- Aug 9, 2015
- 1,170
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Yes there are so called Christians that hate the book of Revelations! Why because it does not fall in line with their twisted thinking about the future of this world and man!! And those jews and Israel hate >hate it hate it!!
The book of Revelation is God’s final Scripture to mankind. It covers the time of the days of the apostles up to our day, and even the future beyond us, to the very end of time and beginning of eternity.
“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.” (Rev 1:1-2)
God gave to Jesus this revelation, and Jesus sent an angel to give it to John. Most translations (including the New American Standard that I am using here) say “communicated” it, but the King James Version says it best, for instead of “communicated,” it says the revelation was “signified.” To signify means to show by means of signs and symbols, and that is exactly what occurs in the book of Revelation. There are signs and symbols throughout it.
Keep in mind, though, that a sign or symbol, though figurative (i.e. symbolic), has a literal (i.e. actual) meaning behind it. When driving in the United States, every driver will see a sign posted on the side of the road, usually at intersections. It is mounted roughly as high as a man; has 8 sides; is painted red; and has 4 letters on it: S-T-O-P. While the familiar STOP sign is only a symbol, it has a literal meaning behind it. The driver of a motor vehicle is to use brakes to bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
The signs and symbols used in Revelation have literal meanings behind them. Fortunately, we are not left in the dark as to what they mean. The interpretation is either within Revelation itself, or can be found elsewhere in the Bible where the same symbols are used. Hence, to understand Revelation, you must use the rest of the Bible.
“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,” (Rev 1:3)
There are seven blessings in Revelation, and this verse is the first of them (see Rev 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14). The letter was meant to be read in a church, and people were to hear it. More importantly, they were to heed it. James wrote:
“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer, but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:21-25).
Just as James teaches us that “an effectual doer…will be blessed in what he does,” so Revelation gives a blessing on “he who reads…and those who hear…and heed.”
“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 dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:4-6).
John greets the seven churches, of which more will be said in Rev chapters 2 & 3, with the familiar Christian ‘grace and peace’ greeting found in nearly all the epistles (see Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Thes 1:1; 2 Thes 1:2; 1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 3; Heb 13:25; 1 Pet 1:2; 2 Pet 1:2; 2 John 3; 3 John 15; Jude 2).
I was taught that the greeting is a combination of Greek and Hebrew cultures. The Greeks greeted each other with grace, while the Hebrews greeted then (and still do today) each other with ‘shalom,’ which means ‘peace.’ The Church is a blend of Jew and Gentile, and the greeting reflects this.
After John’s greeting, he says from whom comes that greeting – none other than each member of the Trinity: “Him who is and who was and who is to come” is God the Father; “the seven Spirits” is the God the Holy Spirit; and “Jesus Christ” is God the Son. John tells us things about Jesus.
He is the “faithful witness.” During His time on Earth, Jesus faithfully did the task God had given Him, and had been a witness to who God is:
“I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work You have given Me to do” (John 17:4).
“I manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world…” (John 17:6a).
Jesus is the firstborn of the dead. This speaks of His resurrection, of which He is the first to be resurrected, and that we who believe will also follow.
The book of Revelation is God’s final Scripture to mankind. It covers the time of the days of the apostles up to our day, and even the future beyond us, to the very end of time and beginning of eternity.
“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.” (Rev 1:1-2)
God gave to Jesus this revelation, and Jesus sent an angel to give it to John. Most translations (including the New American Standard that I am using here) say “communicated” it, but the King James Version says it best, for instead of “communicated,” it says the revelation was “signified.” To signify means to show by means of signs and symbols, and that is exactly what occurs in the book of Revelation. There are signs and symbols throughout it.
Keep in mind, though, that a sign or symbol, though figurative (i.e. symbolic), has a literal (i.e. actual) meaning behind it. When driving in the United States, every driver will see a sign posted on the side of the road, usually at intersections. It is mounted roughly as high as a man; has 8 sides; is painted red; and has 4 letters on it: S-T-O-P. While the familiar STOP sign is only a symbol, it has a literal meaning behind it. The driver of a motor vehicle is to use brakes to bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
The signs and symbols used in Revelation have literal meanings behind them. Fortunately, we are not left in the dark as to what they mean. The interpretation is either within Revelation itself, or can be found elsewhere in the Bible where the same symbols are used. Hence, to understand Revelation, you must use the rest of the Bible.
“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,” (Rev 1:3)
There are seven blessings in Revelation, and this verse is the first of them (see Rev 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14). The letter was meant to be read in a church, and people were to hear it. More importantly, they were to heed it. James wrote:
“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer, but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:21-25).
Just as James teaches us that “an effectual doer…will be blessed in what he does,” so Revelation gives a blessing on “he who reads…and those who hear…and heed.”
“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 dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:4-6).
John greets the seven churches, of which more will be said in Rev chapters 2 & 3, with the familiar Christian ‘grace and peace’ greeting found in nearly all the epistles (see Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Thes 1:1; 2 Thes 1:2; 1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 3; Heb 13:25; 1 Pet 1:2; 2 Pet 1:2; 2 John 3; 3 John 15; Jude 2).
I was taught that the greeting is a combination of Greek and Hebrew cultures. The Greeks greeted each other with grace, while the Hebrews greeted then (and still do today) each other with ‘shalom,’ which means ‘peace.’ The Church is a blend of Jew and Gentile, and the greeting reflects this.
After John’s greeting, he says from whom comes that greeting – none other than each member of the Trinity: “Him who is and who was and who is to come” is God the Father; “the seven Spirits” is the God the Holy Spirit; and “Jesus Christ” is God the Son. John tells us things about Jesus.
He is the “faithful witness.” During His time on Earth, Jesus faithfully did the task God had given Him, and had been a witness to who God is:
“I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work You have given Me to do” (John 17:4).
“I manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world…” (John 17:6a).
Jesus is the firstborn of the dead. This speaks of His resurrection, of which He is the first to be resurrected, and that we who believe will also follow.