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- Chapter 1- Introduction:
John being in the Spirit, sees a vision of Jesus (The Alpha & the Omega, the beginning and the ending) who instructs him to write in a book what he saw and what he will see, to the seven churches listed below (which were located in Asia Minor):
- Ephesus - The Loveless Church
- Smyrna -- The Persecuted Church
- Pergamos -- The Lenient Church
- Thyatira -- The Compromising Church
- Sardis -- The Dead Church
- Philadelphia -- The Faithful Church
- Laodicea -- The Lukewarm Church
- Seven stars being the seven angels of the seven churches
- Seven lampstands are the seven churches
- Chapter 2 - 3: Letters to the Seven Churches:
Listed below is a table of the churches with the positive and negative remarks, as noted in Revelation Chapter 2 & 3:
| Ephesus | Smyrna | Pergamos | Thyatira | Sardis | Phila. | Laodicea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rev 2:1 | Rev 2:8 | Rev 2:12 | Rev 2:18 | Rev 3:1 | Rev 3:7 | Rev 3:14 | |
| Description of Christ | Holds 7 stars, walks among 7 lampstands | First and Last, Died and came to life | The One with two-edged sword | Eyes of fire, Feet like brass, Searches minds | Holds 7 spirits and 7 stars | Holy, True, Holds keys, Opens and Shuts | Amen, True witness, Beginning of creation |
| What Christ Knows about the Churches | Works, Labor, Patience, Cannot bear evil | Works, Tribulation, Poverty | Works, Living where Satan's throne is. | Works, Charity, Service, Faith, Patience | Works, Living but art dead | Works | Works, Neither hot nor cold |
| Positive Statements about the Churches From Jesus | Tested false prophets, Perseverance For Jesus Name sake has labored and not fainted | Rich in spite of poverty | Held to Jesus name & faith even in time of persecution(Martyr) | Charity, Service, Faith, Patience | Few that have not defiled their garments | Kept my words & has not denied my name, They are strong | ----- |
| Rebuke | Left first love - Christ | ----- | Ruled by doctrine of Balaam. Doctrine of Nicolaitans, Eat things sacrificed to idols, Fornication | Allowed Jezebel to teach immorality, Repented not | Works not perfect before God | ----- | Lukewarm, Wretched, Blind, Miserable, Poor, Naked |
| Jesus' Counsel | Remember first love, Repent, Do first works | Do not fear suffering | Repent | Hold fast till I come | Be watchful, Strengthen what remains | Hold fast, Persevere | Buy gold tried in the fire, White rainment to cover their shame |
| Jesus' Warning | Lamp-stand will be removed quickly, Candlestick removed if no repentance | ----- | Will fight against them with sword of His mouth | Jezebel will be put into sickbed, Her children killed | I will come as a thief | ----- | I will spit you out of my mouth, Rebuke and punish you |
| Reward for overcomers | Eat from tree of life | Not hurt by second death | Hidden manna, White stone that continues a new name | Power over nations, Morning star | Clothed in white rainment, Name in the Book of Life, Confess his name before the Father and angels | Made pillars in God's temple, Inscribed with God's name and new Jerusalem | Sit on my throne |
- Chapter 4:
John sees a door open to heaven, is summon to come and goes into the spirit which he sees:
- Throne of God, with God sitting on the throne
- Rainbow surrounding the throne of God
- Twenty Four Elders sitting around about the throne
- Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne which are the seven spirits of God
- Sea of glass, like crystal
- Four beast full of eyes
- Chapter 5:
- In the right hand of him who sat in the throne, a book sealed with seven seals
- Strong Angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book & loose the seals
- No man in heaven or earth was worthy or able to open the book or look upon it.
- John weeps, because no one is found worthy
- One of the Elders said to John "do not weep for the lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed to open the book and loose its seals.
- Sees the lamb, as slain, with seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God
- Jesus takes the book from God's right hand
- All the elders, the four beasts and millions of angels praising and worshipping Jesus
- All creatures on earth and in the seas praising and worshipping Jesus
- Chapter 6:
| Seal# & Verse | Horse | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Rev 6:2) | White | Conqueror | Bow & Crown |
| 2 (Rev 6:3-4) | Red | War & Violence | Take away peace |
| 3 (Rev 6:5-6) | Black | Famine | ----- |
| 4 (Rev 6:6-8) | Pale | Death | Hades followed, Power to kill over ¼ of the earth |
| 5 (Rev 6:9-11) | ----- | Martyrs | Under the altar, asking how long |
| 6 (Rev 6:12-17) | ----- | Cosmic Disturbance | Star falling to earth |
- Chapter 7:
| Sons of Jacob (Israel), | The Tribes of Israel, | The Tribes of Israel, |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 46 | Numbers 2 | Revelation 7 |
| Gad | Gad | Gad |
| Asher | Asher | Asher |
| Reuben | Reuben | Reuben |
| Simeon | Simeon | Simeon |
| Levi | Levites* | Manasseh |
| Dan** | Dan** | Levi |
| Judah | Judah | Judah |
| Issachar | Issachar | Issachar |
| Zebulun | Zebulun | Zebulun |
| Joseph | Ephraim | Joseph |
| Benjamin | Benjamin | Benjamin |
| Naphtali | Naphtali | Naphtali |
| ----- | Manasseh | ----- |
*"Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses." Numbers 2:33 Also, note that Joseph is not listed in Numbers, because both of his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, are listed and counted by God.
**Why is the tribe of Dan removed from the list (blessing)? In order to answer that question we need to read Judges 18.
- Chapter 8 & 9:
- Seven angel which stood before God were given seven trumpets.
- Another angel came, stood next to altar holding a golden censer. He was given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints, upon the golden altar.
- Once the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints, ascend to God. The angel takes the censer, fills it with fire from the altar and cast it to earth: and there were voices, thundering, and earthquakes.
- The seven angels which have the trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
| Trumpet# | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Hail & fire mingled with blood | 1/3 of vegetation destroyed | Rev 8:7 |
| 2nd | Mountain cast into sea | 1/3 of sea, sea animals & ships destroyed | Rev 8: 8-9 |
| 3rd | Star from heaven falls (Wormwood) | 1/3 of rivers & lakes destroyed | Rev 8: 10-11 |
| 4th | ----- | 1/3 of sun, moon, stars | Rev 8: 12-13 |
| 5th | Star falls from heaven he is given key to bottomless pit | Sky is blacken with smoke from pit, monstrous locust with power to torment unbeliever. But not believers One Woe is past. | Rev 9:1-12 |
| 6th | Loose four angels from the Euphrates, with an army of 2 million | 1/3 of men are killed | Rev 9: 13-21 |
John sees a "Mighty Angel", descript as:
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John is instructed to go and take the little book from the mighty angel. He is to eat the book, in his mouth it will be sweet as honey but in his stomach it will be bitter. John does as he is instructed. Then John is told that he must go & prophesy before many nations, tongues, people, and kings.
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