Revelation, The Past--Chapter 1

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

I. THE PAST ("THE THINGS WHICH THOU HAST SEEN")--1:1-20
A. Introduction--vv. 1-11
1. The authors--vv. 1, 2
a. The Divine--v. 1a
(I) God the Father
(A) The revelation given to Jesus Christ
(B) The revelation given to Jesus Christ to shew to his servants
(1) The word servants is actually "bondservants" or "bondslaves."
(2) Therefore, it is given to individual believers and not to the Church as such.
(3) The Church is made up of individual believers in this present age, and to that extend it is to the
Church.
(4) The term, however, is broad enough to include the remnant of Israel spared during the tribulation
well as Gentiles who believe during that time.
(C) In accordance with Acts 1:6, 7
(II) God the Son
(A) It is the revelation of Jesus Christ
(B) The preposition
(1) It is the result of the genitive case.
( 2) The question is whether the Revelation is by Him or about Him.
(3) The context shows that the Revelation is by Him.
(4) But a careful reading of the book reveals that the Revelation is also about Him.
(III) God the Holy Spirit, for He is the Inspirer of all Scripture.
b. The human--v. 1b, 2
(I) Sent by an angel to Jesus' servant, John
(II) This John bare record of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ--cf. John21:24.
(A) The "Word of God" here refers to the revelation given in this book.
(B) The "testimony of Jesus Christ" is the careful presentation of that word to His servant, John.
(III) "And all things which he saw"
(A) Some say that this second word and should be omitted.
(B) Though the manuscript evidence is weak, it does not change the overall meaning whether left in or out.
(C) The important thing is that these are things which John saw--clearly shows that John is reporting what
he actually saw and not something that he imagined.
(D) "Speculation upon inspiration is vain. God tells us it was 'in divers manners' (Hebrews 1:1). John in
the Revelation writes much as Daniel wrote. Both deal with God's government of this world. We
must know the whole is authoritative." (Newell, William R., The Book of the Revelation. Chicago:
Moody Press, c1935; 6; italics are his.)
(IV) NOTE: the clear purpose is set forth in this verse.
(A) Things--definite. not vague symbols.
(B) Must come to pass--here is necessity as well as certainty
(C) "Shortly" indicates imminence rather than soon as well as rapidity of execution one action begins.
2. The blessing--v. 3
a. On readers and hearers--v. 3a
(I) This verse is a direct rebuke of many Christians' attitude.
(II) We should revel in Revelation.
(III) NOTICE: The "words" are to be read and heard, not just the thoughts. Every word is important in the
Divine revelation--another proof of the verbal inspiration of Scripture.
(IV) "The fact that the blessing is repeated at the close (chap. 22.7), and judgment threatened on all who
tamper the whole or part of this book of prophecy (vv.18, 19) [although this writer would say it applies
to the entire Bible], imparts an unusually solemn character to this hitherto much neglected portion of
Scripture.” (Scott, Walter, Exposition of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Westwood, NJ: Fleming H.
Revell Company, n. d.; 21)
b. On the keepers of the things written--v. 3b
(I) The meaning of the word "keep"
(A) To watch over
(B) To guard as a treasure
(C) To take heed to
(II) The meaning for us
(A) "We cannot 'keep' a prophecy as men might 'observe' a law. The prophecy will be fulfilled, whether
we pay attention to it or not."--Newell, 7; italics are his.
(B) There are, however, injunctions throughout the book for us.
(C) Are you jealously guarding the very words of this book?
(D) Do you cherish it and love to read it?
c. Because of the time--v. 3c
(I) Newell, 7--"No dates are set for this 'time of patient grace,' this 'day of salvation,' the 'acceptable year of
the Lord,' in which the Church finds herself."
(II) At hand means "nigh, near." We know not the day or the hour. Our attitude should be one of watching.
