets will be horrible events, polluting a third of the ocean and a third of the fresh water.  One third of the world’s forests will burn, and all of the grass and small plants.  Atmospheric pollution will block about a third of the sun’s energy from reaching the earth.   These things will destroy the world’s economy, destroying crops, disrupting trade, leaving vast humbers of people without water, and increasing the need for heating.  Revelation 8:13 tells us the last three trumpets will be even worse.    “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!”

The first four trumpets destroy nature as we know it.  The fifth plague is will directly affect the people who have rejected God, as Revelation 9:1-12 describes.  “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.  And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.  And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.  One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.”

This first woe consists of a plague of creatures that swarm like locusts, but are far larger.  They only attack humans who do not have God’s mark or seal in their foreheads.  They have an armored shell that makes them very difficult to kill, and they have stingers that cause immense pain, but are not fatal.  They are led by a destroying angel, and the plague will last for five months.   Things will be so bad people will try to commit suicide, but will be unable to.   

The sixth trumpet or second woe is another plague specifically on humans.  Revelation 9:13-19 describesthis plague.  “And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,  Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.  And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.  And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.   By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.  For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.”

The four angels lead an army of two hundred million creatures.  They are apparently much larger than the creatures in the fifth trumpet, being compared to horses with a head like a lion.  They spew fire, smoke, and brimstone or molten sulfur from their mouths, any of which can kill people.  They have an appendage like a tail that they can also use to kill, and will kill one third of the world’s population. 

The first six seals will have demonstrated that mankind cannot control the things they know about, even when empowered by Satan.  With the first six trumpets, God introduces things that are far beyond man’s experience.  In spite of all this people continue to deny God’s power or even his existence, worshipping various idols instead.  They refuse to acknowledge God’s moral standards, as Revelation 9:20-21 tells us.  “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” 

The story of Pharaoh in Exodus gives us an illustration of what the people’s attitudes will be like in that day.  Even when his people begged him to let Israel go because his decisions had destroyed Egypt, he still refused. 

The First Four Trumpets

Many believe God simply started the world in motion but does not take any active role in how it functions.  It appears that during the first part of the Tribulation, he will do exactly what they have believed for a little while to let them see how big a part he plays in our survival, as we saw with the first six seals.  The seventh seal opens up God’s judgements on the earth for mankind’s rejection of God.  The seventh seal is composed of seven different judgements, each marked by the sounding of a trumpet.  Revelation 8:1-6 introduces the seven trumpets of Judgment.  “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.  And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.  And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.” 

For thousands of years, God’s people have prayed for an end to the evil in this world.  These trumpets of judgement are the beginning of their prayers being answered.  The first judgement are wildfires that destroy one third of the trees on earth, and burns off all the grasslands, according to Revelation 8:7.  “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.”  Unlike the fires in Australia last fall. They will be caused by lightening, and will be worldwide.  There will not be enough equipment to fight them all.  They will kill both people and animals.

The second trumpet will result in a huge meteor like object falling into the ocean, destroying a third of the ships and causing a third of the water to turn red. According to Revelation 8:8-9.  “And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.”  Whether this results in a vast red tide or just pollutes the ocean I don’t know, but as a result one third of marine life will die.   This will have a tremendous impact on the economy, affecting both the shipping industry and the food supply. 

Large parts of the earth have shortages of pure water, and the third trumpet will make that much worse, as Revelation 8:10-11 describes.  “And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.”  Whether this is a nuclear explosion in the upper atmosphere, or the result of asteroid burning up in the atmosphere, it produces toxins that fall to the earth and are washed into the lakes and rivers and even the underground reseroirs, polluting a third of them and killing thousands of people. 

The fourth trumpet sounds, seemingly resulting in a cloud of pollution that blocks a third of the sun’s rays, as Revelation 8:12 describes.  “And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.”  The pollution is so dense that the sun doesn’t even shine through in the early morning or late evening. 

Our environmentalists almost worship nature.  These first trumpets destroy the very things they are most concerned about.  They will be disastrous, but the last three will have a much more personal impact on people, as Revelation 8:13 tells us.  “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!”

