INTRODUCTION

JOHN THE CAVE MAN:  was the most loving of the 12 Disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. He wrote five books of the New Testament, i.e. the Gospel of John, and 1, 2, 3, John. John and Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles had more unique revelations given to them from God then any other New Testament writer. Only Moses and Isaiah exceeded them in revelations in the Old Testament.

John was exiled to the Greek Island of Patmos as a jail term for being a Christian under the Roman Emperor Dionysius. He worked laboriously in the rock quarry until released. God used this time of solitude with John, to reveal the contents of this fabulous book, for him to present all of these revelations to you and me. He died at 96 years of age having earlier walked daily with Jesus. He heard His wonderful teachings and then saw His death and resurrection. He wrote extensively about Jesus in his Gospel book. To our knowledge John was the only disciple not martyred.

Revelation chapters 1-3 constitute John’s introduction to the future prophecies the Lord revealed to him, while he sat and wrote what he saw at the entrance of his cave on the Island of Patmos 2,000 years ago. The future prophecies begin for us, in chapter six. We start with the first three chapters.

When we consider all the marvelous books ever written about prophecy, nothing conjures up more vivid imaginations and wild interpretive speculations than this phenomenal book that John wrote just before this loving disciple of Jesus, and great man of God, died in 96A.D.

There are many interpretations of the Book of Revelation; but there is always room for another in-depth exegesis as prophecy is constantly being revealed and fulfilled.  When a theologian or minister feels a direct leading of the Holy Spirit to study, research, fast and then write what he has learned, as I have, it appears to be the better part of wisdom to follow the leading of the Lord in this important matter.  I humbly present my studied understanding of this book of amazing prophecies written 2,000 years ago.

No other book imparts such ablessing upon its readers as the Book of Revelation does in its very beginning:

REVELATION 1:

1 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WHICH GOD GAVE UNTO HIM, TO SHOW UNTO HIS SERVANTS THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS: AND HE SENT AND SIGNIFIED IT BY HIS ANGEL UNTO HIS SERVANT JOHN.

2 WHO BARE RECORD OF THE WORD OF GOD, AND OF THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AND OF ALL THINGS THAT HE SAW.

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.

The THEME of this most dramatic bookis in Chapter 1:7 - It is the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ back to earth again.

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.

The many revelations prophesied herein are the stupendous events chronologically arranged by the Holy Spirit, leading us to the grand moment of Christ the Messiah’s glorious return. All these revelations are in perfect order of sequence. There are 21 major judgments predicted in this Book of Revelation, beginning with the seven seals, followed by the seven trumpets and finishing with the seven vials of wrath.  They are not to be mixed with one another, for they are absolutely separate and sequential. The glorious climax of these 21 distinct messages is the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ with all His glory and power. Read over to Revelation 19:11-21.

SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR:

The book is addressed to the seven churches, which were in Asia Minor. This is the land of Turkey today. This establishes the fact, that its important messages are addressed specifically to believers, who made up the churches mentioned.  The specific targets of this book are the Jewish believers, who fled their homeland during early persecution to Asia Minor, for it is all about Jews who will return and live in Israel during these last days. It also presents a major message to the Gentile church of today. The Lord wants us to know what time it is in prophecy. By following the fulfillment of these dynamic and unique prophecies as they come to pass now, we will know what time it is in prophecy; and thus how close the coming of the lord is.

The majestic personality and unlimited power of JESUS CHRIST is presented initially in chapter one. The entire reason for this book is the presentation of WHO is coming, and of HIS magnificence and infinite  grandeur as our Saviour and Messianic King.

Our Lord is presented as standing in the midst of the first seven churches in Asia Minor, while holding their individual angels in HIS right hand for protection and guidance. Read on to Revelation 1:16-20.

These seven churches constituted avery important part of the Body of Christ in the beginning of the church age. The first church of Jerusalem was gone and all other local churches in Israel were destroyed by the Romans 25 years earlier in the great Roman invasion of A.D. 70.  Simultaneous with the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was the crushing of all the new Jewish churches in the Holy Land and the dispersion of the many Jewish believers to the nearest areas of safety, which were Asia Minor and the Island of Cyprus. Acts 8:1-3; Acts 13:1-12.Lazarus, whom Jesus had resurrected, had moved to Cyprus after his dramatic resurrection; because of daily persecution by religious authorities. When Lazarus died the second time he was in Cyprus where I have lived.

