Seven Churches Seven Letters - Introduction

The Beginning ofThe

Revelation…

Most evangelical scholars affirm that Revelation was written in A.D. 95 or 96. This is based on accounts of the early church fathers that the Apostle John had been exiled on

Patmos Island during the reign of Domitian who died in A.D. 96. John was then allowed to return to Ephesus. Because of a statement by Papias, an early church father, that John

the Apostle was martyred before A.D. 70, the Johannine authorship has been questioned. However, the accuracy of this quotation from Papias has been seriously

challenged by statements by Clement of Alexandria and Eusebius who affirm that the book was written by John on Patmos in A.D. 95 or 96.

―John received the Revelation almost in our own time, toward the end of the reign of Domitian‖ – Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3.

The Background of the Apocalypse

―The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,

who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. ‖

(Revelation 1:1–2)

The Beginning of the Apocalypse

Word Study - Revelation

apokalypsis ① making fully known② revelation③ disclosure

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature.

Greek Meaning

Interpretation & Application

The book of Revelation is an unveiling of what is to come in the future. While some theologians attempt to say that Revelation is history, the very name of the book and term

used by John in verse one refutes that position. Further, the phrase ―must soon take place‖ also discounts a historical stance on the book. Note also that it is the unveiling of Jesus

Christ, which the Father gave Him to show His Church. Jesus Himself is revealing through one of His messengers the things about Himself that will happen in the future.

―The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants the things that must

soon take place‖- Revelation 1:1

What does ‗Christ‘ mean?

―Christos‖ ―Messiah‖

―Anointed One‖

―To call Jesus the Christ, therefore, is to make a

theological claim – that He is the Messiah long expected by

the Jews‖ Stephen Prothero

Chair, Boston University Religion Department

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ…”

Word Study – Bond-Servant

Doulos ① male slave② one who is solely committed to another

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature.

Greek Meaning

Interpretation & ApplicationJohn MacArthur‘s latest book ―Slave‖ asserts there was a cover up by most Bible translation

committees to purposely avoid translated doulos to its true meaning – ‗slave‘ – and instead use a word more palatable and more politically correct for modern day readers. Every translations except for

Goodspeed‘s translation (―An American Tranlsation‖) does not use the word ‗slave‘ when it refers to our association with Christ or God (it does use it in other references to actual slaves or in reference to

sin). However, we must understand that, as Christians, we are indeed Christ‘s slave and should view ourselves as under His command and control in every area of our life.

―The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants the things that must

soon take place‖- Revelation 1:1

The things prophesied in the book of Revelation aren‘t a possibility – they ―must‖ soon take place. The events are secured by God‘s sovereign purpose and power. Only

He knows the future, and in Revelation, He is making His knowledge known to us.

“Which must soon take place…”

―Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is

near. ‖ (Revelation 1:3)

Revelation is the only book that comes with a blessing for the one who listens to it being read and explained and then responds in

obedience.

The First Blessing of Revelation

1. ―Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. ‖ (Revelation 1:3)

2. ―And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, ―Write, ‗Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!‘ ‖ ―Yes,‖ says the Spirit, ―so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.‖ ‖ (Revelation 14:13)

3. ―(―Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.‖) ‖ (Revelation 16:15)

4. ―Then he said to me, ―Write, ‗Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.‘ ‖ And he said to me, ―These are true words of God.‖ ‖ (Revelation 19:9)

The Seven Blessings of Revelation

5. ―Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. ‖ (Revelation 20:6)

6. ―And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.‖ (Revelation 22:7)

7. ―Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. ‖ (Revelation 22:14)

The Seven Blessings of Revelation

The Number Seven in Revelation

The number seven in Scripture is associated with completion, fulfillment, and perfection.

• ―By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. ‖ (Genesis 2:2)

• ―He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. ‖ (Leviticus 14:7)

• ―Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. ‖ (Acts 6:3)

The “Seven’s” in Revelation

• 7 churches• 7 spirits• 7 lampstands• 7 stars• 7 seals on the scroll• 7 horns of the Lamb• 7 eyes of the Lamb• 7 angels• 7 trumpets• 7 thunders• 7 heads of the dragon• 7 heads of the beast• 7 golden bowls• 7 kings

The Epistolary Opening

―John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from

the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler

of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the

dominion forever and ever. Amen. ‖ (Revelation 1:4–6)

The Trinity

―John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you

and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are

before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful

witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings

of the earth.‖ (Revelation 1:4–5)

“Him who is and who was and who is to come…”

―from Him who is and who was and who is to come,

The timelessness of God – past, present, future. ―I AM that IAM‖ – Exodus 3:14

―I am the Alpha and the Omega,‖ says the Lord God, ―who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.‖ ‖ (Revelation 1:8)

―When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ―Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, ‖ (Revelation 1:17)

―I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.‖ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral

persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. ―I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and

the descendant of David, the bright morning star.‖ ‖ (Revelation 22:13–16)

Seven Spirits?

―and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne…‖

―Hence the Holy Spirit is called the Seven Spirits; the perfect, mystical number seven indicating unity through diversity (1 Cor. 12:4). Not the

sevenfold gifts of the Spirit are meant, but the divine Personality who imparts them; the one Spirit under the diverse manifestations.‖

Word studies in the New Testament (Re 1:4).

―To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‗I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ‖

(Revelation 3:1)

―Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; ‖

(Revelation 4:5)

―And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the

earth. ‖ (Revelation 5:6)

The Son

―and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the

earth.‖

1. Faithful witness: ―The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: ‖ (Revelation 3:14)

2. Firstborn of the dead: a designation of preeminence: ―He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ‖ (Colossians 1:18)

3. Ruler of the kings of the earth: ――These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.‖ (Revelation 17:14)

John gives these designations to comfort the churches; it lets them know that what they are about to hear is true; that their resurrection from the dead is

assured; and that Jesus is sovereign over all who are persecuting them.

