Unlike the book of Daniel, the book of Revelation was to
remain unsealed to the called out. Yet the called out (the church) have been
too afraid to read this book in the assemblies. There is a lot of
misinformation regarding this book; some believe all the aspects of it have
been fulfilled, some pick and choose portions to make entire doctrines out of
one or two verses. Truly the book called Revelation is an unveiling or a
revealing of what has been stolen and hidden by a kleptomaniac, which is the
definition of apocalypse/revelation. The simplicity of the book has been lost
due to fear of the events that will take place in the future. Really, the book
is a vision of future events, most of which were already prophesied by other
Old Testament writers. John saw this all in one vision, and as he asks questions,
he is given the backstory. This confuses people who only read snippets of the
revealing, rather reading the entirety of the book in context.
This revealing is given to the called out. Why should the
called out/churches know this information? It is given to the ones who believe
in Jesus as the anointed Messiah, and their future in the heavens is laid out
clearly. Anyone who had or has rejected Jesus will live through hard times on
earth. The churches however will not live through these events on earth which
is what God wanted us to know. If the churches were to teach this book, there
would be greater vision for evangelism as truly no one wants their loved ones
to suffer. By revealing what has been stolen and hidden to the called out, the
called out can uncover spiritual matters to the world. This book shows where
the redeemed go and what will happen to those left on earth in the very last
seven years before Christ reigns on earth.
Rev 1:1-3 [THIS IS] the revelation of Jesus Christ [His
unveiling of the divine mysteries]. God gave it to Him to disclose and make
known to His bond servants certain things which must shortly and speedily come
to pass in their entirety. And He sent and communicated it through His angel
(messenger) to His bond servant John,
Let’s understand this is one revealing, not multiple.
It is not Revelations it is Revelation. Singular status is the first
understanding we must have. God the Father gave this unveiling to Jesus his son
so that Jesus would make this known to his bond servants. A bond servant, doulos, is someone who has sold
themselves into submission to Jesus’ Lordship. This is a good time to ask
ourselves if we are sold out and submissive to Jesus or not. The Heavenly
Father wanted this information given to those who sold out to Jesus. If that is
you, then this entire revealing of what has been stolen and hidden by a
kleptomaniac, satan, is for you. These things will happen in a short period of
time in our Eternal God’s timing, although to us it seems like a long time. One
thousand years is like one day to God. Jesus communicated this message to John
via an angel.
Rev 1:2 Who has testified to and vouched for all that he
saw [in his visions], the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John took notes. There are times the angel tells him not
to write what he saw. That tells us there are some things that are concealed
and some things that are unsealed, or knowledge of things we can have and
knowledge we cannot have. But the book of Revelation is filled with knowledge
we can have.
Rev 1:3 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who
reads aloud [in the assemblies] the word of this prophecy; and blessed (happy,
to be envied) are those who hear [it read] and who keep themselves true to the
things which are written in it [heeding them and laying them to heart], for the
time [for them to be fulfilled] is near. AMP
If you read, hear, and keep the things written in Revelation
you will be happy. To “keep” is to “watch with discernment”, it also means to “guard
from loss or injury”. Therefore, we are to hear and read these words, then we
are to guard and discern what is written to prevent loss. We are to guard the
writings within our hearts because the occasion is near. So we are to read and
listen to this book in the assemblies. It is for the called out. Let’s jump to
the end of the book and notice what is written.
Rev 22:6-7 And he [of the seven angels further] said to
me, These statements are reliable (worthy of confidence) and genuine (true).
And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His messenger
(angel) to make known and exhibit to His servants what must soon come to pass.
Again, the reason this is written is for God’s bond
servants to know what will be happening soon. We can get the idea that God does
not want us to be in the dark over the future. This was stated in the beginning
of the book and here again at the end of the book. Like a circle, this book
begins and ends with the same announcements. The importance of understanding
Revelation is that the called out have things to accomplish in the future,
during the time that the wrath of the Lamb and the wrath of God are taking
place on the earth. That is a time of preparation for the bond servants as they
are to return with Jesus.
