We only hear what we want to hear and often ignore much of the rest. Similarly, we see only what we need to see and overlook other details; this is human nature. Imagine what you recall from your walk from home to work—you don't remember everything you saw, nor do you hear the plea of a beggar beside you when your mind is focused on the traffic light. The same principle applies to our spiritual lives. God says, "One who has ears, let him hear; one who has eyes, let him see.”
Revelation 2:7 ' Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ….” This verse is repeated to the churches in Revelation.
What is this Revelation ?
This book of revelation is from Jesus Christ, it was given by God the father to show to his servants what’s to take place.
Revelation 1:1-2 'The revelation from 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. ‘
This book of revelation is for all people who have accepted Christ as their Saviour
This testimony is of an Angel to John - Who testified every thing he saw, the Word and testimony of Jesus Christ
Its given to all the people who have the attitude of Bonded slave for whom this book gives insight , The book of revelation can be understood only if you are a bonded slave to Jesus, if you have given yourself completely to God that you don’t demand anything from him; if you belong to him you don’t demand anything he does to you or not does anything for you.
Its a wakeup call for all of us, you may say I am already spiritual / I am already a church goer / I am already generous giver / I am already a good prayer warrior / I am baptised / I speak in tongues / I am filled with Holy Spirit / I am already a pastor / I am already a Sunday school teacher/ I am already a missionary / I am already a field worker / I am a young christian / No matter where you are in the walk, its a wakeup call for us all (me included) - Pray to God to open your ears to hear this message.
What is the blessing Revelation Promises ?
Revelation 1:3 'Blessed is the one who reads aloud 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 promised here - “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy”
When you read aloud, the Word goes into your ears and soaks the heart Job 34:3 'For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. '
Now you see why Devil does not want Christians to read this book, Most christians ignore this book as it’s too hard to understand as they don’t read this from a servant attitude.
The blessing is for those who obey, it doesn’t matter if you understand or not understand all the prophesies in this book, provided you obey the commands of the Lord in this book.
Who is Jesus Christ ?
Revelation 1:5-6 'and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. '
Who is Jesus Christ to us ? - Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
He our faithful witness - Our faith comes from him
He is our First born from dead - He is a risen king
He is the Ruler of the kings of earth - He holds all the powers in earth and in heaven.
What did Lord Jesus do for us that we should trust him ? Verse 6 - To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father
He loved us when we did not love him - To him who loves us
Bondage of Sin freed with his Blood - has freed us from our sins by his blood
Got unto his kingdom - There are two kingdom (God’s and Satan’s ) - Here he refers that he has redeemed us with his blood to God’s kingdom ~ has made us to be a kingdom
Made us from beggars to priests to serve God the Father as a priest - Only high priest can serve God the Father, the sole purpose of redemption is to serve God the Father - priests to serve his God and Father.
Message to 7 Churches in Revelation
Revelation 1:10 'On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, ‘
Revelation 1:11 '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.” ‘
It’s only in Spirit that we can understand God on what he reveals. When we are in spirit, God’s voice will sound loud and clear as a trumpet.
Like a radio to tune to hear the voice, our hearts have to be in clear conscience with God and men to hear the voice.
First 3 chapters of Revelation, he speaks to seven churches
PLEASE Don’t ignore this is for some one as the word is written to a church
You and I are his bodies in the church, the word for each church is for each of us.
# | Church Name | Read | Type of Chruch | Good Character of Chruch | Corrupt Character of Chruch | God's Assessment | Blessings for Overcommers |
1 | Church of Ephesus | Loveless Church | - Hard working, - Perseverance - Struggles Against Wickedness - Against false prophets | Revelation 2:4 ' Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. ‘ | - Love for God is lost inspite of all Good character's they have | Rev 2:7 - “..I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. | |
2 | Church of Smyrna | Suffering Church | - Their Afflictions, - Poverty yet they were rich in God’s eye’s | Revelation 2:10 'Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. ‘ | - Being afraid to suffer - Suffering will be only for short while (10 days) - Be Faithful to the point of death | Revelation 2:11 .. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. | |
3 | Church of Pergamum | Worldly Church | - Remain True to God’s name - Did not renounce the Faith in Percussion - Being a faithful witness to God | Revelation 2:14-15 ' Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ‘ | - Who followed the teachings of Balaam (which are wicked) - Idol worship - Sexual immorality - Teachings of Nicolatians | Revelation 2:17 .. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. ' | |
4 | Church of Thyatira | Adulterous Church | - Your Love - Your faith - Your service - Your Perseverance - doing more than how you were first | Revelation 2:20-21 ' Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. ‘ | - The name Jezebel had a powerful association. If we call someone a Judas or a Hitler it means something strong. It was also a strong thing to call this woman Jezebel. - The Church tolerated with this woman Jezabel who called her as prophet, but was not a prophet - She mislead Church to Sexual Immorality - Idolatry practices | Revelation 2:26-28 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations, that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ —just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. | |
5 | Church of Sardis | Hypocritical Church | - Reputation of being alive - Few who are Pure and worthy in God’s eyes | Revelation 3:2 'Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. ' | - Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die | Revelation 3:5 'The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. ‘ | |
6 | Church of Philadelphia | Faithful Church | - You have little Strength - Yet you have kept the Word of God - Not denied his name as a true minister for God | Revelation 3:8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. | - He holds the Keys of David, the one who opens no one can shut, the one he shuts no one can open | Revelation 3:11-12 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. ' | |
7 | Church of Laodicea | Lukewarm Church | - Your actions are neither Cold or Hot - I am Rich, I have everything I don’t need anything | Revelation 3:15-16 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ‘ | - Considers so much of proud and self righteous - God’s eye they are wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind and Naked | Revelation 3:19-21 ' Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.’ |
What are the common themes of of Revelation
God Looks at “Deeds” - Among the seven churches, he says to 4 churches on the deeds Rev 2:2 “I know your Deeds” (Also in 3:1, 3:8, 3:15) - the deeds are the actions that stem from our heart, God is not interested in our external view of how the world looks, he looks our inside to see if its clean, does it have the Love, Does it have the righteousness he looks for… So examine your heart in front of him to see if your deeds are right in his eyes.
God looking for us to “Repent” - He is looking for us to repent from the corrupt behaviour. REPENT means expectation from us to do a “U” turn from our existing ways to come to him. The reward promised is for them.
We have to be “Overcomer” - These struggles are going to be there till our last breath on earth, we are called to become overcomer. We might say that we overcame by our close association with Jesus, who is the ultimate overcomer. As Jesus said John 16:33 ' “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”’
Blessing is for one who “Obeys” - the blessing is not for one who just reads it , its for One who obeys by taking it to his heart and repent. when we do that we become an over-comers in Christ. Revelation 1:3 'Blessed is the one who reads aloud 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. '
Do a small prayer, Father, this message is very hard message for me to understand, but I surrender myself as a bonded slave who will serve you. Open my eyes of my deeds which is an abomination in your eyes. Make me repent from that ways, so that I become a overcomer in Jesus name. I commit and surrender in the name of Jesus who is the overcomer and finisher of my faith. Amen !!.
Amen