1Peter 1:13-23 comments: born again

13 ¶  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 17  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Gird up the loins is an idiom that means to get a grip, be a man or a woman, toughen up, put your ‘big boy’ or ‘big girl’ pants on, and other similar phrases but as a literal phrase it refers to binding up the loose flowing robes both men and women wore to make a journey, to get going, to get to work with a leather belt of some sort and using this to preparing your mind.

Here is the literal application;

2Kings 4:29  Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.

Here is the idiomatic application as God demands of Job;

Job 38:3  Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

So, buck up, keep a stiff upper lip, and be sober minded, trusting in Christ to the very end. Don’t let your faith waiver. This is the meaning of overcoming in Revelation as defined by 1John.

Revelation 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Defined by;

1John 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

When Jesus Christ is to be revealed at His second coming you have stayed faithful as obedient children not like previously when you were dominated by lusts in your ignorance.

As the Holy Spirit noted through Paul;

1Corinthians 6:9 ¶  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

And again;

Ephesians 2:1 ¶  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Christians are called to be Holy, as Christ is Holy, and conversation refers to behavior, as well as speech, which you can see by a simple word search.

Philippians 1:27  Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

As Jesus said to His Jewish disciples in the popularly called Sermon on the Mount, and you should read that part of the sermon that preceded this next verse to see what behavior and attitudes Christ was referring to, which most fundamentalist Christians and Christian preachers reject to their hurt and spiritual weakness.

Matthew 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Perfect means complete, lacking nothing.

2Chronicles 8:16  Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected.

Col 4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

James 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

We can also see that to be Holy is to be just and good.

Romans 7:12  Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

It is unblameable and unreproveable  in God’s sight.

Colossians 1:22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

[Always remember that synonyms are joined by and as well as in certain cases so are antonyms, such as Ezekiel 44:23’s holy and profane or abased and abound in Philippians 4:12.]

Peter refers to Leviticus.

Leviticus 11:44  For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Leviticus 19:2  Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

Leviticus 20:7  Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

To be Holy is to be sanctified, set apart for God’s purpose. When you call on God the Father for mercy or blessing, who judges none of us with favoritism but judges all the same, be fearful because you didn’t purchase your salvation by adherence to vain traditions you received from those who went on before you, but with Christ’s blood, perfect and without spot and ordained by God from before the world began but only revealed in those times for us. It was not your following of ritual or rules and regulations made by men and women so they could control you, but by Christ’s shed blood.

Acts 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

I know some of you are trying to make a deal with God. You think if you follow certain instructions you are given by men and women and do certain things, making yourself as uncomfortable and as difficult to get along with to other people as you can outside of the camp, so to speak, that you are bargaining for eternal life and an easier or more justified existence. But, the Bible teaches us that we didn’t purchase our salvation, we can’t pay for it on a monthly basis, and it was not ours to take, only God’s to give. We either accept that or spend our lives miserably running in circles.

We believe in God by Jesus Christ, that God raised Him from the dead and glorified Him so that we can believe and have hope in God. That is the beginning and the end of it.

Peter says that our souls are purified by obeying through the Spirit inside of us in loving our brothers and sisters in Christ which is a command throughout the New Testament. As Jesus said;

John 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

This is evidence of our being born again which Jesus said a person must be in order to see the kingdom of God in John, chapter 3, with word here, lowercase s, for the written word, being translated from Logos just like in the opening of the Gospel of John for Christ Himself.

John 3:1 ¶  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

John 1:1 ¶  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  The same was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

See the usage of Logos again, that was used for Christ, for the Bible by Paul in Hebrews;

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

It is a living Book and the written version of Christ, which we can handle and hold and see.

Revelation 2:1-7 comments for Tuesday night Bible study discussion

1 ¶  Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

John is told to write a letter to Ephesus and immediately their works, labor, and patience are commended. Also, though, it is acknowledged that they hate counterfeit apostles. Is there evidence of complaining about counterfeit apostles in the Bible?

2Peter 2:1 ¶  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2Corinthians 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

Philippians 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Romans 16:17 ¶  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches [sermons, maybe?] deceive the hearts of the simple.

Remember what Jesus said about these kinds.

