Revalations 1 (Sunday)

Hello everybody this is Matt blogging about revelations.  Today we will be discussing chapter 1.

Prologue

The book of Revelation is written by John.  John was told all of this from an angel sent by Jesus.  Blessed are those who read the prophecy because the time is near.  Neither man nor woman knows when these events will transpire.  Only God knows.

 

Greetings and Doxology

(Doxology basically means text that praises God).  John addresses the seven churches in the province of Asia.  He says grace and peace to you from God, his 7 spirits, and Jesus, the first to be raised from death and the king of the kings of the earth.

To Jesus, who loves us and died for us so that we may go to heaven, be glory and power forever.  John then says that Jesus will come with the clouds and that everyone will see him and they will mourn because of him. God says that he is the first and the last, and “the one who was and is and is to come, yeeeaaahhh” (From Revelation Song).

 

One like a son of man

John speaks in first person and is addressing the reader which is us.  He is our brother in Christ and friend in our suffering.  And he is writing on the island of Patmos.  On the Lord’s Day, which I would guess be Sunday, he gets a vision.  He hears a loud voice like a trumpet. (This would be the angel from Jesus).  It tells him to write everything down on a scroll and send it to the 7 churches.  He turns around and sees 7 golden lamp stands.  In-between them was the angel, dressed with a robe and a golden sash. His head and hair were white as snow and his eyes were like blazing fire.  His feet were like red hot metal and his voice was like rushing water. He had 7 stars in his right hand and a double edged sword coming out of his mouth.  I have a picture of one artist’s interpretation of this and I’ll try to put it up somehow.  It has all the aspects described by John and it helps you put all of this together.  l     
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John falls at his feet and the angel places his right hand on him. Don’t ask what happened to the stars because I don’t know.  The angel then says “Don’t be scared, I’m the first and the last and the living one.  I was dead but now I’m alive forever and I hold the keys of death and Hades.”  

This refers to his resurrection from the dead. That resurrection gave him the authority (keys) to ultimately open both death and Hades.  Death and Hades are not the same.  Death claims the human body; Hades is the home of the soul. By implication, therefore, a distinction between body and soul is made in this passage.

The angel continues and tells John to write everything down. This next part of verse 19 is the divine outline to the entire book of Revelation “the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this” So the past, the present, and the future. The angel then explains that the 7 lamp stands are the 7 churches and the  7 stars in his hand are the angels of the 7 churches.  So Stars=Angels                Lamps=Churches

 

That is the end of Chapter 1 and man was that a lot, but hang in there.  If you have questions, and I’m sure there will be a lot, I’ll do my best to answer them. So take care, Brush your hair. See you at church tomorrow.