"Write what exists." Chapters 2 and 3 are all about the things that exist in the congregations of God's people. The seven letters that Jesus dictates to John deal with the way things were in his day as well as the way they are in our own day.
"Write what will take place in the future." This part begins in chapter four and takes up the rest of the book. In it Jesus reveals more about the fortunes of Christians in the hundreds and thousands of years that would follow than had ever been revealed before. (Page 40)
From ChaptersTwo: Letters to Seven Churches--the First Four
Again, WOW! Could you think of a better recommendation? Christ Himself was commending them for these things. Many would point to such a church today and say, "Now here's an example of what a church should be like. We ought to try to be like this church." But wait! Something was very wrong---just one thing, according to verse 4. It says they had quit loving like they did at first. "Well, no problem-right? After all, they got all of the rest right, didn't they?" Could love be so important? Yes it could, according to the apostle Paul. In 1 Cor. 13:1-3 he said that it doesn't matter how much good work you do; if it is not done in love it is worthless.
Many would judge the congregation in Ephesus to be just about perfect. But this was not what Christ thought. When we lose our love, we often turn to law-keeping and accomplishment to justify ourselves. Perhaps the church in Ephesus did this. One thing we know; since they had left their first love they were doing all the right things for the wrong reasons. Perhaps they thought they had to do those things in order to be good enough to be saved. In Gal. 5:4 Paul says that when you try to be justified by law you have fallen from grace, and are estranged (separated) from Christ. Christ said to the church in Ephesus in Rev. 2:5: "Remember therefore from where you have fallen." They had fallen, and were in danger of being separated from Christ, not just as individuals, but as a church.
From Chapter Four: God's Temple---The Theater
The Significance of the number 24. Why are there 24 elders? Why not more, or less? The source of this symbol goes back to the provision made for the service in the temple in Jerusalem. This account is found in 1 Chron. 24. The priests were divided into 24 divisions. (Page 103)
Multiples of Twelve. I believe there is another reason in addition to the 24 divisions of the priesthood for the number 24. It has significance because it is the sum of 12 and 12. . . . Wherever the number 12, or 12 plus 12 (24), or 12 times 12 (144) appears it is always a reference to the people of God. (Page 106)
In chapters 4 and 5 there are the 24 elders, a symbol of God's people as priests before God's throne. Why do I say they are priests? In Rev. 5:8 they have the golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints. The business of offering the incense was limited to priests. (Pages 106-107)
From Chapter Five: Producer, Director, and Script
The Lamb is said to have seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God. We have previously seen that the seven lamps of fire are also the seven Spirits of God. . . . At the risk of being over-repetitive, the number seven is a symbol of wholeness or completeness. It stands for all of a thing. In chapter four the seven Spirits of God are seen as lamps of fire. Lamps give light. The Holy Spirit is the source of all inspiration, all enlightenment, and all revelation. . . . Now put the symbols together---the Lamb is Jesus Christ, seven equals all, horn equals power and authority. This is a figurative way of saying that Jesus has all power and authority. (Page 120)
The Lamb also has seven eyes. . . . The obvious use of eyes is to see. . . .seven is the figure for completeness. The Lamb sees all and knows all. (Page 121-122)
We have just been introduced to God as the Producer; Christ the Lamb as the director; and the script---i.e., the scroll taken from the hand of God by the Lamb. The contents of this script will be revealed to us later, after it has been opened. At the bidding of the director the actors in this drama will come upon the stage and play their parts. The lamb has all the authority, knowledge, wisdom and power to be the director of this Divine Drama of the Age. (Page 123-124)
From Chapter Six: The Seals---The Theme of the Drama
In Rev. 6-8 the Lamb removes the seals from the scroll one at a time. As each is removed John is given a vision which reveals part of the theme of the script. This theme will be played out in the drama when the book is finally opened. We should not think of these visions as a succession of events. They are all symbols presenting different aspects of the overall theme. Each vision adds to the others to present a complete picture of the theme. They all pertain to the fortunes of the servants of God, either in terms of what they must suffer, or in terms of judgment upon their persecutors and victory over the world. (Page 128)
From these six visions of the seals we see the theme of the scroll. It includes persecution and suffering, and even death for those who faithfully bear witness to the Word of God. It includes victory over sin, death and the world, including vindication by God's judgment upon the world. How shall we word this theme? How about, "THROUGH PERSECUTION AND SUFFERING TO VICTORY!" (Page 146)
From Chapter Seven: God Provides for His Servants
The number of those who are sealed in the vision is 144,000. Who are they? We don't have to wait for the answer to this question. Those who are sealed are the servants of God. Verse 3 has already told us this. It does not say they are "some of the servants of God," or "a special group of the servants of God," as taught by one sect, nor does it say that they are "the servants of God from the Jewish race," as taught by many Christian teachers. It just says, "the servants of God." By this we can understand that the angel is talking about all those who are the true followers of God. (Page 149)
In Rev. 14:1-5 there is more said about the identity of the 144,000. There they are seen on Mount Zion with the Lamb. The 144,000 are there called, "...the ones who follow the Lamb...." They are the saints who have been redeemed from the earth. On earth they were called the servants of God. Who can they be but the multitude of the people of God? When Revelation itself gives us the meaning, as it does in this case (i.e., the servants of God, the followers of the Lamb), we should not seek further meaning in our own speculations (For a fuller explanation of God's Israel, go to Appendix D). (Page 152)
From Chapter 8-9: Trumpets of Judgment
The script is almost open. The first six seals have been removed. The scroll is filled with writing on the front and back of the sheets. I can just see John wanting to lift the freed corner, anxious to get a peek at its contents. It did not happen since the scroll was part of a vision in which the book isn't given to John until chapter 10 after the book is fully open.
