One point I want to make before I get down to business with Revelation. Seems like everyone I' I've ever talked to either knew nothing about Revelation or only read bits and pieces. I want all people to be blessed by reading and hearing what it has to say!!!! I believe we are living at the end of our times and want as many people to know and understand what we are facing.
Rev. 1:3 Blessed is the one who READS the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who HEAR it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is NEAR!!!!
I take this to heart and it hurts to know that a lot of people know little or nothing about Revelation at all. I find that this is my way of getting out the word. The internet has many evil things about it so what better place to get out the word praying that the lost just happen to come across this site. I pray you are blessed and enjoy this study on Revelation.
Rev. 1:1The Revelation of Yahusha Messiah, which Elohim gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Don't Jump Ahead
Most people who study Revelation have a tendency to rush to those hot-button topics like the Mark of the Beast and the Two Witnesses that comes later. They are skipping parts of the Bible that contain many great truths. Every verse in the Bible is important, and we should want to understand what each one of them has to say.
God gave the message of Revelation to his Son Yahusha. He wanted Yahusha to pass it on to his servants, so Yahusha gave it to a angel. The angel then gave it to John, who gave it to the Church.
God's purpose for giving this message was to let the Church know what was to come in the future. Must mean it is absolutely certain that these events will take place, and soon means they will begin in the near future. However, remember that God's definition of soon is a lot different than our definition.
Rev. 1:2 Who bare record of the word of Elohim, and of the testimony of Yahusha Messiah, and of all things that he saw.
Who Wrote Revelation
John wrote it. It was his task to record what he saw, and what he saw was the Word of Elohim and the testimony of Yahusha Messiah. The things written in this book are the Word of Elohim and they come from Elohim through his Son Yahusha.
Rev 1:3 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.
Read, Hear, And Keep!!!
Revelation is more than a book of doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction. It is a book of Prophecy. The fulfilment of this prophecy began on the first day of the Church age. (Pentecost). Elohim did not have John write Revelation for it to be ignored. He had John write it to be (read, heard, and kept). (Keep and take it to the heart). Yet some people won't read it because they are either uninterested, scared, or find it difficult to understand. All Elohim asks is simply for us to (read) Revelation. The word (hear) could simply mean to listen to someone else read revelation. But it probably means to recognize that Revelation is the Word of Elohim and needs to be (Heard with one's heart). The word keep requires obedient action to do what the Bible says. Elohim promised a blessing to those who read, hear and keep the Word of Elohim.
Rev. 1:4 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;
Grace And Peace
Revelation is for all believers, but here at the beginning is a section specifically addressed to seven particular churches. The greeting is grace and peace, the common need of all people. Without the grace of Elohim we would perish. Without the peace of Elohim we would be unsure of our salvation. The source of grace and peace is the eternal Elohim; the Elohim who is, who was,and who is to come.
The Holy Spirit occupies a place before the throne of Elohim. He has a sevenfold nature. This nature is made up of seven virtues which are called the seven spirits.
The Seven Virtues or Seven Spirits are;
1. the spirit of the Lord--the nature of Yahusha.
2. the spirit of wisdom--the ability to make the right decision.
3. the spirit of understanding--the ability to understand everything.
4. the spirit of counsel--the ability to give sound advice.
5. the spirit of might--the power to do what Elohim wants.
6. the spirit of knowledge--the ability to know beyond human comprehension.
7. the spirit of the fear of the Lord--the ability to respect Elohim's will.
Rev. 1:5 And from Yahusha Messiah, 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,
Ruler of All Rulers
Elohim intends to establish his kingdom here on earth and Yahusha is the (Chosen One) who will rule over that kingdom. Even at his birth, an angel visited his mother, the Virgin Mary, and told her she would have a son who would sit on a throne and (his kingdom would never end). The promise that Elohim would send his Son Yahusha the first time to die on a cross was literally fulfilled. Therefore, many believe the promise that Elohim will send his Son Yahusha a second time to rule over all things will also be literally fulfilled.
