The Book of Revelation

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

The Book of Revelation

Revelation meaning the Greek word: Apocalypse - to reveal, to uncover, and to unveil.

Who is God speaking to in the book of Revelation?

Are we living in the days that the book of Revelation is talking about?

The next greatest event on God’s calendar is about to come to pass.

Prophecy is history written before hand. Revelation is history in reverse.

By Missionary Linda Toms

From the Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Jezebel Spirit by Francis Frangipane

Foreword

After much expectation, and many enquiries, the last volume of the late Reverend Henry’s exposition now appears in the world.

I leave this great and good work to speak for itself, and doubt not but it will grow in its use and esteem, and will, through the blessing of God, help to revive and promote family religion and spiritual knowledge, and support the credit of scripture commentaries, through couched in human expressions. These have been always accounted the great treasures of the church, and have greatly promoted its honor and usefulness.

Mr. William Tong by whom the exposition on the epistolary writings, and the Revelation, was completed, as given by J.B. Williams, Esq., U.D., F.S.A., in his memoirs of the life, character, and writings, of the Rev. Matthew Henry, from the Matthew Henry’s commentary.

Preface

This book is simply the effort to eliminate the fears and misunderstanding of the concept of the book of Revelation.

People say that the book of Revelation cannot be understood and in essence do not attempt to read it. God meant for us to understand Revelation and he had to have it written so that it would be applicable to the people four thousand years ago as well as the people of today. When you are writing about something in the future, events, technology and things will change; so you would have to write it in a way that it could be for all times. Prophecy is history written before hand. Revelation is history in reverse.

It is called Revelation because God therein discovers those things, which could have never been sifted out by the reasoning of human understanding. These are the deep things of God, which no man knows, but the Spirit of God, and those to whom he reveals them.

I am a Deaconess of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am deeply indebted to all who have laid the foundation before me. I have sought to give credit to whom credit is due. This book reflects the toils and tears of writers whose efficiency and eloquence have inspired me.

It is my desire and endeavor to inspire others to explore in the reading of the scriptures.

May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit, rule, rest and abide from henceforth and forever more. Amen.

Missionary Linda Toms

Acknowledgements

To God who is the head of my life, to my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ and to the Holy Spirit who is my keeper. Three unique individuals; but one awesome God! I love you.

To my mom Evelyn Cooper & my dad Joe Cooper Sr; after the Creator, without you there would be no me, I love you both dearly.

To my spiritual mom Daisy Freemen; you have been a blessing to me in so many ways-you have no idea how many, I love you also dearly.

To my ex-husband Ralph from whom I have three lovely blessed children, I thank you.

To my children: Sha-nel, Tyisha Hovanec & Ralph 3rd, you have always been there for me and I love you deeply.

To my son-law Mike, and my daughter-law Yvonne, who shares a part of my flesh & blood as spouses to my children, I love you sincerely.

To my oldest granddaughter’s mother Michelle, I love you sincerely.

To my precious angel grandchildren: Jada, A.J., Natalia, Tajon & Nyla - in them I discovered the formula in maintaining your youth - they will not allow you to grow old: come on nana it’s getting late

To my brothers & sisters: Sharlotte, Joe Jr., Randy, Monica, Barry, Pam & Ollie -regardless what life does to disconnect us; we by the grace of God find a way to get reconnected again. I will always love you.

To all my nephews & nieces, I love you dearly

To my closest friend & her companion: Evangelist Sandra Showers & Rev. Andre Showers - during some of my toughest spiritual battles you were there with highly anointed prayers that could conquer any spiritual warfare I could and have engaged in, may God continue to keep & bless you and your household in the endeavor to preach his word. I will forever love you.

To my Pastor - Elder Augustus D. Pullen - one that has contributed greatly in my spiritual growth and has enlightened the gospel to me that I was able to enlighten the gospel to others, may God continues to rein greatly in your life and your family. And the love I have will always be indebted to you all.

To my Rehoboth C.O.G.I.C. family of Bridgeport CT., thank you for providing love & special times as we have gone through many difficult times. I will always remember you in my prayers love you and pray that you contend to the faith. To all of my other relatives & friends- I love you all.

