Notes
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 1:1-3: Inscription
St. John uses a lot of Old Testament imagery and allusions. One must have a solid and thorough understanding of the Old Testament to properly read the Revelation of Jesus Christ to St. John. These references will be pointed out when they occur. St. John also refers to some of the New Testament writings (the Gospels and the Pauline Epistles) which were in full use in the churches at this time. These will also be pointed out.
Title:
Revelation of Jesus, which God gave Him, to give to St. John through His angel. Revelation is singular, not plural. There is only one revelation.
Purpose:
To show His servants what is to come to pass. He that reads and hears and keeps these words of the prophecy is blessed, because the time is near.
Symbolism in Revelation:
Numbers:
One=Unity, God
Two=Christ, duality
Three=Trinity
Four=World (four corners)
Five=Complete man (five senses)
Six=Incomplete, sinful man (one less than seven)
Seven=Completion/Perfection (seven days in a week)
Eight=Eternity (salvation was created on the eighth day (first day of the week))
Nine=Multiple of Three (multiples intensify numbers)
Ten=Complete perfection
Twelve=Church (twelve Apostles and Patriarchs)
Three and a half=Persecution, Tribulation (a specific time allotted for the persecution)
Twenty-Four=Double Twelve, Old Testament and New Testament
When a number is squared or multiplied the number is intensified. When two numbers are combined both meanings of the number occur. When a number is combined with a specific time (days, weeks, months, years, etc.), the amount of time is determined by the how long the unit of time is, e.g., 3 ½ days is shorter than 3 ½ years.
Colors:
White=Purity, victory, holiness, righteousness
Red=Blood, Holy Ghost, aggression, fire, sacrifice, martyrs
Black=Famine, starvation
Pale Grey=Death
Objects:
Lampstand or Candelabra=Churches, Light of the Christ
Book or Scroll=Heavenly record (everything which is to happen has been written in eternity)
Seal=Something set apart as property of the one doing the sealing; closed off from human consideration)
Trumpet=Announcement of an event
Fire=Wrath of God Eyes=Knowledge
Horns=Power
Heads=Rulers, authority, the power to rule
Incense=Prayer
Bowl=Carries things of Heaven to Earth and from Earth to Heaven
Sea=Evil human government
Land=Organized religion distinct from the Christian faith.
Harlotry or Fornication=Idolatry, falsifying the truth of God
Jewels=Glory
Flowing or Living Water=Life or truth
Stars=Angels (pastors) in charge of churches
Martyr=Witness of the Gospel
Two-edged Sword=Word of God (Law and Gospel); Symbol of attack
Shield=Symbol of defence
The Occasion for the book:
In 95 A.D. Emperor Domitian demanded people worship him, and “Roma” (the personification of the Roman Empire as a goddess). Those who refused to, i.e., Christians, were persecuted and martyred. Revelation was written by St. John to inspire faithfulness. This book incorporates all of human history. He did not merely predict events. He wrote of the kinds of things that happen to man on Earth, and to the church on Earth. Domitian was the occasion for its writing and colored many of the statements. But he is just one example of how the Church is persecuted throughout time. This is why in every generation we can point to this or that horrific thing or ruler that points to something in the Book of Revelation. St. John talks about the troubles the Church faces at any time and about the glories that await us in Heaven. Many believe Revelation is a description of the eternal things that happen in the liturgy. The book is written in apocalyptic style. Apocalypse means uncovering or unveiling. It is the Lord God revealing (uncovering) for His Church what things are going to happen to them in this life until the Last Day. Apocalyptic literatures main feature is dualism. Dualism is the forces of evil conflict with the forces of God. This world is pictured as hopelessly evil. They are under the control of Satan, who works either directly or indirectly through human agents. For this reason, the Church on Earth is oppressed, persecuted, and martyred (Church Militant). God fights with Satan both through forces of nature and His Gospel witness preached on Earth. God’s victory is assured. He will destroy this evil world and usher in a new age and new world. It will be perfect and eternal. We can rest comfortably in this hope. Apocalyptic dualism requires everything to be either black or white, or good or evil, there is no gray area. A picture of ultimate evil cannot be any particular man or government. The same is true with the picture of ultimate good, it is not any particular church or church body. We can see aspects of evil and good, in particular people and organizations. St. John uses symbolism to show this. We can see in reading this book our own struggle with evil and see our ultimate victory and crown in Heaven. Revelation is not chronological, or a series of events one after another. It is a series of visions (and visions within visions), many which encompass all of human history.
