Revelation, Chapter 1

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 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.” Revelation 1:1-3

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The scribe (not author) of this book is Saint John the divine. Historians agree that he lived the last part of his life in Ephesus, though at the time of the writing of this book he was on the Isle of Patmos. It is not the life story of John, but it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the future church ages. In verse 3 it is called a prophecy and that is actually what it is.

This book is usually termed the Revelation of Saint John, but that is incorrect. It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ given to John for Christians of all ages. It is the only book in the entire Bible that is written by Jesus Himself, through personally appearing to a scribe.

“It is the last book of the Bible, yet it tells the beginning and the end of the dispensations of the Gospel.”

It is the last book of the Bible, yet it tells the beginning and the end of the dispensations of the Gospel.

Now the Greek word for revelation is “apocalypse” which means “unveiling.” This unveiling is perfectly described in the example of a sculptor unveiling his work of statuary, exposing it to the onlooker. It is an uncovering, revealing what was previously hidden. Now the uncovering is not only the revelation of the Person of Christ, but it is THE REVELATION OF HIS FUTURE WORKS IN THE ONCOMING SEVEN CHURCH AGES.

Greek Lexicon—Strong’s Number 602

Apokalupsis (ap-ok-al’-oop-sis):

• An unveiling, uncovering, revealing
• An unveiling, uncovering, revealing, revelation, properly, a laying bare, making naked (1 Samuel 20:30)
• Used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto withdrawn from view are made visible to all, manifestation, appearance

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The importance of revelation by the Spirit to a true believer can never be over emphasized. Revelation means more to you than perhaps you realize. Now I am not talking about this Book of Revelation and you. I am talking about ALL revelation. It is tremendously important to the church.

That means this Book can’t be revealed to anyone but a special class of people. It will take one with prophetic insight. It will require the ability to hear from God. It will require supernatural instruction, not just a student comparing verse with verse, though that is good. But a mystery requires the teaching of the Spirit or it never becomes clear. How we need to hear from God and lay ourselves open and become yielded to the Spirit to hear and know.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

⁹⁶And the Book of Revelation has more symbols in it than all the rest of the Books in the Bible. It has more symbols because it is a Book of prophecy. It’s a prophetic Book. Therefore, it has to be understood by a prophetic class. This Book is not meant for everybody. There’s nobody can understand it, hardly. This Book is made for a certain class of people. On over in Deuteronomy, It says, “The hidden things belong to the—the—the Lord.” That is right. And He reveals to us, His children, the hidden things. So it doesn’t go…

⁹⁷The carnal mind cannot comprehend them great things of the Scripture, because it’s foolish to them. But to the ones who are lovers of the Word of God, that’s who the Book was written to, to the Church. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, “To the church at Ephesus, to the church of Smyrna, to the church, to the churches,” on down. The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Church. I like that.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

John was in the Spirit receiving those visions for a period of two years. Actually what had happened was that John was caught up in the Spirit and transported into the Lord’s Day, which is yet to come.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

⁶⁷As I have said before, now, in this we’re going to try to give a little breakdown now of the Book, according to the histories and so forth. And each time when you see me referring to pages that I have written here, it’s stuff that I have taken from commentaries and so forth.

⁶⁸Now, the writer of this Book is John, Saint John the divine, wrote to the future generation (A). (B) Directed to the seven angels of the seven distinct periods of the Christian age, a age from the days of the apostles to the Coming of the Lord. And the…now, the ages appear in succession, each one, from the ascension of our Lord to His Coming again. Each church age is described of its spiritual condition. (E) Each church age can behold itself by its Scriptural and spiritual speaking unto them. As the Spirit speaks, each age can behold itself. Each age bore the true Vine of Christ, the Wise virgin. And each age bore the grafted vine, the foolish virgin.

⁶⁹Historians agree, this is John’s life. John lived the last of his years in the city of Ephesus and died there. He was on the isle of Patmos, at the time he wrote the Book, Revelation. It was not the story of his life, but the story of Christ in future ages. See? It was a prophecy. Not the life of John, not the life of Christ, but prophesying of an age to come. It was not his prophetic utterances; but, the Lord’s exaltations, solemnly. It was not the Revelation of Saint John the divine, but the Revelation of Christ the Lord.

⁷⁰It is the last Book of the New Testament, yet it tells the beginning and the end of the dispensation of the Gospel. Got Bible scholars agreeing.

⁷¹The letters to the seven church ages were written, prophetically, to the future ages. Paul wrote of the life and glory of the seven churches present in his day. John wrote of the life and glory of the seven churches in the future, that John was addressing the seven pastors or messengers as directly all Christians under these seven different angels.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

⁷³Now the contents of this 1st chapter. The 1st verse, it—it really speaks for Itself, because it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. 2nd verse, Saint John the divine is the scribe and servant. 3rd verse, the blessings pronounced. The 4th through the 6th verse, the salute to the church. The 7th verse, the announcement. The 8th verse, the supreme Deity of Jesus Christ. The 9th to the 20th verse, the Patmos vision.

⁷⁴And, also, the 14th and 15th verses describes His sevenfold glory of His Person. Oh, it’s beautiful when we see Christ in His sevenfold personages of hi-…sevenfold beings of His personages, in His glorious resurrection…

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

¹⁰²Now, the history of this Book, or the—the context of this Book, was directed to the seven churches in Asia Minor, that then was. It was directed to those seven churches. There were more churches than those seven, at that day. But each one of those churches was significant, significant about the characteristic in that church, that would follow it down through the age, the characteristic of that church. Like of Ephesus, it had a characteristic. Smyrna, Pergamos, and on down, Philadelphia, each one of those churches had a characteristic in it, that would appear again in the ages to come.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

¹⁶⁶Now if you’ll take the 8th verse. We’ll come to it, just in a minute. We’ll take the 8th verse.

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

¹⁶⁷Now we’re holding the 4th and the 6th verse in view, both of them are the same. One, He says, “To He which was, which is, which is to come.” What’s He trying to put before the Church? His Deity. Today, people try to make Him a—a prophet. He’s more than a prophet. And some people try to make Him three Gods. He’s not three Gods. He’s one God that lived in three offices, three manifestations of the same God.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

¹⁸⁸He said here, “I am He that was, He that is, and shall come, the Almighty.” Sure.