Identifying God’s People

During the first part of the Tribulation most of the problems seem to come about as a result of God allowing mankind and Satan to try to control the world, clearly demonstrating their inability.   People will have to commit to following either God or Satan.  Before he brings final judgment, God will clearly identify those who follow him, as we see in Revelation 7:1-3.  “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.  And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”

God will not bring judgment until those who follow him are clearly identified.  The first group to be marked  will be a hundred forty four thousand Jewish men, according to Revelation 7:4-8.  “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.  Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.  Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.” 

This hundred forty four thousand are just the first fruits, according to Revelation 14:4.  “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”  There will be millions of others who receive the mark as well.  According to Revelation 7:9-12, they will join the twenty four elders, the four beasts, and the angels in praising God.  “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.  And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.”

Revelation 7:13-17 explains that these are believers who have served God during the Tribulation.  “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest.

And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.  For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

When God begins to judge the earth, the multitude who have his seal in the foreheads will be protected from the various plagues God will cause. 

The First Six Seals

Before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he sent two angels to check and make sure the people were as wicked as they appeared.  The attempt to sexually molest the two angels in Genesis 19 demonstrated that they were as bad as was believed.  The seven year tribulation period appears to serve much the same purpose, clearly demonstrating people’s rejection of God.  The seven seals are essentially seven tests of mankind’s attitudes.   Revelation 6:1-2 describes the first test.  “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.  And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”

Mankind built the tower of Babel in an attempt to unite all the people and prevent them from obeying God.  God confused their languages to prevent that union, and Satan has been working to reunite mankind against God ever since.  During the Tribulation, God will withdraw the angels which have prevented him from accomplishing his purpose, according to II Thessalonians 2:6-9.  “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”

The first thing Satan will do will do when he is no longer prevented is to set up a global government, using whatever means is required.  While it promises to solve all the world’s problems, it will not produce peace.  Daniel 11:20-21 tells us that first global government will collapse and ultimately be taken over by an evil man we call the Antichrist. 

Revelation 6:3-4 describes what happens when the Antichrist comes to power.  “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.  And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”  The Antichrist will use racial conflicts, political conflicts, and religious conflicts to obtain control over the global government. This will lead to constant rebellions, as described in Daniel 11: 23-45.   

Thanks to the Corona virus pandemic we have seen hos drastically government actions can affect the economy, and especially food production.  Political conflicts and the Antichrist’s policies will  disrupt the production of food, resulting in worldwide famines and economic collapse as Revelation 6:5-6 describes.   “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”  It will take a full day’s pay just to buy enough to survive for another day.  People will not be able to afford even the smallest luxuries. 

Food shortages will aggravate the racial and religious tensions the Antichrist promotes, leading to local wars.  Starving animals will attack people in the attempt to survive, and malnourished people will die of starvation or succumb to numerous diseases, as Revelation 6:6-8 describes.  “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.  And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”   One fourth of the world’s population will die as a result of these things. 

In order to unite the people behind him, the Antichrist will set up a new religion.  Anyone who continues to worship God will be persecuted or killed, exactly as we see in the Moslem world today.  This will get worse toward the end of the Tribulation. Revelation 6:9-11 addresses the believers who are killed during this period.  “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

Instead of helping resolve the world’s political, economic and social problems, the global government will aggravate them because they fail to consider local considerations.  At the same time God will withdraw his control over nature and natural processes so that natural disasters will be far worse than what happens now, as Revelation 6:12-14 describes.  “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”

Earthquakes will reshape the earth, flattening mountains and sinking islands.   Volcanic eruptions and clouds of smoke and gasses will darken the sky and make the moon appear red.   Meteor showers will distract people with many crashing into the earth, and people will no longer be able to see the sky.  Ultimately, people will be forced to recognize that God, not the government controls the world, as Revelation 6:15-17 tells us.  “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

God’s Special Prosecutor

In Revelation 1:15, John was commanded, “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.”  The messages to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are the things which are.  He starts writing about the things which will happen in the future.  Throughout the book he will describe the things which he has seen. 