Outline of Revelation:
Revelation has a very carefully planned outline with the number seven as the theme symbolizing the completed work of the Lord God.
Seven letters to the churches.
Seven visions within the main body each with seven parts
The book contains statements of horror and woe for mankind, meant to lead us into repentance, with interludes showing the hope of eternal life in Heaven. The book closes with a vision of the glory of the Church resting in eternity.
I. Introduction (ch. 1)
II. Letters to the Seven Churches (ch. 2 & 3)
III. The World’s Dread History (ch. 4-20)
A. Introduction, Throne Room (ch. 4)
B. Lamb of God and Sealed Book of History (ch. 5)
1. Seven seals, dread aspect of human history (ch. 6)
a. Interlude, the Church Triumphant (ch. 7)
2. The Seventh Seal, the Seven Trumpets: catastrophes to the Church (ch. 8-11)
a. Interlude, the scroll and God’s witnesses (ch. 10:1—11:14)
3. The kingdom of the Dragon: attacks on the Church (ch. 12 & 13)
4. The Downfall of the Beast
5. The Seven Bowls of Wrath: calls to repentance (ch. 15 & 16)
6. The Fall of Babylon (Rome and all evil governments) (ch. 17 & 18)
7. The Final Defeat of the Beast and the entrance of the New Age (ch. 19 & 20)
C. The Promise of the New Jerusalem: Epilogue (ch. 21 & 22)
Chapter 1:4-8: The Salutation
This salutation breaks into three parts: 1) The address and greeting to the seven churches. (vs. 4-5a) 2) A doxology of praise. (vs. 5b-6) 3) The great theme of the Book: The announcement of Christ’s glorious victory at His coming on the Last Day. (vs. 7-8).
Jesus is called the “Faithful witness, Firstborn of the dead, and Ruler of the kings of the earth.” These refer to His threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King.
The two-fold doxology in verse 5 becomes a three-fold doxology in 4:11, four-fold in 5:13, and seven- fold in 7:12.
With verse 8 the speaker switches from St. John to the Lord Jesus.
The title “Almighty,” a title used of the Lord God often in the Old Testament, occurs nine times in the book of Revelation. It only occurs one other time in the entire New Testament (2 Cor. 6:18). The Greek word is used to translate the Hebrew Shaddai “Almighty” and Elohe Sabaoth “God of Hosts.”
Chapter 1:9-20: Introductory Vision
This vision can be split into three parts: the time and place of the vision (vs. 9-11), the description of the Christ appearing in His glory, (vs. 12-16) and the responsibility given to St. John by the Christ Himself. (vs. 17- 20).
St. John begins in the prophetic style of Daniel the prophet “I John” (see Dan. 9:2; 12:5).
St. John is on the isle of Patmos. It is a small, rocky island, one of the Sporades in part of the Aegean known as the Icarian Sea. It is about 30 miles from land and just visible from Miletus. He was exiled there for his preaching of the Gospel by Domitian probably to work in the marble mines. He was called back to Ephesus a year later by Emperor Nerva.
St. John states that he was “in the spirit on the Lord’s Day.” This vision takes place on a Sunday during the Divine Service. This is why many believe this vision is of the eternal realities that take place in Heaven, while we worship here on Earth.
“In the spirit” means being in a state of ecstasy; supreme joy at being in the Lord’s presence in the Divine Liturgy. This phrase is used four times (1:10, 4:2, 17:3, 21:10) in the Apocalypse. Every time it is at the point of some crisis in the development of the visions.
On the Lord’s Day is used for the first time to designate Sunday, the day of resurrection and the day of worship.
There was a great voice like the sound of a trumpet. The trumpet was used in the Old Testament in worship and in war. In worship the trumpet was used as an announcement of the time of worship; of the time of the sacrifice (see Num. 10:10; Joel 2:15).
The voice says, “What thou seest, write.” Say, see, write. St. John is told to write something twelve times in the book of Revelation (1:11; 1:19; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14; 14:13; 19:9; 21:5).
After St. John writes what he sees, he is then to send it to the seven churches. The seven churches are listed here in order that a messenger from Patmos, or Ephesus, would have delivered them: (From Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and then to Laodicea).
These seven churches, even though they are historical churches, represent all of the churches throughout the world in all times and places.
