The Seven S in John S Revelation

The Seven S in John S Revelation

10th September, 2017 Sungai Nibong Gospel Hall

The “Seven’s” in John’s Revelation

Pt. III – The SEVEN Churches/Letters

Recapitulation:

16 July, 2017- Pt. I. The Seven Jesus’ Signs in John’s Gospel.

23 July, 2017- Pt. II. The Seven Jesus’ Statements in John’s Gospel.

The “Sevens” in John’s Revelation.

10 Sept. 2017 – Pt. III: The Seven Churches/Letters

17 Sept, 2017 – Pt. IV: The Seven Seal Judgments

Introduction 1:

(A) Introduction 1: The Sevens in John’s Revelation:

1. Seven is the number of Completion and Perfection. See Study I

2. Seven is a unique feature of the book.

a. The Seven’s in Single Occurrences (in KJV).

i. “Seven” (Gk. “hepta”) occurs 87 times in the N. T.

ii. “Seven” occurs 55, and “Seventh” 5, times in Rev.

iii. “Seven”-phrase occurs 35 (5x7) times in Rev.

b.The Seven’s in Series Outlining Revelation

  1. The seven churches - 1:4, 11, 20Chs. 1, 2-3
  2. The seven seal judgments - 5:1, 5:5Chs. 4-6; 8:1
  3. The seven trumpet judgments - 8:2, 6Chs. 8, 9; 11:15-19
  4. The seven bowl/vial judgments - 15:7, 17:1, 21:9 Chs. 15-16
  5. The seven parentheses Chs. 7, 10-14, 17-19
  6. The Six “thousand” occ. - 20:2-7, ct. 11:2, 3Ch. 20

2nd to 7th mth. = 5 mths. = 150 days (Gen. 7:11; 8:3, 4)

1 prophetic month = 30 days

30)1260 daysRev. 11:3; 12:6

___42 monthsRev. 11:2; 13:5

= a time, and times and half a time 12:14

The figure 1260 is literal and not allegorical!

  1. The SevennewOutstanding SubjectsChs. 21, 22

(B) Introduction 2: The Seven Churches in Asia.

  1. Paul wrote to Seven Churches: Romans to Thessalonians

They Provide the Principles and Practices of the Church.

  1. John wrote to Seven Churches in Asia: Ephesus to Laodicea.

They Picture in Prophetic Outline the history of Christendom from Pentecost to the Parousia of the Church.

(C) Introduction 3: - Revelation in Perspective

  1. THE PROLOGUE OF THE BOOK.
  1. The Penman of the Book: John, the Apostle. Rev. 1:1, 2, 4, 9; 22:8
  2. The Period of the Book:AD. 96
  3. The Promise of the Book: A three-fold Blessing – read, hear, keep. Rev. 1:3

Seven Beatitudes in Revelation

1:3BLESSED is he that readeth and they that hear…and keep those things that are written…

14:13BLESSED are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth…(ct. 14:9-11)

16:15BLESSED is he that watcheth…

19:9BLESSED are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.

20:6 BLESSED and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection

22:7BLESSED is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

22:14BLESSED are they that do His commandments…(wash their robes…)

II.THE PANORAMA OF THE BOOK.

  1. The Simple Plan in the Book. Rev. 1:19

It deals mainly with....

1. The Past - "The things which thou hast seen." 1:11 cf. 1:19. Ch. 1

John's Vision of the Exalted Christ, (7-fold portrait) the last picture of Christ in the N. T.

1:13-16

2. The Present - "The things which are" Chs. 2, 3
Outline of the Dispensation of the Church:

The Seven golden candlesticks (1:12, 13, 20; 2:1); stars (1:16, 20; 2:1; 3:1);

churches (1:20); Spirits of God (3:1); angels (1:20)

a. The Messages to the Seven churches - the Church age. "Write"

  1. A Contemporary Approach - Past Historical (Preterist)
  2. A Concurrent Approach- Present Historical (Allegorist)
  3. A Consecutive Approach - Progressively Historical (Futurist)

b.The Missing (Rapture of the) Church between 3:22 and 4:1.