Matthew 7:21 ¶  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The Ephesians are commendable but they have left their first love. It is important to read Ephesians to understand the dangers and pitfalls spiritually that the rich church of Ephesus faced, the things that Paul was clearly concerned about. Rather than post the entire letter here we need to read it as a letter to get the feel of what he was concerned about and clearly what happened. Also read about Paul’s experiences in Ephesus in Acts.

This warning to Ephesus, and to us by extension is about getting back to first things, the foundation and fundamentals of our faith as charged by Christ through Paul.

Christ speaks of His hatred of Nicolaitanism, in Greek victory over the laity. In the Roman church it is the priest as the actual representation of Christ on earth rather than the individual Christian. The priest is a separate class of individual closer to God than the laity. In the Independent Baptist church it is the preacher as the, ‘man o’ God,” who cannot be questioned and is often followed even if he is guilty of crimes to which he confesses. I listened to news interviews with the congregation of an Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) preacher in Virginia who had confessed to criminal behavior and they said they would follow him no matter what because he was the, “man o’ God.” In more modernistic churches it could be the educated clergy who has been to seminary and, well, he’s not going to argue with you because he has a degree, don’t ya know.

Sometimes this evil manifests itself in a celebrity preacher’s opinions becoming dogma that must be true simply because he said it. There are a small number of such preachers in the IFB church in America who literally can say whatever pops into their head and it is as if God Himself spoke it. This is the essence of Nicolaitanism, which Christ hates. A preacher is held to the same standard or tougher than everyone else. He is not God walking in the flesh and if what he says does not line up with Scripture in context you should discard it. In every sermon, remember to chew up the meat and spit out the bones. You can learn from almost anyone and almost anyone will have some error in what they say. God does not dictate letters to preachers as if they were His secretaries. He gives them wisdom and understanding to preach His word.

Job 32:8  But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

2Peter 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

2Peter 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

Beware of Nicolaitanism. It can destroy a congregation and render it spiritually powerless.

What does it mean to overcome or to endure to the end?

1John 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

We now know where the tree of life is. It is in paradise which is in heaven.

See Luke 23:43; 2Corinthians 12:4; and 1Peter 3:19.

1Peter 1:10-12 comments: the angels desire to look into

10 ¶  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Peter now states that salvation was prophesied of in the Old Testament by the Prophets and that the sufferings of Christ were prophesied as well as the glory of His resurrection. It is important that Peter, talking specifically to Jews saved by the grace of God and faith in Christ, should present a connection between what they have learned and the prophecies of the Hebrew Bible.

It is clear that the Jews’ minds had been so distorted by the manmade traditions of the Pharisees that they could not and did not see that these prophecies were being fulfilled in front of their eyes so saying that the Jews were looking forward to the Cross is a real stretch. Peter didn’t get it himself when he walked with Christ.

Matthew 16:21 ¶  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

John 20:6  Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7  And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8  Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9  For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

But the Old Testament does point to Christ as is evident in many places, some easier and more obvious than others to see. For instance, look at Isaiah, at the end of chapter 52 and in chapter 53.

Isaiah 52:13 ¶  Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15  So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

    53:1 ¶  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

    4 ¶  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

    10 ¶  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

In the eleventh century, possibly in response to the brutality of the Roman Catholic Crusades, the Jewish rabbi known as Rashi began to teach that these verses in Isaiah referred to the Jewish people rather than to the Messiah. (6)

So, from these and other passages in the Old Testament we can see that Christ, the Messiah, was preached in the Old Testament but was made invisible by the manmade traditions of the Pharisees much as, for instance, a Christian fundamentalist or liberal Christian today, does not see the doctrines of the Bible or the commands placed on them by Christ because of preaching and teaching that is agenda driven, creating a system of rules and expectations of the Christian that are not Biblical and would have been impossible for the first century Jewish or Gentile Christian to follow. Nor are they possible for us to follow now.

Early Christians, as evident here, were clearly taught the Old Testament as it pertained to Christ’s first and second advents. Such preaching today, like the Pharisaical of old, is mostly absent and instead focuses on rules and regulations invented by the faith tradition; whether it be Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, or one of the many Charismatic movements.

Peter’s statement is that the prophets preached for our benefit, not their own, as Isaiah, for instance, may not have even understood his own prophecy. The immediate context of Isaiah’s statements following may not have been understood by Him but were by these early Christians and should be by us.

Isaiah 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

And yet, we believe these verses foretold Christ’s arrival, both first and second in Isaiah 9. See how chapter 7 is alluded to in Matthew.