An Inspired Doxology

―To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom,

priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ‖


The bondage that we were in to sin (slaves to sin and dead in sin) was undone –literally the word ‗released‘ means to untie.

The ―kingdom‖ is not the millennial kingdom, but a sphere of God‘s rule which believers enter at salvation. (―For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,

and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son‖ (Colossians 1:13) ). Note He did all the work – He ‗made‘ it happen.

As priests, we have the right to enter into God‘s presence, and we will have this privilege forever.

A Preview of What’s to Come

―Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to

be. Amen. ‖ (Revelation 1:7)

―I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And

was presented before Him. ‖ (Daniel 7:13)

―Jesus said to him, ―You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on

the clouds of heaven.‖ ‖ (Matthew 26:64)

A Preview of What’s to Come

―Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to

be. Amen. ‖ (Revelation 1:7)

―I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will

weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. ‖ (Zechariah 12:10)

They weep because their judgment has come.

John Details His situation

―I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of

the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ‖ (Revelation 1:9)

History tells us that John was ministering in Ephesus when he was arrested and exiled to Patmos by the emperor Domitian. The early Church historian Eusebius says in his writings (Ecclesiastical History 3.20. 8-9) that, once

Domitian died, John was released by the emperor Nerva (A.D. 96-98).

John Details His situation

―I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of

the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ‖ (Revelation 1:9)

While in the gospel of John, John conceals his name, he doesn‘t do so here. He lets them know he is a fellow sufferer in the Church (―Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ‖ (2 Timothy 3:12)) , but he also shares the kingdom with them as well as the perseverance that is given to the

saints in Jesus.

―I was in the Spirit on the Lord‘s day, and I heard

behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, ―Write in a book

what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to

Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis

and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.‖‖


The Initial Recipients of Revelation

The Speaker of the Apocalypse

―Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I

saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to

the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair

were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His

feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and

His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven

stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like

the sun shining in its strength. ‖ (Revelation 1:12–16)

“Seven Golden Lampstands/Seven Stars”

―As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the

seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and

the seven lampstands are the seven churches. ‖ (Revelation 1:20)

―And He was saying to them, ―A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be

put on the lampstand? ‖ (Mark 4:21) . We aren‘t the light per se; we hold up the

Light and reflect Christ.

The stars are not the angels of the churches, but rather the lead elder/pastor of each church.


―I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.‖

―Son of man‖ is the title that Jesus used for Himself more than any other –81 times in the gospels. It is a reference

to Deity as shown in Daniel 7:13: ―I kept looking in the night visions, And

behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming…‖

Robes in Scripture typically refer to the priestly garment worn by the priests. The golden sash across His chest also signifies this (cf. Lev 16:1-4). So this is

a picture of Christ serving in His priestly role.

―But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and

more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of

goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained

eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal

Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living

God? ‖ (Hebrews 9:11–14)


―His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.‖

A head of pure, white hair shows his ultimate wisdom (―A gray head is a crown of

glory; It is found in the way of righteousness. ‖ (Proverbs 16:31)) . ―I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the

Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of

His head like pure wool.‖ (Daniel 7:9)

His eyes indicate a penetrating gaze that finds the truth and knows those who are

His: ―For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.‖ (2 Chronicles 16:9)

―There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ‖

(Matthew 10:26)

―And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes

of Him with whom we have to do. ‖ (Hebrews 4:13)


―His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the

sound of many waters.‖Kings in ancient times sat on elevated thrones, so those being judged would

always be beneath the king‘s feet. The feet of a king thus came to symbolize his

authority. Glowing feet indicate judgment.

―I also heard the sound of their wings like the sound of abundant waters as they went,

like the voice of the Almighty‖ (Ezekiel 1:24) . ―And behold, the glory of the God

of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His

glory. ‖ (Ezekiel 43:2)


In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was

like the sun shining in its strength. ‖

The right hand is the place of honor.

The ‗rhomphaia‘ sword was used by the Romans in a stabbing action designed to kill. ―For the word of God is living and active and sharper

than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and

marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ‖ (Hebrews 4:12). ―He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth‖

(Isaiah 11:4) .

―Let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.‖ (Judges 5:31)

The Response to Christ’s Presence

―When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ―Do not be

afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. ‖ (Revelation 1:17–18)

• Although John had laid on Jesus‘ chest at the last supper, here he is overwhelmed with Christ‘s presence

• The most issued command in the New Testament: ―Fear not‖• ―First and the last‖ – used in Isaiah 3 times of God and 3 times in Revelation

of Jesus• Christ refers to His resurrection which stands alone in all the world‘s

religions• ―forevermore‖ – Literally ―unto the ages of the ages‖; a strong expression of

eternality• He possesses authority over death and the place of the dead

The Charge to John

―Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place

after these things. ‖ (Revelation 1:19)

The Outline of Revelation

―Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after

these things. ‖ (Revelation 1:19)

―After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, ―Come up here,

and I will show you what must take place after these things.‖ ‖ (Revelation 4:1)

John‘s present vision The state of the 7 churches The future

Conclusions

• The omnibenevolent God has said that when we read and obey His prophecy we are blessed

• The omniscient God has told us what will happen in the future, which brings us comfort

• The omnipotent God is sovereign over everything including death, which brings us hope for the future

• The stage is now set for the Lord of the lampstands to communicate His message to them

The Beginning ofThe

Revelation…

Spiritual

Seven Churches Seven Letters - Introduction