{"id":393,"date":"2022-02-13T18:45:35","date_gmt":"2022-02-13T18:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thegreathopembchurch.org\/?page_id=393"},"modified":"2022-02-13T18:49:55","modified_gmt":"2022-02-13T18:49:55","slug":"worship-with-ghmbc","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thegreathopembchurch.org\/?page_id=393","title":{"rendered":"Worship With GHMBC"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"393\" class=\"elementor elementor-393\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-340cd60 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"340cd60\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f045d84\" data-id=\"f045d84\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b6360ff elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b6360ff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.5.5 - 03-02-2022 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><h1 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;text-align: center;margin-top:24pt;margin-bottom:6pt;\" id=\"docs-internal-guid-591cf94b-7fff-9f52-196c-24f5d5bd5262\"><span style=\"font-size:23pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\">Join Us For Bible Study<\/span><\/h1><h3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;text-align: center;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;\" id=\"docs-internal-guid-7b5bd2a6-7fff-f320-29ba-0afadf8c54b2\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\">Current Bible Study on The Book of Revelations<\/span><\/h3><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-af565f4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"af565f4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fb3bf49\" data-id=\"fb3bf49\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-38fdb34 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"38fdb34\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.5.5 - 03-02-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" src=\"https:\/\/thegreathopembchurch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AGk0z-NewUGh7_jDaFQjIa_xA-FJAKA5MixdSNz4BwRVInkDqAQs53cg5fYqSMQlrAPzDsZ1FV_QERtO2q6b4_CWtDuE2i2GCXTCVajLcws512.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-05567bb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"05567bb\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2eb171e\" data-id=\"2eb171e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-171e304 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"171e304\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.5.5 - 03-02-2022 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#818a91;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#818a91;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><b>INTRODUCTION<\/b><\/p><p>As we embark on our study of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, it is important that we receive a preview in order to help us understand the book, its importance, the writer, its message, its meanings, and what our attitudes should be toward it.\u00a0 This should help us in grasping what God is saying to His people as He prepares to fulfill all biblical prophecy.<\/p><p>Each book of the Bible is important, but the last book has the added significance of being the consummation and climax of God\u2019s revelation.\u00a0 The book of Revelation is especially significant because it concerns \u201cthings which must soon take place.\u201d\u00a0 Many of what is in the Bible we wouldn\u2019t know if Revelation wasn\u2019t a part of it.\u00a0 It is the major (but the not only) prophetic book in the New Testament.\u00a0 John was commanded not to seal the book (22:10), and those who read it are promised a special blessing (1:3).\u00a0 Apparently, therefore, the book was expected to be understandable and helpful to those who read it.\u00a0 It is an apocalypse, designed not to mystify but to clarify.<\/p><p>The writer of Revelation is John the Apostle.\u00a0 John was one of the original disciples of Jesus Christ, and is the only one of the remaining eleven (after the death of Judas) who was not killed because of his faith.\u00a0 He was the son of Zebedee, and came from a family of prosperous fishermen.\u00a0 He, along with his brother James and Peter, had a special relationship with the Lord, and was part of Jesus\u2019 inner circle.\u00a0 The writing of Revelation is estimated to have taken place at around 95-96 A.D., while John was exiled to a rocky island in the Mediterranean, the isle of Patmos, by the Roman emperor Domitian.\u00a0 And the reason for his being exiled is because he wouldn\u2019t quit preaching the gospel.\u00a0 The original audience to whom John was writing were the seven churches in Asia (Ephesus, Smyrna, Thyatira, Philadelphia, Pergamos, Sardis, and Laodicea), and all believers everywhere.\u00a0 The overall general purpose of the book is to reveal the full identity of Christ and to give warning and hope to believers.\u00a0 Along with the general purpose, John had three purposes for writing Revelation.<\/p><ol><li>\u00a0 The <i>immediate purpose<\/i>:\u00a0 to allow Jesus to proclaim, \u201cBehold, I come quickly.\u201d\u00a0 The seven churches Asia and their world needed a word of encouragement, of counsel, and of warning.