Cf. occ. of "church/churches" in 3:22; 22:16

3. The Prospect –"The things which shall be hereafter.”Chs. 4-22
The future after the Rapture of the Church –Chs. 4-5 cf. 4:1

  1. Their Commencement: "Hereafter", lit. = "after these things", as in 1:19; 4:1, 2
  2. Their Concentration: - The Great Tribulation.Chs. 6-18 (cf. 7:14)
  3. Their Consummation - "After these things"Chs. 19-22 (cf. 19:1)

The Following to be Continued NEXT WEEK.

B. The 7 Common Facts in the Seven Letters.

Each Letter addresses…

  1. The Church and } "Unto the angel of the church …”
  2. The City - } "Unto the angel of the church at..."
  3. The Character of Christ - "These things saith He that..."
  4. The Condition of the Congregation - "I know thy works..."
  5. The Complaint and/or Commendation. - "But I have..."
  6. The Command and Counsel - "He that hath an ear..."
  7. The Challenge and Conclusion - "To him that overcometh...“

C. The Comparative and Contrastive Features of the Seven Letters.

  1. Censure only for Sardis and Laodicea;

Commendation only for Smyrna and Philadelphia.

  1. Contents -- Shortest to Smyrna; Longest to Thyatira.
  2. Classification of the seven letters into three and four:
  3. The Change in the Order of the appeal by the Holy Spirit followed by the promise to the Overcomer in the first three and the change of the reversed order in the last four –
    He that overcometh and he that hath an ear
  1. Church as a whole appealed to in the first three with a Remnant or no Remnant

in the last four! [2:24; 3:4; 3:8; 3:20]

  1. The Consecutive History of the Church

– first three are Consecutive,

the last four both Consecutive and Concurrent

with each reaching to the time of the Rapture.

  1. The Celestial Laud of the Lamb on the Throne: 4:11; 5:13; 5:12

The Division of Three and Four in the Seven

Revelation 2:7 (KJV)

2:7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;

2:11To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life,

2:17which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Revelation 2:26, 29

2:26, 29And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works

3:5, 6unto the end, to him will I give power…

3:12, 13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit

3:21, 22saith unto the churches.

5. Other Sevens and their Divisions of Three and Four:

a. The Seven Parables in Matthew 13

The fourth parable and the fourth letter feature a woman.

b. The Seven Feasts of the Lord in Lev. 23.

The first four feasts were celebrated in six months; the last three in one month.

There is an interval between the first four and the last three.

The Interval is the Church Age.

6.The Challenge and Conclusion: “to him that overcometh…”

[1] The Church In Ephesus – the first Century Church.Rev. 2:1-7

An Active Church, but not “Alive”.Rev. 2:2, 3 ct. I Thes. 1:3

[2] The Church in Smyrna – the Persecuted Church.Rev. 2:8-11

An Active and Alive ChurchRev. 2:9

[3] The Church in Pergamum – The Compromising Church of Constantine.Rev. 2:12-17

An Active Compromising Church, Alive to the World but Dead to Christ.Rev. 2:12

[4] The Church in Thyatira – The Idolatrous Church of the Dark Ages. Rev. 2:18-29

A Very Active Church with a semblance of being Alive.Rev. 2:19 cp. 2:2

[5] The Church in Sardis – The Church of the Reformation Period.Rev. 3:1-6

A Dead Church with a Name but not a Church Alive.Rev. 3:1

[6] The Church in Philadelphia – The Missionary Period.Rev. 3: 7-13

The Active and Alive Mission-Minded Church winning dead souls to Christ.Rev. 3:7, 8

[7] The Church in Laodicea – Today’s Materialistic Church.Rev. 3:14-21

An Active Worldly Church, Dead and not a Church Alive before God.Rev. 3:20, 21

Next Week –
The Seven Seal Judgments

•13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

•14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;

15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation

  1. Conveys the message to the angel of the church.
  2. Commences with "These things saith He...", and then follows a revelation of the Lord, each different, and each adapted in a special way to meet the need and conditions existing in the various churches. In the main they are citations from the description of the Lord in Ch. 1:4, 5, 12-18.
  3. Continues with "I know...... (thy works)"
  4. Contains a Censure or a Compliment with most containing both.
  5. Concludes with an Assurance (To him that overcometh) and an Appeal (He that hath an ear.)