Matthew 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Do you look at the Old Testament like these ancient Christians, seeing Christ in every chapter almost? So, Peter is saying that the Old Testament prophets preached not for themselves and their understanding but for the Christian and his or her understanding and now preachers preach these things by the power of the Holy Ghost knowing what they meant, to God’s glory.

As the angels desire to know about these things it is clear that spiritual beings have no more special knowledge of this than they are given. Notice how the prophecies in Revelation of the end are sealed in the hand of God and only Christ can open them.

Revelation 5:1 ¶  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 2  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Note the nature of prophecy as Christ told His disciples;

John 16:4  But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

As the prophets warned Israel about things to come if they did not repent so we are told about things to come, not so that we can boast of knowledge, but so that when they happen we remember that we were told and our faith is confirmed.

 (6) Joel E. Rembaum, “The Development of a Jewish Exegetical Tradition regarding Isaiah 53,” The Harvard Theological Review,Vol. 75, No. 3 (Jul., 1982), 294. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1509755.

1Peter 1:6-9 comments: the trial of your faith

6 ¶  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Even though believers have a great many difficulties and, in many parts of the world today, much persecution they should rejoice. From what Peter wrote before we have much to rejoice over. Rejoice in your salvation constantly for as David said or sang;

Psalm 30:5  For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

The trial of your faith is a fire that purges and purifies. Here to the church of the Laodiceans, John writes in figurative language what Christ commanded of them;

Revelation 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Paul said to the Roman church;

Romans 5:1 ¶  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

…that we may be found praising, honoring, and glorying in Jesus Christ when He appears.

In Job’s trials of faith we have;

Job 23:8 ¶  Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

9  On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: 10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

James wrote;

James 1:2 ¶  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

What are these temptations, these tribulations, these trials of faith? They are when you are tempted to deny God because of great troubles in your flesh, persecution from without, doubts and uncertainties, all things that cry against your faith such as sorrow and grief.

Galatians 4:14  And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Matthew13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

2Corinthians 8:1 ¶  Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;2  How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

We love and believe in Christ, whom we have not seen, and if our faith, which we pray for, is strong, we can see the end of our faith, even our salvation. One characteristic of the Christian is his or her love for Christ, who is God in the flesh.

Deuteronomy 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Matthew 22:34 ¶  But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35  Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38  This is the first and great commandment. 39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Do you love God or are you just terrified of Him or perhaps want to do business with Him, you know, make a deal, for a relatively painless existence?

A word of warning is warranted here in these passages. When you believe in false doctrines and hold onto things you have been taught that are not Biblical, your faith is in great danger, as is the faith of your children. For instance, Christians will quote the following verse and express confusion and dismay when some horrible thing happens to them;

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

However, the context of this verse is God promising that the exiles in Babylon will be able to return to Israel. See the verse before;

Jeremiah 29:10  For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

By taking this verse and applying it to yourself doctrinally you then must deny the warnings to people in the book of Job and elsewhere about suffering.

Job 2:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. [see Matthew 6:34 for evil as trouble]

Jonathan Edwards, the famous Congregationalist preacher of colonial America wrote in his A History of the Work of Redemption, “…the spirit of true Christians is, viz. a spirit of suffering.”(5)

So, how would that verse in Jeremiah apply to you spiritually since it does not apply to you doctrinally and every verse in the Bible has at least three applications; historical, spiritual, and doctrinal?

Well, its shows that God has an abiding love for His people and in the end, if you take eternity into consideration and stop thinking in the immediate desires of the flesh, whatever He does or permits to be done will be to our betterment. See Paul writing to the Romans, which is written directly to Christians, not unsaved Jews or pagan Gentiles.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

But, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a car accident or lose someone you love to physical death.

(5) Jonathan Edwards, A History of the Work of Redemption (1774, repr., Seattle, WA: Amazon Digital Services, 2013), Kindle ed.