¹⁸⁹He had a threefold Being on the earth. When He was on earth, He was a threefold Being. On earth, He was a Prophet. He’s also in Heaven, a Priest. And when He comes back to the earth again, He’ll be a King. Prophet, Priest, and King. He that was, which is, and shall come. “He that was,” was Jesus, a prophet. “He that was now,” is a Priest, making spiritual sacrifices, a High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities, and disclose Himself and prove that He’s in the midst of us. Prophet, Priest, and King, but One God.

¹⁹⁰When He was on earth, He was a Prophet, the Word. “The faithful witness,” the Bible calls Him, a little later. A faithful witness, is the prophet. He was Priest, and when…He is Priest now, and when He comes, He will be King.

¹⁹¹If you’ll get over, read Revelation 15:3, you can see in Revelation 15:3. Let’s turn over here and see what He…if He’s going to be King, if He is King when He comes. Now we’re going to Revelation, the 15th chapter and the—the 3rd verse.

And they sang a song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

¹⁰⁷Now, the 1st chapter, 1st verse, was introduced to—to John. Now, who is the writer? John. John. It was not a revelation of John, and we know that it wasn’t, because it was the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was this, he was chosen for a disciple. And the Book Itself reveals the thing that it was, Jesus Christ, to who He was revealing.

¹⁰⁸And it was sent to the… “And signified this by his angel unto John.” We do not know who the angel was. The Bible doesn’t say who the angel was. But we know that it was a prophet, ‘cause the Bible later said, that, “I Jesus have sent my angel to testify these things which must shortly come to pass.”

¹⁰⁹Then we find out that when John started to worship the angel, the angel said, “See that you do it not.” Revelation 22, I believe it is. And he said, “For I am of thy fellow servants and of the prophets.” It might have been Elijah. It might have been one of the prophets. John was an apostle. But this prophet was sent.

Salutation

Revelation 1:4-6, “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; 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, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The word, Asia, is actually Asia Minor. It is a small parcel of land about the size of Indiana. The seven churches there were especially picked from all other churches for their characteristics, which same characteristics would be found in the successive ages, centuries later.

The seven Spirits before the throne is the Spirit That was in each of the seven messengers, giving them their ministries for the age in which each lived.

Now all these expressions, “Him Which Is,” and “Him Which Was,” and “Is To Come,” and “Faithful Witness,” and “Firstborn From Among the Dead,” and “Prince of the Kings of the Earth,” and “The Alpha and Omega,” and “The Almighty,” are titles and descriptions of the ONE AND THE SAME PERSON, Who is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who washed us from our sins in His own blood.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Now all these expressions, “Him Which Is,” and “Him Which Was,” and “Is To Come,” and “Faithful Witness,” and “Firstborn From Among the Dead,” and “Prince of the Kings of the Earth,” and “The Alpha and Omega,” and “The Almighty,” are titles and descriptions of the ONE AND THE SAME PERSON, Who is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who washed us from our sins in His own blood.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

I Timothy 3:16 says, “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.” This is what the Bible says. It doesn’t say a thing about a first or second or third person here. It says God was manifest in flesh. One God. That ONE GOD was manifested in flesh. That ought to settle it. God came in a human form. That didn’t make Him ANOTHER GOD. HE WAS GOD, THE SAME GOD. It was a revelation then, and it is a revelation now. One God.

Revelation, Chapter Four #3

January 8, 1961

116 Now, “The Voice of the Throne.” Notice in this Throne, “before the Throne was the seven stars,” the Voice of the stars. “Voices,” you see. There was more in the Revelation 4 here, or 5, we find out, “And out of the Throne proceeded lightning, thunders, and voices.” Not one voice; “voices,” plural. What was it? God speaking to the church, reflecting Himself through the seven Spirits. When the true anointed of God speaks, it’s the Voice of God! To reject It is to remove the candlestick. See? “Voices,” the Voice of the Seven Church Ages (over here in the corner), the voices speaking with thunder and lightning.

Revelation, Chapter Five #2

June 18, 1961

199 Now, watch. Now, there’s seven seals in this, or—or seven stages in this great plan of redemption. There is seven what? Seven seals of redemption, seven Spirits of God…We find that (if you want to see if it says “Seven Spirits,” let me see here just a minute), the 5th chapter, beginning at the 6th verse (I believe, we see here), the 6th verse:

And…behold, 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 heads and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

200 What is those seven Spirits? Them seven messengers. There’s Saint Columba, and Irenaeus, and—and John Wesley, and Martin Luther, and so forth. See, “the seven Spirits,” which are seven men (seven angels), which are seven messages.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation 1:5, “Unto Him That loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” The word “washed” is actually “loosed” — “Loosed us from our sins in His own blood.” Isn’t that wonderful? But are you spiritual minded? Did you catch it? It was His OWN blood that loosed us completely from our sins. It was not human blood. It was the blood of God. Peter called it the blood of Christ. Paul called it the blood of the Lord, and the blood of Jesus. Not three persons, but ONE person. There is that revelation again, ONE God. That omnipotent Jehovah God came down and made Himself a body by means of the virgin birth and indwelt it, that it might be the blood of God that would free us (loose us entirely) from our sins and present us spotless before Himself with exceeding great joy.

Loosed From Sin

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Consider this. Since it is the blood of God, it is perfect blood; and if the perfect blood is loosing us from the power and bondage and defilement of sin, then the loosing is perfect and complete. There is now therefore no condemnation. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth (declares us righteous). Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died…” Romans 8:33-34. There it is, His death gave us the blood. The blood has loosed us. There is now no condemnation. How can there be? There is nothing to be condemned for, because the blood has loosed us from sin. We are free, guiltless. Don’t listen to man, listen to the Word. You are loosed by the blood.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

226 Now:

And…Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, (We’ll get into that.) and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

227 The word washed there, actually, in the Greek, means “to loose.” He loosed us from our…We were tied to the earth, by our sin. We couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, had no conception of Heaven or nothing. But when the Blood came down, It cut the line and we got loosed. Oh!

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation 1:6, “And He hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

“He hath made us!” Oh, there are certain truths we need to emphasize. This is one of them. HE! HE HATH MADE US! Salvation is His doing. Salvation is of the Lord. All of grace. He redeemed us for a purpose. He bought us for a purpose. We are kings, spiritual kings. Oh, we are going to be kings upon the earth with Him when He sits on His throne. But now we are spiritual kings and we reign over a spiritual kingdom. It says in Romans 5:17, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” And in Colossians 1:13, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom (reign) of His dear Son.” Right now we reign with Christ, having dominion over sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil. Showing forth His praise and glory; showing forth HIMSELF, for it is Christ in us, willing and doing of His good pleasure. Yes, indeed, even now we are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

“And made us priests.” Yes, priests unto Him, offering the spiritual praise of sanctified lips. Spending our lives as a sweet offering unto Him. Worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth. Interceding and petitioning. Priests and kings unto our God. No wonder the world does not appeal to us and we are a peculiar people zealous unto good works. We have been recreated in Him to be children like unto our Father.