BThe Comparative and Contrastive Features among the Seven Letters.

  1. Censure only for Sardis and Laodicea; Commendation only for Smyrna and Philadelphia.
  2. Contents -- Shortest address to Smyrna; Longest address to Thyatira.
  3. Classifies the seven letters into three and four: Three is the number of Divinity; Four, the number of Humanity (Universality); Seven, the number of Perfection/Completion:
  1. The Change in the Order of the appeal by the Holy Spirit followed by the promise to the Overcomer in the first three and the change of the reversed order in the last four.
  2. The Church as a whole appeal to in the first three and the appeal to the Remnant in the last four.
  1. The Consecutive History of the Church – each church representing a distinct period - first three are Consecutive, and the last four both Consecutive and Concurrent with each reaching to the time of the Rapture.

CConsideration of the Seven Letters.

Consider the Letters under the following headings:

  1. The City and the Church - "Unto the angel of the church at..."
  2. The Character of Christ - "These things saith He that..."
  3. The Condition of the Congregation - "I know thy works..."
  4. The Complaint and/or Commendation.- "But I have..."
  5. The Command and Counsel.- "He that hath an ear..."
  6. The Challenge and Conclusion- "To him that overcometh..."

[1]The Church In Ephesus – the first Century Church.Rev. 2:1-7

An Active Church, but not “Alive”.Rev. 2:2, 3 ct. I Thes. 1:3

[2]The Church in Smyrna – the Persecuted Church.Rev. 2:8-11

An Active and Alive ChurchRev. 2:9

[3]The Church in Pergamum – The Compromising Church of Constantine.Rev. 2:12-17

An Active Compromising Church, Alive to the World but Dead to Christ.Rev. 2:12

[4]The Church in Thyatira – The Idolatrous Church of the Dark Ages. Rev. 2:18-29

A Very Active Church with a semblance of being Alive.Rev. 2:19 cp. 2:2

[5]The Church in Sardis – The Church of the Reformation Period.Rev. 3:1-6

A Dead Church with a Name but not a Church Alive.Rev. 3:1

[6]The Church in Phildelphia – The Missionary Period.Rev. 3: 7-13

The Active and Alive Mission-Minded Church winning dead souls to Christ.Rev. 3:7, 8

[7]The Church in Laodicea – Today’s Church of the new Millenium.Rev. 3:14-21

An Active Worldly Church, Dead and not a Church Alive before God.Rev. 3:20, 21

Intro: Is the Book of Revelation too Complicated, Complex and Closed to the Christian who wants to discover and master its Contents?

  1. The Title of the Book - The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Connotation of Revelation. Revelation = Gk. apokalypsis = revelation, disclosure, unveiling. Hence,

  1. A Revelation of Truth about Christ Himself.- Person of Christ.
  2. A Disclosure of future events, regarding His Second Advent.- Progress of the Church.

c.An Unveilingof future judgments, when Christ is Judge.- Period of the Great Tribulation.

  1. The Theme of the Book -the Testimony of Jesus Christ.
  1. Christ is related to the Church.1:9 - 3:22
  2. Christ is related to the Tribulation.4:1 - 19:21
  3. Christ is related to the Millennial Kingdom.20:1-10
  4. Christ is related the Eternal State.20:11 - 22:21
  1. REVELATION is for the AVERAGE CHRISTIANRev. 1:1-3It is the only book .....
  1. with Promise of Blessing… - BlessedThe first of 7 Beatitudes: 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14
  1. To theReader- he (sing.) that readeth
  2. To the Listeners- they (plural) that hear
  3. To the Doers.- and keep those things which are written in it. cf. 22:7
  1. The Purpose of Blessing- the time is at hand. cf. 22:10. Hence,
  1. Read- 1:3
  2. Hear- cf. Heb. 10:25; I Tim. 4:13
  3. Do (Reach Out) - cf. Rom. 13:11-14
  1. with Punishment of a Curse.- plagues22:18, 19
  1. To the "Add-er"
  2. To the "Subtract-er":- No part in the tree of life, holy city, and blessings of the book. 2:11-16
  1. of Prophecy in the New Testament.1:1, 2 cf. v. 3a the words of prophecy
  1. It is a Record.1: 2witness.. (and) testimony.
  1. Of things which must shortly come to pass.1:1
  2. Of all things that (John) saw1:2
  3. Of things which shall be hereafter.1:9; 4:1; 19:1
  1. It is a Revelation:1:1Revelation of Jesus Christ
  1. Concerning Jesus Christ…1.1a
  2. Concerning "things which must shortly come to pass."1:1b

