Book of The Revelation of St. John the Divine study, chapter one, verse one
Note: Every verse in the Bible has three applications; historical context, doctrinal import, and spiritual application. Read the verse literally where it can be taken literally, and to whom it is specifically written, and at what time for doctrinal import. All verses can be spiritually or practically applied to the believer of any age with an understanding that most verses do not fit this age doctrinally. Prophetic verses may also have a double application with history repeating itself. Study the Bible horizontally as per 1 Corinthians 2:13. Lexicons and dictionaries are not inspired or inerrant.
Revelation
The Key to Understanding the Bible
Chapter 1 – Introduction
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants
1. A ‘revelation’ is a mystery revealed. See Ephesians 3:3; Romans 2:5; 16:25; 1 Corinthians 14:6, 26; Galatians 1:12; 2:2; Ephesians 1:17; & 1 Peter 1:13.
2. Jesus is the Greek version of Yeshua or Joshua, as written in the Old Testament. Note that there are many types of Jesus in the Old Testament and that Joshua himself, is a type of Jesus. Read this verse in reference to Joshua of the Old and Jesus (Acts 7:45). Please note in reference to this cross reference the routes that the conquering Joshua takes upon his entry into the Holy Land as some older commentators claim this is relevant. This is important later. Jesus is the human name of our Lord and is not the name of our Lord in his position as the Father or the Holy Spirit. Read Matthew 1:21. Jesus means ‘Jehovah is salvation’ as does Joshua. Some people think the book is wrongly called the Revelation of St. John because it says the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The traditional title refers to the Revelation given to John and the first verse refers to the fact that it was a revelation revealing Jesus Christ. The preposition “of” can indicate the object or the subject of a thing.
3. Christ, meaning ‘anointed’. Note that Lucifer is also “anointed” in Ezekiel 28:14. He is just not “the Lord’s anointed” as in 1 Samuel 16:6; 24:6; 24:10; 26:9,11,16, & 23. Luke 2:26. Also in 2 Samuel in a handful of verses although the reference in these verses is to someone who is one of the great TYPES of anti-christ, Saul, first human king of Israel.
4. God is a reference to God in his person of ‘the Father’ in contrast to ‘Jesus Christ’ who is God the Son. The Revelation is passed from the Father to the Son to his servants.
5. ‘His servants’ and his relationship with them can be explored in the following verses; Matthew 18:23; 21:34; 21:35; 22:3, 6, 8; Mark 13:34; Luke 15:22; Revelation 10:7; 19:2,5; 22:3,6.
things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto
1. Time is seen differently by God than by man. A day is as a thousand years (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8. The time between the resurrection, the church age, or the revealing of these things, and the end of history is revealed by this method, perhaps; (Ecclesiastes 6:6; Matthew 14:25; 24:42, 43; 25:13; Mark 13:35; Luke 12:38; Luke 21:36). For something to shortly come to pass in prophetic terms is relative to the way God views time, not the way we view time.
2. Note that information is sent or given to someone to pass along. The Jews are initially given God’s light to pass along (Isaiah 49:6, 60:3; Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47, 26:23; Romans 3:2; John 4:22) not the Greeks or the Romans. Individuals are given God’s word to pass along to their fellow Jews by inspiration (Job 32:8; 2 Timothy 3:16; Genesis 8:15, 9:8; Exodus 6:29, 8:1). Note the frequency of the use of the word ‘spake’ in regard to God speaking to Abraham, Moses, Aaron, etc. in the first five books of the Bible, then Joshua and Judges. Also note that nature of the spoken inspired word reduced to writing in the Prophets (Jeremiah 36) and note the underscoring of the importance of the spoken word to these prophets (Hebrews 1:1). Inspiration is verbal. Scripture is given by that inspiration. Is Paul talking about the original penned manuscripts in 2 Timothy 3:15 which verse 16 is predicated upon? Is it even possible that Timothy had the original books of Moses in front of him?
3. An angel is an appearance on Earth of someone who is in Heaven or an appearance in Heaven of someone who is on Earth. Although an angel can deliver a message, many times it does not, but executes some action. (Genesis 16:7,9,10,11; 21:17; 22:11,15; 24:40; 31:11; Exodus 3:2; 14:19; Numbers 22:22-27, 31, 32, 34, & 35; Judges 2:1,4; Judges 5:23; 6:11, 12, 20, 21, & 22; 13:6, 9, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21; 1 Samuel 29:9; 2 Samuel 14:17, 20; 2 Samuel 19:27; 2 Samuel 24:16; 1 Kings 19:7; 2 Kings 1:3, 15; 2 Kings 19:35; 1 Chronicles 21:12, 15, 16, 18, & 30; Psalms 34:7; Psalms 35:5; Isaiah 37:36; Daniel 3:28; Zechariah 1:11, 12; 3:1, 5, & 6; Zechariah 12:8; Matthew 1:20, 24; Matthew 2:13, 19; Matthew 18:10; Matthew 28:2; Luke 1:11; Luke 2:9; Acts 5:19; Acts 7:30; Acts 8:26; 10:3; Acts 12: 7, 11, 15, 23; 27:23; Revelation 21:17.) . Note particularly the verses in bold for understanding.
his servant John:
1. John was the disciple that Jesus loved (John 19:26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20) and the apostle is a type of the church. (John 13:23; 19:26; 20;2; 21:7, 20.). Notice also, the type of the church found in the Song of Solomon and note context of Isaiah 5:1-7. Note the prophetic importance with regard to Israel (Exodus 4:22) and the church, the body of Christ, consisting of those who have received him (John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 12:12-28; Colossians 1:24) in Deuteronomy 21:15-17. Read Mark 12:1-12. Read the following verses and contexts to think about (Deuteronomy 33:12; Psalm 60:5; Psalm 108:6; Psalm 127:2; Proverbs 4:3; Matthew 3:17; 12:18; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22; 9:35; Luke 20:13 and with regard to Christians specifically; Acts 15:25; Romans 1:7; Romans 9:25; Romans 11:28 (with regard to Jeremiah 11:15; 12:7; Hosea 3:1; 9:16); 12:19; 16:8; 16:9; 16:12; 1 Corinthians 4:14; 4:17; 10:14; 15:58; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 12:19; Ephesians 1:6; 6:21; Philippians 2:12; 4:1; Colossians 3:12; 4:7; 4:9; 4:14 ; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-13; 1 Timothy 6:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Philemon 1:1; 1:2; 1:16; Hebrews 6:9; James 1:16; 1:19; 2:5; 1 Peter 2:11; 4:12; 2 Peter 1:17; 3:1, 8, 14, 15, 17; 1 John 3:2, 21; 1 John 4:1, 7, 11; 3 John 1:2, 5, 11; Jude 1:3, 17, 20; & Revelation 20:9) for prophetic importance. Note how Daniel is “beloved” as well in Daniel 9:23; 10:11; & 10:19 and receives a special revelation from God.