Rev 22:7 And behold, I am coming speedily. Blessed (happy
and to be envied) is he who observes and lays to heart and keeps the truths of
the prophecy (the predictions, consolations, and warnings) contained in this
[little] book. AMP
Once more, we will be happy if we guard the logos of these predictions written in
the book. We are told to keep, discern and guard from injury or loss, the
truths of this prophecy. Then the angel says something interesting, he says not
to seal up the words of these predictions, and not to make a secret of them.
Rev 22:10 And he [further] told me, Do not seal up the
words of the prophecy of this book and make no secret of them, for the time
when things are brought to a crisis and the period of their fulfillment is
near. AMP
Once Christ came to earth the knowledge of these
prophecies was to be unveiled or unsealed. When something was sealed it was
kept secret. If a seal was placed on a document it was to keep the contents
hidden until a specific time. People used melted wax and a signet ring to close
up a document. Today we use envelopes with adhesive to seal letters and
documents. When a letter was unsealed, and for the public, it was placed at the
gates of the city, along with other notices. Just as Jesus blotted out the handwriting
of ordinances against us and nailed it to the cross (Col 2:14), and it was a
public notification that our debt was paid, the book of Revelation is to be a
public notification to all people. Today, the internet and social media have
taken place of the public message board in each town. Our world is flatter and
smaller than ever before which makes our mission of revealing what is written
in this book much easier. It would seem that we are created for such a time as
this.
We are not to keep this book a secret. It has been a secret, as we never hear it
read in context in our places of meeting. Why? Because the time when things are
brought to a crisis and the period of fulfillment is near, it should be
declared from the pulpit. These things are given for the churches, the people
who are called out, who are bond servants of Christ. Remembering that the Greek
language is a very detailed and specific language, we can better understand the
words the Apostle Paul used regarding harpazo,
episunagoge, and parousia; “catching up”, “above congregation”, and “coming to earth”.
All of those aspects are found in Revelation, the apocalypse is the revealing
of Jesus on the day he returns with his church, his bride, to rescue Israel. It
will be a day of fear and destruction to the unsaved, but not to the saved
because the saved won’t be on earth. That is the point, if we read this book we
will have this encouragement. This is for the called out.
Rev 22:16-19 I, Jesus, have sent My messenger (angel) to
you to witness and to give you assurance of these things for the churches
(assemblies). I am the Root (the Source) and the Offspring of David, the
radiant and brilliant Morning Star. [Isa 11:1,10.]
Jesus reiterates that he sent his angel to communicate these
events to the churches, the called out. Remember, the churches are not buildings, churches
are a group of people who are called out. So in our minds’ when we say “the
seven churches of Revelation” we think of seven buildings in Asia, but really
they are seven places where the called out reside. The called out in those
cities were to read, hear, and guard these words, which inevitably would spread
the words of this prophecy to other called out people.
Rev 22:17 The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church,
the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let
everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those
things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and
whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and
drink the water of Life without cost. [Isa 55:1.]
Notice that the Holy Spirit and the Bride of Christ are
saying “come”. The Bride is the called out, and along with the Holy Spirit they
are telling others to come on this journey, come with us to this city, come and
be a part of this group. “Accompany us, or enter in with us”, is not only the
message of the Spirit and the Bride, but the message of the listeners. Everyone
who thirsts should join us. Then everyone is given a stern warning.
Rev 22:18 I [personally solemnly] warn everyone who
listens to the statements of the prophecy [the predictions and the consolations
and admonitions pertaining to them] in this book: If anyone shall add anything
to them, God will add and lay upon him the plagues (the afflictions and the
calamities) that are recorded and described in this book.
