Podcast Introduction

This is Prophecy Friday and today we’ll begin the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. Chapters 1-6. I’m calling today’s episode “It Begins.”

Comments on Revelation 1-6

Introduction to Revelation

The book of Revelation is the only book in the Bible that promises a blessing for those who read it and who hear and heed it. Listen to the first three verses of chapter 1 from the ESV: “1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 ]Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”

The “John” mentioned in verse 1 is the Apostle John. John, the one who Jesus loved. John, the brother of James…Jesus called James and John Boanerges, “sons of thunder.” John, the disciple who was at the foot of the cross with Mary, the mother of Jesus when Jesus was crucified, and into whose care Jesus placed his mother on that day. John, the writer of the Gospel of John, the three epistles bearing his name, and the book of Revelation.

Thoughts on Revelation 1

John is either shown a vision of Heaven, or he is taken there. We can’t really tell from his description.

And when he is there, a voice tells him to write down what he sees. When he turns to see who was speaking to him, he sees someone who looked like a son of man. He didn’t know who it was, and no wonder. John says, “He was dressed in a long robe with a gold strip of cloth around his chest. 14The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a blazing fire. 15His feet were like bronze metal glowing in a furnace. His voice sounded like rushing waters. 16He held seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth came a sharp sword that had two edges. His face was like the sun shining in all of its brightness.”

What would you do if you saw someone or something like that? Probably what John did. He fainted. 

But this awe inspiring person puts his right hand on John and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18I am the Living One. I was dead. But look! I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys to Death and Hell.”

It was Jesus! And he told John not to be afraid. Despite His appearance, despite the fact that He holds the keys to Death and Hell, He tells John not to be afraid.

If we are in Christ Jesus, if we are His, we have no cause for fear. We don’t need to fear what is in the past, we don’t need to fear what is in the present, we don’t need to fear what is in the future. We are His. We are in Him, and He is in us. And greater is He that is in us than he that is the world. 

Do not be afraid. 

Thoughts on Revelation 2 and 3

The Lord told John to write to the seven churches which were spoken of in the first chapter as the seven golden lampstands. What does a lampstand do? It brings light into darkness, and the church is meant to bring light into a dark world.

As we read here in chapters 2 and 3, each of the seven churches is singled out by Jesus, and He has a message for each. Of the seven, only two receive commendations with no negative comments. Those two are the Philadelphian church and the church at Smyrna. 

Jesus says He knows that the church at Smyrna is suffering and is poor. “But,” he tells them, “you are rich!” 

How could they be rich if they are poor and suffering? Because they are faithful. 

This sort of puts the lie to those who say that God wants you to be materially rich, doesn’t it? It puts the lie to those that say that God will bring prosperity to your church if you are pleasing Him, doesn’t it?

The Philadelphian church is similar to the church at Smyrna, in that Jesus says, “I know that you don’t have much strength.” Then He says, “But you have obeyed my word. You have not said no to me.”

Several years ago I read a book by Henry Blackaby that changed my life. It’s actually a Bible study called Experiencing God. And the thing that changed my life was this. Blackaby said that one of the things that we can do to please God is to decide *in advance* to say “Yes” to whatever God asks of you. Don’t wait until He asks. Trust that He is loving and faithful and able to manage your life infinitely better than you can. Then decide that whatever He asks you to do will be for His glory and will be the right thing to do. 

The Philadelphian church might not have had much strength, but they never said no to God.

The remaining five churches all had serious problems, but each were given a “those who overcome” promise, and a warning of “Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.”

Until Jesus returns it is never too late to turn back to Him, but we must listen and hear.

Thoughts on Revelation 4 and 5

So what picture did you have in your mind’s eye of God the Father? Did it look at all what John described? Listen again: At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.

God the Father is spirit. He doesn’t have a material body, so John couldn’t describe him as looking like a man. Somehow, he looked as if he gleamed like precious stones. Jasper is a stone that can several different colors. Some are red, some are yellow, some are green, and rarely they are blue. Some are opaque, some are translucent, some are transparent. Rubys can be red, orange yellow, green blue or violet. Some are deeply colored, some are more pale. Emeralds range from yellow-green to blue-green, and they too vary in the intensity of color.

The point is that God must be, of course, incredible to look at. Someone that I can’t really even begin to imagine!

And John describes the worship that takes place around the throne. Now, I’ve been in some astonishingly uplifting and joyous worship services, and the worship that John described around the throne is something that I am looking forward to seeing and participating in.

Thoughts on Revelation 6

The first seal. A person riding a white horse. He wears a crown, and he goes out conquering and to conquer. Some think that the white represents purity, and the rider is Jesus. But in reality, this is not Jesus, but the Antichrist. When you look at the results of this rider’s rule, that becomes clear.

The next three seals bring judgment on the earth. The second seal brings a rider on a red horse. Red is the color of blood, and the rider brings war. The third seal brings a rider on a black horse, signifying famine. And the forth seal brings a rider on a pale horse, which is death. War and famine and death come to the earth in short order, one after the other.

The fifth seal shows the martyrs at the feet of Jesus, asking Him when their deaths will be avenged.

The sixth seal brings terror to the earth, starting with an earthquake. All men, everywhere hide themselves, trying to escape the wrath of the Lamb.

Friends, this time is coming. Jesus said that no one knows the day or the hour. He said that only the Father knows that time. But he did tell us the signs to look for. And as I look around, the signs are here now like never before. 

One of the signs was that it would be as it was in the days of Noah. What was it like then? People were doing as they saw right. They were without God. When you throw God out, there are no more standards. Everyone chooses for themselves what is right. Doesn’t that sound familiar? I could go on and on.

This time of judgment is coming to the earth as surely as the sun rises in the morning. And even if it isn’t tomorrow or next year or in the next thousand years, each of us will face our own individual judgment. Will that day be a day of fear, or will it be a day of rejoicing? As long as you are able to draw a breath, it’s up to you what that day will be like. If you reject Jesus, there will be terror. If you accept Him, it will be a glorious day.

What will it be for you?

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1-3 NIRV, Ch. 4-5 NIV, Ch. 6 NASB

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Transcript Correction: Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise
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