Chapter # 1 Paragraph # 2 Study # 2
April 16, 2023
Broadlands, Louisiana
(Download Audio)
1901 ASV
1:4 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 that are before his throne;
1:5 and from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;
1:6 and he made us [to be] a kingdom, [to be] priests unto his God and Father; to him [be] the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1:7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
1:8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
- I. John And His Wishes For The Seven Churches.
- A. "John" is the God-given name that means "Yahweh is gracious" and was initially the name of the forerunner (John the Baptizer) of Jesus, the Christ, and was also the name of one of the sons of Zebedee who was the author of the Gospel of John and is here identified as the author of this written "Revelation".
- B. The name "John" is used in this "Revelation" in 1:1; 1:4; 1:9; 21:2; and 22:8 and its uses signal both the fact of "Grace" and the consequences of rejecting it [The period of "Grace" is going to turn into the "Day of the Wrath of the Lamb"].
- C. John's audience.
- 1. A preliminary identification of his readers is given in 1:3 in the context of the pronunciation of a "blessing" upon "the one who 'reads' and those who hear the words of the prophecy and are keeping the things having been written in it, for the time is near.
- 2. Then, a more specific identification of those readers is given in the opening of 1:4 under the concept of "the seven churches which [are] in Asia".
- a. The "seven" is significant based upon the reality that "seven" typically refers to something that is "complete".
- b. The number "seven" is found in 31 texts of this Book of The Revelation.
- 1) The next reference is 1:11 which also refers to the churches to which geographical locations are given.
- 2) In 1:12 there are "seven" golden lamp stands.
- 3) In 1:16 there are "seven" stars.
- 4) In all of the cases of "seven", the number is of a group which represents a complete unit.
- 3. But, everything written to those seven churches is made into a message to everyone who "has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, and 22). The messages are "church-setting" specific, but they contain messages to all who are willing to listen whether they are in those specific places and time, or not.
- D. John's wishes for his readers.
- E. John's Sources.
- 1. The One Being and Who Was and The Coming One.
- a. In 1:4 this Person is distinct from "The Spirits" and "Jesus Christ".
- b. In 1:8 the identity is not made obvious.
- c. In 4:8 this Person is the One sitting upon the throne, of Whom it is said in 4:9 that He lives forever and ever.
- d. In 11:17 this Person is, again, the One sitting upon the throne in the midst of the 24 elders who are enthroned before Him.
- e. The "One Who Is" and the "One Who Was" and the "One Who Is Coming" has "coming" as an attribute that is normally assigned to Jesus, but He, apparently, shares that characteristic with the One Who is sitting upon the throne.
- 2. And the Seven Spirits Who are before the throne of Him.
- a. This "may" indicate seven Holy Spirits as a "completeness of spirit", but it may also be a reference to the seven attributes of One Holy Spirit as alluded to in Isaiah 11:2 (spirit of ... the Lord ... wisdom ... understanding ... counsel ... might ... knowledge ... fear of the Lord).
- b. In any case, these "Spirits" are pictured as "before His throne" and, as "sources" of grace and peace along with The Father and Jesus Christ, must be taken to be "deity".
- 1) The word translated "throne" is used in 36 texts of this "Book of The Revelation Of Jesus Christ".
- a) Satan has such a "throne" according to 2:13.
- b) The Son sits with the Father in His throne according to 3:21.
- c) John saw an emerald throne set in heaven with One Who sits on it Who is described in terms of a jasper and sardius stone with a rainbow round about it according to 4:3.
- d) There are 24 thrones set around the emerald throne with 24 elders sitting upon them (4:4).
- e) The Seven Spirits of God are seven lamps of fire before the emerald throne (4:5).
- 2) The One upon the emerald throne is the Father (5:7).
- 3. And Jesus Christ...The Savior/King by name.
- a. The Faithful Witness (five references to "Witness" in this Revelation).
- 1) Referred to again in 3:14.
- 2) Includes His faithful passing on of the "revelation" that was given to Him by God.
- 3) In 19:11 He is called "Faithful" and "True".
- 4) And in 21:5 and 22:6 the words of this prophecy are called "true and faithful" and "faithful and true".
- b. The Firstborn from the dead..."This day I have begotten You..." (Acts 13:33/Psalm 2:7).
- c. And the Ruler of the kings of the earth.
- F. John's ascription of glory...
- 1. To The One Loving us and having loosed us from our sins by His blood.
- 2. And He made us a kingdom.
- 3. Priests to His God and Father.
- 4. To Him the glory and the power unto the ages.
- 5. Amen.