1 Peter 1:1 is addressed to the Jewish believers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. In addition James addressed his epistle ‘TO THE TWELVE TRIBES WHICH ARE SCATTERED ABROAD.’ John wrote these prophecies in 96 A.D. when the wicked Roman Emperor Diocletian was feverishly persecuting believers everywhere. John had been exiled as a Jewish Christian believer to the Island of Patmos for his faith and testimony. This is where he received these phenomenal apocalyptic revelations. While painfully carrying rocks daily from a rock quarry, to higher elevations at this old age, he received these revelations sitting at the entrance to his cave in the evenings, looking up into the heavens.

Several years ago I visited this island and taught some believers I took there with me. It was an exciting day for me, having studied John’s last book so intensely. I hope to return soon, as I live part time on Cyprus, which is not that far away, when I am not in Jerusalem teaching.

Christians are only allowed three months visiting privileges in Israel; but God gave me permanent residency only 100 miles away from Israel. Cyprus is safe and peaceful. It is easy to go back and forth from Cyprus, an exceedingly friendly island.

THE COMMAND FROM JESUS WAS TO WRITE THREE THINGS

REVELATION 1:

19 “WRITE THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN; AND THE THINGS WHICH ARE; AND THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER”.

So John the beloved Apostle of love, who wrote the Gospel of John and 1, 11, 111 John Epistles, was divinely commissioned to write the last book of our Bible foretelling the final earthly circumstances which would surround the Jewish nation just prior to the coming of our Jewish Messiah. These events will transpire soon.

Thus, in the following chapters two and three John delivered Christ’s messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor in detail. We are not dealing with Christ’s specific messages to the seven churches now.  I am dealing only with the amazing prophecies of the Book of Revelation. We are studying the future prophecies at this time.

THE PROPHETICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES:  The seven churches of Asia Minor were filled with Jews who fled Roman persecution, also, with some Gentile converts. The specific points expressed by Jesus in these seven church presentations let us know the conditions of those churches at that time.

However, I also feel that there could be a prophetical slant to the conditions that our Lord mentioned for each church. From the first church Ephesus to the last church Laodicea there appears to be a series of prophetical enunciations that would take place gradually over the centuries. Thus, if this is so the following time periods seem to fit into the prophetical aspect of these seven messages. By this I mean that the conditions mentioned in each church would fit into a specific future time. If this is the case, and there are certain conditions definitely mentioned that do fit into later time periods, then the seven churches also present prophetical perspectives for us to consider, to be fulfilled during the church ages.

1.       The prophetical time period for the Church of Ephesus - Revelation 2:1-7 - would be A.D.70-170.

2.      The prophetical time period covering the events mentioned in the Church of Smyrna - Revelation2:8-11 - would be A.D. 170-313.

3.      The Church of Pergamus - Revelation 2:12-17 - covers the prophetical time period of A.D.313-606.

4.      The Church of Thyatira - Revelation 2:18-29 - covers the prophetical time period of A.D.606-1520.

5.      The Church of Sardis - Revelation 3:1-6 - covers the prophetical time period of A.D.1520-1750.

6.      The Church of Philadelphia - Revelation 3:7-13 - covers the prophetical time period of A.D.1750-1900.

7.      The Church of the Laodiceans - Revelation 3:14-22 - covers the prophetical time period of A.D. 1900 till the end of this church age.

In a close analysis of church history from the Church of Ephesus down to this present age we find striking parallels with the spiritual circumstances of each church mentioned in that particular time period. Not everything fits into this proposal, for many churches in North America, South America, parts of Europe, etc., are very much on fire for the Lord right now in this Laodicean Age. What is said; is true of many of the mainline churches of long standing reputations. Many have grown cold and lifeless, while the Holy Spirit has ‘raised up’ new Church organizations in these last days that are filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

These first three chapters comprise the first two items John was commissioned to write; namely, the things which thou hast seen and the things which are. John had no doubt visited these seven churches perhaps several times in teaching missions and overseeing their developments. He then wrote about the things, which shall be hereafter. Thus begins Revelation chapter four. This is where the amazing prophecies begin and consequently constitute the study of what is known as Daniel’s 70th week prophecy. This constitutes the whole of the Book of Revelation from chapter four to almost the end of this book.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DANIEL AND REVELATION TODAY

Both of these amazing books reveal dramatic, prophesied events transpiring very soon in Israel and related nations in our world. By understanding the truths taught in these unique books on biblical prophecies, means you will understand the phenomenal events about to transpire in our world leading to the coming of our Messiah to this world. You will know what time it is in Heaven!