Don’t add prophetic words, don’t take away any of these
prophetic words; don’t delete or add to these words. This is the only book this
warning is given. Although it has not stopped people from teaching this book
incorrectly, or mistranslating words a time or two, we are warned to leave it
intact. That means God does not want us fiddling around with this book. This is
an interesting warning, as there was a group that did fiddle with some of the
words in other books, to take the “Christianity” out of the Old Testament. We
know many places where they “adjusted” the text sometime around 300 AD and following.
The Septuagint is more authentic than the Masoretic texts as it was written in
300 BC while the Masoretic text came about between the 7th and 10th
century AD, which is also the time of the start of Islam and the Crusades. The
culture of that day alone lends to misinterpretations, as the Jews of that time
were trying to defend Judaism, rather than receive Judah’s Messiah, the Lion of
the tribe of Judah. It is just like children who do something wrong such as
breaking a neighbor’s window. They then spend lots of time and energy hiding
their deed and they have to rewrite history to make themselves look innocent.
Rev 22:19 And if anyone cancels or takes away from the
statements of the book of this prophecy [these predictions relating to Christ's
kingdom and its speedy triumph, together with the consolations and admonitions
or warnings pertaining to them], God will cancel and take away from him his
share in the tree of life and in the city of holiness (purity and hallowedness),
which are described and promised in this book. AMP
Here is a very strong point, our inheritance in the
future city and our eternal life are in jeopardy if we take any of these
prophecies out of this book. If we take parts of John’s vision out of this book
we may distort the kingdom of God which has been promised to the called out. If
we do that we will get a cancellation notice. In other words, after our death
we will not get to eat from the tree of life or enter the New Jerusalem.
Recognize this, we could lose our eternal reward by taking things out of this
book of revealing’s. Lord have mercy. Today we can simply do our best with what
we have. This book is to help encourage people while on earth as to the future.
We all work so hard on earth to serve the Lord, this book is to help us
understand the future. We have such a muddied perspective of death, paradise,
and heaven, this book will help us sort that out. As a child I was taught by
prominent religions that when we die we float on clouds, wearing long robes,
playing harps, and we have wings. That is not quite right. We have a mission.
Revelation 2:7 tells us that Jesus gives the overcomer to
eat of the tree of life in the middle of the Paradise of God. What does this
mean?
When satan stole Adam’s authority on earth he stole more
than the rights to humanity on the planet, he stole the rights to the grave as
well. As we have established in previous studies, the only place for humans to
go after death was Sheol/Hades. Jesus told us that there were two compartments
to Hades, one for the unrighteous and one for the righteous. The compartment
for the righteous was called Abraham’s bosom, truly it is Abraham’s’ bay or
creek. Once Jesus died he went into the lower parts of the earth, witnessed to
the imprisoned spirits, and set the captives free. Jesus took back the keys to
hell and death. As we have learned, this was the first part of Jesus’ mission.
The righteous dead who passed before Jesus died are now in Paradise, also known
as the third heaven. While the unrighteous dead, and those who reject Jesus as
Messiah are in Sheol/Hades. Those righteous and redeemed who have died after
Jesus came to set the captives free, are now with him in Paradise, where he
gives fruit from the tree of life.
We have muddled the issues of death, and every religion
and denomination has their own special story about what happens after one dies.
Some believe there is no consciousness in the grave, and people are sleeping,
which we know is untrue because of what Jesus taught us. We also know that good
works are not the criteria of getting into heaven, but a belief in Jesus the
Messiah is. No matter what works were done on earth, all of people’s works are
judged either by Jesus during the time he is crowned as King (Revelation 11) or
at the end of the one thousand years of Jesus’ reign on earth. That means for
those rejecting Jesus, they will spend one thousand plus years in Hades
awaiting judgment. What we need to realize is that the first century church
understood all of this. But two thousand years of religious presumptions have
hidden the truth.
There is a discrepancy here in Revelation chapter 22. Of
all places, the very verse that tells us not to take away from this book. The
difference in wording causes us to look deeper. If we take away from this book
will we lose our portion to the tree of life or will we be written out of the
book of life?