1.) The Faithful Witness - Yahusha was faithful in all the things Elohim gave him to do. He was the (Word Made Flesh). A faithful example of the very nature of the Living Elohim (Jesus).
2.) The Firstborn from the Dead - Yahusha was the first to die and be raised from the dead. He never died again. Others have been raised from the dead, but they eventually died again.
3.) The Prince (Ruler) of the Kings of the Earth - This is his position in the world. World rulers do not yet realize that Yahusha is in charge, but he is. The day will come when he will Physically reign over every power on earth.
Rev. 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto Elohim and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
We Are Subjects
Jesus has made us a kingdom of priest, a (royal priesthood). This is what he has done for us. here is what we can do for him. We can give him (Glory and Dominion) throughout all eternity. Yahusha is our king and we are subjects in his kingdom. Because he has exalted us, we will (exalt) him.
Rev. 1:7 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.
Focus On This
Yahusha went away in the clouds and he is coming back in the clouds. When he does, it will not be a secret. Even those who rejected and crucified him will see him. Everyone will know who he is, and those who rejected him will mourn because they were so blind to the truth.
Why will the unbelievers mourn?
Answer - Because they rejected him.
Rev. 1:8 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.
The Beginning And The End
Yahusha says he is the (Alpha and Omega), the beginning and the end. He is everything that can be said about Elohim from start to finish, from A to Z. He is the creator of all things, and will be the final judge of all things, and will be the final judge of all things. He is the Lord of all.
Yahusha is equal to the Almighty Elohim who has power over all things.
Rev. 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Yahusha Messiah, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of Elohim, and for the testimony of Yahusha Messiah.
My Spiritual Brother
In verse 8 Yahusha introduced himself. Now, John introduces himself. He is the (Christian's) spiritual brother, a brother in Messiah. He is also the Christian's companion, a companion in suffering for Messiah's sake. All Christians are members of God's spiritual kingdom (the Church), a kingdom that teaches, and requires patience.
John was on the Isle of Patmos, a small island in the Mediterranean Sea where he was imprisioned by the Roman Emperor Domitian. That explains his suffering.
What was his crime? Two things:
1.) He would not deny the truth of the Bible.
2.) He would not deny the witness of Yahusha Messiah. John would rather be cast in prison and killed than reject Messiah.
Becoming a servant of Elohim will not keep a Christian out of trouble. We are not going to slide through life without problems. We are in the process of (Winning Crowns). Refer to Winning Crowns. However, there are (crosses to bear) (persecution) before we receive them.
Rev. 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Rev. 1:11 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.
Yahusha Picked Seven
The voice told John to write on a book what he was about to see. That scroll is Revelation. By this time in history, there were probably thousands of churches in the world. Out of all of those churches, Yahusha picked seven. He even identified them in a precise order.
Looking back at history, we now realize why Yahusha picked these seven particular churches, and why he listed them in that order. Their good and bad qualities and the problems they faced are ideal for instructing all of God's people, and those same qualities and problems have turned out to be prophecies revealing the future history of the Church.
Rev. 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Seven Golden Lampstands
Upon hearing the voice, John turned around to see the speaker, but the first thing he saw was seven golden (lampstands). In verse 20 we will learn that these seven golden lampstands represent the seven churches. These seven churches represent seven different periods of the Church Age.
Rev. 1:13 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.
Our Great High Priest
Next, John saw where the voice came from. Someone who looked like the Son of Man was standing in the middle of the seven churches. He was wearing a long robe that went down to his feet with a golden sash around his chest.
What is the significance of this? Why this vision of Yahusha standing in the middle of these seven churches dressed in the official attire of the (high priest)? Yahusha said, For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them (Matt 18:20). This vision means that Yahusha will stand in the midst of the Church throughout the Church Age. He is the Great High Priest who is always with his Church; a priest after the (order of (U)Melchizedek) a priest who is always able to (intercede) for us.
Rev. 1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Hair As White As Snow
When Yahusha was crucified, his hair was probably a mess, so that the crown of thorns forced down on his head most likely created blood clots in his hair. Now his hair is like the hair of Elohim in Daniel's vision of the (Ancient of Days).
