The Seven Letters

While there is nothing especially difficult to understand in this first section of The Revelation of Jesus Christ, there are a few key points essential for rendering meaning from the later chapters. To start, it begins with a promise:

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. (v. 3)

He is blessed who reads, hears (understands), and keeps (adheres to) the words written in it. Then, as a way of understanding the later prophecy, we are given a set of sevens, beginning with the seven churches in Asia:

“What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea," (v. 11)

The number 7 here, and throughout Revelation, represents indefinite completion, as in the seven days of creation or forgiveness 70 times 7 times. What this means is the Book of Revelation is written for all the churches of all times during the Gospel Age. Jesus himself tells John the context of the book is relevant to the past, present, and future:

Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. (v. 19)

We then find that each of the seven churches has seven distinct characteristics:

1) Ephesus: backslidden
2) Smyrna: tribulation
3) Pergamos: false doctrine
4) Thyatira: idolatry
5) Sardis: spiritual deadness
6) Philadelphia: perseverance
7) Laodicea: lukewarmness

Note: it is often said that these seven churches represent the seven successive stages of the church, and that we are now in the Laodicean age. However, there is simply nothing here to indicate anything like ages or stages of the church or any kind of progression from one to another. Any church or Christian could find themselves in one or more of these conditions at any time now, in the past, or in the future. There is really no sensible or plausible way to think that anything written here does not apply to all Christians at all times--it just could not be that way.

There are also seven rewards for those who overcome:

1) Will eat from the tree of life.
2) Shall not be hurt by the second death.
3) Will eat hidden manna.
4) Will have power over nations.
5) Will be clothed in white garments and confessed before Father.
6) Be a pillar in the Temple of God.
7) Will sit with Jesus on His throne.

The all-inclusive pattern of sevens introduced in the first three chapters of the Book not only applies to Christians throughout the Gospel Age, but gives us a structural map for reading/understanding the the seven visions that follow.

New Heaven and New Earth

In Chapter 21, John reports on a vision from the Heavenly realm, but now, for the first time, we are past the Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls timeline.

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (vv. 3-4)

The reader will need to keep in mind here that this vision is still presented in the prophetic future tense. John is seeing a Heavenly vision of the future presented within the context of the believers' eternal destiny being assured:

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

 Those believers, the "bride of Christ," are described a second time as a great city, New Jerusalem:

“Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. (vv.10-11)

It seems here, too, that New Jerusalem is being used to describe not only the Bride, but the place prepared for her--that which was spoken of by Jesus:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:3)

The reader will recall from Chapter 7 that there were 144,000 saints sealed by the angel, and this number was dissected as such:

12 x 12 x 1000

12 Tribes of Israel

12 Apostles of Jesus

1000 the [indefinitely large] number of saints

We find that same formula here in New Jerusalem, the place prepared for her:

Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel (21:12)

Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (v. 14)

Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. (v. 17)

At the start of Chapter 22, we read of the "river of the water of life" as well as the "tree of life" which produces 12 kinds of fruit. We also find that there will be no more curse:

And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. (v. 3)

We get an idea here of an order restored similar to what God created in the Garden of Eden. This is the point that Daniel must have been referring to as the 1335 days.

Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. (Daniel 12:12)

Then Jesus tells John:

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (v.7)

"I am coming quickly!" is repeated three times in the chapter, thus signifying its importance. In the Matthew 24 post, this issue was taken up with the "nigh" and "at the door" analyses. What we are being told here is to wait expectantly on the Lord. To live our lives as though He will return at any moment, therefore keeping His commandments as we are told:

Blessed are those who do His commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. (v.14)

Obviously, we here in the present time understand that Jesus wasn't saying that he was coming back soon after this series of visions. But rather, He is telling us that His return will be swift and unexpected, or, like a thief in the night.

At the close of the Book we find a serious warning:

For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (vv.18-19)

At the beginning of the Book, we read of the blessing associated with it:

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. (1:3)

There is blessing for anyone who reads and keeps the words of this prophecy and serious repercussions for anyone who distorts this prophecy.This warning is immediately followed by the third statement:

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” (v. 20)

This statement repeated three times is in keeping with a pattern that establishes emphasis through repetition. As in the beginning of these reports, we are once again referred back to Genesis 41, the vision of Pharaoh:

And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. (v. 32)

Seventh Vision: Judgment of Satan

Chapter 20 presents the seventh and final vision of judgment. While this chapter produces some of the most bizarre interpretations concerning the 1000 year period and the unbinding of Satan, it is rather simple and easy to understand given two premises:

1) The 1000 years is the supernatural equivalent to the 1260 days/42 months. It is an indefinite period. In other words, the 1000 years is occurring now. The spiritual realm does not operate using a days/months/years timeline as our natural world does, so it makes perfect sense to have a symbolic parallel to define this period.

2) Satan was "bound" by Jesus Christ at His first advent. This has been made quite clear in the Scriptures:

Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. (Matt. 12:29)

John 12:31:

Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

It is important to understand here that cast out, cast down, and bound all mean the same thing: that a limitation has been imposed on Satan and his angels. Like the fall of man, or Babylon being fallen, it describes a degenerate state of being. Because of this we have been given power over them:

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. (Luke 9:1)

It would benefit the reader here to review Chapter 12 as it describes the same process shown here; that is, the casting down of Satan following the First Advent of Jesus Christ.

So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (v. 9)

We remember a similar situation described in the Book of Job:

And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” (1:12)

Satan was already on the earth in those days. He was given as certain amount of power over Job, but was imposed with a limitation: he was not allowed to kill Job. And we remember from the Bowl and Trumpet analyses that the 6th of these are marked by unbound demonic activity; this is the same point when the Two Witnesses are killed.