Revelation 4:1-11 describes John’s vision of God’s throne.  “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.  And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.  And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

The time for judgment had come, and God held a book recording everything mankind has done in the earth, as described in Revelation 5:1-4.  “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.”

No human, not even the twenty four elders were qualified to judge mankind’s actions, because their judgment would be influenced by their own sin.   At the same time, the angels who had never sinned would have no understanding of what it was like to be tempted and thus might be overly harsh.  John was concerned how the judgment would go. 

Fortunately, as Revelation 5:5-6 tells us, Jesus Christ was qualified.  “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”  As God in the flesh, Jesus could understand God’s position, but at the same time he could represent mankind because he had been where we live, as Hebrews 4:15 tells us.  “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”  He could be entirely fair to both sides. 

As Revelation 5:8-14 tells us, both the heavenly beings and those on earth recognized him as a truly impartial judge and prosecutor.  “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.  And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”

It is impossible to get a fair hearing when the prosecutor favors one side or the other, as we have seen in the Mueller investigation.   Because Christ is the prosecutor, he will not take sides, and the truth will come out.    

The Church At Laodicea

The final church the Lord wrote to in Asia Minor was the church at Laodicea.  Like the other churches, it had started out as a very sound church, and Paul had mentioned it several times in the book of Colossians.  Unfortunately, like most of the other churches, twenty five years later their dedication to the Lord had waned.  Revelation 3:14-19 describes their state.  “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

Unlike the church at Thyatira, they had not gotten caught up in false doctrine, nor had they gotten caught up in materialism and church politics like Pergamos.  They were still teaching the scriptures rather than using the latest fads and techniques to get people into church like the church at Sardis.  The problem was that like Ephesus, they had left their first love for God, but they had gone even farther. While the church at Ephesus was no longer maintaining the same personal relationship with the Lord, they still believed it was important to keep on following the scriptures.  To the church at Laodicea, the scriptures were just some nice sounding traditional beliefs that had little or nothing to do with daily life.  What one actually believed was irrelevant. 

God said he would prefer they were either for him or against him.  They would just go along with whatever other people said or did, without concerning themselves whether it was right or wrong.  They were like a cup of lukewarm coffee, neither hot enough nor cold enough to taste good.   They weren’t bad enough to bring God’s judgment, nor were they obedient enough for him to bless them like he wanted to. 

Many of their people were not saved and those that were really didn’t know the Lord in a personal way.  If they would take him seriously, and take the time, he would reveal himself to them, as Revelation 3:20 describes.  “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”  II Corinthians 3:18 promises, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”  To build a strong marriage, it is essential to set aside other things to get to know your mate.  In the same way, to build a strong relationship with the Lord, it is essential to take time to get to know him.  If you are too busy, it really doesn’t matter what you are doing, you will never build a healthy relationship.   

Like those in the other churches, those who have placed their faith in Christ will have a part in kingdom, as Revelation 3:21 promises.  “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

Once again, the Holy Spirit stressed the Need to pay attention to these messages to the churches, in Revelation 3:22.  “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”  Today there are thousands of churches like each of these seven.  We have been warned about what will happen in each case.  If we ignore the warnings, we can expect the same things in our churches.  As Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

The Message To Philadelphia

The church at Smyrna was a small church wholly dedicated to serving the Lord, but they were struggling just to survive constant persecution by people who claimed to be Jews and know more about God than the Christians did.    The church at Philadelphia was in a similar situation except that the opposition was not as strong, and they were still able to openly worship and follow the Lord. 

God reminds the church that he Is the one in control and that he is aware of their efforts to serve him in 3:7-11.  “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”

Like the church at Smyrna, the biggest problem was people who claimed to believe in God but were actually following Satan.  God promised that he would enable them to continue to reach out, and that because of their faithfulness, he would keep them from falling away when those around them turned their backs on God.  Like the Church at Smyrna, he advised them to just keep on doing what they were doing so that they did not lose their rewards. 

