Revelation chapter 1

Exiled on the island of Patmos, John the Apostle greets the churches in Asia Minor. Then he begins to share with them a vision he received from Jesus Christ.

 


 

PROLOGUE

 

VERSE 1. This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John,

This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The Book of Revelation is about Jesus Christ.

which must happen soon. This is about the future. It foretells events that will take place “soon.”

As we’ve seen in other passages, the word “soon” can mean many things. It can mean “in three seconds” or it can mean “in three million millennia.”

 

VERSE 2. who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.

testified. John did not make this up. He faithfully reported to us what God revealed to him.

everything he saw. John does not withhold anything. What we are reading is the real deal.

 

VERSE 3. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Book of Revelation and from the entire Bible.

Blessed is he who reads. God has a blessing in store for those of us who read the Scriptures.

and those who hear. God has another blessing in store for those of us who listen to the Bible being read.

and keep the things that are written in it. The biblical message is meant to be applied to our lives.

When we encounter a new insight, we need to act on it. We need to change our lives accordingly. When we do, God has yet another blessing in store.

 

GREETING TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA

 

VERSE 4. John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne;

Asia. That is, the Province of Asia Minor.

This is the westernmost protrusion of Asia. It makes up the majority of the modern-day Republic of Turkey.

is … was … is to come. Jesus Christ calls himself the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega. Here are the verses about this »

seven. There are a lot of instances of the number “seven” in the Book of Revelation. Here is our list of all we have found.

the seven Spirits. Or “sevenfold” Spirit.

 

VERSE 5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood—

the firstborn of the dead. Jesus Christ is the first one to be resurrected.

him who loves us. Jesus Christ loves us.

washed us from our sins by his blood. This is the essence of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ.

He saved us from our sins, by means of his blood sacrifice.

 

VERSE 6. and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

he made us to be a Kingdom. The collective body of Christian believers everywhere can be thought of as a “kingdom.”

priests to his God and Father. The priestly sacrifice that every Christian believer can offer directly to God the Father is PRAISE.

 

VERSE 7. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

he is coming with the clouds. When Jesus Christ returns to the earth at the End of Days, he will arrive in power and glory. His first appearance will be in the clouds.

every eye will see him. When Jesus Christ returns in glory at the end of time, every person will witness it. It will not be a localized event.

 

VERSE 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

is … was …  is to come. Jesus Christ calls himself the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega. Here are the verses about this »

 

VISION OF THE SON OF MAN

 

VERSE 9. I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

on the isle that is called Patmos. John had been exiled to a remote island.

because of God’s Word. One reason John had been exiled was that he was preaching the Bible.

and the testimony of Jesus Christ. The other reason John was exiled was his witness to Jesus Christ.

John was unambiguous in his message about Jesus Christ. He evangelized.

 

VERSE 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet

I was in the Spirit. John’s words here suggest that being “in the Spirit” is not automatic. If it were, John would not have bothered to mention it.

One can be “in” the Spirit, and one can be “out” of the Spirit.

Are you “in the Spirit?”

on the Lord’s day. John was in prayer on a Sunday.

 

VERSE 11. saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

What you see. This revelation to John was in the form of a vision. It was something he “saw.”

write in a book. The Scripture texts have a human author. But that human author was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Read more »

and send. It is not enough to simply scribe down some words in a private journal.

The message of Jesus Christ needs to be shared with other people. It needs to be shouted from the rooftops. It needs to be promulgated to the ends of the world!

 

VERSE 12. I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands.

seven. There are a lot of instances of the number “seven” in the Book of Revelation. Here is our list of all we have found.

 

VERSE 13. And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.

one like a son of man. The Lord Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man. Read more »

 

VERSE 14. His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.

as a flame of fire. The Bible sometimes associates fire with the presence of the Most High God. Read more »

 

VERSE 15. His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters.

 

VERSE 16. He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.

seven. There are a lot of instances of the number “seven” in the Book of Revelation. Here is our list of all we have found.

right hand. The Bible often mentions “the right hand” of God. That is a position of power and honor. We believe it refers to Jesus Christ. More verses about the right hand.

a sharp two-edged sword. The Bible is living and active. Sharper than a sword, it discerns our thoughts and intentions. Read more »

 

VERSE 17. When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last,

first … last. Jesus Christ calls himself the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega. Here are the verses about this »

 

VERSE 18. and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

the Living one. Jesus Christ truly rose from death. He was resurrected. He lives.

I was dead. Jesus Christ truly died. His death was not a deception.

Hades. What is Hades? Where does it fit in the sequence of events at the end of time?

 

VERSE 19. Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter.

 

VERSE 20. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.

right hand. The Bible often mentions “the right hand” of God. That is a position of power and honor. We believe it refers to Jesus Christ. More verses about the right hand.

 


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REVELATION

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.