Maps of the Seven Churches

http://www.goodnewspirit.com/mapsevenchurches.htm

http://www.bible-history.com/maps/7_churches_asia.html

Another good map is here: http://net.bible.org/map.php?map=nt2

Personal Notes 1:9 - 1:11

⁹^AD)">(AD)I, John, your ^AE)">(AE)brother and ^AF)">(AF)fellow partaker in the tribulation and ^AG)">(AG)kingdom and ^AH)">(AH)perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos ^AI)">(AI)because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

John identifies himself as the brother of the readers, a fellow partaker in the tribulation--at Ephesus? and a fellow partaker in the kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus. What is 'the kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus'? It could go so many ways...His perseverance to/on the Cross? The perseverance needed to make it through to Heaven like Jesus? I feel like there is a division between "tribulation" and "kingdom and perseverance". I need to check that out. Patmos! I <3>not on the list of "Most Desired Places To Be". Why was John there? Because of the Word of God and testimony of Jesus. John counted it worth it to be imprisioned at the age of ninety or above on a barren, uninhabitable, isolated island if that was the consequece of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

¹⁰I was ^a]">[a]^AJ)">(AJ)in the Spirit on ^AK)">(AK)the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice ^AL)">(AL)like the sound of a trumpet,

How was he inhabiting this island? Well, on the Lord's day (phrasology) he was in the Spirit. Praise to the Father that regardless of circumstances we can be in His Spirit on His Day! I don't think it is an accident, either. John's faithfulness to be where God had previously called him to be lined up perfectly with God's message to John. What does God sound like? "A loud voice, like the sound of a trumpet." I can get goose bumps all over just thinking about that split second when for the first time ever, these human ears of mine hear the out-of-Earth, other worldly Heavenly sound of a trumpet call, and knowing in that instant...MY LIFE WILL BE CHANGED! Praise HIS NAME! Wow! It makes me antsy even now! But back..."a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet" ...as clear as a trumpet? ...as piercing as a trumpet? ...as powerful as a trumpet? ...as melodically commanding as a trumpet? Definitely "loud"! :-)

¹¹saying, "^AM)">(AM)Write in a book what you see, and send it to the ^AN)">(AN)seven churches: to ^AO)">(AO)Ephesus and to ^AP)">(AP)Smyrna and to ^AQ)">(AQ)Pergamum and to ^AR)">(AR)Thyatira and to ^AS)">(AS)Sardis and to ^AT)">(AT)Philadelphia and to ^AU)">(AU)Laodicea."

I'm not trying to be ridiculous here, seriously, but I wonder what this 'book' is. I can't exactly see Roman centurions handing out moleskin journals and quill feathers with jars of ink to arriving prisoners. What book? What is the Greek for this book? Is it a book that God provides for John? Was there a practical way to write all this down? I know later that John is told to not write some stuff down...what about this? How did it happen? And how in the world was he to send it to the seven churches? Could/did they smuggle things out with prisoners leaving the island? Did prisoners leave the island? Was one of the Roman centurions a friend and a brother and willing to risk his position and possibly his life to do God's work?

And these churches *are* rather scattered...how are they 'the' seven churches? Was there a connection amongst these before God revealed this Revelation? I'm curious to dig out just how this verse played out in real life! Of course, if (from what I remember holds true) John *does* get off Patmos and goes back to Ephesus and dies there, was *that* when he was to take the letter? Was that God's 'message' to John that he *would* get off and go back to his loved ones? So much to learn!

Time References in Revelation

Soon: 1:1

Near: 1:3

Forever: 1:6

On the Lord's Day: 1:10

Names Used for the Godhead

Jesus Christ: 1:1, 1:5

God: 1:1, 1:9

Him Who Is, Who Was and Who Is To Come: 1:4, 1:8

Jesus Christ the Faithful Witness: 1:5

Jesus Christ the Firstborn of the Dead: 1:5

Jesus Christ the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth: 1:5

Him Who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood: 1:5

God and Father: 1:6

Alpha and the Omega: 1:8

Lord God: 1:8

The Almighty: 1:8

Jesus: 1:9

The Spirit: 1:9

Personal Notes 1:8, NASB

⁸"I am ^AA)">(AA)the Alpha and the Omega," says the ^AB)">(AB)Lord God, "^AC)">(AC)who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Clearly, this is the first quote, and, clearly :) from the 'Lord God'. I wonder what Greek words are being used for 'Lord God' here. God identifies Himself as Alpha and Omega, 'A and Z', is identified as "Lord God" and identifies Himself again as "Who is, Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty."