Chapter 1

The Book of Revelation

Revelation meaning the Greek word: Apocalypse – to reveal, to uncover, and to unveil.

The book of Revelation chapter 1 is subdivided into six parts:

1.   The vision of Christ – The introduction verses 1-3

2.   Salutation                                                verses 4-6

3.   Theme                                                      verses 7,8

4.   John the prophet                                    verses 9-11

5.   John’s vision of Christ                        verses 12-18

6.   Visions & Symbols                              verse 19, 20

People say that the book of Revelation cannot be understood and with that they do not read it. God meant for us to understand Revelation and had to have it written so that it would be applicable to the people 4000 years ago and also to the people now. When you are writing about something in the future and its going to be a long way in the future, events will so change, technology will so change and things will so change, so you would have to write it in a way that it could be for all times. Prophecy is history written before hand. Revelation is history in reverse. It is called Revelation because God therein discovers those things, which could never have been sifted out by the reasoning of human understanding, those deep things of God, which no man knows, but the Spirit of God, and those to whom He reveals them.

The vision of Christ, verses 1-3

V1 "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

V2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and all things that he saw.

V3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophesy, and keep those things, which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Christ, as the king of his church, has been pleased thus far to let his church know by what rules and methods he will proceed in his government; and, as the prophet of the church, he has made known to us the things that shall be hereafter. It is a revelation, which God gave unto Christ. Though Christ is himself God, and as such has light and life in himself, yet, as he sustains the office of Mediator between God and man, he receives his instructions from the Father. God gave it to Christ, and Christ employed an angel to communicate it to the churches. John was the apostle chosen for this service. The angels are God’s messengers; they are ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation. They are Christ’s servants. This was to be the last book of divine revelation; and therefore notified to the church by the last of the apostles. John was the beloved disciple. He was the servant of Christ; he was an apostle, an evangelist and a prophet. John at that time was an elderly man. It took a lot of seasoning, it took a lot of maturing, and development before he was able to say, I John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. It was in the context of his difficulty in tribulation when this was bought out to reveal the things he saw. John suffered greatly for the cause of Christ and it cost him much to give us what we have today.

You see after Jesus was exalted as the head of the church he was sat down at the right hand of the Father; his work on earth was finished and complete and so God gave unto him to show unto all of his servants the things that must shortly come to pass. God has promised us in the book of Revelation a special blessing in taking the time to hear and read this book. There are seven B- attitudes in the book of Revelation:

1.   Blessed is he who read the Word.

2.   Blessed is he who hear the Word.

3.   Blessed is he who apply the Word.

4.   Blessed is he who keep the Word.

5.   Blessed is he who study the Word.

6.   Blessed is he who memorize the Word.

7.   Blessed is he who do the Word.

You see the study of the Word is the single solitary most important thing you could ever do because it is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.

Salutation - The beginning, verses 4-6

V4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia; Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

V5 and from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins, in his own blood,

V6 and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen

The apostolic benediction is pronounced more especially and particularly to the seven Asian churches, which are: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. In these seven churches a distinct message was sent to each of them respectively. These messages were sent in the form of a letter. These letter were not only for these churches but applicable for even the churches today. In those days it was a common practice to have a circular letter because they did not have televisions radios or printing places to make copies, so the letter would be read in one church and then sent by carrier to the next church and so on. The Spirit of God was correcting a problem in those churches and those corrections apply to all churches for all times. As John was writing to the churches he wanted the churches which incorporated the people that would live for God to know what was being said; and then he uses the salutation: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, which was, and which is to come. The apostolic blessing is more expressly directed to these seven churches because they were nearest to John, who was now in the isle of Patmos which he was undergoing enslavement under the Roman government, and perhaps he had the peculiar care of them and superintendence over them, not excluding any of the rest of the apostles, but at this time he was the last living of the apostles. What a blessing he pronounces on all the faithful in these churches; Grace, that is, the good will of God towards us and his good work in us; and peace, that is the sweet evidence and assurance of this grace. There can be no true peace where there is not true grace; and, where grace goes before, peace will follow.