Revelation 1:9-20 comments for Tuesday night Bible study discussion

9 ¶  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16  And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 19  Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

John was on the island of Patmos. The Bible does not say that he was a prisoner but that he was there for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is certain Christian traditions that say he was there as a prisoner. The Harper’s Bible dictionary says the following, which is misquoted in Wikipedia as of this writing;

Early Christian tradition says that John was banished to Patmos by the Roman authorities. This tradition is credible because banishment was a common punishment used during the Imperial period for a variety of offenses. Among such offenses were the practices of magic and astrology. Prophecy was viewed by the Romans as belonging to the same category, whether pagan, Jewish, or Christian. Prophecy with political implications, like that expressed by John in the book of Revelation, would have been perceived as a threat to Roman political power and order. [The writer goes on to refer to Pliny’s Natural History and Tacitus’ Annals as references to the series of islands where Patmos was located as being used for used for such purposes.](1)

(1) Adela Y. Collins, “Patmos,” Harper Bible Dictionary, Paul J. Achtemeier, gen. ed., (San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1985), 755.

 

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day…,” is an interesting phrase. First, it reinforces that Christians worshipped on a special day called the Lord’s day.  Other evidence of a special day that particular worship was held can be found at;

Acts 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

1Corinthians 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

What does it mean to be, “in the Spirit?” Note the uppercase S.

The believer is indwelt by the Spirit of Christ, who is God.

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The context of the following shows that as the believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God his sanctification is not accomplished by carnal, fleshy things such as ordinances and commandments but by the change brought about by the Spirit on his or her life.

Galatians 3:3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

The believer who walks in the Spirit does not seek to fulfill the lust of the flesh. If we live in the Spirit it must be evidenced by our walk.

… 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh…25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Being in the Spirit has to do with being detached from the world and focused on and controlled by God.

Ephesians 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Colossians 1:8  Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

1Timothy 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

John was so deeply given to prayer and so focused on God that the Spirit of God controlled him and was able to show him things we cannot see because even when we pray we are still firmly planted in this world. Few have prayed hard enough or for a long enough time or in a focused manner that would allow their complete surrender to God.  Usually we want something or we don’t want something but our prayers are not focused on our position in God; our submission to Him or His authority over us. We either mumble a hurried prayer, recite a formula, or preach a sermon to others. What John experienced here was much, much more. Of course, I am assuming John was praying although this could have been similar to Peter’s trance in Acts 10.

John heard a voice behind him and before he turned around the voice, which sounded powerful and loud like a trumpet and identified Christ as the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending, again, naming the specific seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. They do not still exist and the Roman province of Asia is now an ostensibly Muslim country named Turkey after the Turks who conquered the Eastern Roman Empire, whose capital was at Constantinople, which the Turks renamed Istanbul.

Each of these cities have an intriguing background and the archaeology surrounding them is very interesting. But, it is what God says about them in the Bible that matters the most to us here, not the suppositions and theories of historians and archaeologists, although I am not discounting them or rejecting what they say. One book I recommend is Merrill F. Unger’s landmark work entitled Archaeology and the New Testament.

As they do not exist now, their presence in the Bible must mean something else to us, if we believe that the Holy Spirit gave the Bible to the writers of it by inspiration and that He was an active agent throughout the history of its preservation. We assume that all of the obscure names given in the Old Testament, for instance, have some type of significance and importance to us even though we do not know yet what it is.

There are many theories about what the seven churches mean. Some have said they are seven ages of church history. Some that they are simply seven types of churches throughout history. John turned then to see who was speaking to him and here we get an important point about translating. The translators use the word candlesticks, something which modernists despise. This does not mean that John is referring to candles of wax although candles were used at that time and there is plenty of evidence that candles were used from the middle of the millennium before Christ.

The word, lampstand, is not found in English lexicons and dictionaries before 1800. If you find it let me know.  As the British use the word torch for what we call a flashlight hearkening back to earlier technology the King James Bible translators used candlestick for the apparatus on which a lamp was set.

Zechariah 4:2  And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

Referencing;

Exodus 25:31 ¶  And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. 32  And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: 33  Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. 34  And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. 35  And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. 36  Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 37  And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. 38  And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. 39  Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. 40  And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

Think of other places where the translators used words that the reader would understand rather than transliterating a Greek word. Think of furlong for the Greek stadion in Luke 24:13. Think of penny in place of denarion in Matthew 20:2.

In verse 13 paps are nipples, so this garment is cinched at breast height.

Luke 11:27  And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

(Oh my! Why isn’t He wearing a suit and tie!?? I’m so offended. Just joking, fundamentalists.)