Faith is the Substance

May 8, 1951

³⁵Our bodies are groaning, and we have an inheritance. And we’re children now, heirs of the Kingdom (Oh, my.), kings and priests unto God offering spiritual sacrifices.

What does a priest do? Make a sacrifice. What is a sac—a spiritual sacrifice? That’s what these sons and daughters do, which are kings and priests, yet not in full possession, but they’re making sacrifices, offering to God spiritual sacrifices: the fruits of our lips giving praise to Him (Amen.), fruits of our lips.

You say, “Brother Branham, I just don’t feel like praising Him.” That’s the time to make the sacrifice. Praise Him anyhow. Kings and priests, sons and daughters offering spiritual sacrifice, the fruits of our lips, giving praise unto His Name.

The Coming God

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation 1:7, “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.”

He is coming. Jesus is coming. God is coming. The Prophet is coming. The Priest and King is coming. The ALL-in-ALL is coming. Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.

He is coming. He is coming in clouds, clouds of glory as when He was seen upon the Mount of Transfiguration, and His garments were shining as the power of God enfolded Him. And EVERY eye shall see Him. That means this is not the Rapture. This is when He comes to take over His rightful place as World Ruler. This is when those who have pierced Him with their creeds and denominational doctrines shall mourn, and all the people shall wail in terror because of Him Who is the Word.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Those Jews that pierced Him shall see Him as it says in another Scripture, “Whence did You get those wounds?” And He’ll say, “In the house of My friends.” Not only will it be a mournful time for the Jews who rejected Him as Messiah, but it will be a mournful time for those left of the Gentiles who have rejected Him as the Savior of this day.

There’ll be weeping and wailing. The sleeping virgins will be wailing. They represent the church that refused to get oil (symbol of the Holy Spirit) in their lamps (symbol of the body or holder of the oil) until it was too late. It wasn’t that they were not good people. They were virgins and that signifies a high moral order. But they didn’t have oil in their lamps so they were cast out where there was wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Let us type this all out in Genesis, chapter 45, where Joseph meets his brethren in Egypt and reveals himself to them. Genesis 45:1-7, “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

But notice another glorious revelation in this typing of Joseph. Joseph, while in Egypt, was given a Gentile bride and through her he received a family of two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Joseph asked his father to bless the two boys. He placed them in front of Jacob so that Manasseh, the firstborn would be on Jacob’s right and Ephraim to the left. As Jacob was about to bless them he crossed his hands so that the right hand fell upon the younger. Joseph cried out, “Not so, father, this is the firstborn, to your right.” But Jacob said, “God crossed my hands.” Here in type we see that the blessing which belonged to the firstborn (the Jew) was given over to the younger (the Gentile) through the cross (crossed hands) of the Lord Jesus Christ. The blessing comes through the cross. Galatians 3:13-14, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” The blessing of Abraham came through the cross to the Gentiles. The Jews rejected the cross; therefore, Jesus got the Gentile bride.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Little Benjamin typifies the 144,000 Israelites from all over the earth who have gone back to Palestine for their redemption.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Now where will the Gentile Church be while Jesus is making Himself known to His brethren? Remember that the bride of Joseph with the two children were in the palace, for Joseph had commanded, “Let everyone leave me; put them all out from before me.” So the Gentile bride was hidden in the palace of Joseph. Where will the Gentile Church go in the rapture? Into the palace. The bride will be taken off the earth. She will be caught up before the great tribulation to meet her Lord in the air. For three and one-half years while the retributive wrath of God is poured out, she will be in the great Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Then will He return, leaving His bride in “His Father’s house,” while he makes Himself known to His brethren. At this very time, the antichrist covenant that the Jews have made with Rome will be broken. Rome and her allies then send their troops to destroy all the God-fearing, Word-abiding Jews. But as they come against the city to destroy it, there will appear in the heavens the sign of the coming of the Son of Man with His mighty armies to destroy them who have been destroying the earth. With the enemy repulsed, Jesus then comes and presents Himself to the 144,000. The Revelation of Jesus Christ CHURCH AGE BOOK CHAPTER 1

Why did the Jews reject Jesus? God was in it all. It was the only way that He could bring out the Gentile bride. He died on the cross to preserve the life of the Gentile Church.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Now these 144,000 are not in the bride. In Revelation 14:4 they are called virgins and they follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. The fact that they have not defiled themselves with women shows that they are eunuchs (Matthew 19:12). The eunuchs were the keepers of the bridal chambers. They were attendants. Notice that they do not sit in the throne but are before the throne. No, they are not in the bride, but will be in the glorious millennial reign.

We then see that when these last of Israel have been joined in love to the Lord, and the enemy has been destroyed, God will prepare His holy mountain, His new Garden of Eden for the bride and His and her attendants for the thousand year honeymoon upon the earth. As Adam and Eve were in the garden and did not finish out the thousand years, now Jesus our last Adam, and His Eve (True Church) will fulfill all the plan of God.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

¹⁶⁶Now if you’ll take the 8th verse. We’ll come to it, just in a minute. We’ll take the 8th verse.

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

¹⁶⁷Now we’re holding the 4th and the 6th verse in view, both of them are the same. One, He says, “To He which was, which is, which is to come.” What’s He trying to put before the Church? His Deity. Today, people try to make Him a—a prophet. He’s more than a prophet. And some people try to make Him three Gods. He’s not three Gods. He’s one God that lived in three offices, three manifestations of the same God.

¹⁶⁸Now, remember, this is the Revelation, “And whosoever heareth it and don’t keep the sayings of this book, his part will be taken from the book of life.” Jesus is not revealing Hisself as three Gods, but one God and three offices. Oh! It’s going to get rich after a while, when we get into those church ages and see where they lost that. It caused a great split at the Nicene Council. Both of them went off on deep ends.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

¹⁸⁸He said here, “I am He that was, He that is, and shall come, the Almighty.” Sure.