They are Finalised.- must

They are Fast.- shortly Gk. quickly, suddenly, i.e. rapidity of execution. cf. 2:5

They are Future.- come to pass

  1. It is by Representation1:1signified it
  1. Should it be interpreted Symbolically?

Preterist- Too Constrained and Seemingly useless.

Historicist - Too Complicated and too Studious.

  1. Should it be interpreted Spiritually?Allegorist- Too Confusing andSubjective
  2. Should it be interpreted Literally?Futurist- It's Concrete andSimple and Sure.
  3. "Things" are what they are, and the "signs" (1:1c) or symbols are the qualities of real things.

The Golden Rule of Interpretation: When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate text, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, clearly indicate otherwise. -- Dr. David. L. Cooper

C:MW\B:SS4\REV_INT1\(FUTURE IN PRESENT1)\09.95

APPENDIX:

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C.The Panorama of the Book.

1.The Three-fold Plan in the Book.Chs.1:19

a.The Past - "things which thou hast seen." 1:11 cf. 1:19Ch. 1 John's Vision of the Exalted Christ.

b.The Present - “things which are"Chs. 2, 3

i.The Messages to the Seven churches.

ii.Rapture of the Church between 3:22 and 4:1 Cf. occ. of "church/churches" in 3:22 and 22:16

c.The Prospect - "things which shall be hereafter."Chs. 4-22cp. 4:1

The future events. 4:1-22:5

2.The Two-fold Prophecy in the Book.

a.The Things which are.Chs. 1-3Outline of the Dispensation of the Church:

  1. The Seven Churches.
  2. The Seven Stars.
  3. The Seven Letters.

b.The Things which shall be Hereafter.Chs. 4-22Outline from Rapture to the Eternal State

i.The Seven Seals.Chs. 4-6; 8:1

ii.The Seven Trumpets.Chs. 8, 9; 11:15 - 19

iii.The Seven Vials.15:1 - ch. 16

iv.The Sovereign and His Kingdom.19:7 - ch. 20

v.The Seven New Things.Chs. 21, 22

3.TheSeven Parentheses (Interludes) in the Book.

a.Ch. 7-The Tribulation Saints - Jewish and Gentile.

b.Ch. 10-The Thunders, the Mighty Angel and the Little Book.

c.Ch.11-The Two Witnesses.

d.Ch. 12-The Travail of Israel and the Dragon.

e.Ch. 13-The Two Beasts.

f.Ch. 14-The Triumph of the Lamb.

g.Ch. 17:1-19:6-The Termination (Destruction) of Babylon.

i.Political Babylon.17:8-17

ii.Ecclesiastical Babylon17:1-7, 18; 18:1-24

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THE PERSPECTIVE of the Seven Churches.Rev. Chs. 2 & 3

Intro. The Seven Churches represent Church History from Pentecost to the Parousia

They also represent Consecutive, Concurrent and Contemporary Characteristics of a Dead Church, an Active Church, a Church Alive or a combination of such.

AThe Church and the Churches.

  1. A Picture of the Actual Condition of the Seven Churches in Apostolic Times?
  2. A Prediction of the Moral Condition of a Church at Any one Time?
  3. A Prophecy of the Spiritual History of the Church throughout All Time, i.e. from Pentecost to Parousia?

BThe Common Facts in the Seven Letters.Each letter …

  1. Conveys the message to the angel of the church.
  2. Commences with "These things saith He...", and then follows a revelation of the Lord, each different, and each adapted in a special way to meet the need and conditions existing in the various churches. In the main they are citations from the description of the Lord in Ch. 1:4, 5, 12-18.
  3. Continues with "I know...... (thy works)"
  4. Contains a Censure or a Compliment with most containing both.
  5. Concludes with an Assurance (To him that overcometh) and an Appeal (He that hath an ear.)
  6. Connects the Promise to the overcomer to the rest of Revelation to Complete the full portrait of the Overcomer.