<\/li><\/ol><ol start=\"2\"><li>\u00a0 The <i>historical purpose<\/i>:\u00a0 To allow Jesus Christ to proclaim to His followers and to the world of every generation, \u201cBehold, I come quickly.\u201d\u00a0 God knows that every generation needs a word of encouragement, of counsel, and of warning, just as the seven churches of Asia did.<\/li><\/ol><ol start=\"3\"><li>\u00a0 The <i>godly purpose<\/i>:\u00a0 to give to the church and to the world \u201cThe Revelation of Jesus Christ\u201d (Rev. 1:1).\u00a0 This revelation is both the unveiling of the person of Jesus Christ as the central figure of history and the unveiling of the message of His heart.<\/li><\/ol><p>The book of Revelation has nine special features.<\/p><ol><li>\u00a0 Revelation is \u201c<i>An<\/i> <i>Apocalyptic Book<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 Apocalyptic writings are marked by symbolism, dreams, and visions.<\/li><\/ol><ol start=\"2\"><li>\u00a0 Revelation is \u201c<i>A Book of Prophecy<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 It has by far more prophecy than any other book of the New Testament.\u00a0 It is about \u201cthings which must shortly come to pass\u201d\u2014about things that had not happened when they were given to John by the risen Lord.<\/li><\/ol><ol start=\"3\"><li>\u00a0 Revelation is \u201c<i>A Book of Old Testament Interpretation<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 It is said that there are at least four hundred allusions to Old Testament scriptures.<\/li><\/ol><ol start=\"4\"><li>\u00a0 Revelation is \u201c<i>A Book of Consummation<\/i>\u201d or \u201c<i>A Book of Final Things<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 It deals primarily with the \u201cBook of Destiny\u201d, which is a book that is kept by God Himself, a book that pictures the events surrounding the climax of human history.\u00a0 It is a book of God\u2019s redemptive purpose.<\/li><\/ol><ol start=\"5\"><li>\u00a0 Revelation is \u201c<i>The Book Written to the Obedient Reader<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 It gives special promise to the person who heeds the message of the book.<\/li><\/ol><ol start=\"6\"><li>\u00a0 Revelation is \u201c<i>The Revelation of Jesus Christ<\/i>.\u201d<\/li><\/ol><ol start=\"7\"><li>\u00a0 Revelation is \u201c<i>God\u2019s Last Word to a World About to End<\/i>.\u201d<\/li><\/ol><ol start=\"8\"><li>\u00a0 Revelation is \u201c<i>The Book of Four Major Interpretations<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0<\/li><li>\u00a0 The Preterist or Historical Interpretation<\/li><\/ol><ul><li>\u00a0 The Idealist or Spiritualist Interpretation<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u00a0 The Continuous or Historical Interpretation<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u00a0 The Futurist Interpretation<\/li><\/ul><p>Revelation is \u201c<i>The Book That Must Be Biblically Interpreted<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 While the work of commentators and biblical expositors are important and we should study them as believers, we must first study the Word of God.\u00a0 The Word is our <i>primary source<\/i>, and these are <i>secondary sources<\/i> for understanding God\u2019s Word.\u00a0 The Bible speaks for itself and it speaks in a very powerful way.\u00a0<\/p><p>The point is this:\u00a0 Revelation is a book that must be read and studied and allowed to speak for itself.\u00a0 It is a book that must be Biblically interpreted.\u00a0 Revelation is so full of symbols that a person must look elsewhere in Scripture to find out what the symbols mean in order to know what their meaning in Revelation is.\u00a0 Therefore, a person must be willing to take the time to search the Scripture if he\/she wishes to study Revelation, for it is part of God\u2019s Holy Word.\u00a0<\/p><p>Generally speaking, there are two attitudes toward Revelation.\u00a0 Some say the book cannot be understood and therefore should not be studied, taught or preached.\u00a0 Their argument is that differences of interpretation have divided Christians, and therefore one should not attempt to interpret the book.\u00a0 Others consider themselves so sure of every detail in the book that they set dates and propose highly fanciful interpretations.\u00a0 To them, Revelation seems to be the only book in the Bible worth studying.\u00a0 However, the proper attitude toward this book does not lie in either extreme.\u00a0 The book is important and profitable, as is all of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16), but it is not the only book in the Bible worthy of close scrutiny.\u00a0 We should approach it as worthy of all Spirit-directed and careful study we can give it, focusing on every God-given ability on its words and fitting it into the whole of God\u2019s truth as contained in the Bible.\u00a0 Let our approach never be theoretical and detached, but always personal and involved.