¹⁸⁹He had a threefold Being on the earth. When He was on earth, He was a threefold Being. On earth, He was a Prophet. He’s also in Heaven, a Priest. And when He comes back to the earth again, He’ll be a King. Prophet, Priest, and King. He that was, which is, and shall come. “He that was,” was Jesus, a prophet. “He that was now,” is a Priest, making spiritual sacrifices, a High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities, and disclose Himself and prove that He’s in the midst of us. Prophet, Priest, and King, but One God.

¹⁹⁰When He was on earth, He was a Prophet, the Word. “The faithful witness,” the Bible calls Him, a little later. A faithful witness, is the prophet. He was Priest, and when…He is Priest now, and when He comes, He will be King.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

²⁰¹On earth, He was the Prophet. In Glory, He’s the Priest. Coming, He’s the King. Oh! I like that.

Prophet, “Faithful witness of the Word.” Priest, “With His Own Blood before God.” King, “King of saints.” Not king of the world, now. He is King of saints. We have earthly kings over them people. But we have a King, too, and a Kingdom. That’s the reason we act different.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

December 4, 1960 AM

²¹⁹And Christ, on earth, was an Eagle. When He died, He was a Priest, so that made Him a Lamb. Is that right? And when He comes again, He is King, so He will be a Lion, amen, the Lion of the tribe of Juda. Amen. He is a Eagle, a Lamb, and a Lion; amen; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Prophet, Priest, and King; He that was, which is, and shall come; the Almighty; Alpha and Omega, from the beginning to the end, the Eternal God.

The Patmos Vision

9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Relveation 1:19-20

John on Patmos

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Revelation 1:9, “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.”

This series of visions of the Revelation of the Person of Jesus Christ was given to John while he was banished to the Isle of Patmos. This small island is thirty miles off the coast of Asia Minor in the Aegean Sea. Being rocky and infested with snakes, lizards and scorpions, it had little commercial value, so it was used by the Roman Empire for a penal colony where were housed the more desperate criminals, political prisoners, etcetera.

You will notice that John has addressed himself to the Christians as a brother in tribulation. It was at this time that the early church was going through great persecutions. Their religion was not only “everywhere spoken against” but the people themselves were imprisoned and killed. John, like multitudes of others, was now suffering imprisonment for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. When arrested, they tried in vain to kill him by boiling him in oil for twenty-four hours. The enraged and powerless officials then sentenced him to Patmos as a witch. But God was with him, and he was spared to leave the island and return to Ephesus where he again continued as pastor until the time of his death.

The visions that John received covered a period of two years, A.D. 95-96. They are the most remarkable of all visions in the Word. The entire book is set forth in symbols, and therefore is the target of much criticism and dispute. However, it does have the seal of God upon it. That makes it authentic and of tremendous value to all who read or listen to its sacred pages.

The Patmos Vision

December 4, 1960 PM

⁷²Now—now we get to the isle of Patmos now to get started, the 9th verse. First place, we want to say it’s…The title of this is: The Patmos Vision. It took place in A.D., between A.D. 95 and 96. The place was at the isle of Patmos. Its location is thirty miles off of the coast of Asia Minor, west, opposite of the Ephesian church, in the Aegean Sea bordered by the Mediterranean. That’s the position where it’s at.

⁷³Think! Now, a little island sets thirty miles off the coast of Asia Minor, in the Aegean Sea. Just opposite of the church of Philadel-…or the church of Ephesus, where the first Message was given, where John was pastor at that time. In other words, looked right back to the east and he was looking right straight at his church, from where he was at. And the first Message was to his church, that represented a church age. All right, the vision was given to Saint John the divine, who was the pastor of the church at Ephesus at that time.

The Patmos Vision

December 4, 1960 PM

⁷⁶Now we got the setting. The isle of Patmos, in the Aegean Sea, thirty miles off the coast, approximately thirty miles around it, rocky, full of lizards and scorpions and so forth, and used for a prison house (like Alcatraz is). They get a prisoner they can’t keep in prison here, they…so such a horrible criminal, they put him out on Alcatraz.

⁷⁷And now they took this sainted John the divine…the last of the disciples, and the only one who died a natural death. John, before going to the island, was accused of being a “witch,” and was boiled in a vat of grease for twenty-four hours, without scorching him. You can’t boil the Holy Ghost out of a person . . . God Himself. Boiled him for twenty-four hours in a vat of grease, without any harm. And said, the reason the—the Romans give, that, “He was a witch, and bewitched the grease.” What the carnal mind can think of!

⁷⁸They put him on the isle for two years. And while God had him out there alone to himself, he wrote the Book of Revelation as the Angel of the Lord revealed it to him. And then as soon as that was over, he come back to homeland and pastored the church in Ephesus. And died and was buried in Ephesus, John the divine.

In the Spirit on the Lord’s Day

Revelation 1:10, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

“I was in the Spirit.” Isn’t that just beautiful? My, I love that. You could just call those words, “The whole of the Christian life.” If we are going to live as Christians, we have to be in HIS Spirit. John was not talking about being in his own spirit. That would not have brought these visions. It had to be the Spirit of God. It has to be the Spirit of God with us, too, or all our efforts are in vain. Paul said, “I will pray in the Spirit. I will sing in the Spirit. I will live in the Spirit.” If there is anything good that will come to me it has to be revealed by the Spirit, confirmed by the Word, and made manifest by the results it bears. As surely as John needed to be in the Spirit to receive these tremendous revelations fresh from Jesus, we need to be in the Spirit to understand the revelations that God has given to us to live by in His Word, for it is the same Spirit.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Have you ever noticed how the world gets into the spirit of things that are in the world? They go to their ball games, their sporting events, and their dances. They enter into the spirit of it. They don’t sit there like wall flowers, old dried up sticks. They enter right into the feel of things and become a part of things. But, oh, how they hate the Christians for getting into the Spirit of God’s Word. They call us fanatics and holy-rollers. There is nothing they won’t do to show their hatred and disapproval. But ignore that. You can expect it, knowing where it is coming from. Just go on and get in the Spirit of worship.

Our spirit is clean. It is fresh. It is real. It is sober and serious but nonetheless, full of the joy of the Lord. The Christian ought to be just as exuberant and full of his pleasure in the Lord as the world is when it savors and delights in its pleasures. Both Christians and the world are human; both have emotions. The difference is the Christians’ hearts and emotions are purely on the Lord of Glory and His love, while the world satisfies the flesh.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

First of all we find some fine folks that call the Lord’s Day, the Sabbath Day, which to them is Saturday. Then there are the others who call the Lord’s Day, Sunday, the first day of the week. But how could it be either of these days, or even the two put together, for John was in the Spirit receiving those visions for a period of two years. Actually what had happened was that John was caught up in the Spirit and transported into the Lord’s Day, which is yet to come. The Bible speaks of the Day of the Lord which is to be in the future, and John is now seeing the things of that future day. But in the meantime, just to settle our minds, let us find out exactly what the Sabbath is today.