CThe Comparative and Contrastive Features among the Seven Letters.

  1. Censure only for Sardis and Laodicea; Commendation only for Smyrna and Philadelphia.
  2. Contents -- Shortest address to Smyrna; Longest address to Thyatira.
  3. Classifies the seven letters into three and four: Three is the number of Divinity; Four, the number of Humanity (Universality); Seven, the number of Perfection/Completion:
  1. The Change in the Order of the appeal by the Holy Spirit followed by the promise to the Overcomer in the first three and the change of the reversed order in the last four.
  2. The Church as a whole appeal to in the first three and the appeal to the Remnant in the last four.
  1. The Consecutive History of the Church – each church representing a distinct period - first three are Consecutive, and the last four both Consecutive and Concurrent with each reaching to the time of the Rapture.

DConsideration of the Seven Letters.

Consider the Letters under the following headings:

  1. The City and the Church - "Unto the angel of the church at..."
  2. The Character of Christ - "These things saith He that..."
  3. The Condition of the Congregation - "I know thy works..."
  4. The Complaint and/or Commendation.- "But I have..."
  5. The Command and Counsel.- "He that hath an ear..."
  6. The Challenge and Conclusion- "To him that overcometh..."

[1]The Church In Ephesus – the first Century Church.Rev. 2:1-7

An Active Church, but not “Alive”.Rev. 2:2, 3 ct. I Thes. 1:3

[2]The Church in Smyrna – the Persecuted Church.Rev. 2:8-11

An Active and Alive ChurchRev. 2:9

[3]The Church in Pergamum – The Compromising Church of Constantine.Rev. 2:12-17

An Active Compromising Church, Alive to the World but Dead to Christ.Rev. 2:12

[4]The Church in Thyatira – The Idolatrous Church of the Dark Ages. Rev. 2:18-29

A Very Active Church with a semblance of being Alive.Rev. 2:19 cp. 2:2

[5]The Church in Sardis – The Church of the Reformation Period.Rev. 3:1-6

A Dead Church with a Name but not a Church Alive.Rev. 3:1

[6]The Church in Phildelphia – The Missionary Period.Rev. 3: 7-13

The Active and Alive Mission-Minded Church winning dead souls to Christ.Rev. 3:7, 8

[7]The Church in Laodicea – Today’s Church of the new Millenium.Rev. 3:14-21

An Active Worldly Church, Dead and not a Church Alive before God.Rev. 3:20, 21

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18th May, 2003Revelation 12 & 13

By KC Ung

Study 1 – Rev. 12

A.The Seven-year Great Tribulation Period Cf. Rev. 12:6, 14

1.The Period

a.It is Daniel’s Seventieth Week.Dan. 9:25-27; 9:27; Rev. 12:6; 11:3; 11:2; 13:5; 12:14

b.It is Jacob’s Trouble.Jer. 30:7

c.It is the Great Tribulation.Matt. 24:21; Rev. 7:14

d.It is a unique day of affliction:Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21

2.The People in the Great Tribulation.

a.Daniel’s and Jacob’s people.Dan. 9:24; 12:1; Jer. 30:7; Mt. 24:15ff

b.Them that dwell upon the earth.Rev. 3:10, 6:10, 11:10; 12:12; 13: 8, 12, 14; 14:6; 17:8

c.Not the Church.Rev. 3:10; Rev. 4:1, 2 cf. 1:19 [1:4 - 3:22 (18x); 22:16]

The absence of the Sprit in the Churches - 13:9 ct. Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22

3.The Purpose of the Great Tribulation

a.To Purge God’s People and to Prepare them for His Promises.Eze. 20:38, 40, 42

b.To Prepare the World’s People for Christ’s Kingdom rule.Mt. 25:24

B. The Seven `Mid-Week' Personages.Rev. chs. 12, 13

1.A Woman Clothed with the Sun.12:1-2

a.The Signs, Wonders and Miracles.12:1, 3; 13:13-14; 15:1; 16:14; 19:20

b.The Symbols of the Woman, sun, moon & crown of 12 stars.Cf. Gen. 37:9-11

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