The Book of Revelation 1
Chapter 1:3
“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”
“…..one who reads ALOUD the words…” New Living Translation: God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy TO THE CHURCH, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.
The “highlighted” part(s) spoke to me like this: You! Yes you, staring into the computer, ignoring the call from your friend. You are the one that should get out there, pick yourself up and do something, something to change this world, the time is near, something so tiny, can make a big difference. Share the prophecy! You CAN make a difference! Don’t ever forget that.
“TO THE CHURCH” - In different versions there is written: hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, so I understand this part as if we are supposed to know the prophecy, know what to expect and prepare ourselves and the world for it.
Chapter 1:4
“Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the SEVEN SPIRITS before his throne.”
“…..from the SEVEN SPIRITS before his throne.” That is, the sevenfold spirit.
Seven is a common number found often in the Scripture. There are seven years of famine and the 7 years of plenty. Joshua marched 7 days, had 7 priests blowing 7 trumpets round the walls of Jericho, and marched seven times on the 7th day. The leprous Naaman was ordered to bathe 7 times in the Jordan. There are seven beatitudes, seven petitions in the Lord's Prayer; 7 parables of the Kingdom, 7 woes pronounced on the Pharisees, seven loaves, seven phrases from the cross..
The "Sevenfold Ministry of the Spirit" interpretation holds that the seven Spirits refer to Book of Isaiah 11:2. , 2 And 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. 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. The link to the lamb in Revelation 5:6 relates it to the Seven Spirits which first appear in Revelation 1:4 and are connected with Jesus who holds them along with seven stars.
Chapter 1:7
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” ---- Daniel 7:13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” ------ Zechariah 12:10 “They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child…
Chapter 1:8
“I am the ALPHA AND THE OMEGA,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
“….the ALPHA AND THE OMEGA….” These are the first and the last letters in the Greek alphabet. God is the beginning and the end.
Chapter 1:12
“I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw SEVEN golden lampstands..”
….SEVEN...Back to the number seven. This number is used 52 times in Revelation. It represented completeness and perfection.
Chapter 1:16
“In his right hand he held SEVEN stars..” I’m going to get back to this verse in just a second.
Chapter 1:17 - 18
“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
“….Hades.” Satan.
“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.” Here it is again, First and the Last, Alpha and Omega. Don’t be afraid! I know it’s really easy to freak out and be scared.I’m so scared of the Second Coming, but God created this world (beginning, Alpha..) and He will come again to take us into His kingdom (the End, Omega…)
Chapter 1:20
“The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” Perfection, completeness..
Thank you for reading this post, feel free to comment :).
Monika