From the messages to the churches, it appears that the other churches had a great deal more prestige and their activities were better known than either Smyrna or Philadelphia, yet they are the only two God was satisfied with just the way they were.  Unfortunately, many times those who attract the most attention are not the ones who are most closely following the Lord.  Instead of following the other churches or teachers, we need to focus on just doing what God told us.   If we follow others, we are going to end up in the same place they do, with the same results.  It doesn’t matter if we following the example of the church at Epehsus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis or even Laodicea, we will not be pleasing God.   Unfortunately, people tend to look at the outward appearance rather than looking at the heart.   

Like he promised each of the other churches, the Lord promised eternal life to those who believed in Christ in Revelation 3:12.  “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”   Those who have placed their faith in Christ have overcome the world and are assured of a place in heaven with God.

Once again we are instructed to pay attention, in Revelation 3:13.  “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

The Dead Church

Though there were serious problems in each of the previous churches, they were still trying to serve God, and still practiced certain basic principles.  The church at Sardis had none of those things going for it, yet people thought it was a great church.  Revelation 3:1 says, “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”

Many people assume that activity is evidence of life and measure the church by the level of excitement and activity.  They don’t understand that some motorized toy can give lots of activity even though it has no life, or that a person can be resting or in a coma and be alive despite a lack of activity.  As long as the spirit is in the person or animal it is considered a live, and when the spirit departs, it is dead.  The life of the church depends on the Holy Spirit working in the church.  Sadly, many churches substitute activity for life, thinking they are more spiritual than others and trying to get others to copy them. The Lord who has the spirits and the pastors will not be fooled by faked spirituality or activity. 

In I Corinthians 12-14, Paul deals with the actions of the Holy Spirit in the church, giving us various guidelines.  I Corinthians 14:36-38 makes some important points about those guidelines.  “What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?  If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.  But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.”  It is pretty arrogant to believe that God has given you a special message making you or your church the group all others should follow.  If a man or church is truly spiritual, they will follow these guidelines.  If they do not, it implies they are ignorant of the Holy Spirit’s working, regardless of their claims. 

Sadly, many have substituted psychology for the Holy Spirit, using mob psychology to get people to make professions and motivational psychology to get them to give and to commit to certain ‘ministries.’  John 6:44 warns, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”  Such psychological manipulation will never save anyone or please God.  Activity is not proof of spiritual life.

If the church continues on the path it is following, eventually it lose even those who have been saved, leaving only a facsimile of a church behind.  Revelation 3:2-3 advises, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”  If they are to survive as one of God’s churches, they need to forget their new doctrines and go back to the basic biblical teachings.  If they do not, they will be unprepared when the Lord comes back.  

Even in such churches, there are often some who do not go along with all the new stuff but cling to the scriptures, as Revelation 3:4-5 describes.  “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” 

Those who stay faithful despite being surrounded by false teachings and faked religious activity have often experienced emotional persecution from others in the church that is often harder to withstand than persecution by the world.  One of my second cousins was constantly discouraged and put down by others in their church because he never received the gift of speaking in tongues, for example, although he was a devout Christian.  Victory through faith in Christ guarantees a place in heaven, regardless what the church may teach. 

Once again we are warned to pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is telling the churches, in Revelation 3:6.  “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

The Message To Thyatira

The Lord described himself in a way that relates to what was going on in each church in his message to the church.  Ephesus had just fallen into a mechanical routine, and the Lord described himsels as the one who is personally there among the people and guiding the pastors.  Smyrna was struggling but faithfully following him, and he described himself as the eternal one who gave his life for them.  Pergamos had begun to focus on wealth and position, rather than God, and Lord portrayed himself as the one with the sharp sword ready to forcibly take back his people.  The church in Thyatira had moved in a different direction, and here he shows himself as an avenging judge. 

On the surface, the church at Thyatira seems like a very good church, as Revelation 2:18-19 describes.  “And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.”  The people were sincere and active in the church, willingly serving others, trusting God and patiently enduring the persecution.  They were actively reaching out to the unsaved. 