The Sabbath, as we know it from the New Testament, is NOT the keeping of a certain day. We have no command whatsoever to keep Saturday for a Sabbath, nor do we have any commandment to keep the first day of the week, which is Sunday. Here is the truth of the Sabbath, which means “rest.” Hebrews 4:8-10, “For if Jesus had given them rest (or rest day), then would He not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest (Sabbath-keeping) to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.” Did you hear that key phrase in the last part of the verse? “God ceased from His own works.” God gave Israel the seventh day for their Sabbath, in commemoration of His own work wherein He created the world and all that was therein, and then stopped creating. He ceased from His labors. He rested. Now it was fine to give a Sabbath rest to a people who were all in one place at one time, so they could all keep a certain day. Today half the world is in light while the other half is in darkness, so it wouldn’t work at all. But that is just an argument from the natural.

Let’s see what the Bible teaches us about this Sabbath rest. “For he that is entered into his rest.” This entering in is not only entering in, but remaining in, the rest. It is an “eternal rest” of which the seventh day is but a type. “Seven” is completion. “Eight” is the “first” day again. Jesus’ resurrection was in the first day of the week, giving us eternal life and eternal Sabbath rest. Thus we see why God could not give us any one certain day of the week as a Sabbath (rest). We’ve “entered into” and do “remain in” our rest, which Israel could not do, having only a shadow of the true substance which we enjoy. Why go back to a shadow when we have reality now?

How we receive this rest, or continuing Sabbath, is at the invitation of Jesus. He said in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;…and ye shall find rest (or keeping of the Sabbath, not a day, but eternal life, Sabbath) unto your souls.” No matter how long you have been laboring under your load of sin, whether it is ten years, thirty years or fifty years, or longer, come with your tired weary life and you will find His rest (the true Sabbath). Jesus will give you rest.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Now let’s get back to our Scripture. We know what the Lord’s Day is not. If it is not Saturday or Sunday, what is it? Well, let’s put it this way. Today is certainly not the Lord’s Day. This is man’s day. It is man’s doing, man’s work, man’s church, man’s idea of worship, man’s everything, for it is man’s world (cosmos). BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING. Yes, it is. It is just that at this time of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, John was taken up by the Spirit and transported by the Spirit to that Great Day that is coming. The Lord’s Day is when the days of man are over. The kingdoms of this world will then become the kingdoms of our God. The day of the Lord is when the judgments fall, and after that comes the millennium.

The Patmos Vision

December 4, 1960 PM

⁸⁴Now the 10th verse:

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me the…voice,…of a trumpet,

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,…

⁸⁵Now, you can’t do any good until first you get in the Spirit; God can’t use you. You’re—you’re—you’re—you’re…All your efforts are—are in vain until first you do it in the Spirit. “If I will sing, I will sing in the Spirit. If I’ll pray,” said Paul, “I’ll pray in the Spirit.” And then if there is anything that comes to me that’s any good, it has to be revealed to me by the Spirit and confirmed by the Word (made manifest by the results it bears).

The Patmos Vision

December 4, 1960 PM

⁹⁹The Bible, the Revelation was wrote from a.d. 95 to 96, two years. It was the Lord’s day. The Lord’s day is exactly what it said, and that’s what it was. John was carried in the Spirit over into the Lord’s day. This is the day of man, but the day of the Lord shall come. On down through the Scriptures we’ll find that he was in the Lord’s day, caught up in the Spirit and taken over to the Lord’s day. Amen! That’s right. See, he was in the Lord’s day.

The Patmos Vision

December 4, 1960 PM

¹²²Now, he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day. All right, and the first thing he heard when he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day…Now we got the 10th verse:

…in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and he heard…a…voice, as…a trumpet,

¹²³Let’s not pass one parable, now. If we have to take it tomorrow, we can take it, see. Somebody just watch the clock, that it don’t get late on me.

¹²⁴All right, now, “…was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” Now remember, the first thing you have to do is what? Get in the Spirit. How’s these revelations going to ever come to you? Get in the Spirit. How you ever going to get the Holy Ghost? Get in the Spirit. Get in the Spirit!

The Voice like a Trumpet

Revelation 1:10, “And heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

John was in the Spirit, and when he was, he saw the great and wonderful day of the Lord Jesus and all His holy power. The future was about to unfold for God was about to teach him. John did not say it was a trumpet. It was like a trumpet. Now when a trumpet is blown it has an urgency about it. It is like the herald, the king’s messenger, coming to the people. He blows on a trumpet. It is an urgent call. The people gather to listen. (Israel was always assembled by the sounding of a trumpet.) Something important is at hand. “Listen to it.” So this voice had the same urgency of appeal as did the trumpet. Clear and strong it was, startling and awakening. Oh, that we might hear the voice of God as a trumpet this day, for it is the “Gospel Trumpet” sounding forth the “Word of Prophecy” to make us aware of, and prepared for, what is coming upon the earth.

The Seven Church Ages

May 12, 1954

¹⁴⁰I want to read this again now. He was in the Spirit. The Spirit come upon him. He begin to see things. Now watch.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard…

I got in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice,…of a trumpet,…

¹⁴¹“Trumpet.” Trumpet is an “announcement.” Gabriel, at the Coming of the Lord, shall sound the trump of God. This was God’s trumpet blowing. In other words, He is fixing to announce the Eternal destination of the world. A trumpet, what is it? “Get ready. I’m going to give you the Revelation of Jesus Christ, to give to the Church. I’ll speak to you, what will be the destination of the world, for those who receive and those who reject.”

¹⁴²A trumpet of God. “Attention!” Every man, when the trumpet blows, he grabs his sword and stands to a place, attention. The trumpet!

¹⁴³Paul said, “If a trumpet give the uncertain sound, who shall prepare for war?”

The Patmos Vision

December 4, 1960 PM

¹²⁹Now, he was in the Spirit. He got in the Spirit, then things begin to take place. And then when he got in there, he heard a trumpet. Now, a trumpet always announces the approaching of something. Like when you come…A—a king is approaching, they’ll sound a trumpet. When Jesus approaches, He’ll sound a trumpet. That right? When Joseph went forth, they sounded a trumpet. And now something’s coming forward, John got in the Spirit and he heard a trumpet. He heard a trumpet, and he turned to look what was behind him when he heard the trumpet; after he got into the Spirit.