(III) Scott, 22--”Prophecy annihilates time, and all intervening and even opposing circumstances, and sets
one down on the threshold of accomplishment.”
d. Blessing is promised, not necessarily understanding.
(I) Don't expect to understand everything herein written.
(II) Take the attitude of James 1:5
3. The salutation--vv .4-8
a. The addressed--v. 4-6
(I) The seven churches of Asia
(A) More than the seven churches are there, for Colosse is also in Asia.
(B) The seven churches chosen
(1) There were the churches John probably visited on a regular basis.
(2) These churches represented so well the churches of all the church age as well as presenting various
periods of church history.
(II) Benediction from God
(A) Grace and peace
(1) "Let us see that we keep the sweet taste of grace and peace as we read of the bitter things that
are coming upon the earth." (Newell, 9)
(2) Notice that the grace of God comes before the peace of God. You will find the same thing in the
epistles of Paul.
(3) Keep in mind that this grace and peace are spoken to those who are believers. If you are
unsaved, you find no peace here; you must "flee," so to speak, to Ephesians 2.
(B) The Father
(1) Existence--present, past, and future
(2) Speaks of the Divine nature
(3) He is the coming One.
(C) The Spirit
(1) This is one of the first instances of the sevenfold nature of the Holy Spirit.
(2) "There is, of course, but one blessed Spirit: yet He is spoken of here as seven-fold; for He is the
executive person of the Godhead, and acting in The Revelation in a purely governmental way."
(Newell, 10; italics are his.)
(3) It speaks of the completeness of the Holy Spirit, and also of the need of the Holy Spirit in our
                                  lives for completeness.
                              (4) Stewart Custer (From Patmos to Paradise. Greenville, SC, Bob Jones University Press, Š2004, page 53)
                                   lists the seven titles of the Holy Spirit found in the New Testament.
                                   (a) The Spirit of Truth--John 14:17
                                   (b) The Spirit of holiness--Romans 1:4
                                   (c) The Spirit of Adoption--Romans 8:15
                                   (d) The Spirit of wisdom and revelation--Ephesians 1:17
                                   (e) The Spirit of power and love and of a sound mind--2 Timothy 1:7
                                   (f) The Spirit of grace--Hebrews 10:29
                                   (g) The Spirit of prophecy--Revelation 19:10
(D) The Son
(1) Jesus Christ
(2) The Faithful Witness
(a) 1 Timothy 6:13
(b) John 7:7
(3) Firstborn of the Dead
(a) Others raised before Him to die again
(b) He alone was the first to have eternal victory over death.
(c) The word is prototokos signifying chief, object and heir--cf. Colossians 1:15
(4) The Ruler of the kings of earth
(a) The word is "ruler" ' not "prince."
(b) Our Lord here is set forth in this book as RULER.
(c) The major question that this book answers: Who will rule Satan or Christ?
(5) Our Saviour
(a) The book of Revelation primarily sets forth the rulership of Christ.
(b) However, His earlier earthly task as Saviour is not forgotten.
(c) Loves us and loosed us
((I)) The word love is present tense, continually loves us.
((II)) The word wash
((A)) Better "loosed"
((B)) Aorist tense
((C)) Signifies an act done once-for-all.
((III)) "The loosing was done once for all at Calvary; the loving goes on forever."--Newell, 12
((IV)) Cf.. John 13:1
(III) The kingdom of believers--v. 6
(A) Some say a better rendering is "He made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God . . . ."
(B) The difference between that and the Authorized Version is small; kings and priests would
certain constitute priests and as kings collectively they would imply a kingdom.
(C) Granted as Newell (12, italics are his) says, "The reference to us as a kingdom is entirely
consistent with the whole book of Revelation."
(D) This verse might clue us to the interpretation of the living creatures and 24 elders of Revelation
5.
(C) Cf. Ephesians 2:18
(D) Our purpose is to utter praise.
(1) The praise here is to Christ.