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-669d60a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"669d60a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c1f1d79\" data-id=\"c1f1d79\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b404802 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b404802\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"140\" src=\"https:\/\/thegreathopembchurch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AGk0z-O23DB4LgTzIvPWlUhGGRAHQqbMMdtI_WfjaHyWI3Y_KhEbSwCscTdo9ke9zxbyTciUzaTVK4eFcQKb4Af6WZ9TnUsTBVUZNortcws512.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thegreathopembchurch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AGk0z-O23DB4LgTzIvPWlUhGGRAHQqbMMdtI_WfjaHyWI3Y_KhEbSwCscTdo9ke9zxbyTciUzaTVK4eFcQKb4Af6WZ9TnUsTBVUZNortcws512.jpg 360w, https:\/\/thegreathopembchurch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/AGk0z-O23DB4LgTzIvPWlUhGGRAHQqbMMdtI_WfjaHyWI3Y_KhEbSwCscTdo9ke9zxbyTciUzaTVK4eFcQKb4Af6WZ9TnUsTBVUZNortcws512-300x117.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0d4a75a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0d4a75a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f001bf4\" data-id=\"f001bf4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-76c4615 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"76c4615\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>THE MESSAGES OF THE GLORIFIED CHRIST TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES \u00a0 (1:9-3:22)<\/b><b>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p><p>A. The Son of Man, the Glorified Christ (9-20)<\/p><p>We now come to the circumstances leading up to the glorious vision John had of the Lord Jesus Christ, when He came to deliver this revelation to him.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ol><li>John describes himself as their \u201cbrother\u201d and \u201ccompanion\u201d (9a)<\/li><\/ol><ul><li>\u00a0 In tribulation<\/li><li>\u00a0 In the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ<\/li><\/ul><p>John does not exalt himself above his fellow believers but calls himself a brother.\u00a0 He shared in their sufferings.\u00a0 Though he was an apostle, he was their brother.\u00a0 He valued himself upon his relation <i>to<\/i> the church, rather than his authority <i>in<\/i> the church.\u00a0 Like the rest of the saints, he too was a persecuted man, banished, and perhaps imprisoned for his devotion to Christ.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>He was their companion in tribulation.\u00a0 None of the persecuted saints of God suffered alone.\u00a0 Others experienced the same trials.<\/p><p>He was their companion in patience.\u00a0 Not only did he share in their suffering circumstances, but also in their suffering graces.\u00a0 He joined with them in suffering for the cause of Christ, in undergoing intense persecution as he wrote this letter.\u00a0 All believers belong to the kingdom because of our submission to God through Christ Jesus, and life in the kingdom involves patient suffering as we wait for the King to return.\u00a0 We must encourage each other to be stedfast and faithful, and remind one another of our future reward with God (see Romans 5:2-5)<\/p><p>John and the saints needed courage and endurance to face persecution and suffering.\u00a0 Almost all believers were socially, politically, or economically suffering because of the persecution from the Roman Empire, and some were killed for their faith.\u00a0<\/p><ol><li>For his part, John was exiled to Patmos (9b)<\/li><\/ol><ul><li>\u00a0 For the Word of God<\/li><li>\u00a0 For the testimony of Jesus Christ<\/li><\/ul><p>He would not stop preaching the gospel.\u00a0 He had a case of the \u201ccan\u2019t help its\u201d, like when he and Peter responded to the threats from the religious leaders in Acts 4:20.\u00a0 The Word must be shared, not only with other believers but also with unbelievers as well.<\/p><p>Patmos was a small rocky island in the Aegan Sea, located anywhere up to 50 miles southwest of Ephesus.\u00a0 John was sent there into exile by the Roman emperor Domitian.\u00a0 He took comfort in knowing that he wasn\u2019t sent there for any evil or criminal acts, but that it was for bearing witness to Christ as the Savior, and that was a cause worth suffering for, and the Spirit of glory rested upon him.\u00a0<\/p><ol start=\"3\"><li>\u00a0 John was in the Spirit on the Lord\u2019s day (10a)<\/li><li>\u00a0 The frame of his soul<\/li><li>\u00a0 The day of the vision<\/li><\/ol><p>John was \u201cin the Spirit\u201d.\u00a0 This seems to indicate a trancelike state of spiritual ecstasy, or being in a serious, heavenly, spiritual frame, under the blessed gracious influences of the Spirit of God.\u00a0 He was also in the spirit of worship, and though there was no one else there with him, John was a \u201cone-person church\u201d.\u00a0<\/p><p>The vision came to him on \u201cthe Lord\u2019s Day\u201d, Sunday, the first day of the week, the day the Christian church observes for worship in remembrance of the Lord\u2019s resurrection from the dead.<\/p><ol start=\"4\"><li>\u00a0 What John heard (10b-11)<\/li><li>\u00a0 A loud voice, AS that of a trumpet (10b)<\/li><li>\u00a0 What the voice said to him\u2026(11)<\/li><\/ol><p>o \u00a0 \u201cI am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last\u201d<\/p><p>o \u00a0 \u201cWhat you see, write in a book\u201d<\/p><p>o \u00a0 \u201cSend it to the seven churches which are in Asia\u201d<\/p><p>An alarm was given to John, like the sound of a trumpet.