Chapter 20 begins at the start of the Gospel Age, when Satan is bound:

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; (vv. 1-2)

We are also told that he will be released:

But after these things he must be released for a little while. (v.3)

Then in verses 4 through 6 we find a parenthetical aside wherein the saints/God's people are shown in Heaven:

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (v.4)

Again, this 1000 years is the same time period as the 1260 days tribulation, only in the supernatural realm. This period of time is synchronous to the Fifth Seal period--the long passage of time--when the saints in Heaven ask "How long, O Lord?"

We then read that these saints are of the First Resurrection:

But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

There are two deaths: the body is the first, and the death of the soul is the second. The rest of the dead, the unsaved, or those with the mark, will live again to face the second death at the Throne of Judgment. In the above verse, "This is the first resurrection" refers back to the saints mentioned first.

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (v.6)

So:

1) First death: death of the body, both saved and unsaved.
2) First resurrection: souls of the saints/saved. Reign with Christ during the 1000 years.
3) Second resurrection: at the end of the 1000 years; souls of unsaved for judgment.
4) Second death: souls of unsaved only.

The beginning in Verse 7, the focus is shifted back to earth when Satan is unbound:

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. (vv.1-2)

Satan being released from his prison means that he is unbound, or the limitations have been removed.

And again we read of this final battle, typically referred to as "Gog and Magog"--although this refers more to the nations rather than a battle itself. This is the same as "Armageddon." In the last article it was asked whether this final battle was against Jesus' Second Coming directly, or against His people just prior to His Second Coming.

They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. (v.9)

Verse 9 seems to give the make the latter the most sensible reading here. Satan's army surrounds the saints' camp and the beloved city, "Jerusalem," the Bride of Christ.

The battle is decided in short order, then the devil joins in the lake of fire those who served him.

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (v.10)

That is it for the natural world. Next comes the Great White Throne of Judgment, Verses 11-15:

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.

The Book of Life:

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

The interesting thing in the above verse it that it indicates that those unsaved being judged will face varying levels of punishment, according to their works. Everyone throughout history is brought before the Throne of God:

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

This final judgment, being cast into the lake of fire is the second death: the death of the soul--that part the saints will not face mentioned in Verse 6.

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Next, in Chapter 21, John will describe the afterlife.

Sixth Vision: Judgment of Beast

The Sixth Vision of Revelation, Chapter 19 only, describes both the judgment of the beast and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This is the second of the three final judgments:

1) Harlot
2) Beast
3) Satan

As shown in the above graphic, the events of Chapter 19 occur at the end of the Gospel Age. And this follows the "hour of trial," or the 3.5 days that the Two Witnesses lie dead in the streets.

The chapter begins by telling us that the judgment of the harlot is complete:

After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” (19:19)

Remember that the events shown in the previous vision occurred on Earth: the harlot church was persecuted by the world. In the above passage, we find that the vision from the physical realm has ended and John is now reporting on Heavenly/spiritual happenings.

This is also an occasion for rejoicing; the Lamb is coming for His bride:

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (vv. 7-8)

Christ's Second Coming is at the end of the "hour of trial" and synonymous with the end of the 3.5 days that the Two Witnesses (Church) lie dead in the streets. Recall from Chapter 11 that at the end of those 3.5 days a voice from Heaven tells them to "Come up here," and they ascended into heaven. 

Many believe that Rev. 3:10 indicates a "pre-tribulation" rapture as Jesus tells the Church of Philadelphia, "I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world." However, what is being said here, and is obviously consistent with other Scriptures, is that God's people will be guarded, watched over, or preserved during this time. (Strong's 5083: téreó)

Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” (v. 9)

The marriage supper at the end of the Gospel Age is the catching up written by Paul:

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Then John sees Heaven opened as Jesus Christ descends back to Earth a second time:

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. (19:11)

The vision moves from the spiritual realm to the physical:

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (19:15)

Recall at the end of the Third Vision, Chapter 14, that the Harvest and God's wrath were coincidental. Both use the symbol of the winepress to indicate judgment:

So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. (Rev. 14:19)

The order of the next few verses here will be changed to emphasize the point being made. We read that the kings of the earth and their armies will mount some sort of defensive campaign against Christ's judgment:

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. (19:19)

However, this is a feeble attempt at best as it was already decreed by the angel that the birds will feast on their flesh:

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.” (19:17-18)

The reader will remember from the Fourth Vision when this "final battle"--Armageddon--is mentioned just after Jesus tells us:

“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Rev. 16:15)

**Note: "keeps" here is also Strong's 5083, the same as described above.

These coincident events: battle and Second Coming, will be reiterated in the next and final vision in Chapter 20. The question that needs to be addressed is what exactly is meant by making war against Him?

At first glance it would seem that they attempt to fight Jesus and His army directly. However, given the futility of such an effort, it would be more likely that making war against Him means a war against His people, or against Him in an indirect manner. This rendering is in harmony with the beast overcoming the Two Witnesses and what will be shown to John in Chapter 20.

The outcome of the war:

Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (19:20)

The above scene is back in the supernatural realm, where the "lake of fire" exists. The beast and false prophet are of course symbolic figures: the beast, as has been shown, is corrupt government, and the false prophet is the head of the harlot church.

These two symbolic entities are simply groups of people, they are distinguished from everyone else in that they are the ones who actively persecuted and deceived others, causing them to take the mark of the beast and worship his image.

Satan himself and those other people will be judged last in Chapter 20.