(a) The pronouns certainly have reference to Jesus Christ.
(b) Thus, it signifies ascribing Jesus Christ as God; otherwise it would be blasphemy.
(c) It is an eternal ascription of praise to Him who loosed us from our sins by the shedding of
His blood.
(d) Cf. Galatians 1:5 where Paul uses the phrase for the first time.
(2) This phrase occurs 14 times in this Book
b. The great theme--v. 7
(I) The greater part of this book covers the events preceding this coming of Christ.
(II) This coming is not to be confused with the rapture, for here every eye shall see Him; whereas, at the
rapture only believers will behold Him.
(III) The Coming of the Lord is important.
(A) Revelation 22:7, 12, 20 states His coming.
(B) Newell, 14--"Those who understand the place our Lord's personal return to this earth holds in
Scripture, find the Revelation unfolding itself to them. To others it is merely a 'book of symbols'--
vague, objectless."
(IV) Notice the publicness of this coming.
(A) Every eye shall see Him.
(B) "Those who pierced Him" shall see Him.
(1) The Romans representing Gentiles did the actual physical piercing.
(2) The Jews did the actual condemning that pierced him.
(C) All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him--there is no weeping , but joy at the rapture.
(V) "Even so, Amen."
(A) The response of every true believer
(B) Even so is really "yea"--this is a Greek word.
(C) Amen is a Hebrew word for "be it done" or "so be it."
(D) In essence John was saying, "Yes, let it be so; I consent from my heart."
a. The great I AM--v. 8
(I) God speaks here as God.
(II) This God, the Father, is putting His own stamp of approval on this Revelation
(III) The Alpha and The Omega
(A) First and last letters of the Greek alphabet
(B) "'From aleph to tau' (first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet), was used by Hebrew rabbis to
signify completely, entirely." (Newell, 19; italics are his.)
(C) God is all!
(IV) The Beginning and The End
(A) This phrase is omitted by later versions based on the two so-called earliest manuscripts (Vatican and
Sinaitic) as a gloss from Revelation 21:6 and 22:13.
(1) Its inclusion emphasises the onliness of God Almighty.
(2) Its exclusion is from two suspected manuscripts whose main claim seems to be that they are older
than most others.
(3) Its exclusion is based on the Westcott-Hort theory that the older a manuscript the more correct it
is and that additions is a more likely than omissions.
(a) These premises was doubted by this writer even while in seminary, but at that time had no way
of refuting it.
(b) Fragments (though no complete manuscripts) have been found whose text in virtually Textus
Receptus upon which the King James Version is based.
(c) The notion that additions are more likely than omissions is equally questionable, particular in
   manuscripts from a school which allegorized the Scriptures and downgraded the deity of Jesus
Christ.
(B) "not a beginning and an end, but the only One."--Newell, 19
(C) God is the beginning of every thing, not evolution.
(D) Little wonder that professors in colleges who are evolutionists want to be rid of the Bible as Divine
revelation.
(V) The Lord God
(A) The Authorized Version leaves out the word GOD.
(1) Apparently the Textus Receptus did not have it.
(2) This writer would be glad to include it, but not just on the say so of two questionable manuscripts.
(B) Taking the phrase as being "The Lord God"
(1) The word Lord is from the Old Testament word Jehovah.
(2) The word God would correspond to the Old Testament word Elohim.
(VI) The Almighty
(A) The phrase "Which is, and which was, and which is to come"
(1) It speaks of the eternally existing One.
(2) It refers here as it did in verse 4 to God the Father.
(B) The El Shaddai of the Old Testament
(1) Derived from the Hebrew verb, to be strong
(2) Thus, this word and its Greek equivalent, pantokrator, means “the Strong One.”
(3) Sets forth His limitless power
4. The commission--vv. 9-11
a. John's position--v. 9
(I) .No uncertainty as to who is speaking and thus writing this book
(II) A brother in Christ
(III) A partaker of
(A) Tribulation
(B) The kingdom
(C) Patience of Jesus Christ
(IV) Note the order here: first, tribulation; second, the coming kingdom; finally, the patient waiting for the
coming King.
