In self-proclaimed “Christian” religious systems outside of orthodox Christianity, followers accept falsity as truth. These religious systems take certain passages of the Bible, and twist them past the point of recognition. Yet, because many of the folks who fall for false religious systems do not know how to study the Bible using correct analytical principles, they do not know truth, and hence, cannot recognize error.

This is the eleventh article in a series about Chapters 1 through 3 of Revelation. As mentioned earlier, during my study of these chapters, God spoke, and still speaks, to my heart through the Holy Spirit whereby it is an actualization of His teaching function expressed in passages like John 16:13-15 and 1 Corinthian 2:12-13. I hope that He does the same for you as we take a look at Chapters 1 through 3 of Revelation.

This article will look at the verses that finish out our review of Chapter 1 of Revelation.

Verses 9-11 give us the circumstances of the writing of the book:

(9) I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. (10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, (11) saying, 'Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.'

We see that the Apostle John had been sent to the island of Patmos because of his Christian witness. It was during a time that he was worshipping the Lord that he received the revelation. In all likelihood John was by himself, he was give a revelation that would impact the world for over 1900+ years later.

In God’s economy, what seems like a hopeless situation actually is an opportunity that has eternal consequences. In the human context, many would have thought that exile to an island would have ended one’s ministry. Yet, for John it provided him with the environment in which he participated in reaching, and still reaches, millions of people through the book of Revelation. This a lesson that teaches us that God can a person out of any one of a number of situations.

Verses 12-16 give us a physical description of the resurrected Jesus Christ:

(12) Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; (13) and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. (14) His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. (15) His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. (16) In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.

This description is awesome! As we continue on with our study, we will see how these attributes correspond to some of the timeless principles in the seven letters.

Finally, Verse 19 sets forth the mandate to John from Jesus to write the book:

(19) 'Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.

There are three basic categories of things he was to write. It is arguable that all three are within Chapters 1-3 of Revelation.

First, certainly John saw the risen Lord Jesus Christ, and he wrote about what he saw. Second, the conditions of the seven churches appear to comprise, “… the things, which are …”. He wrote about the present condition of the churches. Third, John wrote about what would happen to the churches and the individuals. It is arguable that the future events of the churches are within the scope of those “things which will take place after these things.”

At the end of the day, no matter which one of the three categories the seven letters fall into, the guidance set forth therein is directly applicable to 21st Century Christ-followers. Christ-followers must strive to continually obey what we learn from these letters.

As we go through the seven letters you may see your church there. Praise God! You can swap the name of your church for the one in the letter. You can then take to heart what Jesus says to your church. Of course, advice in the corporate context filters down to the individual level.

If you are not a Christ-follower, what has been written above most likely does not make a lot of sense. The Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was very clear that the things of God are foolishness to a lost person:

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18 [NASB95]

If you are not a Christ-follower, you still have good news, and that good news is that your condition in God’s eyes can change, and it can change today!

Please navigate to the CBTC website to the article “How can I be saved?” and click on. That article will go through a brief explanation of what must happen for you to be saved. It will also give you some sources to contact.

In Christ,

Steve Belsheim

An article is always a work in progress. It is never finished, it is just posted. We encourage you to verify what is published on the CBTC website. Be a Berean:

(10) The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. (11) Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so . (12) Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.

[Acts 17:10-12 NASB95]. Emphasis added.

We welcome any comments, criticisms, or concerns you have about the content of the above article. Of course, we hope that any comments are irenic in nature. Please navigate to the “contact us” section and send us an e-mail.

Where noted as NASB95, Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Where noted as NIV, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, by Biblica, Inc., and used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Where noted as NET, Scripture taken from the New English Translation, and Scripture quoted by permission, The Net Bible, Copyright © 2005 by Biblical Studies Press LLC.

Bible reading, Sunday School attendance, and people’s view of the accuracy of the Bible has diminished over the past twenty years. Since Bible study takes more effort than Bible reading, it may not be far off that Bible study is on the way out.

It is foolish to say that a society can function on the basis of what is good for one is ok and what is good for another is also ok. Living life without absolute right and wrong leads to a life of chaos.