THE BOOK OF REVELATION: Chapter 1

The types before us here are:

1. Moses at the burning bush.
2. The pause between the Passover meal and the smiting at midnight of the Egyptian firstborn.

The three aspects of the book are past, present and future. This is in harmony with the WHO is, WHO was and WHO will be, God’s  present, past dealings, and future dealings with man, and specifically His Church. And also His Son, the faithful Witness, and first begotten Being resurrected in Holy Glory from among the dead. Here, as in other places in the Scriptures, we see the three titles of honor given to Jesus Christ: Prophet, Priest and King. These answer and are seen in the offices of “He who is”, as the Faithful Witness of the Father;  “He Who was”, slain and risen, the First-born from the dead; and “He Who is to come”, the King of kings of the earth.

VERSE 5 Having no right to Priesthood at His incarnation, but having been the Faithful Witness of the Father on the earth, then crucified and risen, we are told in Scripture  that He now stands most prominently in the office of Priest-King after the order of Melchizedek and that in the Throne room of God in Heaven. As Jesus Christ is presented from a threefold aspect, so are His called out ones. First, each to be found faithful witnesses, then each to rise from the dead (or be caught up before death), and each with opportunity in obtaining the prize to have a part in His coming Kingdom as kings and priests.

He loved us, and is abiding love, and washed us from our sins in His own Blood. [Revelation 1:5] Water washing with a touch and sprinkling of blood fit the OC (Old Covenant) priest to service in the earthly Tabernacle (Exodus 29:4), but it must be THE Blood washing and THE Water washing that fits the NC (New Covenant) kingly priest into the heavenlies’ Tabernacle service. [VERSE 6 with Revelation 20:4-6 & 22:5] The Blood and the Water fit us for the heavenly city as well, which is the Great Temple. [Revelation 21] Better priests, and better prepared than those by the means of OC [Hebrews 6,7,8,9]

VERSE 6 speaks to the future NC contingent discovered in the heavenlies, having been the recipients of grace, not in vain and peace that give glorious grateful praise- seen in chapter 19:1-7. After which this New Covenant will be formally ratified by the Jew upon Christ’s Return, finally lifting the current veil from their eyes with grief (verse 7 The anti-type of Joseph finally revealing himself to his brothers) [Matthew 26:64; Daniel 7:13; Zechariah 12,13,14] THEN THE AGE OF DISPENSATION OF FAITH IS OVER. To “walk by faith and not by sight” is the charge of the NC worthies. Now that every eye sees (VERSE 7), both Gentile and Jew, the Age of calling out a people for His Name by faith closes, with its heavenly kingdom of sons standing in the reward now finally and completely realized in that age lasting 2000 years.

THE 3 GREAT DIVISIONS OF GOD’S DEALINGS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Verse 6 speaks of the NC church’s future realization of the faithful, both those caught up alive and those raised up from among the dead, at the First-resurrection.

Verse 7 speaks to the Jew and Gentiles’ grief  (excluding unbelief).

Now Verse 8 is an even broader, more encompassing declaration of HIM being the beginning and the ending,  and the Almighty, eternal in its scope, and includes all the then existing nations as well as all His other intelligent Creation, including standing and fallen Angels, which much of the Book has to do.

VERSE 9 John, the last of the living Apostles, persecuted, co-partner in tribulation, now is the most qualified to bring forth a comforting message, one that yields to suffering in patience as the special prescription to joining in kingdom inheritance. “If we suffer, we shall jointly reign.” [Romans 8; Revelation 20:4-6] The two-fold reason of John’s suffering, here and elsewhere repeated, is “because of the Word of God, and the testimony of Jesus”.  The Word of God is a phrase used both in OC and NC as Jeremiah was shut up in prison for “the word of God” as so was John the Baptist. But the “testimony of Jesus” has to do with NC doctrine. John, being a Believer and follower of the one, and now the other, testified to both. Both giving great offense to the Roman Authority. Both giving great offense to the end time Anti-Christ and ruling spirit. [Revelation 12:17 14:12]

VERSE 10 Being in the Spirit, communicating in the spirit in a more supernatural way, as opposed to our more natural state of spirit and soul communicating with God in our senses. In that supernatural Spiritual state on the Lord’s Day, seems fitting and highly likely that this was that special day set aside for observance by the early church to recognize the Lord in His Resurrection in Power. As opposed to the Sabbath Day Rest of the OC, given for celebration and observance of the completion and Rest of God as it relates to (Re)Creation and deliverance out of Egypt to establish them in the Rest of the Promised Land. That Rest which has been broken, and for the Christian, we are to enter into the finished Resurrection Rest of God in Christ which the first century church associated with the first day of the week. The Voice like a trumpet is more in line with that sounding of assembly, and the stirring of the heart of the Believer.

VERSE 11 What God accounts worthy for the seeing, describing and commanding of faithful writing down, can we not account worthy of our diligent study? (What was seen in Patmos, written down and sent to the 7 churches.) Seven speaks to the completeness of the Age of the Church. “7” having no eternal abiding, for the numeral “8” speaks to the new beginnings of the Eternal Day after the 7^th Day/MILLENNIUM completion.