The appearance of Christ here, the image, the likeness we see in this passage is different from what the disciples saw when He was walking the earth. He is glorified and in the world of spirit. His head and his hair are white like wool. His eyes glowed like fire. His feet were like brass in a furnace and His voice sounded like many waters. What’s that sound like? Imagine the waves of a storm pounding on the beach or assaulting a ship at sea.

Psalm 93:4  The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

We can picture in our head the sound of a waterfall or the rapids on a great river but the Bible definition is the mighty waves of the sea.

He is holding seven stars in His right hand and a sharp two-edge sword is coming out of His mouth. The stars are defined as the appearance or angels of the seven churches, and that would be before God as they existed on earth at the time while the seven candlesticks were the actual churches. Churches should be a light, shouldn’t they?

The two-edged sword is the Bible, the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

In this verse in Hebrews word of God is the same word as Word used for Jesus in creation, logos. Then, would the Bible be Christ in written form?

Christ’s face glowed like the sun shining in its power. Notice the verses regarding Moses;

Exodus 34:29  And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 30  And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. …33  And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face…35  And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

2Corinthians 3:7  But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

Now, Christ at His transfiguration;

Matthew 17:1 ¶  And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2  And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Verse 17 says;  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

(Peter, James, and John were taken with Christ to see His transfiguration clearly because they will write significant portions of the end-times letters; 1^st and 2^nd Peter, 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd John, James, and Revelation.)

Note from Ezekiel…

Ezekiel 1:26 ¶  And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 27  And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

In verse 18 Christ said that He had the keys of Hell and of death. Death and Hell have a close relationship in the Bible.

Proverbs 5:5  Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

Proverbs 7:27  Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

Isaiah 28:15  Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves…18  And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

Habakkuk 2:5  Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

Revelation 6:8  And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

Revelation 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

John is then instructed to write about the past, the present, and the future; what he has seen, what he sees, and what he will see. Then, Christ explains that the seven stars are the angels or appearances of the seven churches while the seven candlesticks are the seven churches. The difference between an angel or appearance, a presence, from the physical thing in our space-time should be clear by now.

Notice that the vision John is having is literal but that images in the vision are representational of things. I think this makes it clear that things existing in the spiritual world for things in the physical world do not necessarily copy those things in appearance but represent them.

1Peter 1:3-5 comments: a lively hope

3 ¶  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Peter extols and exalts God the Father, who by the resurrection of Christ has given us a second birth into a strong and living (lively) hope [see Exodus 1:19; Psalm 38:19; 1Peter 2:5 for definitions of lively]. Jesus told Nicodemus that to enter the kingdom of God one had to be born again.

John 3:1 ¶  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Notice the context of these verses in John. Born of water has to do with being born from a natural process, from a mother’s womb, or born of the flesh. It has absolutely nothing to do with water baptism. There is an old, old heresy that says that one must not only be born again spiritually but must be baptized, based in part on this passage. This heresy shows a distinct disability in reading comprehension. For instance, famed American Congregationalist theologian of the 1700’s, Samuel Hopkins, believed that one had to be baptized as per this particular passage when the passage clearly says nothing about baptism and he mistook born of water with baptism rather than its correct connection with natural childbirth.(3)

(3) Samuel Hopkins,  The System of Doctrines Contained in Divine Revelation: Volume II (Boston: Thomas & Andrews, 1793), 300.

https://openlibrary.org/works/OL1691860W/The_system_of_doctrines_contained_in_Divine_revelation_explained_and_defended.

The way to salvation, being born again, is by believing that Christ rose from the dead.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Believing what Christ said about Himself.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me….9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

Knowing what awaits those who reject Him.

John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Baptists in the 1600’s followed the distinctives listed in Hebrews 6, in a passage about moving beyond and not trying to constantly become saved over and over again.(4) The very first step in the doctrine of Christ was to repent or turn away from what you thought justified you before Christ; perhaps your goodness, your charitable activity, your not being as bad as others, your church organization, nationality, or any other thing, which are called dead works.

Hebrews 6:1 ¶  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

(4) Leon McBeth, Baptist Heritage: Four Centuries of Baptist Witness (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1987) Kindle ed., chap. 16.

In heaven, we have an inheritance that cannot deteriorate or die waiting for us, a body fully resurrected and redeemed. This is a physical, not merely a spiritual, resurrection.

Romans 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Peter says that we are kept by the power of God through faith, secure in our salvation. The power of God is given to us and exercised through our faith. We first believe, then we are given faith.