(V) Banished to the Isle of Patmos
(A) "This exceedingly dreary and inhospitable isle in the Aegean sea, lying off the south coast of Asia
Minor, is about fifteen miles in circumference." (Scott, 33)
(B) Notice the simple statement by John without any word of complaint or reproach.
(VI) Reason for banishment
(A) For the Word of God--has reference to the larger revelation of God to mankind concerning His
claims on them and warnings to them
(B) For the testimony of Jesus Christ--has reference to the Gospel message that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God.
b. John's Attitude--v. 10
(I) In the Spirit
(A) "I became in the Spirit" is the literal meaning.
(B) Thus he was caught up by the Holy Spirit and borne along.-- cf. 2 Peter 1:21
(C) This shows that he was being controlled by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of the revelation and not
just in his devotions.
(D) But to become in the Spirit, one must be walking in the Spirit and, therefore, he must have also been in
conscious communion with the Spirit.
(II) The Lord's Day
(A) Not the "Day of the Lord"
(1) Same adjective is used in the words "the Lord's Supper" in 1 Corinthians 11:20.
(2) "It is too early in the book to refer to 'the great and terrible day of the Lord'"--Newell, 24.
(3) "The church age is directly addressed in the letters to the seven churches in v. 19-- 'the things the
are.'" (Ibid.)
(B) The first day of the week
(1) Believers were accustomed to meet on the first day for many years before this book was written.
(a) Acts 20:7
(b) 1 Corinthians 16:2
(c) John 20:19-26
(2) The practice of the early church was to meet on the first day of the week.
(3) It was to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ which occurred on the first day of the
week.
c. John's Commission--vv. 10b,11
(I) "A. great voice as of a trumpet"
(A) Same voice speaks in 4:1
(B) The ''as a trumpet" indicates authority.
(C) This passage suggest the Lordship of Christ.
(II) The Deity of Christ
(A) Verse 8 was God the Father speaking
(B) Some say the phrase "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last" doesn't belong here.
(1) The first part is supposedly inserted from verse 8.
(2) The second part is supposedly from verse 17.
(3) The Textus Receptus has it, and though the so-called older manuscripts don’t--which had a
tendency to downgrade the Deity of Jesus Christ--does not mean it should not be there.
(4) This phrase clearly identifies the voice as being associated with God the Father to Whom the
phrase is ascribed in verse 8.
(C) Here this voice is identified with God as being God
(D) Verse 13 indicates that this One Who is speaking is Jesus Christ.
(E) Therefore, Christ's deity is made evident.
(III) The commission
(A) What thou seest, write
(B) Send what you write
(1) The seven churches of Asia
(2) These churches representation
(a) They are representative of all churches in apostolic times.
(b) They are representative of all churches in all times.
(c) They are representative of the periods of church history.
((I)) Some may dispute this representation.
((II)) The question this writer would then raise is "Why just these particular seven churches?"
There were others in the area.
(C) The names of these churches are significant and will be considered in chapters 2, 3.
(D) Verse 19 further explains what he is to write.
B. The Self-revealed Christ-vv. 12-20
1 .His place--vv. 12, 13a
a. John turns to see the voice.
(I) Not a language mistake on John's part
(II) Jesus Christ is ever the Word of God.
(III) He is set forth as the Son of man--this speaks of what He is due here on earth.
b. John sees seven golden candlesticks.
(I) Literally: lampstands
(A) A lamp gives its own light.
(B) A lampstand is a holder of the light.
(C) Jesus Christ is the Light, not the church; the church is only the bearer of the Light.
(D) Verse 20 shows that the lampstands are the churches.