It shines with the pure white brightness of heaven.
While out in the wilderness, Moses told the Hebrews, (The Lord your Elohim is a consuming fire, a jealous Elohim).(Deut. 4:24)
Rev. 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Rise Up And Crush Your Enemies
In the Old Testament, Elohim told the Hebrews to rise up and crush their enemies with (hoofs of bronze). Here we see that the feet of Yahusha were like burning bronze. This is a reminder that he will (Judge) everyone. (We must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah) His voice roared like the mighty waves of the ocean. It was the voice of the one who (spoke everything into existence), (creation), the voice of the one who will (raise the dead),
Refer to (Rapture), powerful voice of the one who has (authority over all creation).
Jesus is our God (Rev. 1:8)
He is our great HIGH PRIEST (Rev. 1:13)
He is our JUDGE (Rev. 1:15)
Rev. 1:16 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 sun shineth in his strength.
Sharper Than Any Two-Edged Sword
Yahusha tells us the (seven stars are the seven angels of the seven churches). Whether these angels are divinely appointed spiritual leaders of the churches is much debated. Whatever they are, it is their responsibility to look after the churches. The fact that they are in the right hand of Yahusha means they are his own precious, personal possession.
Scripture tells us the sharp double-edged (two-edged) sword represents the Bible. We read, For the word of Elohim is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Heb 4:12) Yahusha Messiah will deal with his Church through his Word. The Bible is a very efficient sword, a sword that stabs and cuts both ways. We would be wise to heed what the Bible has to say. He will judge us by its standards.
The Shekinah Glory
Yahusha is also known as the Son of Righteousness and the Light of the World. Let there be no doubt, that when John looked upon Messiah's face, he was seeing the (shekinah glory).
Rev. 1:17 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:
Nothing Before Or After
What would you do if you met Yahusha face-to-face? John collapsed. But Yahusha did not leave him lying there. He placed his right hand upon him and said, Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. There were none before Yahusha and there will be none after. Nothing came before him and nothing will come after. There never was a time when he did not exist, and there never will be a time when he does not exist. He is from (everlasting to everlasting).
Rev. 1:18 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.
He Holds The Keys
Yahusha said about himself:
I am the Living One.
I was dead.
I am alive for ever and ever.
He has risen from the dead and will never die again. His crucifixion will not be repeated. He holds the keys, so he is in total control of death and hell. He conquered both by (rising from the dead), (resurrection) so John and any other Christian need not fear death or hell.
Why are people so afraid of Revelation when it is such a book of comfort? After all, Yahusha has removed the sting of death and hell for those who follow him.
Rev. 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
Past, Present, And Future
What John had seen was not for his own personal knowledge. Yahusha wanted it written down for all of Elohim 's people. What you have seen (chapter 1) refers to the events we have covered so far in this chapter. Notice that several of Chapter 1's verses are written in the (past tense). What is now (Chapters 2-3) refers to the events of the present Church Age. They describe seven churches which actually existed when John had this vision, but they were selected for this revelation because they reveal aspects of the seven periods of the Church Age. What will take place later (Chapters 4-22 refers to future events that will take place after the Church Age is over. They reveal what will happen during the (Tribulation Period) plus what will happen during the (Millennium) and beyond. The stage is now being set for these future events, but they will not be fulfilled until after the Church Age is over.
Rev. 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.
The Bible Interprets Itself
To avoid any misunderstanding, Elohim often uses the Bible to interpret itself. Yahusha clearly identified the seven stars in his right hand as the angels of the seven churches. Again, whether they are literal angels or great spiritual leaders is debatable, but they clearly have authority over their respective churches. The seven lampstands signify the seven churches. They also foretell the history of the Church from Pentecost to the Rapture.
A mystery is a hidden truth that has not been made known before. Until it is revealed, it is meaningless to the reader. Once it is revealed, it ceases to be a mystery and becomes a revelation.