This is the second reference to "Who is, Who was and Who is to come", the first being in 1:4, there being identified as the One sending Grace and Peace to the recipients of John's letter/Revelation.

The Almighty--first usage in Revelation of this Name.

Personal Notes 1:1 - 1:7, NASB

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

¹The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which ^A)">(A)God gave Him to ^B)">(B)show to His bond-servants, ^C)">(C)the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it ^D)">(D)by His angel to His bond-servant ^E)">(E)John,

This Revelation REVEALS Jesus Christ. It was given to Jesus by God, for the purpose of showing His bond-servants what must soon take place. We are the bond-servants of Jesus. Yes, we are also sons and joint heirs, but we are also bond-servants. We have a responsibility towards Him accordingly. John is also the bond-servant of Jesus, the 'disciple who Jesus loved'.

²who testified to ^F)">(F)the word of God and to ^G)">(G)the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

Making a case to his readers, John has already testified to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus...and he is stating his veracity to what he is about to write that he saw in this revelation.

³^H)">(H)Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; ^I)">(I)for the time is near.

The first 'three'. The tri-fold blessing opening the book. (I remember that from a few years ago!) :-) It should be noted, however, that *that* is a major piece to the study of the book. Instead of it being an instrument of fear, instead of it being an instrument of contention or guilt or frustration, the FIRST thing John says about this prophecy after telling from Whom it comes and why, is to state this blessing. That *must* be kept as an importance, a la J's daughter.

Blessed is a.) the one who reads, b.) those who hear, c.) those who heed the things written in it. Why is it a blessing to read, to hear, to heed? THE TIME IS NEAR.

At this point, I *am* wondering...is this like the case of Aslan in VDT where he says, "I call all times Soon." Does it relate to the biblical II Peter 3? Or is there a way to understand this specifically for the last age. Even if this is not specifically for the last age (before the Rapture), I think there is plenty of other evidence in Scripture as to the fact that although obviously, every day is a day closer to the Day of Jesus' Return, as the budding leaves on the Ash tree say that Summer is near and as labor pains tell a pregnant woman that her baby is near, so too, do many, many Scripture verses indicate that we are hurtling closer and closer to the soon return of our Lord. (II Timothy 3, II Peter 3, others?)

Message to the Seven Churches

⁴^J)">(J)John to ^K)">(K)the seven churches that are in ^L)">(L)Asia: ^M)">(M)Grace to you and peace, from ^N)">(N)Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from ^O)">(O)the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

This is a specific message from John to the seven churches in Asia: He sends them Grace and Peace from the Eternal One...Who was, is and is to come, from the seven Spirits before His throne--who/what are these? And is there an extended application to others? Or is this specifically the seven churches in Asia? These are the first two 'Sevens'. Significance?

⁵and from Jesus Christ, ^P)">(P)the faithful witness, the ^Q)">(Q)firstborn of the dead, and the ^R)">(R)ruler of the kings of the earth To Him who ^S)">(S)loves us and released us from our sins by His blood--

John sends them Grace and Peace from Jesus who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead (interesting to note in light of the conversation with Paula) and the ruler of the kings of the earth. He then goes into the fact that Jesus loves us and freed us from our sins by His blood...

⁶and He has made us to be a ^T)">(T)kingdom, ^U)">(U)priests to ^V)">(V)His God and Father--^W)">(W)to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

and has made *us*--seven churches? all believers? specific or extended application? to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father...giving Him all glory and dominion forever. So be it! This has more vivid application after reading those books yesterday!

⁷^X)">(X)BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and ^Y)">(Y)every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will ^Z)">(Z)mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

Why is 'BEHOLD..." capitalized? What does that mean? I mean, yes, it's important, but it's rather rare in Scripture that all words are capitalized...is that in the Greek? What does it mean? It *is* true...and every eye will see Him...WOW...that's one thing I like about fiction...it makes you believe that things are possible that you don't read on the front page of the newspaper. :-)

Even those who pierced Him--does that refer specifically to those who were at Jesus' crucifixion? Or to all who have sinned against Him? Or to those who have rejected Him and aren't ready for His return?

And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Everyone will be in mournful terror standing before God? Those from every tribe who have rejected Jesus will mourn because they did so? They (whomever 'they' are) will mourn over Him because they pierced Him? And it would seem to me that this is a double 'Amen', what with 'so it is to be and Amen' right together.