Continuing a verse-by-verse study of the book of Revelation, the point is to un-complicate what has been made complicated. We will continue to stress that to understand the Book of Revelation as with any books in the Bible the events are in chronological order. Also, remember that when Jesus left this earth, he left without answering the disciples' most pressing question. Being true to his promise when the father revealed his plan to him, he revealed it unto John. John began by revealing it to the churches.
John to the seven churches, which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; (Revelation 1:4)
As stated, this study is to un-complicate that which seems complicated. Keep in mind it is the devils intent to inject confusion into the word of God. Many consider Revelation to be the most confusing book of the Bible. Much of the confusion is centered on the churches, which have splintered into groups and denominations.
The Church is not a continuation of the "Jewish Dispensation" under another name, nor does the Church edifice take the place of the Synagogue. It is because some religious bodies believe that the Christian Church is but another phase of what they call the "Jewish Church," that they insist on a "Ceremonial Ritual" and retain the Priesthood with its altar, vestments, etc., and Temple-like buildings; and calls the ordinances of the Christian Church "Sacrifices" and "Sacraments." They also go further and advocate a "State Church," with the Church as the head, and claim that all the Old Testament promises of riches and glory have been transferred from the Jew to the Church, this is in error.
Revelation begins with a message to not one but seven church churches. Why a message to seven churches when undoubtedly there were more than seven churches in Asia? Seven is God's number that signifies the beginning and the ending of a cycle. Seven signifies the beginning and end of creation, a period of completion. Seven churches are the signification of the beginning and end of the church age. In our study, we shall seek to determine the beginning and the ending of the church age.
Our study of Revelation shall deal with three periods, which is, and which was, and which is to come and in that order.
The Bible teaches that there is one spirit, yet Revelation 1:4 references the seven Spirits that are before his throne, how can that be? The "Seven Spirits" represent the sevenfold ministry of the Spirit as depicted in the Book of Isaiah. As it is written: "The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD, and He will delight in the fear of the Lord." Isaiah 11:2-3 (NASB). Including the Spirit of the Lord, and the Spirits of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, here are represented the seven Spirits, which are before the throne of God. As we have stated seven is the signification of completion, thus we have one spirit the same as we have one God.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him, that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5)
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness. He is faithful in the sense that he is one on whose testimony there may be entire reliance, or who is entirely worthy to be believed. From him "grace and peace" are appropriately sought, as one who bears such a testimony, and as the first begotten from the dead, and as reigning over the kings of the earth. Thus grace and peace are invoked from the infinite God in all his relations and operations, as the Father, the Source of all existence; as the Sacred Spirit, going forth in manifold operations upon the hearts of men; and as the Son of God, the one appointed to bear faithful testimony to the truth respecting God and future events.
"And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:6)
And hath made us kings and priests unto God. In 1st Peter 2:9, the same idea is expressed by saying of Christians that they are "a royal priesthood." The quotation in both places is from Ex 19:6: "And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests." This idea is expressed here by saying that Christ had made us in fact kings and priests; that is, Christians are exalted to the dignity, and are invested with the office, implied in these words. The word kings, as applied to them, refers to the exalted rank and dignity which they will have; to the fact that they, in common with their Saviour, will reign triumphant over all enemies; and that, having gained a victory over sin and death and hell, they may be represented as reigning together. The word priests refer to the fact that they are engaged in the holy service of God, or that they offer to him acceptable worship.
In addition, his Father. Even his Father; that is, the Saviour has redeemed them, and elevated them to this exalted rank, in order that they may thus be engaged in the service of his Father.
To him be the glory. To the Redeemer; for so the construction (Revelation 1:5) demands. The word "glory" here means praise, or honor, implying a wish that all honor should be shown him.
And dominion. This word means literally strength; but it here means the strength, power, or authority, which is exercised over others and the expression, is equivalent to a wish that he may reign.
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." (Revelation 1:7)
The design of introducing this representation of the Saviour, and of the manner in which he would appear, seems to be to impress the mind with a sense of the majesty and glory of that being from whom John received his revelations. His rank, his character, his glory were such as to demand respect; all should reverence him, and all should feel that his communications about the future were important to them, for they must soon appear before him.
And every eye shall see him. He will be made visible in his glory to all that dwell upon the earth; to all the children of men. Every one, therefore, has an interest in what he says; everyone has this in certain prospect, that he shall see the Son of God coming as a Judge.
