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Chapter 8: The Revelation Of Jesus Christ
The book of Revelation was given by Jesus Christ, to John the apostle, to show us, the people living in the last days, the events that must come to pass before his return. By studying the prophecies in it we will not be deceived by the Antichrist or the False Prophet when they arrive, or be disturbed by the evil times that are coming upon the world. Revelation 1:1-3 "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw--that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads 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." There is a special blessing available here for those that read, hear, and do what is recommended in this book. John was exiled on the isle of Patmos for preaching the word of God when Jesus gave him the vision of the book of Revelation. Revelation 1:9 "I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the Island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus." The introduction to Revelation tells of the vision beginning with a loud voice like a trumpet, and of writing on a scroll addressed to the seven churches. Revelation 1:10-19 "On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. Christ clearly identifies himself here as the speaker, when he states that he is the living one, who was dead, and is alive forevermore. He instructs John to write three specific groups of things; what he (John) has seen, what is now, (what is happening in Johns day) and what will take place later, in the future. The book of Revelation has been misunderstood and misinterpreted ever since it was given to John and sent to the seven churches. This is because the events predicted in this book were so far off in the future, nearly 2000 years, that most of the means for accomplishing these prophecies had not even been invented yet. To those people who were born before the year 1900 AD it was like reading a science fiction story. Revelation tells of cities being destroyed in one hour, everyone in the world viewing an event at the same time, and of armies with 200 million soldiers in them. To us today, it is not a problem to visualize these things happening, because we are living in the time period where they are entirely possible. Today, a city can be destroyed in one hour with a nuclear attack. The whole world can view an event happening at the same time with the use of satellite television. China, with a population of over one billion people, and still growing, can easily muster an army of 200 million people. The book of Revelation was given by Jesus Christ for our generation. |