Verse 12 & 13 Turning and seeing 7 golden candlesticks….. Although Jesus says they are representative of the 7 churches, it does not necessarily mean that they were but emblems or depictions. As Moses was told the things he was to recreate for the Tabernacle were types of things in Heaven, as the single stem branching out to 7 lamps. (Exodus 25:32,37) It does not seem likely that those things now seen here are shadows of shadows, but are real 7 Lamp stands independent of the other that exist in Heaven’s Tabernacle. Here Jesus now Ministers amongst the 7 different Lamps. Aaron was charged to take care of the lamps, but here the lamps are moral agents and they are charged to remain lit and be light the darkness and are answerable to the Priest, as the Priest is answerable to God.  Jesus is not facing God in intercession but is facing and addressing the 7 Churches; more in line with inspecting and judging for leprosy in the camp!

VERSES 14 & 15 Dressed from head to foot with fine linen and girdle or band of gold around His Chest while His body magnificently shone in perfect righteousness. His eyes of fire piercing and reading the secrets of the hearts of men, strikingly like Daniel 10:5,6 and  the last of Ezekiel 1 with the earthly type found in Exodus 28:8. The subject matter in Daniel’s last vision and some significant prophetic parts of Revelation being the same….the Anti-Christ, the temple, the great tribulation and final deliverance of Israel, their resurrection and reward in the kingdom.

Here, alone in the Heavenly Tabernacle, He appears until His work of complete Atonement is finished, a work still proceeding for a people for His Name out of NC Churches, as well as the continuing interest of Israel’s redemption. [Leviticus 16:1]

VERSE 16 The Sword in His mouth speaks of His full authority to avenge and warning of His severe judgment. This Sword is unlike the Sword of the Spirit ; the Word of God. In this His described picture we see both the Priest of the NC and the hope of Israel.

VERSE 18 “I am he that liveth, and I became dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever, and I have the keys of Death and of Hades.” Jesus as the Son of Man is brought into view here; His human birth, death and resurrection. Sin had entered into the world and the Law could only be satisfied by death. He is our Resurrected Redeemer Priest after the order of Melchizedek. He has entered into Priesthood “in the power of an endless (immortal) life, having suffered death once, and putting it away by resurrection, it can touch Him no more. Now having secured  “the keys of Hades (wrongly translated Hell) and Death.”

Keys speak to authority as they lock and unlock up valuable things, and also things deserving incarceration. Hades and Death are found to be places. Hades is the general term and place wherein are the souls departed, and are awaiting resurrection and final judgment. The Sword in Jesus’ mouth and His Hand which holds the “stars” and the keys he now possesses speak to His now having all authority in three realms, in the heavenlies, on the earth, and under the earth.

Scripture declares Man does not immediately go to heaven or hell (Gehenna) when he dies, but to Hades. 

Hades is the general place of the departed, wherein its boundaries are found. Another place called “death” … death in this Book is referred to as a place. It is there that all spiritually dead go on departing the earth, thus its name “death”.  It is not “Hell” nor is it “Paradise”, but it is that place described in Luke 16 as “the place of torment” adjacent to “paradise”, but separated by a great gulf.  An additional place in Hades is later in the Book discovered to us as “the Abyss”, wherein are held others presumably more powerful and or more wicked. Those who have experienced regeneration, (the living dead) go to another place in Hades known as “paradise”. This is that place Luke 16 refers to as Abraham’s Bosom, and is the place Christ promised to him who died on a cross beside Him would go that day. It is the place that Paul alluded to in the “far better” place when absent from the body, wherein is the greater presence of Jesus Christ.

Christ, having the keys to Hades and Death, has not manifest the release of its occupants, (who yet with out body in resurrection glory have the taint yet of death and are not fit yet for His Holy Presence. In type “paradise is the Holy Place and Hades the Veil to the Holiest Place/Holy of Holies) neither its jewels or prisoners. It only holds the assurance of the fulfilling in the Word of Resurrection Life, “in that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against His Church.” Just as the gates did not prevail against Samson. So it is, the Gates of Hades will not hold His Millennial Kingdom Passover Bride. [Revelation 20:4-6]

How beautifully Christ brings out the Truth of His Kingdom Coming with Peter, to whom He grants the use of that Key, in the judgment authority of including and excluding from that Kingdom offenders in the Church. And by extension in authority, His Apostles may relegate those habitual offenders and Church members to Hades with no part or inheritance in the First Resurrection and Millennial Kingdom of heavens. [Matthew 16:15-19; 1Corinthians 5 & 6]

VERSE 19 reveals the three-fold division of the Book. The things which thou sawest (past.) The things which are. (present) The things which are about to take place after these things (future). Things sawest…refers to those things just seen before he fell on his face as dead. Things which are is the Age of grace and mercy in the calling out of a people for His Name. The things related to this Dispensation, now 2000 yrs old. The things which are about to take place after these things, the prophetic part after the completion of things that are; this Age for the called out ones for His Name, the time of the Gentiles complete, the catching up and the spewing out. Then the hour of great Temptation upon the earth. The time of great vengeance is at hand.

As the Book of Hebrews gives us the transition from Judaism to Christianity, the Book of Revelation gives us the transition from Christianity to God’s restoring Israel, and the Millennium Age and the Eternal following it.

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