The Chain of Custody
Chapter 1:1-3 tells the origin of the message and how it was distributed. The Revelation was given by God to Jesus. Jesus then gave the message to an angel. Then the angel gave it to the disciple John whom Jesus loved. God shows us who he is sending the message through and who the message is to be sent to. God gave this message to show his servants (followers of Christ) the things that will come to past. You will notice that the scripture says "that will shortly come to pass." You may be saying but it has been over 2,000 years since this has been written. Remember a 1000 years is like a day to God.
2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.He is not bound by our three dimensional world. God is outside of time. Mankind follows the rules of time, God doesn't. Therefore to him it will shortly come to pass. This is also why some prophecies you receive is spoken as if they will happen tomorrow but manifest 5 years later. The book of Revelation is a record of the Word of God, the testimony of Jesus Christ and everything that John was shown on the Island of Patmos where he was exiled for preaching the Gospel.
The Blessing
Verse 3 has some very important information in it that the enemy doesn't want us to know about which is the blessing of reading this book of the Bible. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Everyone that reads this book of the Bible will be blessed. This is the only book in the Bible that has a blessing connected to reading it. Don't get me wrong it is a blessing to read the entire Bible, but God has literally written that we will be blessed in Revelation. You will be blessed if you read it or hear it and keep all that's written within this book. How can we keep what's in the book if we don't read it? Exactly. The time is at hand statement was said often by Jesus throughout the gospels. This phrase means the time is near. This phrase is saying, this is of the utmost importance, the time is now. Many have asked why is this phrase used when it has been over 2,000 years? Remember God is outside of time. God sees the present, pass and future at once. We have to keep living to get to what he has already seen. Who are the Recipients of the Message
Verses 4-6 tells the reader who the message is for. John begins by addressing the Seven Churches of Asia Minor and speaking blessings to them. He also praises Jesus for being the: first begotten son of the dead, prince of the kings of the earth, loving us and washing us in his blood to cleanse us from sin and making us kings/queens and priests unto God his father. Remember this book is written to all Believers but since he is about to speak to the seven churches that's who he addresses at this time. John also shows us that God has no time as we do by saying " to him which is, and which was, and which is to come." God invented time but isn't bound by time.
The Seven Spirits before the throne of God
In heaven there is a visual of everything. Our prayers become incense in Heaven which you will see as we go further. The seven spirits that John sees are the annointing that comes from the Holy Spirit. From the words of my overseer "Jesus is God, he is the source of the seven spirits, His spirit lives in us so we have what he has." Nevertheless, this annointing costs. We must spend time with God in prayer and fasting, reading his Word and having an ear to his voice.
In Isaiah 11:2 we see these spirits listed when speaking about Jesus.
11And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;Establishing the Purpose of the Prophecy
In verses 7-8 John signifies the importance of this unveiling. The coming of Jesus Christ is why this is so important. The entire Bible from the beginning to the end foretells the coming of Jesus. Even Jesus talks about his coming. This is a very important event. The book of Revelation tells of the events that happen up to the Coming of Jesus in the end times which is now. John tells us that Jesus comes with clouds and that everyone will see him. He begins to list those that will see Jesus: those that pierced him, and ALL kindreds of the earth shall cry at his coming. Some will be crying because they now see that Jesus is real, which means Hell is too. Some will be crying because they have been waiting for this moment since they believed that Jesus was the Son of the true and living God. Next Jesus speaks, in your Bible it will be in red lettering when ever Jesus literally speaks. He says "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending" It started with Jesus and it will end with Jesus. The Alpha and Omega is the first and last letter of the Greek Alphabet. People of that time knew exactly what he was saying. God wants us to know this and be prepared for his coming.
The Prophetic Timeline Vs. 9-11
9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
John is showing us who he is and the prophetic timeline in verse 9. John is our brother because once we are born again the Bible says we become sons/daughters of God (John 1:12). The timeline that he shows is Tribulation, The Kingdom and the Patience of Jesus Christ. Despite what we have been taught the church will not get raptured out of chaos. There is no scripture that tells us that, but if you stick with me you will see that scripture does say the saints will be here DURING the tribulation. The only saints that will not be here is those that die before the Tribulation comes. Jesus tells us this in Matthew 24:29-31 I will go more in depth as we go along, but I will ask you not to read this through the paradigm of your church. Take the religious glasses off so that you can clearly see what God is preparing us for. I had to do the same. The Kingdom is next in the timeline. The scripture says that Jesus comes with the Gov't on his shoulders, this is the Kingdom of God. With Jesus comes the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 9:6-7). The Kingdom of God is an actual Government that Jesus will establish on earth when he returns. Lastly, the patience of Jesus Christ. The world has been patiently waiting for Jesus and the saints also. It will be really hard for the saints during the Tribulation. God doesn't do this, satan does as a campaign against God's children. Jesus will be finally here, the wait is over. To read more about the patience of the saints read Revelation 14:12-13.
Key Things to Know Before you go Deeper in Revelation
God gives three major visions that deal with the timeline of things to come. Each vision has 7 key parts to it. These are the: 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets and 7 Vials. Please note that each vision covers a specific length of time. Each one zooms in closer to the event of the coming of Jesus Christ. You will understand more as we go through but always keep that on the forefront of your mind. If you don't, you will be very confused as most are and thus decide to not read it. Please just hang in there because there is truly a blessing in learning it.
John is in the Spirit Realm vs. 10-11
John tells us the he was in the spirit on the Lord's Day. He is in the spirit realm outside of our three dimensional realm. Jesus instructs John to write everything he sees in a book. This is so you and I along with other believers can be prepared for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and the events before his coming. John gives a beautiful description of Jesus. To me it sounds like one of the Most powerful Marvel characters except he's the greatest of the greatest, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Great I Am, the son of the living God, the creator of all things. (Praise Break)
John is so much in Awe that he falls to his knees in Amazement. Jesus puts his right hand on him to calm his fear and tells him who he is in great detail and what the 7 candlesticks and the 7 stars are.
7 Candlesticks & 7 Stars
Jesus tells John to write to the 7 Churches of Asia Minor. Now in those days church wasn't what we have made it to be. There wasn't all these denominations to separate us and our beliefs. They either believed Jesus was the son of God or they didn't. The Church was all the believers in that area. For example all the believers in Detroit would be the Church of Detroit, not Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Catholic, etc. Just the Church. Plain and simple. Leave it to man to make it all about him. The 7 stars were literal angels over that particular region. Each Church listed in the following chapter has an angel assigned to it. The 7 candlesticks are literal churches of Asia Minor which is now Modern day Turkey. Each church is the light in that region. Remember we are suppose to take the light with us where ever we go. We are instructed by Jesus to let our light shine (Matt. 5:15-16). Remember the gathering of believers are the church, not the building. The building has the church in it because we are there. When God uses the word church it's a group in a city. The word used for church is Ekklesia which means a gathering of Called Out Ones, assembly or congregation.
Conclusion
My prayer is that I help others understand the book of Revelation like I was helped. If this detailed over view of Chapter One helps you please share with others. This is not for likes, this is to advance the Kingdom of God. This is to reveal what the devil wanted kept secret. You will never read the Bible the same after you learn the book of Revelation.