Despite all that, there were serious problems in the church, as Revelation 2:20-23 describes.  “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.”

False teachers had come into the church as Peter warned, and had deliberately introduced other doctrines, encouraging the people to go along with other religions, Just as Jezebel had encouraged the nation of Israel to ignore God’s teachings and go along with Baal.  Rather than heeding God’s warnings, they attacked those who disagreed.  Because they refused to listen, many of the church members would be unsaved and face the second death.   The other churches would be able to see the difference, just as Elijah had shown the difference in Jezebel’s day. 

Even in a church that had largely turned away from god there were still some who hadbelieved in the Lord, and he encouraged them to just hang on to what they believed and not give in to what the others were doing, in Revelation 2:24-25.  “But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.  But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.”

It is easy to judge people who are involved with a church which teaches false doctrine, but they need to be encouraged to follow God.  They are not going to be judged for what their church believed, but for what they believed and did.  Revelation 2:26-28 promises, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.  And I will give him the morning star.”  Just like other Christians, they rule and reign with Christ during the Millenium. 

Just as he warned with each of the other churches, The Holy Spirit warns us to listen to these messages, in Revelation 2:29.  “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”  Clearly these messages are not for people in a particular period of time but for all churches. 

Message To The Church At Pergamos

The church at Smyrna seems to have been relatively small and unknown but they were faithfully doing what God said despite serious persecution.  The church at Ephesus was faithfully following what they had been taught, but mostly out of a sense of duty and habit rather than love.  The Church at Pergamos had gotten caught up in other things but it still appeared to be following the Lord, as we see in Revelation 2:12-13.  “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.”

The church at Pergamos was facing heavy persecution, with little support from the community, and had held firmly to the basic doctrines of Christianity, even when their lives were at risk.  Unfortunately they had allowed themselves to be distracted by some false teachings, as Revelation 2:14 describes.  “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”   

The story of Balaam is found in Numbers 22-24.  He was a prophet of God who became distracted trying to increase his income and influence.  As a result of his teaching, the Moabite king learned how to seduce God’s people and lead them into sin.  Jesus warned “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,“ in Matthew 6:19-21. When we get caught up in earthly possessions and prestige, we forget what our ministry is about. 

The second problem in the church at Pergamos was their attitudes toward their church leaders, as Revelation 2:15 describes.  ”So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.”  The church at Ephesus had been complimented for standing against this teaching that religious leaders were somehow above the regular people, the lay people.  Jesus had commanded that we were nto to have this attitude, in Matthew 20:25-28.  “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Leaders are to set the example for others, but they are not to become little gods to the people.  Jesus said that this was so important that we were to avoid the use of titles that set one person above another, in Matthew 23:8-11.  “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.  And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.  Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”   When too much emphasis is placed on leaders, people begin to set their opinions ahead of what God said.  Matthew 6:24 warns, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”  Sooner or later you will be forced to choose between what God said and what the leaders said, or between what God said and what it takes to get material blessings or human approval. 

Revelation 2:16 warned, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”  God is a jealous God, not willing to share his glory with anyone else, as Deuteronomy 6:13-15 tells us.  “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.  Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.”  To continue to set other things in God’s place, whether it is church leaders or material blessings or fame will bring God’s judgement against us. 

Once again the Lord stressed the importance of paying attention to the message, promising that those who believed in Christ would have a place reserved for them in heaven, in Revelation 2:17.  “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”  Our place is carved in stone.   

Message To The Church At Smyrna

During the period from the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD until Constantine became emperor in 312 AD, the Roman Empire tried desperately to stamp out Christianity.  The churches in Asia experienced somewhat less persecution than those which were closer to Rome. As a result, they are typical of churches in any age.  The Lord’s second message was to the church at Smyrna, as found in Revelation 2:8-10.  “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

Though they were far from Rome, the church at Smyrna still suffered a great deal of persecution.  It never grew to be very large or well known, but just continuously stood for the Lord.  Though they felt inferior to other churches, God said they were rich.  After Nero drove the Christians out of Rome, and Jerusalem was destroyed, the Jews dispersed throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.  Throughout history, the Jews had constantly turned away and ignored God’s law.   With no temple or official priesthood to teach them, Jewish practices changed rapidly, and the conflicts between the Jews and Christians became far worse, emphasizing Paul’s statements in Romans 2:28-29.  “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”  Though they claimed to believe in God, many were unknowingly following Satan. 

