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A Study in Revelation

Write in a Book And Send it to The Seven Churches

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

John 1:1-2 KJV    

In the beginning of this book, John wrote that God has given the Revelation to him to show His servant which must shortly come to pass.

 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.

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia...

Verses  3 and 4   

John wrote further that the ones who reads and hear and keep the words of this prophecy written in them blessed because the time is at hand. John addresses this letter to the churches which are in Asia gives this salutation:

Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 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, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (verses4-6)

And John continues:

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.

 (Verse 7)

In verse seven it is clear that John told these seven churches to behold--Jesus coming with the clouds. This coming is what the churches are looking for  in which "every eye will see him..."

Zechariah wrote concerning the Lord's coming:

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (12:8)

Referring back to verse seven in Revelation, the one who pierced the Lord will also mourn, just as Zechariah wrote. This coming is clearly after the tribulation. At this coming everyone will see him. You won’t find John telling the seven churches to look for a pre-trib coming which will come in secret!

 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.

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.

Verses 8 and 9

John continues to write and address himself as "your brother, and companion in tribulation." If John is separate from the tribulation and to be in heaven during this time would he have written this? Therefore it is very clear that John and these churches were looking for Jesus coming which happens after the tribulation.

At Jesus’ ascension into heaven, when He departed, the disciples were looking into the sky. Two men where standing by them and said "This same Jesus which is taken up from you in heaven will come in like manner"1 as they have seen him go into heaven. The two men did not tell them Jesus was coming down half-way, then take them back up into heaven.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,  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

Verses 10-11

John continues to write that he was in the spirit on the Lord’s day and behind him he heard a great voice, which was the Lord Jesus telling Him to write what he sees  in a book and send it to the seven churches. Notice, there aren’t instructions  for John to to send it to the churches and then to "tribulation saints" or the Jews. 

There will be further comment on verse 10  in the study of the seven churches.

Footnotes

1-Acts 1:11

 

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