(II) The gold shows
(A) The Glory of God which the church is to maintain
(B) The preciousness of the church to the Lord
(III) Seven lampstands, not seven branches of one lampstand
(A) Each church is independent of the other; this does not mean that they exclusive unto themselves. As a
part of the Body of Christ, they are joined through the Head, Jesus Christ.
(B) Each church is responsible directly to the Lord.
(C) The churches together encircle and witness to Christ--He is in the midst.
(1) Thus, it is right for separate churches of like precious faith to get together in evangelistic efforts.
(2) It is also right for those churches to get together in some other common effort.
(3) Nevertheless, each has to answer to the Lord for such efforts.
(4) Care must be exercised in such joint efforts; the key is churches of like precious faith.
c. Christ in the midst
(I) Oh precious truth!
(II) Christ is ever in the midst of His church to guide, direct, and rebuke.
2. His characteristics--vv. 13b-17a
a. The garment
(I) The robe of a priest
(II) The robe of a judge
(III) Particularly it is the priest in his judging character.
(A) The Old Testament priest was to keep the tabernacle candlestick in order.
(B) Here our Lord is judging each church's use of its light.
(C) Is our light encumbered with a dirty wick that needs trimming?
b. The golden girdle
(I) In Isaiah 11:5 a double girdle is spoken of--waist and loins.
(II) The girdle of the loins speaks of service.
(III) The girdle of the breasts or waist speaks of judgment.
(IV) "But in the Revelation He is not serving, but stands as a priestly judge; therefore the girdle at the waist
only; and it is of gold, setting forth His divine glory.” (Newell, 27)
c. His head and hair
(I) White as snow
(II) Speaks of the Ancient of Days--Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 22
(III) This One as the Lamb slain is found to be in the midst of the throne in Revelation 5:6, 7.
(IV) White
(A) Signifies deathlessness and eternity
(B) Signifies purity or holiness
d. His eyes
(I) As a flame of fire
(II) Speaks of His searching, judging quality
(III) He is searching out and judging that which is evil in the lampstands.
(IV) His piercing eyes as a flame of fire are searching out your heart and mine!
e. His feet
(I) Newell, 28--"The only metal I ever looked upon which absolutely dazzled my sight was a piece of fine
brass."
(II) Brass is a composite metal produced by fire.
(III) Fire, of course, speaks of judgment--suggests that He, our Lord, went through judgment for our sakes.
f. His voice
(I) Sound of many waters
(II) Speaks of the infinitude of Jesus--cf. Psalm 29
g. His right hand
(I) It is not described, perhaps because it had no uniqueness or significance in itself.
(II) Behold what it holds!--the seven stars (which are said in v. 20 to be the angels of the churches)
(III) "The place of power and authority as well as possession"--Newell, 28
h. His mouth
(I) Out of it proceeds a sharp two-edged sword
(A) Ephesians 6:17
(B) Hebrews 4:12
(II) The Word of God is in Christ's mouth.
(III) This word will be the agency of judgment of the churches and in particular of believers (as well as
unbelievers)--cf. Romans 2:16
i. His countenance
(I) Now John the Seer looks fully upon the face of the Glorified Christ
(II) Causes him to fall as one dead
(A) Cf. Isaiah 6:5
(B) Job 42:5, 6
(C) Joshua 5:13-15
(D) Moses and Aaron often
(E) We need a fresh look at the Holy Lord and have the dross of our lives cleansed.
3. His message--vv. 17b-20
a. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ--vv. 17b, 18
(I) "The same grace yesterday, today and forever! He is the One who evermore speaks to His own, 'It is I;
be not afraid.'" (Newell, 28)
(II) The threefold reason that banishes our fears (The following quotes are from Newell, 29; italics are his.)
(A) He is the First and the Last
(1) "These are the words of God!"
(2) "Or else the Jews were right" when they said, "he blasphemes."
(a) Cf. John 8:58, 59
(b) Cf. John 10:33-38
(B) "He is the Eternal One, the Self-Existent One."
