Visions of the Apocalypse: The Great High Priest and the Lion of Judah

By J.G. Holtrop

Are you ready to discover fresh insights into how

we have been watching the revelation of John unfold?

 

See how the study of history, backed by scripture, suggests tha

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brushbow Books
• Release date: Apr 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9781733400046

J.G. Holtrop

Jan and her husband Dale live in Apache Junction, Arizona. They attend Phoenix Christian Reformed Church. Jan Holtrop is the mother of two, grandmother of five, and great-grandmother of one. She has also written a messianic novel, Wall of Fire, which was inspired by her study of Revelation.

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Copyright © 2024 by J.G. Holtrop and Brushbow Books

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Published by:

Brushbow Books

Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2024905473

ISBN (Paperback): 978-1-7334000-2-2

ISBN (Hardcover): 978-1-7334000-3-9

ISBN (E-book): 978-1-7334000-4-6

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version KJV. The KJV is public domain in the United States. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the New International Version ®, NIV ®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Edited by: Mary Ethel Eckard, www.maryetheleckard.com/publishing

Cover concept design: Aurora Gabriel Slinkman, [e-mail]

Other books by J.G. Holtrop:

Wall of Fire

Dedication

To my God and Savior,

            who led me though His word,

            who taught me to trust Him in all things,

            who provided for all my needs,

            who allowed me to experience His presence.

To Him be all glory, honor and praise.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

The First Vision

The Great High Priest

Chapter 1: The Great High Priest

Introduction

Seven Blessings

Seven Spirits

The Eyes of the Lord

Y’shua Jesus

Which Lord’s Day?

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

Chapter 2: Letter to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum and Thyatira

Introduction

Synagogue of Satan

Ephesus

Repentance

Nicolaitans

Tree of Life

Symbolism

Smyrna

Synagogue of Satan

Symbolism

Pergamum

Meat Sacrificed to Idols

Hidden Manna

White Stone

Symbolism

Thyatira

Jezebel

The Morning Star

Symbolism

Chapter 3: Letters to Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea

Sardis

Thief in the Night

Symbolism

Philadelphia

Key of David

Patient Endurance

The Hour of Trial

Symbolism

Laodicea

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

Amplified Text

Strong’s Words and Definitions

Appendix 1- 8

Appendix 1: Double-Edged Sword

Appendix 2: Smyrna Wiped Out

Appendix 3: Ophiuchus

Appendix 4: Throne Of Satan

Appendix 5: Israel is the Fig Tree

Appendix 6: This Generation

Appendix 7: White Linen

Appendix 8: The Great Isaiah Scroll

Notes

The Second Vision

The Lion of Judah

Introduction

Chapter 4: The Gate of Heaven

Historical Background of the Gate of Heaven

The Twenty-Four Elders

The Seven Spirits of God

The Four Living Creatures

The Wilderness Camp

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

Chapter 5: The Scroll and the Lamb

Introduction

Lion of Judah

Horns and Eyes

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

Chapter 6: The Six Seals

The Four Horses of the Apocalypse

The First Seal: Crown of Victory

The White Horse

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

The First Seal is Opened

Historical Overview

The Second Seal: Sword of Conquest

A Fiery Red Horse

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

The Second Seal is Opened

Historical Overview

The Third Seal: Yoke of Messiah

The Black Horse

The Rider and the Yoke

Wheat

Barley

Oil and Wine

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

The Third Seal is Opened

Historical Overview

The Fourth Seal: Sword of Judgment

A Pale Horse

The Rider is Death

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

The Fourth Seal is Opened

Historical Overview

The Fifth Seal: Altar of Blood

Which Altar?

How Long?

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

The Fifth Seal Is Opened

The Six Day War

Historical Overview

Messianic Movement

The Sixth Seal: Wrath of the Lamb

A Great Earthquake

Literal Interpretation

Symbolic Interpretation

Black Sun

Literal Interpretation

Symbolic Interpretation

Blood Moon

Literal Interpretation

Symbolic Interpretation

Stars of Heaven

Literal Interpretation

Symbolic Interpretation

Untimely Figs

Literal Interpretation

Symbolic Interpretation

Summary Verses 12-13 | In My View

Heavens Opened

Kings of the Earth

Who Can Stand?

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

The Sixth Seal Opened

The Seventh Seal: Who Can Stand?

Four Angels, Four Winds

The 144,000

The Seal of the Living God

Who are the 144,000?

Meaning of the Names

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

The Great Multitude

Symbolism

Summary | In My View

Amplified Text

Strong’s Words and Definitions

Appendix 9-42

Appendix 9: Cubes Of The Covenant

Appendix 10: Four Living Creatures

Appendix 11: Stars Of Heaven

Appendix 12: Legal Tied Document

Appendix 13: The Great Commission

Appendix 14: Month of Cheshvan

Appendix 15: Constantine

Appendix 16: Councils Canons and Codes

Appendix 17: Islam

Appendix 18: The Crusades (1095-1291)

Appendix 19: One Measure of Wheat

Appendix 20: Three Measures of Barley

Appendix 21: Martin Luther

Appendix 22: The Reformers

Appendix 23: America

Appendix 24: English Reformers

Appendix 25: Great Awakenings

Appendix 26: Restoration of the Land of Israel

Appendix 27: The Pale Horse World War I

Appendix 28: The Liberation of Jerusalem

Appendix 29: Henry Grattan Guinness Prophecy: Jerusalem 1917

Appendix 30: WWI And The Bible

Appendix 31: Famine

Appendix 32: Wild Beasts

Appendix 33: Empire of the Wolf: Holy Roman Empire

Appendix 34: Of Wolves and Men: The Third Reich

Appendix 35: The Black Wolf: Its Name Was Death

Appendix 36: Martyrdom Kiddush Ha-Shem

Appendix 37: Kinsman-Redeemer

Appendix 38: Martyrdom

Appendix 39: Who Are The Palestinians

Appendix 40: Jerusalem, A Very Brief Overview

Appendix 41: Gathered in Unbelief

Appendix 42: The Kings of the Earth

Appendix 43: Swords of Iron

Notes

Sources

About the Author

Special Thanks

Preface

Many years ago, I was told that nobody reads the Bible cover to cover. I took that as a challenge. After purchasing a large print Bible, I began to read it as I would a novel: no studying, no meditating, no note taking, no underlining, no highlighting. I read it straight through in less than three months. It was so captivating I read it again. And again.

I was fascinated with how all of Scripture was tied together; how the themes were repeated over and over; how over a period of 1,500 years and 42 different authors, the Bible was consistent in everything that was written. This began years of Bible Study, which I called verse association studies, letting the Bible be its own commentary.

I had read Revelation many times, and each time I became more and more intrigued. Certainly, the Lord Jesus did not give us a revelation about Himself that was incomprehensible. I’ll take a year and do a verse association study of the book of Revelation, I told myself. Nearly two decades later, I am still studying, still learning.

When I began, I had no knowledge of how the Revelation had been interpreted. It was my decision to not depend on the understandings of others, but to let the Bible itself interpret the symbolism and imagery used to describe the events of the Apocalypse. I have included in this study the symbolism, the interpretation of the symbolism given by Scripture, and the verses that give this interpretation.

The first two visions of the Revelation are presented in this volume of Visions of the Apocalypse. The first vision, found in Revelation chapters 1-3, introduces John, who is recording all he sees and hears, and Jesus the Messiah, our Great High Priest, and His letters to the seven churches. The second vision, found in Revelation 4-7, is of the Lion of Judah and the opening of the seven seals.

Both of these visions are written with symbolic language, metaphor, and imagery. What an adventure it has been to discover how Scripture interprets these images and symbols! Now as I read the Bible, I read it through the lens of Revelation, and when I read the Revelation, it is through the lens of Scripture. I am still being overwhelmed by the presence and glory of God.

I later learned that the conclusions I have come to are often different from the mainstream teachings. I realize this study reaches some conclusions that are unfamiliar. It is my prayer, my hope, that all those who join in this study will search the depths of Scripture and receive the promised blessing (Rev. 1:3).

Introduction

The APOCALYPSE or REVELATION is a book of symbolism and imagery, of fantastic beasts, mighty angels, and terrifying events. It is a book of wrath and redemption. It is a call to repentance and patient endurance.

The word APOCALYPSE has filled our imaginations with terrifying visions of cataclysmic events that will bring about the complete destruction of the world: asteroids, earthquakes, fires and floods; pandemics, famine, drought and nuclear war – all are a part of our daily news cycle. What is the APOCALYPSE really about?

In this study we will be taking a fresh look at the visions recorded in REVELATION. In order to connect the themes, symbolism, and imagery used in REVELATION with the rest of Scripture, we will be doing verse association studies, studying the meanings of the Greek and Hebrew words, learning what kind of descriptive language was used by the prophets, and how God has fulfilled His prophetic word in the past. We will gain understanding of what the APOCALYPSE is revealing to us.

The word apocalypse is from the ancient Greek word apokálypsis. It means to reveal, the unveiling of something that was previously hidden, a revelation. It is the name of the final book of the Bible, the APOCALYPSE or REVELATION.

This was the first book in Jewish and Christian tradition that was explicitly called an apocalypse. The name was then applied to an entire genre of literature, both sacred and secular.

Apocalyptic literature has several distinguishing traits, among them:

•a historical marker.

•visions, and otherworldly journeys.

•an angel who interprets the vision and/or serves as a guide.

•the supernatural world and the activity of supernatural beings.

•a final judgment and destruction of the wicked.

•restoration of Israel in the context of cosmic upheaval.

These elements are to some degree present in all Jewish apocalyptic literature.

Portions of the biblical books of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah are considered apocalyptic. Other Jewish apocalyptic literature includes 1 Enoch 1-36, 2 Enoch, 2 Baruch, 3 Baruch, 4 Ezra, Jubilees, and the War Scroll.

(In this study I will be using both the Hebrew and English name of Jesus)

The first verse of the book of Revelation informs us that God gave this revelation to Y’shua Jesus so that He could show His servants the things that must soon take place. Y’shua Jesus made this known by sending His messenger, an angel, to His servant John. John recorded all that he saw and heard.

Seven times Y’shua Jesus says He is coming soon, coming quickly, and that these things must shortly take place. Twice He says the time is near at hand.

Two thousand years later, many are asking, "Where is the promise of His coming?" (2 Pet. 3:4).

Over the centuries there have been many interpretations of these visions as well as different opinions about the date it was written and who the author was. The date we believe REVELATION was written will influence how we interpret the visions given to John. An early date would give an interpretation of fulfillment in the 1st century. A later date will indicate an interpretation of fulfillment sometime after AD 70. Was it written in:

The late 60s AD? – This is the minority opinion which is held by those who believe that:

•the persecution portrayed in the letters was under Nero, who died in AD 68.

•the portrayal of the beast in Revelation 13 reflects a myth of Emperor Nero returning from the dead.

•the reference to the temple in Revelation 11:1-2 indicates that it had not yet been destroyed, and was a predictive prophecy of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem during the Jewish War of AD 66-70.

The mid-90s AD? –This is the majority opinion based on:

•the fact that John was on the Island of Patmos when he wrote the Revelation.

•the early traditional belief that John was exiled to Patmos under Emperor Domitian.

•the early church believed the Revelation was written in the late 1st century, between AD 94 and 96. This date is attested to by Irenaeus (AD 180), Clement of Alexandria (AD 155-215), Jerome (AD 340- 420), and many more.

•Irenaeus (who was a student of Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle John) wrote in Against Heresies that John saw the vision not very long ago, almost in our own generation, at the close of the reign of Domitian. (Domitian died in AD 96.)

•the belief that the persecution portrayed in the letters was during a period of intense persecution of Christians under Emperor Domitian.

•the understanding that the churches were strong and spiritually healthy in the 60s.

•the sect of the Nicolaitans was not even mentioned in Pauls’ letters.

•the early date of AD 68-69 first became known after the Protestant Reformation. It was presented by Catholic Jesuit Luis Alcazar (1554-1613), apparently in response to the Protestant position of naming the Roman Catholic Church as the Whore of Babylon featured in Revelation 17.

There is also internal evidence of the Revelation being recorded near the end of the 1st century:

•The church in Ephesus was founded by Paul in the latter part of Claudius’s reign. His letter to the Ephesians was written in AD 61, in which he praises them for their love and faith (Eph. 1:15).

•When the letter to the church at Ephesus was written, they had left their first love, suggesting a late date for the REVELATION (Rev. 2:4).

•The letter to the church at Laodicea describes this congregation as rich and needing nothing. In AD 60 Laodicea had been nearly destroyed by an earthquake. It would have taken more than eight or nine years to not only rebuild, but to become prosperous and wealthy (Rev. 3:17).

•The letter to the church at Pergamum references the martyrdom of Antipas.

There are conflicting accounts of when Antipas was killed – burned alive – on the Pergamum altar (Rev. 2:13).

According to tradition, the apostle John had made Antipas Bishop of the church of Pergamum during the reign of Nero. His witness to the Lord Y’shua Jesus, by both his words and actions, and by many miraculous healings, began to turn the people of Pergamum away from worshiping and sacrificing to idols. The pagan priests complained vehemently that he was misleading the people and causing them to commit apostasy from their faith in their ancestral gods by his personal example of moral and spiritual virtue, the firmness of his faith in his God, and by his constant preaching about Y’shua Jesus the Messiah. He refused to stop proclaiming the Gospel when they demanded it. When he would not submit to their demand to stop preaching Christ and refused to offer sacrifices to the idols, they became enraged and dragged him to their pagan temple, and threw him into a red-hot copper bull, where they would normally put sacrifices to the idols to cast demons out of their own people. Antipas prayed loudly for God to receive his soul and to strengthen the faith of the Christians. He also begged God to forgive those who were tormenting him. He then departed this world peacefully, as if falling asleep. The majority of biblical scholars agree that Antipas was martyred during the persecutions of Domitian, about the year AD 92 (Rev. 2:13).

•The apostle John was in Ephesus when he was arrested for his faithful preaching of the gospel. Church historians report that John was banished to the Island of Patmos, a Roman penal colony, in the 14th year of Domitian (AD 95). He was about 80 years old at the time. John was released from Patmos after the death of Domitian by the emperor Nerva (AD 96-98).

•A common belief at the time of the writing of the Revelation was that the Lord Y’shua Jesus would return in glory before the death of the apostle John (John 21:22-23).

The position of this study is that REVELATION was written by the apostle John between AD 94 and 96.

There are four major interpretations of REVELATION:

1)   Preterism: believes in the early date of the late 60s AD, believes the fulfillment of most of the visions of Revelation have already occurred in the distant past, during the early years of the Christian church. Preterists believe these events, the destruction of Jerusalem and/or the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, would, from the standpoint of John and the seven churches, soon take place.

Some preterists interpret the order of the visions as the chronological succession of the events they signify, and others believe that successive visions sometimes symbolize the same historical events or forces from different perspectives.

2)   Historicism: understands the literary order of the visions, especially chapters 4-20, to symbolize the chronological order of successive historical events that span the entire era from the apostolic church to the return of Christ and the new heaven and new earth.

3)   Futurism: typically views the visions of chapters 4-20 as representing events still future to the twenty-first century reader. Many futurists believe in a seven-year period of intense tribulation followed by a millennium in which Christ will rule on earth before the general resurrection and the new heaven and new earth.

4)   Idealism: interprets the Revelation as a timeless depiction of the cosmic struggle between the forces of good and evil. In this view there are neither historical allusions nor predictive prophecy. Revelation is merely a collection of stories designed to teach spiritual truth.

Although I am aware of these different interpretations, I have not studied them. I did not want to build my understanding on other people’s foundations but wanted to build on the bedrock of Scripture. I arrived at the historical narrative view after many years of study.

Historical Narrative: REVELATION is a continuation of the historical narrative that began In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1) and concludes with a new heaven and a new earth... (Rev. 21:1). This historical narrative is the vehicle through which God reveals Himself and His plan of Salvation. The historical accounts in Scripture contain moral lessons, spiritual truth, and teach us how to live lives pleasing to God. Much of what was recorded as future history is now in the past, proof that the Living God of Scripture is the one true God (Isa. 44:6-7).

In Acts 1:6-11, we read the account of Y’shua Jesus’ ascension into heaven. REVELATION picks up the narrative with His arrival before the throne of God in Revelation 5:5-6.

John recorded the visions that are the framework for the historical narrative using, primarily, symbolism and imagery. Fortunately, Scripture provides us with several keys to help unlock the meaning of these visions.

The First Key, and most important, is the text of Scripture. The symbolism, imagery, identity of the beasts, themes, and prophecies, are all found and interpreted elsewhere in Scripture.

In this study we will first be using Scripture to interpret the symbolism and imagery, and then we’ll take a look, through the lens of these interpretations, to see if any historical or current events are being described. We will not be trying to interpret Scripture through the lens of history and current events. This is an important distinction.

The Second Key is God’s appointed times. These appointed times are His Feast Days: The spring feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First-fruits; the summer feast of Shavuot (Pentecost); and the fall feasts of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles. It is on these dates that God acts.

The Third Key is the literary structure of Scripture. These structures are often referred to as the watermark or autograph of the Holy Spirit- a divine autograph.

By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 40 authors over a period of 1500 years wrote different kinds of literature in their own voice. Yet each of the books, passages, themes, and prophecies, are woven flawlessly together using these structures, forming a pattern that is unique to Scripture.

There is no other literary work known in history that has been written in this way- not War and Peace or Moby Dick; not the works of Matthew Henry, John Calvin, or C.S. Lewis. Neither the Book of Mormon nor the Qur’an are written with these literary structures. The Apocrypha and the Gospels of Judas, Thomas, Barnabas...none have the divine autograph woven through their pages.

This interweaving of the structures throughout the Bible puts a fence around the Scriptures. If passages are added or removed from the Scriptures, it is apparent to those who know His autograph. The structures, woven throughout Scripture, create a pattern that can not only be seen, but felt. Anything added to or taken away disrupts His pattern and can be discerned. Our earthly fathers’ signature is easily recognized by us. Our Heavenly Fathers signature can also be recognized, once we are familiar with it.

This unique pattern of interwoven structures also puts the Word of God into our long-term memory by encoding it for storage and retrieval. These structures enable us to retain the teaching instead of losing it through decay or displacement. The structure of Scripture makes learning easier. The structures treat information as a unit, and by actively searching the Scriptures for the information contained in the structural unit which we are studying, we remember what we have learned. It becomes imbedded in our long-term memory. The structures in Scripture are elaborate and exhaustive, an over teaching by the Spirit. The structures rehearse and maintain what we have learned from Scripture.

The primary structure is called a chiasm (kee-ha-zum), or chiastic structure.

A chiastic structure is a literary device in which a particular sequence of themes are presented and then repeated in reverse order. The result is a mirror image, as the ideas are reflected back in a passage. Each subject is connected to its reflection by a repeated word, or theme.

I still remember the day I learned about the Chiasm structure. As I looked at the pronunciation (kee-ha-zum), I realized that it sounded like "key the sum." It did indeed become one of the keys that opened up another dimension of Scripture and understanding.

The structure of the Gospel of John is an example of a chiasm:

A -1:1-28...the Forerunner

B -1:29-34...the Baptism with water

C - 1:35-4:54...the Kingdom

D - 5:1-6:71...the King

D -7:1-11:54...the King

C -11:54-18:1...the Kingdom

B -18:2-20:31...the Baptism of suffering

A -21:1-26...the Successors.

A secondary structure is called a bifid. A bifid literary structure is two parallel halves where the themes are presented in the same order.

This example of a bifid is from John 1:29-34:

A-1:2-3 ...Johns’ witness The lamb of God

B-c-1:31... I knew him not

d-1:31...Johns’ baptism

e-1:31...Nature of it, water

A-1:32...John’s witness the Spirit

B-c-1:32 ... I knew Him not

d-1:32...Christs’ Baptism

e-1:32...Nature of it, Spirit

The fourth key is the Strong’s numbers for key Greek and Hebrew words and their definitions.

The numbers come from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (published 1890). Strong’s Concordance is an index of every word found in the earliest biblical manuscript texts which were available to him at the time. Each number links the words in the Bible back to the root words and original meanings in the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts.

A concordance is an alphabetical list of words and definitions. Strong’s concordance lists the English words alphabetically, noting the assigned number next to each word used in the Hebrew or Greek Scriptures, along with a list of each verse where the word is used.

In The Complete Word Study Dictionary, the Strong’s numbers are in sequence, following the Hebrew spelling of the words. It also has a complete list of the Scriptures where each word is used. I used both the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and The Complete Word Study Dictionary of both Old and New Testaments in this study. The Strong’s word numbers are included in the text, and will appear as superscript, for example:

Rev. 1:3 "BLESSED is he who reads and they that hear G191 the words of this prophecy and who keep G5083 those things which are written in it, for the time G2540 is at hand."

Using these keys, with the guidance of the Spirit, we will be able to unlock the symbolic, historical, and future meanings of the Visions of the Apocalypse.

At the end of each chapter there will be the following categories:

SYMBOLISM

The symbolism and imagery used in the chapter, the meaning, and the Scriptures that were used to interpret it.

SUMMARY | In My View

I also give a brief summary along with My View of the meaning of the passage, based on the associated verses and on the historical or future events which are being described. I use this phrase to indicate that what follows is my opinion.

AMPLIFIED TEXT

The amplified text of the chapter will include words, not normally chosen in our English translations, which help clarify the meaning of what is being read. Following each verse there are Scripture references that further explain the text.

The Scriptures used in this study are based on the King James 1611 Version, which I have adapted for easy reading.

STRONG’S WORDS AND DEFINITIONS

Many Hebrew and Greek words are used in this study to help our understanding of the text. Strong’s Concordance gives the definition of each of these words.

APPENDIX

Essays on subjects of interest that relate to the chapter.

On November 4, 1922, Howard Carter and his excavation group found steps that Carter hoped led to Tutankhamens’ tomb. He wired Lord Carnarvon, who was financing the excavation, to come to Egypt. On November 26, 1922, Carter made a tiny breach in the top left-hand corner of the doorway, with Carnarvon, his daughter Lady Evelyn Herbert, and others in attendance. Using a chisel that his grandmother had given him for his 17th birthday, he was able to peer in by the light of a candle and see that many of the gold and ebony treasures were still in place. He did not yet know whether it was a tomb or merely a cache, but he did see a promising sealed doorway between two sentinel statues. Carnarvon asked, Can you see anything? Carter replied: "Yes, wonderful things!"

Nearly a century has now passed since Carter spoke these words. The wonderful things have been examined by expert Egyptologists, archaeologists, and historians. There is still no consensus of opinion on the meaning of these wonderful things, or a universally agreed on interpretation of them.

As we study the VISIONS OF THE APOCALYPSE, we, too, will see wonderful things, things more wonderful than all the treasures on earth. These visions have been studied, discussed, and interpreted in a variety of ways in the last two thousand years. There is no consensus of opinion on the meaning of the visions or where, if, or how they have been fulfilled historically.

Together, we will be taking a fresh look at the VISIONS OF THE APOCALYPSE and allow the Spirit, Scripture, and history to reveal wonderful things to us. Together, we will receive the blessing promised to those who read and hear and keep the words of this prophecy.

"BLESSED is he who reads and they that hear the words of this prophecy and who keep those things which are written in it, for the time is at hand (Rev. 1:3)."

So, let’s take our Bibles, open them to the VISIONS OF THE APOCALYPSE recorded in REVELATION, and prepare for the return of our King.

VISIONS OF THE APOCALYPSE

Revelation 1-3

The First Vision

The Great High Priest

To the One who loved us

and washed us from our sins

in His own blood.

Chapter One

The Great High Priest

The Faithful Witness,

The first born of the dead,

The Prince of the kings of the earth.

The Alpha and Omega,

The beginning and the end,

The first and the last.

Introduction

This first chapter introduces the source of the revelation and the means by which it is to be given to the churches and to us. It introduces John, who is recording all that he sees and hears. It also introduces Y’shua Jesus and gives the most detailed physical description of Him found in the Scriptures.

Rev. 1:1-2 "The revelation from Y’shua Jesus the Messiah, which God gave to Him to show unto His servants the things that must shortly come to pass. He sent and signified by His angel to His servant John, who bore record [witness] to the word of God and to the testimony of Y’shua Jesus, the Messiah and of all things that he saw." (See also Rev. 1:19; Rev. 22:6; Rev. 19:10; Dan. 2:29.)

In Matthew 24:3 Y’shua Jesus’ disciples asked Him, Tell us when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age? After giving a lengthy answer, Y’shua Jesus says this about the timing of His coming: But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only (Matt. 24:36).

Rev. 1:3 "BLESSED is the one who reads [aloud] and they that hear [understand] G191 the words of this prophecy, and who keep G5083 those things which are written in it, for the time G2540 is at hand." (See also Rev. 22:7.)

Seven Blessings

This is the first of the seven blessings of the revelation. The seven blessings form a chiastic structure:

A Rev. 1:3   Blessed is the one who reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and who keep those things which are written in it, for the time is at hand.

B Rev. 14:13   ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on: Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their words follow them.

C Rev. 16:15   Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

D Rev. 19:9   Blessed are they who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

C Rev. 22:14   Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city.

B Rev. 20:6   Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power...

A Rev. 22:7   Blessed is he that keeps the sayings of prophecy of this book.

Those who not only hear and understand the words of this prophecy but who also guard (keep) it, remaining watchful, are blessed because the time is near.

The word used for time, G2540, means an appointed or set time. It is a fixed and definite time or season. God has set a time, an appointed time, for the events described in the visions to occur. The phrase appointed time is used in Scripture for a fixed time when God takes specific action (Gen. 18:14; Ex. 9:5).

The LORD’s seven Feast Days are His appointed times. These Feasts Days are often referred to as the Jewish Holidays, but they belong to the LORD. They are His Feasts, His appointed times (Lev. 23).

These are the times when God acts, first for salvation and then for judgment.

For SALVATION: (the spring Feasts)

A-Passover - Y’shua Jesus is crucified.

B-Unleavened Bread - Y’shua Jesus is buried.

C-Firstfruits - Y’shua Jesus is raised from the dead.

For GRACE: (the summer Feast)

D-Shavuot (Pentecost) - the Holy Spirit is given.

For JUDGMENT: (the fall Feasts)

A-Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)

B-Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

C- Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)

We are currently living in the era of the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Grace (Heb. 10:29; 2 Cor. 12:9; Zec. 4:6-7; Acts 11:23). This era began with the giving of the Holy Spirit on the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost), 10 days after Y’shua Jesus ascended into heaven. It is also called the Feast of Firstfruits (of the wheat harvest, the early fig harvest).

Rev. 1:4 John to the seven churches, which are in Asia: Grace be unto you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne. (See also Ex. 3:14 I AM; Rev. 1:8; Rev. 4:8.)

Seven Spirits

What are the Seven Spirits?

•They are seven torches of fire (Rev. 4:5).

•They are before the throne of God (Rev. 1:4).

•They are held by Y’shua Jesus (Rev. 3:1).

•They are the seven eyes of the Lamb (Rev. 5:6).

The Eyes of the Lord

What are the Eyes of The Lord?

•They are a menorah (lampstand) with seven lamps, which range through the whole earth (Zec. 4:2, 10b).

•They are the eyes of the Lamb, the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth (Rev. 5:6).

•They run throughout the earth, giving support to those whose heart is blameless (2 Ch. 16:19).

•They are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good (Prv. 15:3).

•They test (scrutinize) the children of man (Ps. 11:4).

•They are on the ways of a man (Prv. 5:21).

•They honor the servant of the LORD (Isa. 49:5).

•They are on a single stone with seven eyes (Zec. 3:9 cp; Dan. 2:34, 45).

•They are always on the land of Israel (Deut. 11:11-12).

Rev. 1:5-6 "And from Y’shua Jesus, the Messiah, the Faithful Witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince [ruler] of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and has made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (See also 1 Cor. 15:20; Ps. 89:27; Col. 1:14; Ex. 19:6; Dan. 7:14.)

Y’shua Jesus

Who is Y’shua Jesus?

•He is the Messiah (Rev. 1:5-6).

•He is the faithful witness (Rev. 1:5-6).

•He is the firstborn of the dead (Rev. 1:5-6).

•He is the ruler of kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5-6).

•He is the first and the last (Rev. 1:17-18).

•He is the living one who died and is alive forevermore (Rev. 1:17-18).

•He is like a son of man (Rev. 1:12-13).

•He has a loud voice like a trumpet (Rev. 1:10-11).

•He has a voice like the roar of many waters (Rev. 1:15).

•He is clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest (Rev. 1:13).

•He has hair white like wool, like snow (Rev. 1:14-15).

•He has eyes like a flame of fire (Rev. 1:14-15).

•He has feet like burnished bronze (Rev. 1:14-15).

•He holds the seven stars (the angels of the seven churches) in His right hand (Rev. 1:16).

•He has a sharp two–edged sword coming from His mouth (Rev. 1:16).

•He has a face like the sun shining in full strength (Rev. 1:16).

•He has the keys of Death and Hades (Rev. 1:18).

Rev. 1:7 "Behold, He comes with the clouds [of heaven], and every eye will see Him, and those also who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail because of Him. Even so. Amen." (See also Zec. 12:10; Matt. 24:30; Acts 1:6-11; Rev. 6:15-16; John 19:33, 36-37.)

This verse quotes fragments of Daniel 7:13, Matthew 24:30, and Zechariah 12:10. These are heavenly clouds of glory which, in Hebrew thought, are associated with the divine presence of God (Ex. 16:10).

Y’shua Jesus is coming with the clouds of glory in the same way as He ascended with them (Acts 1:9,11).

There are two groups of people whose reaction to seeing the coming of Y’shua Jesus is recorded. The first group are from the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem who mourn when they see Him. They are all the tribes of the earth. In the Scriptures, only the tribes of Israel are referred to as tribes, no other group of people. They are the ones who will wail with grief:

Zech. 12:10 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 mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

The second group consists of the kings of the earth, those who have aligned themselves with the beast. They are filled with terror:

Rev. 6:15-17 "...they hid themselves in the dens [caves] and in the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath has come, and who can stand?’"

Rev. 1:8 ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’ (See also Rev. 22:13.)

God Himself speaks directly only here and in Revelation 21:3-8. The voice of God is heard in Revelation 16:1 and 17, although it is not directly attributed to Him.

Rev. 1:9 "I, John, who also is your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patient [endurance] that are in Y’shua Jesus the Messiah, was on the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Y’shua Jesus the Messiah." (See also Rev. 19:10.)

John was exiled to the Island of Patmos by the emperor Domitian toward the end of his reign. John identifies himself as a fellow sufferer for his witness of Y’shua Jesus.

Early histories of Christianity record that during the second persecution of Christians under Domitian (AD 81):

•Among the numerous martyrs that suffered during this persecution was Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem, who was crucified, and St. John, who was boiled in oil and afterward banished to Patmos.

•Tertullian, (AD 155-240) writes in The Prescription Against Heretics, chapter 36:

...you have Rome, from which there comes even into our own hands the very authority (of the apostles). How happy is its church, on which apostles poured forth all their doctrine along with their blood! Where Peter endures a passion like his Lords (crucifixion). Where Paul wins his crown in a death like John’s (the Baptist). Where the Apostle John was first plunged, unhurt, into boiling oil, and thence remitted to his island exile (Patmos).

It is from here that he recorded the Revelation around AD 95.

Patient endurance are words often used in association with tribulation and suffering. Suffering produces patient endurance (Rom. 5:3) and the encouragement of Scripture gives us hope (Rom. 15:4).

Rev. 1:10-11 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, saying, ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last,’ and, ‘What you see, write in a scroll, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.’ (See also Ex. 19:19; Heb. 12:19.)

Which Lord’s Day?

Which Lord’s Day was John referring to?

•Sunday? Sunday was not designated the Lord’s Day for at least a century after the writing of the Revelation.

•Emperors Day? The first day of each month was called the Lord’s Day in the Roman Empire, a special day to worship the emperor.¹

•The Day of the LORD? This term is used in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament).

The Day of the LORD is a day:

•great and terrible (Joel 2:11; Mal. 4:5).

•of vengeance (Isa. 34:8; Isa. 61:3).

•of wrath (Ps. 110:5; Ezek. 7:10).

•of battle (Prv. 21:31).

•of destruction (Isa. 13:6; Joel 1:15).

•of fierce anger (Isa. 13:13).

It is the position of this study that John was given the Revelation on the day set aside for worship of the emperor - the Lord’s Day.

Rev. 1:12-13 And I turned to see the voice that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands, one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and around His chest a golden sash. (See also Dan. 10:5; Zec. 4:2; Dan. 7:13; Heb. 7-8.)

In Jewish apocalyptic literature, a voice is not a disembodied voice but a visible being.

The one like a son of man is dressed in a long robe and a golden sash, identifying Him with the son of man in Daniel 10:5. This is Y’shua Jesus, clothed as a high priest. Y’shua Jesus is our High Priest (Heb. 4:14). He goes before God to intercede for us (Heb. 7:25).

Y’shua Jesus is the Priest that each day sets in order the golden menorah, which was before the veil of the Holy of Holies, inside