Unbelieving Jews had repeatedly stirred up conflict between the Roman Empire during Jesus’ ministry, and during Paul’s, and they continued to stir up more persecution during this period.  The Lord told them that though some would be cast into prison or suffer badly, the worst persecution would only last a relatively short time.  Their whole job was to continue faithfully even if it led to death, and they would experience that eternal life.    God is not concerned about the great things we do, but that we are faithful to him. 

He again warns them that it is essential they listen to the messages to the seven churches, in Revelation 2:11.  “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”  Those who have placed their trust in Christ will never have to face the great white throne of Judgment or loss of their salvation. 

The Message To Ephesus

The Lord began immediately, by explaining that the seven stars represent the angels, the messengers or pastors of the seven churches and that the seven candlesticks represent the seven churches themselves, in Revelation 1:20.  “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 the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

Jesus had used the same illustration in Matthew 5:14-16.  “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  The church was to hole up the light so that the world could see God.  With the persecution of the churches around Rome, the churches in Asia became vital to the spread of the Gospel.  With that in Mind, the Lord directed John to address what was happening in each of the churches and tell them what actions they needed to take to please God.

The first church the Lord had John write to was the church at Ephesus.  Paul had gone there shortly after starting the church at Corinth.  Priscilla and Aquilla were members of the church there and Apollos and Timothy both were pastors there.   Paul wrote the book of Ephesians especially for that church.  It had a very strong foundation and had survived numerous attacks both by the Roman government, and from false teachers without turning away from their basic faith, as Revelations 2:1-3 describes.  “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.”

For forty years, the church at Ephesus had faithfully followed God, maintaining moral and doctrinal purity.  Despite the constant attacks.  Humanly speaking it seemed like the ideal church, but the Lord was not satisfied, as Revelation 2:4-5 tells us.  “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” 

Though they still loved the Lord, they had begun to take his love for granted.  Many couples who have been married for a long time are so focused on earning a living, caring for the house or yard, washing clothes, or fixing meals they don’t take time to spend with each other, sharing their innermost thoughts and concerns.  In the same way, the church at Ephesus had become so busy going to church, reading their Bible, and winning souls that they were not taking time to build a proper relationship with the Lord himself.   When we let the relationship deteriorate, the activities become just a habit, rather than an act of love, and neither party is satisfied.  Eventually there is nothing holding them together, and they begin to look for satisfaction elsewhere, often resulting in a divorce.  The Lord warned them that if they continued to ignore their relationship they would lose their testimony and cease to be a source of light to the world.    

There was one area the Lord was especially appreciative of, as Revelation 2:6 describes.  “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. “  We have no records of such a group but the name means to rule over the laity or common people.  Jesus warned against this attitude in Matthew 20:25-28.  “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”  Peter warned against lording it over the people in I Peter 5:2-3.  “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”  When leaders begin to lord it over the people and make their own rules and punishing those who don’t obey, they are usurping God’s authority and setting themselves up as gods.   God hates both the attitude and the resulting actions. 

God finishes off his message to each church with a warning to take them seriously, and a promise for those who obey.  Revelation 2:7 says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”  It is crucial that we heed the warnings that the Lord gave the church.  Those who are victorious will experience everlasting life, and victory comes through faith in Christ as I John 5:4-5 tells us.  “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”  

Introduction to Revelation

Jesus, Paul, and Peter gave numerous prophecies about the things leading up the Lord’s return. The Apostle gives us more details than any of the others, in the Book of Revelation.  Matthew, John and James were written in Hebrew within about six or seven years after the crucifixion.  Mark and Luke were written in Greek about fifteen or twenty years later, around 53-55AD.  Paul’s writings and Acts were written between that time and about 70 AD, as were John’s, Peter’s and Jude’s epistles.  John wrote Revelation around 90-95 AD, making it the last of the Apostles’ writings.  Some have questioned whether it is actually John’s writing, since the Greek in Revelation is much cruder than that used in John.  That is not surprising, since according to the book John was writing it himself, and Greek was not his native language, while his gospel had been translated by more educated Greek speakers. 