The Command to Write

Revelation 1:11, “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.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Here it is. The First and Last, the Alpha and Omega: that’s ALL of it. The one true God. The Voice and Word of God. Reality and truth is at hand. What a thing it is to be in the Spirit. My, to be in the presence of God and hear from Him! “What thou seest, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches.” The voice that sounded forth His Word in the Garden of Eden and upon Mount Sinai, which voice was also heard in the excellent glory of the Mount of Transfiguration, was once again sounding forth, and this time to the seven churches with a complete and final revelation of Jesus Christ.

“Write the visions, John. Make a record of them for the ages which are to follow, for they are the true prophecies which MUST come to pass. Write them and send them out, making them known.”

John recognized that voice. Oh, you will recognize that voice when He calls if you are one of His own.

The Golden Lampstands

Revelation 1:12, “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

John does not say that he turned to see the one whose voice he heard, but he turned to see the voice. Oh, I like that. He turned to see the voice. The voice and the person are one and the same. Jesus is the WORD. John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” If you can ever get to really see the Word you will be seeing Jesus.

When John turned he saw seven golden candlesticks. Actually they were lampstands. And according to verse 20, they are the seven churches: “The seven candlesticks that thou sawest are the seven churches.” To represent the churches they could hardly be candles. A candle burns but awhile and then is burned out. It dies. There would be no more to it. But lampstands possess a lasting quality not found in candles.

If you want to get a beautiful picture of the lamp, read about it in Zechariah 4:1-6, “And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, 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: and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my Lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the Word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My ‘Spirit,’ saith the Lord of Hosts.” Here is another lamp of pure gold. It is burning brightly because it has plenty of oil which it is getting from the two olive trees, which stand on either side. The two trees represent the Old and New Testament, and of course the oil typifies the Holy Ghost, Who alone can give the light of God to the people. The angel who spoke to Zechariah was as much as saying “this what you see means that the church cannot accomplish anything by its own might or power, but by the Holy Ghost.”

Now examine this lampstand. You will notice that it has a large bowl, or reservoir, that is central to seven arms that come out of it. This bowl is filled with olive oil which flows through seven wicks which are placed in the seven arms. It is the same oil that burns and makes a light at the end of the seven pipes. This light never went out. The priests just kept pouring oil into the bowl.

The lamp was lit in a special way. First, the priest took fire from the sacred altar which was originally lighted by the fire of God. He lit, first of all, the lamp that was sitting on top of the bowl. He then lit the second lamp from the flame of the first lamp. The third lamp received its fire from the second lamp, as did the fourth receive its from the third, and so on, until all the seven lamps were burning. This holy fire from the altar, being passed from lamp to lamp, is a wonderful type of the Holy Spirit in the seven Church Ages. The original outpouring of Pentecost (which outpouring came direct from Jesus on the Mercy Seat) is enduing His Church through all the seven ages, and showing forth perfectly that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever, the never changing God in His essence and His ways.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

How thrilling it is to think of those seven lamps drawing life and light from the resources of that main bowl because they had their wicks dipped therein. Each church age messenger is depicted here. His life is on fire with the Holy Ghost. His wick (life) has been immersed in Christ. Through that wick he is drawing the very life of Christ, and by it gives out light to the church. What kind of a light is he giving? The very same light that was in the first lamp that was lit. And right on down the ages to the present time of the last day messenger the same life and the same light is manifested by a life that is hid with Christ in God.

Not only can we speak thus of the messengers, but every true believer is dramatically depicted here. They are all drawing from the same source. They have all been dipped into the same bowl. They are dead to themselves and their lives are hid with Christ in God. They are sealed in by the Holy Ghost. Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” No man can pluck them out of His hand. Their lives cannot be tampered with. The visible life is burning and shining, giving light and manifestations of the Holy Ghost. The inner, invisible life is hidden in God and fed by the Lord’s Word. Satan cannot touch them. Not even death can touch them, for death has lost its sting; the grave has lost its victory. Thanks be unto God, they have this victory in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen and amen.

The Patmos Vision

December 4, 1960 PM

¹⁵⁵Now let’s watch Him just a little further, as we take the rest of this 13th verse:

And in the midst (that’s the middle) of the golden candlesticks one like…the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girded about the paps with a golden girdle.

¹⁵⁶Now here’s more proof that this doctrine is right about it being the Lord’s day. Did you notice Him? He was not a priest during this time, neither was He a king, He was a judge. Notice, a priest, a high priest, when he went into the sanctuary or went in to minister, to service, he tied himself around the waist. Tying his girdle around the waist, meant that he was serving; never tied it over his shoulder. But here He comes out, walking out with the girdle tied around the top, with a sash over His shoulder; girded about the paps, the breast, with a golden girdle, girded up high. What is it? An attorney, a judge. The judge with his sash over his shoulder, girded up here, not down as a priest. See, that shows He wasn’t in His priesthood now, John went all the way over into the Lord’s day and saw Him coming as the judge.

No Longer the Priest

Revelation 1:13, “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.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

There He stands, One like unto the Son of Man. As the jewel is beautified by the mounting of the ring, so He is glorified in the midst of the churches. It is the Lord’s Day; for John sees Him standing, not as a priest, but as the coming Judge. The golden girdle is no longer girt around the waist where the priest must wear it as he ministers to God in the Holiest Place, but it is now around His shoulders, for He is not now the priest but the JUDGE. Now has John 5:22 come to pass, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” His service has been rendered. The priesthood is over. The days of the prophecy are finished. He stands girded as the JUDGE.

The Sevenfold Glory of His Person

Revelation 1:14-16, “His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.”

1. His Hair as White as Snow

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

John first notices and mentiKons the whiteness of His hair. It was white, and as bright as snow. This was not because of His age. Oh, no. The brilliantly white hair does not signify age but experience, maturity, and wisdom. The Eternal One does not age. What is time to God? Time means little to God, but wisdom means much. It is as when Solomon called to God for wisdom to judge the people of Israel. Now He is coming, the Judge of all the earth. He will be crowned with wisdom. That is what the white and glistening hair signifies.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Even the world understands this symbology, for in ancient times the judge would appear and convene court, dressed in a white wig and a long robe that signified his complete authority (head to foot robe) to mete out justice.