\u00a0 That alarm was the voice of Christ, who identified Himself the same as the Lord God in verse 8, \u201cI am Alpha and Omega\u201d.\u00a0 He also identified Himself as the \u201cfirst and the last\u201d as He commanded John to commit to writing the things that were about to be revealed to him, and to send it immediately to the seven Asian churches whose names are mentioned.<\/p><ol start=\"5\"><li>\u00a0 What John saw (12-17a)<\/li><li>\u00a0 He turned to see the voice, and saw\u2026<\/li><\/ol><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Seven golden candlesticks (12)<\/p><p>The candlesticks represented the seven churches in Asia. The churches are compared to candlesticks because they hold forth the light of the gospel.\u00a0 Note that the churches ARE NOT candles, for only Christ is our light, and His gospel is our lamp, but the churches receive their light from Christ and the gospel, and hold it forth to others.\u00a0 They are golden candlesticks because they should be <i>precious and pure<\/i>, comparable to fine gold.\u00a0 Not only the ministers, but the entire church ought to be such, and our light should so shine before men as to engage others to give glory to God (Matt.5:16)<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>In the midst of the seven candlesticks, One LIKE the Son of Man (13a)<\/p><p>This shows the Lord Jesus in the midst of His churches, being true to His promise to be with them always, and filling them with light, life, and love, for He is the very animating informing soul of the church.\u00a0 No matter what the churches face, Jesus protects them with His all-encompassing love and reassuring power.\u00a0 He\u2019s still among His churches today through His Spirit.\u00a0 Our churches need to remember that when we face persecution, and when we\u2019re troubled by internal strife and conflict.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>We have very little knowledge of what Jesus looked like while He was here on earth.\u00a0 There\u2019s record of Him having a beard (Isaiah 50:6), and there was nothing in His personal appearance that would especially attract people to Him (Isaiah 53:2), although children did like Him (Matthew 18:2).\u00a0 John recognized Him because He lived with Him and followed Him for three years, and had seen Him as the Galilean preacher and as the glorified Son of God at the transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8).\u00a0 Here however, a description is given of how He appears in glory and how we shall see Him some day.\u00a0 Note the number of similes (\u201clike\u201d and \u201cas\u201d)\u2014the only way He could be described to finite creatures like ourselves.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Clothed with a garment down to the feet, girded about the chest with a golden band (13b)<\/li><\/ul><p>This speaks of a princely and priestly robe, which denotes righteousness and honor, as well as a breast-plate of the high priest, on which the names of His people are engraved.\u00a0 This reveals Him as the High Priest who goes into God\u2019s presence to obtain forgiveness of sin for those who have believed in Him.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 His head and hair white LIKE wool, white AS snow (14a)<\/li><\/ul><p>He\u2019s known as the Ancient of Days, but His white hair is not to be mistaken as a sign of decay, but as a crown of glory.\u00a0 This represents the wisdom of age, and the purity of His divine holiness.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 His eyes were AS a flame of fire (14b)<\/li><\/ul><p>They were piercing in their fiery holiness, and penetrating into the very hearts of men.\u00a0 This symbolizes judgment of all evil.\u00a0 The true character of each church is transparent to His eyes.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 His feet were LIKE fine brass, as if refined in a furnace (15a)<\/li><\/ul><p>John\u2019s eyes dropped from the Lord\u2019s eyes to His feet, which were like burnished bronze (highly rubbed and polished).\u00a0 This may picture the trials He experienced in His earthly life that make Him a sympathetic High Priest (Heb. 4:15), and an experienced Judge.\u00a0 It also shows Him as strong and stedfast, supporting His own interest, subduing His enemies, and treading them to powder.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 His voice AS the sound of many waters (15b)<\/li><\/ul><p>He can and will make Himself heard to those who are far off as well as to those who are near.\u00a0 Like the noise of a mighty waterfall, His voice of authority stands out above all the rest and drowns out all who try to talk back or offer excuses to Him.\u00a0 His gospel is a profluent and mighty stream, fed by the upper springs of infinite wisdom and knowledge.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 In His right hand, seven stars (16a)<\/li><\/ul><p>His right hand is the place of honor, and the seven stars represent the angels, or the ministers (pastors) of the seven churches, who are under His direction.\u00a0 These leaders receive their light and influence from Him, and are secured and preserved by Him.