Believe and be saved;

Luke 8:12  Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

Acts 16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Galatians 3:22  But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Be given faith;

Ephesians 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Romans 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

We will see the fruits of this faith in the end times but God has given us a deposit, earnest money so to speak, by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. This is the Spirit of God, of Christ, and the Holy Ghost in His operation.

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

2Corinthians 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

2Corinthians 5:5  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Revelation Bible Study 1:3-8 comments: Alpha and Omega

3 ¶  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 4  John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Verse 3 - The reader is blessed. The hearer is blessed. Those who keep this information are blessed. One definition of to keep is defined as to protect or guard as in the keep of a castle, the strong tower which is a defense of last resort.

Genesis 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Another definition of keep is to maintain or follow something as in keep a rule or keep a covenant.

Genesis 2:15  And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Genesis 18:19  For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Still another definition of keep can be to stay as in staying in bed.

Exodus 21:18  And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:

It can also be for a man to stay at home and not be out partying as the following verse hints at the antichrist, the beast of Revelation to come.

Hab 2:5  Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

Or a wife, who should not be what we called down South a gadabout going around gossiping and visiting others for that purpose, always busy outside of the home.

Titus 2:5  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Contrast the verse in Titus with these verses in 1Timothy.

1Timothy 5:13  And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. 14  I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

(Note that those verses do not mean that Paul thought women who have to work outside of the home were wicked. This is about bringing reproach on Christ’s name. See the reference to Lydia, a businesswoman, in Act 16:14, 15 and that there is no condemnation of her.)

The time is at hand – What does it mean when something is at hand? It means soon to arrive as in imminent or pending. It means that the time is near.

Genesis 27:41  And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

Jeremiah 23:23  Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?

Verse 4 - John is speaking to seven literal churches in Asia which are types of all churches throughout history. It is difficult to say that each church represents an historic age of the church but they could typify the dominant church forms of each age.

God, is Him which is, and which was, and which is to come. He is the great I AM.

Exodus 3:13  And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

The seven Spirits, uppercase S, which are before God’s throne are the Spirits of the seven churches, the angels of the Seven Churches, as angels are spirits.

Psalm 104:4  Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

Hebrews 1:7  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

They have spread the gospel over the entire earth and for all of the warnings that Christ is about to give them He has used them for His purpose.

Revelation 4:5  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

Revelation 5:6  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

And Jesus Christ, who was shown to be the visible image of God and the Word by which all things were created is the faithful witness reporting what is about to be told in the form of an angel. He rose from the dead so that we can rise from the dead, showing us by example what would happen to us. Enoch and Elijah did not die when they were translated, but where taken out of the world bodily and alive. He is also God as the first verses of John’s gospel tells us and constant, eternal as Paul said in Hebrews.

John 8:58  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

John 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him…9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

He is the first begotten of the dead as He is the beginning of creation and holds it together.

Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by

him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

 

He is above the kings of the earth as the prince to whom they have not but will be forced to submit.

 

Psalm 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

 

Christ washed us from our sins against God in His own blood.

 

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

 

As even usually unites two things that are the same, the forgiveness of sins is found through the redemption of Christ’s blood shed for us.

 

Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

 

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

 

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

 

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

 

For verse 6 please note the status of followers of Christ in;

 

1Peter 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

 

2Timothy 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

 

Revelation 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

 

“…glory and dominion for ever and ever…”

 

Similar sentiments are expressed by Peter;

 

1Peter 5:10 ¶  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

 

And as part of the prayer given by Jesus to His disciples;

 

Matthew 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 

Alluding to;

 

1Chronicles 29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

 

God’s authority and power is limitless and unending. There is nothing before Him and nothing after Him. There is also nothing besides Him to compete with Him.

 

Verse 7 refers to verses like;

 

Daniel 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

 

Matthew 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

 

And;

 

Zechariah 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 mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

 

John 19:37  And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

 

Psalm 22:16  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

 

Here is Jesus Christ in verse 8 declaring Himself to be Almighty God.

 

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

This will be expressed several times in Revelation (1:11; 4:8; 11:17; 22:13 as examples). See also in Isaiah;

Isaiah 43:10  Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

 

Isaiah 44:6  Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah 48:12  Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

 

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

Remember, as well, that Jesus told Philip that to have seen Him was to have seen God the Father (John 14:7-9; also see John 8:58).