The Patmos Vision

December 4, 1960 PM

¹⁶⁷All right, now Daniel 7:9:

And I beheld until the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garments was white as snow, and the hair of his head was like…pure wool: (Ancient of days.)…his throne was like a fiery flame, and his wheels were burning fire.

And fiery—fiery streams issued and came forth from before him: and thousands thousands ministered unto him, and ten…times ten thousand stood before him: and judgment was set, and the books were opened.

¹⁶⁸“White hair!” All…anybody knows that’s the old judges in ancient days. Like English judges used to wear a snow-white wig. How many remembers that? Old ancient judges wore a white wig because they was…And here He is, showing again that John’s over in the Lord’s day, he saw Him as the judge. Amen! Not as priest, not as king, not as prophet, but as judge. The Father (It’s Saint John 5:22) committed all judgment to Him. And He’s judge now, come to judge the nations. Oh for that day when you see Him like that! His hair was as white as snow, Daniel saw Him coming to the Ancient of days. Watch Him blend these two together. All right: 60-1204e - “The Patmos Vision”

2. His Eyes as Fire

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Think of it. Those eyes that were once dimmed with tears of sorrow and pity. Those eyes that wept with compassion at the grave of Lazarus. Those eyes that saw not the evil of the murderers who hanged Him on a cross but in sorrow cried, “Father forgive them.” Now those eyes are a flame of fire, the eyes of the Judge Who will recompence those who rejected Him.

Of all the human emotions He manifested the most when He appeared as the Son of Man was this one, He wept often. Yet behind that weeping and that sorrow there was still God.

Those same eyes saw visions. They looked deep within the hearts of men and read their very thoughts and knew all their various ways. Blazing out of mortal eyes was God, Who cried to those who knew Him not for what He was, “If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins,” John 8:24. “If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do (the works of My Father), though ye believe not Me, believe the works,” John 10:37-38. Like Jeremiah of old, He was the weeping prophet, for men received not the Word of God and thrust aside the revelation.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Yes, there He stands as Judge with flaming eyes to mete out judgment. The day of mercy is over. Oh, that men might repent and seek His face in righteousness while there is yet time. That they might make His bosom their pillow ere the world dissolves in fire.

3. The Feet of Brass

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

“And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.” Brass is noted for its remarkable hardness. There is nothing that is known that you can put with it to temper it. But this brass that describes His feet is more remarkable yet in that it has stood the test of the fiery furnace, a test that no other one has gone through. And that is exactly right. For brass signifies Divine Judgment: a judgment that God decreed and brought to pass. John 3:14-19, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Numbers 21:8-9, “And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” Israel had sinned. Sin had to be judged. So God commanded Moses to place a brazen serpent on a pole, and he who looked was saved from the penalty of his sin.

The brazen serpent on the pole symbolized sin from the Garden of Eden, where the serpent beguiled Eve, causing her to sin. Brass speaks of judgment, as is seen in the brazen altar where the penalty for sin was met in the sacrifice upon the altar. When God judged Israel for her sins in the days of Elijah, He withheld the rain and the fiery heavens became as brass. Now in this illustration we see that the serpent upon the pole represents sin already judged, for it is made of brass, showing Divine judgment had already fallen upon sin. Then whoever looked at the serpent on the pole, accepting the significance of it, was made whole, for this was the work or salvation of the Lord.

The serpent on the pole is a type of what Jesus came into the earth to accomplish. He was made flesh in order to take upon Himself the judgments of God for sin. The foundation of the altar of sacrifice was solid brass, typifying the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. Judgment had already passed upon Him when as yet there were no sinners. Salvation being entirely of the Lord, He trod the wine press of the fierceness of the wrath of God alone. His vestures were dyed crimson with His own blood. The fiery furnace of the just judgment and wrath of God was His portion. He suffered, the just for the unjust.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

But some day those feet of brass will stand upon the earth. And the Judge of all the earth He shall be, and with equity and perfection will He judge mankind. And there will be no evading that judgment. No turning of that justice. There will be no tempering of it. He that is unjust will be unjust still; he that is filthy will be filthy still. The Unchanging One will not change then, for He never has and never will. Those feet of brass will crush the enemy. They will destroy the antichrist, the beast and the image and all that is vile in His sight. He will destroy the church systems that have taken His Name only to corrupt its brilliance and crush them along with the antichrist. All the wicked, the atheists, the agnostics, the modernists, the liberals, will all be there. Death, hell, and the grave will be there. Yes they will. For when He comes, the books will be opened. That is when even the lukewarm church and the five foolish virgins will appear. He will separate the sheep from the goats. When He comes He will take over the kingdom, for it is His, and with Him will be the thousands times ten thousands, His Bride, who come to minister to Him. Glory! Oh, it is now or never. Repent before it is too late. Wake up from amongst the dead and seek God to be filled with His Spirit or you will miss eternal life. Do it now while there is time.

4. His Voice Was as the Sound of Many Waters

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Now what do the waters represent? Hear it in Revelation 17:15, “The waters which thou sawest,…are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” His voice was as the sound of multitudes speaking. What is it? It is the judgment. For these are the voices of the multitudes of witnesses, who by the Holy Spirit all through the ages have testified to Christ and preached His Gospel. It will be the voice of every man rising in judgment against the sinner who would not take warning. The voices of the seven messengers will be heard loud and clear. Those faithful preachers who preached the saving power of Jesus, who preached water baptism in Jesus’ Name, who preached the infilling and power of the Holy Ghost, who stood with the Word more than they stood with their own lives; all of them were the voice of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost down through the ages. John 17:20, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.”

Have you ever thought how terrifying it is to a man drifting helplessly toward a cataract? Think now of that roar as he approaches his sure and certain doom. And just exactly like that is coming the day of judgment when the roar of the multitude of voices condemns you for not having paid heed ere it was too late. Take heed this very hour. For at this moment your thoughts are being recorded in heaven. There your thoughts speak louder than your words. Like the Pharisee who claimed so much with his mouth, but not listening to the Lord, his heart became corrupt and evil until it was too late, even now this could be your last call to hear the Word and receive it unto eternal life. It will be too late when you approach the roar of the many voices of judgment and doom.

But have you ever noticed how sweet and relaxing the sound of water can be? I like to fish, and I like to find a spot where the water is whispering in ripples. I can just lie back and hear it speaking peace and joy and contentment to my heart. How glad I am to be anchored in the haven of rest where the voice of the Lord speaks peace, as the Word of the waters of separation hath declared. How thankful we should be to hear His voice of love and care and guidance and protection. And some day we will hear that same sweet voice speak, not in judgment, but in welcome to us whose sins have been remitted by His blood, whose lives have been Spirit-filled, and whose walk was in the Word. What could be more precious than to hear the multitudes of welcoming voices and be surrounded by those multitudes who have believed unto eternal life? Oh, there is nothing like it. I pray that you will hear His voice and harden not your heart, but receive Him as your King.