St. John turns around to see who voice it was that spoke and saw seven golden candlesticks, or lampstands with the Christ in the middle of them. In the tabernacle there was one golden lampstand with seven branches (Ex. 25:31-32). King Solomon had built ten golden lampstands for use in the temple (1 Kings 7:49). One golden candlestick of the Law (Ex. 25:31-32; Zech. 4:2) becomes seven golden candlesticks of the Gospel. The Gospel illumines the Christian more than the Law of God. It is not indicated whether the candlesticks have one or seven branches, but it would make sense if it was the latter, since it would complete the Old Testament imagery.
In the midst of the candlesticks is the image of a “Son of Man” the phrase our Lord used often to refer to Himself. He is clothed with a garment down to His feet, which represents His office of both Priest and King, for both of them wore such garments. He is also girded with a golden girdle, or belt, this symbolizes His kingly office. It is of pure gold, differing from the high priest’s girdle which was interwoven with gold.
The Christ is described in the same way the Daniel the prophet described the Ancient of Days. White symbolizes purity. White hair would indicate the wisdom that comes with age.
His eyes were as the flames of fire. Fire in the Scriptures symbolizes wrath. Here it symbolizes omniscience combined with holy wrath against all things unholy.
His feet were like burnished brass. Literally, His feet were like white brass, brass that has been heated to the point of turning white. The image represents that wherever He walks unholiness will not be able to withstand. The voice of many waters represents an irresistible voice. Believers flock to the sound of the voice, unbelievers tremble and shy away from it.
He holds in His right hand seven stars. This represents the seven churches. That they are in His right hand symbolizes that they are His own. He protects them, cares for them, nurtures them, and possesses them as His own.
From His mouth proceeds a sharp two-edged sword. The Word of God used as an attack against all that is unholy.
His face shone like the sun at its highest peak. This calls to remembrance the vision that St. John saw on the Mount of Transfiguration (John 1:14). This symbolizes how sinful man cannot look upon the righteousness of the Christ when He comes to them in judgment.
St. John falls on his face for it is a dreadful thing for sinful man to come into contact with the perfect God. He is dead in his sins and trespasses. And the Lord Jesus raises him up from the dead by His Word: “Fear not.” The Lord comforts him and assures him of His grace toward him.
Scriptures References in Chapter 1:
Verse 2: “Who bare witness of the Word of God”, John 1:14
Verse 4: “Grace and peace”, a common greeting in the New Testament writings; “Which is, which was, and which is to come”, Ex. 3:14; “Seven spirits”, Zech. 3:9; 4:10
Verse 5: “Firstborn of the dead”, 1 Cor. 15:20; 2 Cor. 4:14; Col. 1:18; “Ruler of the kings of the earth”, Matt 28:18; Phil. 2:9-11; Eph. 1: 20-23; Ps. 89:27; Is. 55:4; “Loosed us from our sins” 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 Pet. 2:24
Verse 6: “Made us…to be priests” Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:5
Verse 7: “He cometh with the clouds”, Dan. 7:13; Matt 24:30; 26:64; Mark 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27; “Every eye shall see Him” Matt. 24:30; 25:32; Acts 1:11; “They which pierced him” Zech. 12:10; John 19:37; “All the tribes of the earth shall mourn” Matt. 24:30
Verse 8: “Almighty” Job 5:17; “God of Hosts” Jer. 5:14; 15:16; 44:7; Amos 3:13; 4:13
Verse 9: “In the tribulation and kingdom” John 16:33; Acts 14:22 “Patience” James 5:7-8 Verse
10: “In the spirit” Matt 22:43; Mark 12:36; “I heard behind me…” Ezek. 3:12
Verse 13: “Son of Man” Dan. 7:13; “Long garment” Zech. 6:12-13; “Golden girdle” Ex. 28:8; Is. 11:5; Dan. 10:5; Eph. 6:14, especially Is. 22:21
Verse 14: “White as wool, as snow” Dan. 7:9
Verse 15: “Burnished brass” Dan. 10:6; “Voice of many waters” Ezek. 43:2
Verse 16: “Sharp two-edged sword” Is. 11:4; 2 Thess. 2:8; Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12
Verse 17: “As one dead” Is. 6:4; Dan. 8:17; “He laid His right hand upon me.” Ezek. 2:1-2; “First and the Last” Is. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12
Chapter 2-3: The Letters to the Seven Churches
The letters to the seven churches show us the state of the Church in St. John’s day and indicates God’s attitude toward the Church in every age. The seven churches, according to church antiquity, were all established in some way by St. John. They form a complete circle in Asia Minor. These seven letters to the seven churches represent God’s admonition to all the Church in every time and in every place.
Scripture References in Chapter 2: