Revelation 5:2

Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”

·         This angel seems to come out as a champion, with a challenge to any or all the creatures to try the strength of their wisdom in opening the counsels of God (MH)

·         It is as if the strong angel looked through the entire universe to find someone worthy, and had not found anyone worthy to even look at the scroll. (DG)

Revelation 5:1

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

·         He is favored with a sight of the methods of His government, as they are all written down in a book which He holds in His hand (MH)

·         God holds the book in His right hand, to declare the authority of the book. (MH)

Revelation 4:9-11

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

“You are worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

For You created all things,

And by Your will they exist and were created.”

 

·         Acts of adoration:  fell down before Him that sat on the throne and cast their crowns before the throne (MH)

·         The ground of their adoration:  (1) He is the Creator of all things,  (2) He is the preserver of all things, and (3) He is the final cause of all things (MH)

 

Revelation 4:8

.

The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within.  And they do not rest day or night, saying:

“Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God Almighty,

Who was and is and is to come!”

 

·         The songs heard:  they adore one God, and one only, the Lord God Almighty.  They adore three holies in this one God. (MH)

·         The cherubim constantly repeat the phrase holy, holy, holy. God’s holy nature and character is declared, and emphasized with a three-time repetition.  (DG)

Revelation 4:7

The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

·         Like a lion . . . like a calf . . . a face like a man . . . like a flying eagle: John describes four cherubim, each with a different face. From comparison with Ezekiel 1:6-10, we can see that each of the cherubim have four faces, and at the moment, John sees each one of the four different faces pointed in his direction. (DG)

·         The four different faces of the cherubim are often taken as symbols of Jesus as represented in each gospel. In classical church architecture, these four “characters” are repeated often as a motif that signifies both heaven and the four gospels. (DG)

Revelation 4:6

Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.  And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

·         In this all those must be washed that are admitted into the gracious presence of God (MH)

·         Living creatures – four animals – between the throne and the circle of the elders (as seems most probable), standing between God and the people (MH)

Revelation 4:5

And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices.  Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

·         God gave the Law with lightnings and voices; thus the gospel has not less glory and authority than the law (MH)

·         Lamps speak of the various gifts, graces, and operations of the Spirit of God (MH)

Revelation 4:4

Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

·         Some translations don’t include “twenty-four” but only thrones.

·         Twenty-four may be 12 apostles and 12 leaders of tribes of Israel

·         Crown of gold signify the honor and authority given them of God, and the glory they have with Him (MH)

Revelation 4:3

And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

·         God is not described by any human features, so as to be represented by an image, but only by his transcendent brightness (MH)

·         The rainbow was the seal and token of the covenant of providence that God made with Noah (MH)

Revelation 4:2

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

·         Throne set in heaven – the seat of honor, and authority, and judgment (MH).

·         One sat on the throne – That was God (MH)

Revelation 4:1

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.  And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you tings which must take place after this.”

·         We can know nothing of future events but what God is pleased to discover to us; they are within the veil, till God opens the door (MH)

·         To prepare John for the vision, a trumpet was sounded, and he was called up into heaven, to have a sight there of the things which were to be hereafter. (MH)

Revelation 3:22

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

·         It is a proverbial expression, implying that the highest attention should be given to what was spoken  (Barnes)

·       Anything serious, and of great importance, was delivered; and which required attention, and was not easily understood:  (Gills)

·         The demand for universal attention (MH)

Revelation 3:21

 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

·       This promise is offered to all Christians in the Millennium (Rev. 5:10; 11:15; 20:4). Jesus promised the apostles that they would eat and drink with Him and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Mt. 19:28; Lk. 22:29-30).

·       This distinguishes between two thrones, Jesus’ and the Father's; the Father’s Throne is in heaven and Jesus’ Throne will be on earth as the son of David (Ps. 122:5; Ezek. 43:7; Lk. 1:32). Jesus’ earthly Throne is turned over to the Father at the end of the Millennium (1 Cor. 15:24-28).

Revelation 3:20

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

• Jesus continually beckons us to draw near to His heart as He patiently waits for us.

• Jesus can open all doors (Rev. 3:7-8) except the door of our heart.  To feast speaks of intimacy or deep fellowship as the Spirit tenderizes our heart to feel more of His love by increasing our revelation of Jesus and zeal for righteousness

Revelation 3:19

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

·         Jesus continually beckons us to draw near to His heart as He patiently waits for us. Jesus can open all doors (Rev. 3:7-8) except the door of our heart.

·       To feast speaks of intimacy or deep fellowship as the Spirit tenderizes our heart to feel more of His love by increasing our revelation of Jesus and zeal for righteousness.

Revelation 3:19

 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.  Therefore be zealous and repent.

·         Jesus promises to discipline all of us so that we may have gold and garments that we may be rich. Jesus promises to discipline us to bring us out of passivity and self-sufficiency.

·        Be radical in our resolve to make changes.

Revelation 3:18

 “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich:  and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

·       The gold of godly character makes us rich in this age by tenderizing our heart to feel more of God’s love and enlarging our desire for Him and for righteousness.

·       Righteous living results in the reward of eternal garments. Our garments begin with the gift of righteousness that is imputed to us by faith (2 Cor. 5:21).  However, here Jesus is speaking of experiential righteousness or acts of righteousness.

·         Jesus was saying that we must take action to cure our spiritually sick eyes. Only the Holy Spirit can give us revelation of Jesus and His Word. However, we can take natural steps as we take time to feed on the Word and turn our eyes away from worthless things that dull our spirit.

Revelation 3:17

 “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked –

·      They claimed God’s financial blessing but it turned out to injure their heart.

·         Wretched – this from the Greek words that mean “calloused and hardened.” They were calloused and spiritually dull.

·         Miserable – spiritual sickness result in loss of appetite for the Word and prayer. Believers in the “spiritual ICU” have no spiritual appetite. Hunger is a sign of recovery.

·         Poor – being spiritually deficient is opposite of being “poor in spirit” (Mt. 5:3). Many believers have nothing in their eternal bank account. How much is in yours?

·         Blind – spiritual blindness means to lack revelation of God and one’s spiritual condition.

·         Naked – without garments in the age-to-come that express their love for Jesus in this age.

Revelation 3:16

 “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth

·         He loves them and has not lost interest in them (v. 19). Jesus’ heart was sick (or His stomach hurt) with concern about them and what they are losing in their relationship with Him. Jesus knows all the lost eternal opportunities they are missing out on.

·         Jesus quoted the warning of judgment seen in Lev. 18. The land of Israel was said to "vomit the people out" of the land in judgment.

 

Revelation 3:15

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot, I could wish you were cold or hot.

·       The spiritually cold are in a better position to see their great need. At least they know they are in trouble. They are easier to convert.

·         When a person feels the emptiness of a cold heart he searches for answers.

Revelation 3:14

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

·        What He speaks is reliable and truthful

·         He is the beginning or “first” in cause (source) and authority. The power and authority of creation “begins” with Him (Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16-17; Rev. 1:8; 21:6). He is the uncreated God like the Father and the Spirit. There was never a time they did not exist.

Revelation 3:13

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

·         It is a proverbial expression, implying that the highest attention should be given to what was spoken  (Barnes)

·        Anything serious, and of great importance, was delivered; and which required attention, and was not easily understood:  (Gills)

·         The demand for universal attention (MH)

Revelation 3:12

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more, I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God.  And I will write on him My new name.

·       Not a pillar to support the temple (heaven needs no such props), but a monument of the free and powerful grace of God, a monument that shall never be defaced nor removed (MH)

·         The new name of Christ, the Mediator, the Redeemer, the captain of our salvation; by this it will appear under whose banner this conquering believer had enlisted, under whose conduct he acted, by whose example he was encouraged, and under whose influence he fought the good fight, and came off victorious. (MH)

Revelation 3:11

“Behold, I am coming quickly!  Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

·         See, I am just a coming to relieve them under the trial, to reward their fidelity, and to punish those who fall away; they shall lose that crown which they once seemed to have a right to, which they hoped for, and pleased themselves with the thoughts of. (MH)

·         The persevering Christian shall win the prize from backsliding professors, who once stood fair for it.’’ (MH)

Revelation 3:10

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

·         Jesus promises to keep us spiritually vibrant and protected from sin as well as God’s judgment in the End-Times.

·         The hour of trial was a specific period in the first century in which persecution from the Roman Empire increased greatly on the known world as a partial application. This prophetically pointed to the Great Tribulation.

Revelation 3:9

“Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie – indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

·        Vindication of the faithful before the unbelievers who persecuted them by paying homage to them in the Millennium (Isa. 45:14; 49:23; 60:14).

·        The Father will reveal to the nations the fact that He loves His people. These unbelieving Jews will witness Jesus’ love towards these people on the last day.

Revelation 3:8

“I know your works.  See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

·         Jesus has the ability to see everything about our life.  He sees the full truth about us.  He is fully attentive to His people.  The essence of the fear of God grows in us as we grow in the awareness that God sees everything about us continually.

·         Jesus set before the saints at Philadelphia the invitation to governmental positions of honor in His eternal government (Millennium then the Eternal State) related to their obedience in this age. He also offered them open doors in the spirit that give them access to the revelation of God’s heart.

Revelation 3:7

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.

·         Jesus invited the faithful in the Church of Philadelphia to have positions of honor in His eternal government over the earth related to their obedience in this age.

·         Rev. 3:7-13 is based on the prophecy that Isaiah gave about Shebna, King Hezekiah's chief leader being removed from his government position to be replaced by Eliakim (Isa 22:15-25). God promised to place on Eliakim’s shoulder the “key to the house of David” so he could open and shut the doors of the royal resources to release God’s will in the kingdom of Israel.

Revelation 3:6

 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

·         It is a proverbial expression, implying that the highest attention should be given to what was spoken  (Barnes)

·         anything serious, and of great importance, was delivered; and which required attention, and was not easily understood:  (Gills)

·         The demand for universal attention (MH)

Revelation 3:5

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels

·         The books in heaven contain vast information about our lives including our words and deeds..

·         I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels – this is not a reference to being saved but to the reward of a public recognition for special nobility and faithfulness. Jesus will talk about our exploits and obedience before the Father.

Revelation 3:4

“You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

·         Jesus promised three rewards to this Church for those who would overcome spiritual deadness by sustaining a life of watching. These three rewards include our clothing, name and presentation to God that reflects what we have accomplished in our obedience in this life.

·        White garments are not the same as the free gift of the robe of righteousness. Justification is a gift by faith based on Jesus’ worthiness, not ours (Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:4-7).  These garments are expression of each believer’s dedication and they differ with each believer according to their life in this age.

Revelation 3:3

“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.  Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

·        Remember how Jesus touched them and the dedication years ago in the great Asian revival

·         Repent – embrace a bigger life vision that seeking God to gain more comfort and honor in this life. Establish your life vision in the laying hold of the eternal promises given to the overcomers.

Revelation 3:2

 “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.”

·         Be watchful – cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, fasting and obedience or to sustain a lifestyle of encountering Jesus.

·         This is to make them strong again:

o   1. Say it regularly – speak the vision and values consistently

o   2. Model it consistently – personally embrace the values that you speak

o   3. Enforce it organizationally – replace ministry leaders who refuse to embrace the values

Revelation 3:1

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

·         This church was known for its lively devotion to Jesus that was well established about forty years earlier (52-55 AD) in the great Ephesians revival that swept through all Asia (Acts 19-20).  They were deeply touched in this revival and became well known of it. However, over time they became spiritually dead. They lived on their past reputation established decades in the revival.

  “These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars:  “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

·         Jesus has the seven Spirits of God – to release the diverse ministries of the Spirit to them

·         Jesus will hold His people in His hands to make them bright like a star. To hold the seven stars means for Him to be deeply involved in the life and heart of the leadership. Jesus wants to make our heart bright like a star in His hand.

Revelation 2:29

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

·         It is a proverbial expression, implying that the highest attention should be given to what was spoken  (Barnes)

·         anything serious, and of great importance, was delivered; and which required attention, and was not easily understood:  (Gills)

Revelation 2:28

and I will give him the morning star.

·                     Jesus is the morning star (Rev. 22:16). This promise speaks of increased revelation of Jesus and deeper relationship with Him. The morning star is the brightest star in the sky (planet Venus) seen just before the dawning of a new day.

Revelation 2:27

 

‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;

·         To rule with a scepter of iron, is not to rule with a harsh and tyrannical sway, but with power that is firm and invincible.  (Barnes)

·         He shall restrain vice by the strictest administration of justice; and those who finally despise the word and rebel shall be broken and destroyed, so as never more to be able to make head against the truth. (AC)

They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ –

·         The same idea is here expressed in another form, but indicating more particularly the ease with which it would be done. The word rendered "dash them in pieces" means to break in pieces as an earthen vessel,  (Barnes)

·         Those that will not quietly submit to thee, shall be crushed and destroyed by thee. (Wesley)

As I also have received from My Father;

Revelation 2:26

“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations –

·         We must maintain our obedience in this until the end of our life

·         The reward for resisting immorality is to reign in Jesus’ millennial kingdom (Lk. 19:11-27; Rev. 3:21). Each believer has a different measure of eternal rewards.

Revelation 2:25

 “But hold fast what you have till I come.

• It takes diligence for a leadership team to hold fast in proclaiming and insisting on purity among those involved in their ministry. It is not automatic.
•   The church need to hold fast to what they knew to be true and to cut themselves off from wrong things, whatever it cost, they had to hold fast (DP)

Revelation 2:24

“Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden.

·         John referred to Jezebel’s doctrine as the deep things of Satan. In other words, her false teaching on grace that promoted immorality and idolatry without any fear of God’s judgment is one expression of the depths of satanic deception.

Revelation 2:23

“I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts.  And I will give to each one of you according to your words.

·         Jesus warned of killing her children or those who followed her teaching. 

·         Jesus wants the Church to know of His zeal to free His people from immorality. He said they all shall know when He casts unrepentant believers on a sick bed.