Oh, if you would only see it. It was the waters that destroyed the world, but it was the same waters that saved Noah and also saved the whole earth for Noah. Listen to His voice, the voice of His servants, as it calls to repentance and life.

5. In His Right Hand Were Seven Stars

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

“And He had in His right hand seven stars.” Now of course we already know from verse 20 what the seven stars actually are. “And the mystery of the seven stars are the angels (messengers) of the seven churches.” Now we couldn’t make a mistake here on any account, as He interprets it for us. These seven stars are the messengers to the seven successive church ages. They are not called by name. They are just set forth as seven, one to each age. From the Ephesian Age on down to this Laodicean Age each messenger brought the message of truth to the people, never failing to keep it the Word of God to that particular church age. Each one held to it. They were steadfast in their loyalty to the original light. As each age pulled away from God, His faithful messenger turned that age back to the Word. Their strength was from the Lord or they never could have stemmed the tide. They were safe in His care, for nothing could pluck them out of His hand, and neither could anything separate them from the love of God, let it be sickness, peril, nakedness, famine, sword, life or death. They were truly yielded to Him and kept by His omnipotence. They were not concerned about the persecution that came their way. Pain and derision was but cause to give glory to God that they were counted worthy to suffer for Him. And in thankfulness for His salvation they burned with the light of His life and reflected His love, patience, meekness, temperance, gentleness, faithfulness. And God backed them up with wonders, signs, and miracles. They were accused of being fanatics, and holy-rollers. They were denounced by organizations and held in mockery, but they kept true to the Word.

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 3, The Ephesian Church Age

There He is with the seven stars in His right hand. The right hand or arm signifies the power and authority of God. Psalm 44:3, “For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou hadst a favor unto them.” In that right hand of power are seven stars, who, according to Revelation 1:20, are the seven church messengers. This signifies that the very power and authority of God are behind His messengers to every age. They go forth in the fire and power of the Holy Ghost with the Word. They are stars because they reflect light. The light they reflect is His light. They have no light of their own. They kindle not their own fires, that men may walk in the light of their sparks. Isaiah 50:11. It is night, for that is when the stars come out. It is the night of the blackness of sin, for all (even the whole world), have sinned and are constantly falling short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23.

6. The Two-edged Sword

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

“And out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.” In Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged 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.” Out of His mouth went the sharp two-edged sword which is the WORD OF GOD. Revelation 19:11-16, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His Name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

There it is. When He comes, that Word will come against all nations and all men. And none will be able to stand against it. It will reveal what was in every heart as He did with Nathanael. The Word of God will show who did the will of God and who didn’t. It will make known the secret works of every man and why he did them. It will divide asunder. That is what it says in Romans 2:3, “And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” Then it goes on to say how God is going to judge men. Here it is in verses 5 to 17. The hard impenitent heart will be judged. The works will be judged. The motives will be judged. There won’t be any respect before God; but all will be judged by that Word, no one escaping it. Those who heard and wouldn’t listen will be judged by what they heard. Those that rested in it saying they believed it, but didn’t live it, will be judged. Every secret will come out in the open and be shouted from the housetops. Oh, we will really understand history then. There won’t be a mystery left from all the ages.

7. His Face Like The Sun

“And His countenance was as the sun shineth in its strength.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Now in Matthew 16:28, prefacing Matthew 17:1-13, Jesus had said, “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” And the three apostles did see just that — the order of His second coming. They saw Him transfigured there on the mountain top. His raiment was blazing white and His face shone like the sun at its zenith. And there as He appeared, stood Moses and Elijah on either side. That is exactly how He is coming again. Truly Elijah will first come and turn the hearts of the children (bride) back to the fathers’ Apostolic Word Doctrine. Malachi 4:5-6, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

In Revelation 21:23, “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” This is the New Jerusalem. The Lamb will be in that city, and because of His presence, there will be no light needed. The sun won’t rise and shine there, for He is the Sun and Light thereof, Himself. The nations that come into it will walk in His light. Aren’t you happy that day is upon us? John saw that day coming. Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

The Victorious Christ

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Revelation 1:17-18, “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: 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.”

No human being could stand the full effect of that vision. His strength utterly gone, John fell at His feet as though dead. But the hand of the Lord in love touched him, and the voice of blessing said, “Fear not. Don’t be afraid. I am the First and Last. I am He That liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.” What is there to fear? The judgment that fell upon Him at the cross, at the grave, and when He descended, was for us. He absorbed the full brunt of the wound of sin and there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. See for a surety our “Attorney” is our “Judge.” He is both “Attorney” and “Judge.” As Judge the “case is settled” — it is finished. There is now therefore no condemnation. Why should the church fear? What promise has He ever failed to manifest before us? Why should it fear punishment or death? It has all been overcome. Here is the mighty conqueror. Here is the One Who conquered both worlds of the seen and unseen. Not like Alexander, who conquered the world at the age of thirty-three and knew no other way to turn for further conquest, so he died a victim of sin and riotous living. Not like Napoleon, who conquered all Europe but finally was defeated at Waterloo and banished to Elba, only to find himself conquered. But nothing could conquer Christ. He that descended has now ascended above all, and unto Him has been given a Name that is above every name. Yes, He conquered death, hell, and the grave, and has the keys thereof. What He looses is loosed, and what He binds is bound. There is no changing of it. There was no conqueror before Him and there is none beside Him. He alone is the Savior, Redeemer. He is the ONLY God: and “Lord Jesus Christ” is His Name.

The Seven Stars & Candlesticks

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Revelation 1:20, “The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels (messengers) of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

An Exposition of The Seven Church Ages

Chapter 2, The Patmos Vision

Yes, there He stands amidst the lampstands, with the stars in His hand. It is night, for that is when we use lamps for light, and that is when the stars are seen shining and reflecting the light of the sun. And it is dark. The church is walking by faith in the darkness. Her Lord departed this earth but the Holy Spirit still shines out through the church, giving light to this old sin-cursed world. And those stars reflect His light also. The only light they have is His light. How dark it is — how spiritually cold. Yet when He comes into the midst it is light and warm, and the church is empowered and through Him does the works that He did.