Only one verse deals with the seventh seal. It says, "When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour." There is no vision that proceeds immediately from the opening of the seventh seal. The message is contained in the half hour of silence. (Page 162)
The first four trumpets deal with judgments against the habitat of mankind. This includes the earth, the sea, the fresh water sources, and the heavens.
Although the trumpets are blown one at a time in the vision, we should not think of them as a succession of judgments coming chronologically. They reveal different aspects or different areas of God's judgments rather than different events. They are intended to give more detail to the theme of judgment which will be played out in the drama. (Page 166)
In the blowing of trumpets five and six the judgments are focused on mankind. When man's habitat is affected, as in the first four trumpet judgments, man suffers. But in trumpet five tribulation is sent upon men who have not the seal of God. In trumpet six the judgment is violent death to a third of mankind. (Page 172)
In our text verse 3 says, "Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power." . . . These demons from the abyss are not allowed to kill anybody, but to torment them for five months. . . . There is no torment so painful as the torment of sin in the heart and mind, and in the consciences of men. Sin holds out its allurements to draw men into its clutches. It soon enslaves them and holds them in its grip. Then the pangs of conscience and remorse take over. The mental and emotional pain that grips the heart of men is terrible to see. (Page 174)
From Chapter 10: The Open Book Given to John
The different appearances of Christ thus far in Revelation are as a Son of Man in chapter 1, as a Lion and Lamb in chapter 5, and as an Angel in chapter 10. These are symbolic appearances rather than literal. (Page 186)
The scroll, when first seen, was tightly sealed with seven seals. The seals are removed one at a time, and then a book is seen lying open in the hand of the Angel, with the seals removed. It logically follows that the book in chapter 10 is the same as the one which had the seven seals. The emphasis there was the opening of the closed book. The emphasis here is on the fact that the book is now open. (Page 188)
Here the voice tells him to go and take the little book from the Angel's hand and eat it up. Up to this point the Lamb (Christ) was in the process of opening the book by removing the seven seals. Now the open book is given to John so he can reveal its contents. (Page 192)
Then the Angel commands John to take it and eat it up. Apparently this symbolizes John's absorbing the contents of the book so as to be able to carry the prophecy to the nations. He first had to digest the message and make it a part of his very being, just as food is eaten and digested to become a part of one's body. (Page 193)
From Chapter 11: The Plot of the Drama
John is given the opened book, he devours the book, and digests its contents. After this the first thing he does is to summarize the action of the drama for us, giving a condensed picture of the plot. It may help to see a brief summary of this plot before noticing its details. (Page 195)
The temple of Solomon was situated in Jerusalem. The heavenly temple is also situated in the heavenly Jerusalem. The city mentioned here is not the earthly city where David reigned. It is the city of God, the Holy City, New Jerusalem. (Page 203)
Here that portion of the new Jerusalem which is the church on earth is under persecution. The outer court of the temple is trampled by the Gentiles. They also trample the holy city. What does this mean? It means the church will go through a period of severe persecution by the nations (non-Christians). This is represented as being for 42 months.
What is the period of 42 months? What does it represent? Is it literal? This number is found in one other place. It is the period of time during which the seven-headed beast makes war upon the saints in Rev. 13:4-5. However, there are several other references to time periods that are equivalent. A Jewish month was 30 days. 42 months was therefore 1260 days, as found in chapters 11 and 12. 42 months is also three and one-half years, or "a time, times and a half time." This is found in Dan. 7 and 12 as well as in Rev. 12. They all refer to the same period of time, the time of the persecution of the saints. (Page 205)
These witnesses, like Joshua and Zerubbabel, like Moses and Elijah, are the anointed of God. They draw their strength from the Spirit of God. Through this power, they can do whatever is necessary to finish their testimony-i.e., to finish their prophesying. If need be, fire can come out of their mouths to destroy those who would harm them during the 1260 days. Are these witnesses two literal men? No more than they are two literal olive trees or two literal lampstands. Who, then, are these two witnesses? (Page 208)