Rev 22:19 I
testify to every one who heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, That
if any man shall set upon them, Aloha will set upon him the plagues which are
written in this book. And if any man make to cease from the words of the book
of this prophecy, Aloha will make to cease his portion of the tree of life, and
of the holy city of which is written in this book. He who testifieth these
saith, Yes: I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jeshu.
Etheridge is a western Aramaic translation and uses the words
tree of life in verse 19, while
eastern Aramaic texts use the words book
of life. Some texts use different translations and we have to look into
this.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of
life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this
book. KJV
Rev 22:19 if you subtract from the words of the book of
this prophecy, God will subtract your part from the Tree of Life and the Holy
City that are written in this book. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in
Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
Rev 22:19 If anyone takes away any words from the book of
this prophecy, God will take away his portion of the tree of life and the holy
city that are described in this book. ISV
The translators from the Textus Receptus use the word book, adhering the Strong’s number 976,
which is inner bark or papyrus. The NA27 uses the Strong’s number 3586 meaning
fuel or timber. We can see the correlation, books are made of paper using trees
or papyrus. Is it the tree of life, or the book of life? The NA27 uses the same
word for tree as in Revelation 2:7. The TR agrees that Revelation 2:7 is tree.
The TR uses the word for book as at the end of verse 19 (which is Strong’s
number 975).
As always when there is a discrepancy we have to dig into
the context a little deeper. Let’s look at verse 14.
Rev 22:14 Blessed (happy and to be envied) are those who
cleanse their garments, that they may have the authority and right to
[approach] the tree of life and to enter through the gates into the city. [Gen
2:9; 3:22,24.] AMP
This is where the TR and the NA27 agree and where we find
our answer. The context is having the right to approach the tree of life. The
context determines which word should be used. Let’s look back just a bit
further in the context.
Rev 22:2 Through the middle of the broadway of the city;
also, on either side of the river was the tree of life with its twelve
varieties of fruit, yielding each month its fresh crop; and the leaves of the
tree were for the healing and the restoration of the nations. [Gen 2:9.] AMP
Now we can see the cyclical pattern of the Book of
Revelation. In the beginning of the book we see Jesus giving overcomers to eat
from the Tree of Life, at the end of the book we see people having the right to
the Tree of Life. Then the warning, which is if you take words out of this book
you will lose your right to the Tree of Life. What we learn from this is that
even though one is an overcomer, if that one takes words out of this unveiling,
that one does not have a right to the Tree of Life or the city. That is
different than having one’s name written in, or out of, the book of life. This
denotes cause and effect, rather than predestination. If we do “A” then “B”
rather than “A” or “B” not mattering, “C” is the standard. “C” being
predestination because of a prewritten book. This advocates our freedom to
choose instead of being destined to a future. We are uncovering what a
kleptomaniac has stolen and hidden, and someone who hides the words of this
book is stealing and hiding this knowledge just like satan.
Going back to our look at this revealing that is to be
unsealed, we have to take the view from 30,000 ft. There are lots of things
that are sealed and unsealed in the Bible. We, the redeemed, are sealed with
the Holy Spirit and sealed until the day of Redemption. Daniel’s words were
sealed because they were a look so far into the future they would not make
sense until the time of the end.
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] are
decreed upon your people and upon your holy city [Jerusalem], to finish and put
an end to transgression, to seal up and make full the measure of sin, to purge
away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin, to bring in everlasting
righteousness (permanent moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and
relation) to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint a Holy of
Holies. AMP
Dan 12:4 But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal
the Book until the time of the end. [Then] many shall run to and fro and search
anxiously [through the Book], and knowledge [of God's purposes as revealed by
His prophets] shall be increased and become great. [Amos 8:12.] AMP
Dan 12:9 And he [the angel] said, Go your way, Daniel,
for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end. AMP
As we have looked at in verse 12:4 of Daniel, the Hebrew
reads “the knowledge” shall be increased. The word “the” is in the text but not
translated and it communicates a great deal to us. It is not just any knowledge
that shall be increased, but the
knowledge of the time of the end that
will be increased. That is what the “the” is signifying. The book of Daniel makes sense in light of
the Book of Revelation. Daniel was written around 530 BC and Revelation was
written around 90 AD. At what point in time did things change to become the
time of the end? At or about the day of Pentecost. After Jesus died and
ascended, and the redeemed and righteous dead were now in Paradise, the time of
the end started. Even though that is about two thousand years so far, that is
the end as compared to the four thousand years prior to Jesus coming to earth.