And they also which pierced him. When he died; that is, they who pierced his hands, his feet, and his side. There is probably an allusion here to Zec 12:10: "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn." The language here is so general that it may refer to any act of looking upon the pierced Saviour, and might be applied to those who would see him on the cross and to their compunctions visiting then; or to their subsequent reflections, as they might look by faith on him whom they had crucified; or to the feeling of any sinners who should reflect that their sins had been the cause of the death of the Lord Jesus; or it might be applied, as it is here, more specifically to the feelings which his murderers will have when they shall see him coming in his glory. All sinners who have pierced his heart by their crimes will then behold him, and will mourn over their treatment of him; they, in a special manner, who imbrued their hands in his blood, will then remember their crime, and be overwhelmed with alarm. The design of what is here said seems to be, to show that the coming of the Saviour will be an event of great interest to all humankind. None can be indifferent to it, for all will see him. His friends will hail his advent, but all who were engaged in putting him to death, and all who in any manner have pierced his heart by sin and ingratitude, unless they shall have repented, will have occasion of bitter lamentation when he shall come. There are none who have a more fearful doom to anticipate than the murderers of the Son of God, including those who actually put him to death, and those who would have engaged in such an act had they been present, and those who, by their conduct, have done all they could to pierce and wound him by their ingratitude.
And all kindreds of the earth. "All the tribes of the earth." This language is the same which the Saviour uses in Matthew 24:30. The word tribes is that which is commonly applied to the twelve tribes of Israel, and thus used, it would describe the inhabitants of the holy land; but it may be used to denote nations and people in general, as descended from a common ancestor, and the connection requires that it should be understood in this sense here, since it is said that "every eye shall see him;" that is, all that dwell on the face of the earth.
Shall wail because of him, on account of him; on account of their treatment of him. The word rendered wail--koptw--means properly to beat, to cut; then to beat or cut one's self in the breast as an expression of sorrow; and then to lament, to cry aloud in intense grief. The coming of the Saviour will be an occasion of this,
(a) because it will be an event which will call the sins of men to remembrance, and
(b) because they will be overwhelmed with the apprehension of the wrath to come. Nothing would fill the earth with greater consternation than the coming of the Son of God in the clouds of heaven; nothing could produce so deep and universal alarm. This fact, which no one can doubt, is proof that men feel that they are guilty, since, if they were innocent, they would have nothing to dread by his appearing. It is also a proof that they believe in the doctrine of future punishment, since, if they do not, there is no reason why they should be alarmed at his coming. Surely, men would not dread his appearing if they really believed that all would be saved. Who dreads the coming of a benefactor to bestow favors on him? Who dreads the appearing of a jailer to deliver him from prison; of a physician to raise him up from a bed of pain; of a deliverer to knock off the fetters of slavery? And how can it be that men should be alarmed at the coming of the Saviour unless their consciences tell them that they have much to fear in the future? The presence of the Redeemer in the clouds of heaven would destroy all the hopes of those who believe in the doctrine of universal salvation--as the approach of death now often does. Men believe that there is much to be dreaded in the future world, or they would not fear the coming of Him who shall wind up the affairs of the human race.
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)
I am Alpha and Omega. These are the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet, and denote properly the first and the last. So in Revelation 22:13, when the two expressions are united, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." In Revelation 1:17, the speaker says of himself, "I am the first and the last." Among the Jewish Rabbi's, it was common to use the first and the last letters of the Hebrew alphabet to denote the whole of anything, from beginning to end. Thus it is said, "Adam transgressed the whole law from HEBREW to HEBREW"--from Aleph to Tav. "Abraham kept the whole law from HEBREW to HEBREW." The language here is that which would properly denote eternity in the being to which it is applied, and could be used in reference to no one but the true God. It means that he is the beginning and the end of all things; that he was at the commencement, and will be at the close; and it is thus equivalent to saying that he has always existed, and that he will always exist. Compare Isaiah 41:4, "I the Lord, the first, and with the last;'-- Isaiah 44:6, "I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God;"--Isaiah 48:12, "I am he; I am the first, I also am the last." There can be no doubt that the language here would be naturally understood as implying divinity, and it could be properly applied to no one but the true God. The obvious interpretation here would be to apply this to the Lord Jesus.Continued next week
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