John starts out by explaining that his prophecies were given to him by God to believers about what was to come in the future, in Revelation 1:1-3.  “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”  Those who listen and act on what they learn from the prophecies will be blessed by God. 

Jerusalem had been destroyed twenty or twenty five years before, and the churches of Israel had been dispersed.  John wrote to the churches in Asia, which were some of the strongest churches of the time, in Revelation 1:4-8, reminding them who Chris is.  “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

While John was doing the writing, he wanted them to understand the Message was from God and from Jesus Christ.   He goes into some detail as to how he received the message, in Revelation 1:9-16.  “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle 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 heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 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.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 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.  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.  And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.”

Efforts to wipe out Christianity in the areas around Rome had resulted in many Christians fleeing to Asia.  Effort to kill John had failed, and he was banished to the prison isle of Patmos to die.  It was while he was there he saw the visions described in this book, starting with a vision of the glorified Lord.  The Lord commissioned him to write the book, as Revelation 1:17-20 describes.  “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: 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. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 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 the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

There were three things John was to write about.  First, he was to write about the thing he had seen, his vision of the Lord, which is what he is doing with this chapter.  Secondly, he was to write about the things which were going on at that time, and finally, he was to write about what would happen in the future. 

Why Teach Prophecy?

When a person decides to learn to play a musical instrument such as the guitar, it requires a great deal of practice, and most people find it hard to practice consistently.  They get distracted by other things and forget, or they get discouraged, feeling like they are not getting any benefit for their efforts.  Realizing this, one guitar instructor recommends that his students lay their guitar on their bed in the morning so that they will have to move it before they go to bed to remind them to practice.  When they pick it up he recommends they play through some song they know to remind them why they are practicing.  As he says, the goal is not to practice, but to play. 

The same principles apply with serving the Lord.  It is easy to get distracted by everything around us and lose sight of why we are “serving” the Lord.  Peter wrote II peter for the purpose of reminding us why we serve the Lord, as he explains I II Peter 3:1-7.  “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

When we see what everyone else is doing while we are trying to serve God, it is like a child practicing the guitar while his friends are playing basketball,  he begins to feel like he is missing out.  If they start teasing him or making fun of him for spending so much time practicing he may well quit.  In the same way, if those around us begin to disparage what we believe, implying that we are foolish to believe them, we may well become discouraged, and quit serving the Lord. 

To prevent discouragement, we need to be reminded what God has promised, and that he keeps his promises.  II Peter 3:8-10 reminds us of the prophecies God has given of his judgment and the destruction of the earth.  “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

When the guitar student understands why he needs to practice particular things, and how it makes his playing more satisfactory, it is not as discouraging to spend the time required to practice them.  In the same way, when we understand what God has planned. It is far easier to keep living for him.  II Peter 3:11-16 reminds us of what our attitude ought to be.  “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”  While we know that the world and its wickedness will be destroyed, we need not be worrying about that.  We are looking beyond the Tribulation period to the time we will spend with God in the new heaven and new earth.   

Unfortunately, a large number of those who took music lessons in school never play their instruments after they leave school.  They spent so many hours practicing so that they would get a better grade they never learned to enjoy playing the instrument.  When we find ourselves getting upset because of the prophecies, we are like the child forced to spend hours practicing, who never gets to enjoy just playing.  The study of prophecy ought to produce a sense of hope and anticipation for those who believe.  Too often prophecy is used to try to frighten people into getting saved, but as I Corinthians 14:22 tells us, “… prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.”  Its primary purpose is to strengthen the Christians.