This whole era or age lasts a total of 8,000 years as we
have studied. We are roughly around the 6,000 year mark, with 1,000 years
slated for Jesus’ reign on earth. So, yes this is the time of the end. We know
that there are seven years at the very end of the 6,000 year mark for a time of
terrible tribulation. But the called out are not a part of that last seven
years on earth. Rather they are part of the heavenly realm, making ready to
return with Jesus to rescue Israel. The called out are warned regarding being
overcomers in the first three chapters of Revelation. Then the called out who
have been redeemed are seen in the heavenly realm singing about being redeemed.
Prior to that, the dead are not in the upper heavens with angels, beasts, or
the elders who are around the throne of God. The dead have to rise first, then
the alive redeemed join them on the way to the upper heavenlies. We can see why
Paul and John specified Paradise as the third heaven, not the first or second
heaven.
This book of revealings
tells us that the redeemed have a place and a mission for the last seven years
that is not on the earth. It tells us how to attain to that position. It tells
us that the ones who harden their hearts to Jesus will be on earth or in Hades.
If we don’t read this book to the called out, the called out might think they
would be subject to the same seven year tribulation that the unrighteous and
unredeemed will live through. If we don’t read this book out loud in our
assemblies the listeners will not also testify along with the Spirit and the
Bride. That is the purpose of this unsealed book. Once we start pursuing this
book as one whole idea, and we identify the players, all of it falls into
place.
The redeemed, called out, overcomers, are the first group
of people we are to look at. The book starts and ends with the called out, the
church, the ekklesia. The angel is
sent to communicate this message to John who in turn is communicating it to the
bond servants. At that time, the temple at Jerusalem had been destroyed for
twenty years, where were all the Christians? They had moved out to spread the
word of God around the world. Therefore sending the book of the Apocalypse to
Jerusalem would have been silly. The
people established groups in Asia Minor and John sent the writings there to them.
There are layers to the writings to the seven churches. The first layer is that
there were seven centers for the called out and each of them had an angel over
the church/called out. Each had individual letters written to them. They were
commended and warned, and promised something if they overcame. Those letters
were also written as seven periods of time; that is another layer. Not simply
to those at that time but over two thousand years. They are ages for the called
out. Thirdly, they are letters to us today, we all have groups that resemble
one of those churches. The promises are for us individually as well. We all
walk through life and walk through different churches in our lives that
resemble the seven churches and their struggles. And yes the called out individuals as well as
groups all struggle. Why wouldn’t we have to struggle on earth? The earth is technically controlled by the
god of this world, the devil, the prince of this world, the prince of the power
of the air. You changed your citizenship to the kingdom of heaven, but until
you move there you are an alien or foreigner. You will suffer persecution
because you have rejected this world’s governing powers.
It is interesting to note that the ekklesia, the called out are only mentioned through chapter three.
They are then spoken of again at the end of the book in chapter twenty two.
Why? Because the called out have been called up. Chapter 4 tells us about an
opened door, and the call to come up. This tells us of an age change. The book
of Revelation is to be read in church, among the called out, in the assemblies.
The book is not a mystery, or confusing, or hard to understand. This book
reveals the future and we are to have hope, and be encouraged by the chain of
events that will take place. If we read this book of unveilings out loud we
will be blessed and happy. We will know with surety the things that are to come
to pass and their timing. We will identify some more of the players next time
so that when we read this unveiling we will understand it.