<\/p><p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><ul><li>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Out of His mouth, a sharp two-edged sword (16b)<\/li><\/ul><p>This is the Word of God, the basis for all judgment, which both wounds and heals, and strikes at sins on the right hand and on the left (Heb. 4:12).\u00a0 The sword symbolizes the power and force of the Lord\u2019s message, for His words of judgment are as sharp as swords.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ul><li>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 His countenance was AS the sun shining in its strength (16c)<\/li><\/ul><p>Christ\u2019s overall appearance was such that it overwhelmed John.\u00a0 Its strength was too bright and dazzling for mortal eyes to behold.<\/p><p>As we study Revelation it will change our mental picture of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 As we consider the things that have formed our impression of Him, such as paintings, movies, Sunday School art, etc., do we ever picture Him with a gold sash and snow white and woolly\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 hair?\u00a0 Does His eyes flash fire and His feet glow like bronze?\u00a0 When we imagine Him speaking to us, does His voice thunder like mighty ocean waters?\u00a0 As we read and study this book, let us reevaluate the way we think of Jesus and allow His powerful presence to transform our lives.<\/p><ol start=\"6\"><li>\u00a0 Upon seeing Him, John fell at His feet AS dead (17a)<\/li><\/ol><p>The awesomeness of the vision caused John to prostrate himself before the glorified Christ, waiting for His mercy.\u00a0 He was overpowered with the greatness of the lustre and glory in which Christ appeared, though he had been so familiar with Him before.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ol start=\"7\"><li>\u00a0 This resulted in a threefold word of comfort for John (17b)\u00a0<\/li><\/ol><p>Look at the condescending goodness of the Lord Jesus.\u00a0 He laid His hand on John, raised him up, put strength in him, and spoke kind words to him.\u00a0 He said to him:<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ol><li>\u00a0 \u201cFear not\u201d (Don\u2019t be afraid) (17c)<\/li><\/ol><p>First, He commanded away John\u2019s fears<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ol><li>\u00a0 \u201cI am the First and the Last\u201d (17d)<\/li><\/ol><p>Secondly, He acquaints John with His divine nature, as He presents Himself as the self-existent, eternal One<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ol><li>\u00a0 \u201cI am He that liveth, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore\u201d (18a)<\/li><\/ol><p>Third, He acquaints John with His former sufferings, His resurrection and life.\u00a0 He is the Conqueror over death.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ol><li>\u00a0 \u201cI have the keys of hell and death\u201d (18b)<\/li><\/ol><p>With His office and authority, by having the keys He controls hell, the place that holds the immaterial part of humans after physical death, and He controls death, the experience of the material part.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Though our sins have convicted and sentenced us, Jesus holds the keys of hell and death.\u00a0 Only He can free us from eternal bondage to Satan.\u00a0 He alone has the power and authority to set us free from sin\u2019s control.\u00a0 Death does not hold the last word about human existence.\u00a0 When it has closed its doors upon a life, Christ still holds the keys to death and opens the way for believers into paradise.\u00a0 Therefore, for believers it\u2019s comforting to now Christ has the final word.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ol start=\"8\"><li>\u00a0 The command to write (19)<\/li><\/ol><p>\u201cThe things which you have seen\u201d<\/p><p>\u201cThe things which are\u201d<\/p><p>\u201cThe things which shall be hereafter\u201d<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>This verse forms an outline of Revelation, and is followed in verse 20 by the Lord\u2019s own explanations of two features of the vision.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ol start=\"9\"><li>\u00a0 The mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks (20)<\/li><\/ol><p>The stars are the angels of the churches, strongly believed to be the leaders, or the pastors, although some may see them as heavenly angels designated to guard the local churches.\u00a0 The candlesticks represent light-bearing local churches.\u00a0 Because the letters sent to the churches contain reprimands, it is doubtful that these angels are heavenly messengers.\u00a0 If they are earthly leaders, or messengers, which they are believed to be, they are accountable to God for the churches they represent.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Join Us For Bible Study Current Bible Study on The Book of Revelations INTRODUCTION As we embark on our study [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/template_fullwidth.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-393","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","col-lg-4 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