(1) He ever lives.
(2) He became dead, for your sake and mine.
(3) He became alive again.
(4) Alive unto the ages of the ages (literally)
(C) He as the keys of death and of Hades.
(1) He is the key Holder.
(2) Not Peter
(3) There are those who say that God is too good to send anyone to hell (or hades); they argue that
Jesus would not send anyone there; but NOTE that He does have the key to the place; He will yet
be the Judge.
b.The divine outline--v. 19
(I) Again John is commanded to "write."
(A) This command is given just before the commencement of the second portion.
(B) This command comes in view of the revelation of the Person of Christ; "Judgment, like salvation, is
connected solely with the person of Christ."--Newell, 30-31
(II) NOTE: "I beseech you, study The Revelation with this before you: God is bringing again the firstborn
into the earth, and that as the Heir (Hebrews 1:2, 6). It will be vain to become occupied with ‘sevens,’
'hundred-forty-four-thousands,' 'six-sixty-sixes,' the restoration of the Roman Empire, the person of the
Antichrist, the two wild beasts, the 'millennium,' or even the new Jerusalem; unless, along with God the
Father, who has subjected all thing unto Him, Christ is ever before our eyes!"--Newell, 31; italics are his.
(III) Herein is presented "our Lord's own outline of the book of The Revelation. Let no one misunderstand
it (for it is very simple and plain); nor dare dispute it; nor think to substitute for it his own vain thoughts!"
(Ibid.)
(IV) The outline
(A) The past
(1) "The things which thou sawest"
(2) This is the vision which was just seen of Christ Himself.
(3) NOTE: It does not say "things which were."
(B) The present
(1) "The things which are"
(2) Literally "which are on"
(3) This is the seven letters to the seven churches which gives a picture of this present age.
(C) The future
(1) "The things which shall come to pass after these things."
(2) Authorized Version has "The things which shall be hereafter."
(a) Many say this is a very poor rendering.
(b) Basically there is nothing wrong with that rendering; but it may be said that the other rendering is
stronger and clearer.
(c) Interestingly the Authorized Version renders the phrase stronger in 18:1.
(3) Newell, 31--"This last has but one possible meaning.--those things which succeed in time the things
that are now on, or the Church things."
c. The divine explanation--v. 20
(I) The explanation is concerning the seven lampstands and the seven stars.
(II) The word "mystery"
(A) It does not denote what is beyond our understanding.
(B) "Signifies a hitherto hidden truth, veiled perhaps, under a symbol, but now revealed."--Ibid.
(III) The Seven lampstands are the seven churches.
(A) Our Lord chose these seven to represent the churches of all ages.
(B) Seven, you recall, is the number of completeness.
(IV) The seven stars
(A) They are the aggelos of the churches.
(B) The word aggelos
(1) Means "angel"
(2) Means also "messenger"
(C) Stars in Scripture signify those having authority and leadership.
(D) Stars can signify teachers.
(1) True teachers--Daniel 12:3
(2) False teachers--Jude 13
(E) Our Lord is explaining the meaning of the symbol; therefore, this term aggelos must refer to the actual
office of elder or pastor.
(F) Aggelos is used of men in the sense of messengers or representatives.
(1) Luke 7:24--of John the Baptist's disciples
(2) Luke 7:27--of John the Baptist himself
(3) James 2:25--of the spies who came to Rahab
(G) There is in Scripture no hint of any angelic being bearing any responsibility for the Church; Colossians
2:18 implies the opposite.
(H) Certain men, however, are held responsible for the Church.
(1) Acts 20:28
(2) Cf. qualifications of an elder--1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:7-11
(3) 1 Peter 5:1-3
(I) Therefore. the proper meaning of the word aggelos here is "messenger" and thus refers to the one
whom the Lord had appointed as the representative of' the local church as His overseer--bishop or
elder or pastor.

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