Seven Spirits denotes the Holy Spirit and seven is a number that is used for spiritual completion or perfection. And because the Holy Spirit is so graphic and so glorious, he is a person, he is God, and to explain him in just a title, God wanted to do more than that so He put the seven Spirits. Jesus Christ is not the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is not Jesus Christ. Seven Spirits denotes the Holy Spirit. His throne denotes the Godhead. Jesus Christ denotes the three –fold way:

1.   Faithful witness

2.   First begotten of the dead – which is of his resurrection – he was the one resurrected from the dead with newness of life and you and I follow suit because of what he did at Calvary; his death, his burial and his resurrection.

3.   Prince of the kings of the earth.

Jesus Christ was the final blood sacrifice required for the sins of the world. He loved us so much, that he gave his life. John 1:29 says that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, which means that Jesus is the Lamb, provided by God to be sacrificed in the place of sinners. By his death, Jesus provided for the removal of the guilt and power of sin and opened the way to God for all in the world. He has made us kings to rule and priest to minister, but under and because of Jesus Christ we are able to rule and minister.

The theme, verse 7, 8

V7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him and they also, which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

V8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

There are many themes or purposes for the great book of Revelation but the major theme is the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are anticipating at the present time two comings:

The 1st coming is referred to as the rapture – where Jesus will appear in the sky and we will be caught up with him. (Thessalonians 4:16 & 17).

The 2nd coming he will appear on the earth on the mount of Oliveth to take control of the earth. So the 1st coming Jesus will come for his church and the 2nd coming he will come with his church. Clouds of angels, clouds of saints, clouds of witnesses will be riding with him. Every eye shall see him – multitudes of people will see him at the Battle of Armageddon, as cameras from every major network in the world will be represented there. Every saint of God from the beginning of time that was rapture up will come back with Christ riding on white horses – people will see (stare with open eye astonishment) at this great final event. They also who pierced him (which are the Jews). All kindreds – meaning even those that opposed him shall wail because of him. Alpha and Mega- in the Greek alphabet; alpha is the first letter and mega is the last letter. You see Christ was involved in creation, by him all things consist – In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Jesus made all things and without him there is nothing made that was made. Jesus said I am the way, truth and the life and no man goes to the Father except by me.

You see God gave the order

Jesus Christ did it, and

The Holy Spirit carried it out.

Jesus is from eternity and has all authority.

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit – three persons – one God.

John the prophet, verses 9-11

V9 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.

V10 I was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

V11 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 was approximately 100 years old; all of the disciples were gone; died of violent deaths. John was an elderly man not far from death when Jesus revealed the book of Revelation to him. It was in the context of his difficulty in his tribulation that this was brought out. The Roman government was at this point persecuting him, and he suffered tremendously.

The account given of the person who was favoured with this vision. He describes himself:

1.   By his present state and condition. He was the brother and companion of these churches in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Christ. He was, at their time, as the rest of the true Christians were a persecuted man, banished, and perhaps imprisoned, for his adherence to Christ. He was their brother, though an apostle; he seems to value himself upon his relation to the church, rather than his authority in it: Judas Iscariot may be an apostle, but not a brother in the family of God. He was their companion: the children of God should choose communion and society with each other. He was their companion in tribulation: the persecuted servants of God did not suffer alone; the same trials are accomplished in others. He was their companion in patience, not only a sharer with them in suffering circumstances, but in suffering graces: if we have the patience of the saints, we should not grudge meeting with their trials. He was their brother and companion in the patience of the kingdom of Christ, a sufferer for Christ’s cause, for asserting his kingly power over the church and the world, and adhering to it against all who would usurp upon it. By this account he gives of his present state, he acknowledges his engagements to sympathize with them, and to endeavor to give them counsel and comfort, and bespeaks their more careful attention to what he had to say to them from Christ their common Lord.

2.   By the place where he was when he was favoured with his vision: he was in the isle of Patmos. He does not say who banished