The Word This Week
Revelation 1:4...
The heptadic pattern, (a pattern pf sevens,) of the Book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ is established early and often.
This heptadic structure begins as John identifies the addressees of this Book. It is written to the seven churches which are in Asia – which is present-day western Turkey.
He records a greeting from the Triune God we serve, of grace and peace. (This will be interesting considering the rebuke Jesus provides five of those seven churches in chapters 2 and 3.) This is the Father’s desire - even for the churches which are in many ways failing from their fundamental mission.
Likewise, this greeting proceeds from the “seven Spirits who are before His throne.” (Isaiah 11:1-2 confirms for us this is indeed the Holy Spirit of God.) (This is the first of over 800 symbolic allusions from the Old Testament found in this Book.)
And the greeting also comes from Jesus Christ, our great benefactor, Who has washed us in His own blood and made us both kings and priests to His God and Father, worthy of the spontaneous doxology that bursts forth of His glory and dominion which lasts forever.
Remembering this is all taking place in the heavenly realm vision John has been provided only makes this all the more amazing. John has in a sense gone from a worldly outhouse existence on the prison island of Patmos to the very penthouse of God. What he describes is the absolute pinnacle of human existence.
To John is given this extraordinary promise of Christ’s return to the earth of His creation. The redemption of all that has fallen is about to begin, and once it starts it will all proceed quickly in the exact order given in the next 19 chapters.
The 66 Books of the Bible are entirely about the Lord Jesus Christ. He declares of Himself in Psalm 40, “In the volume of the Book it is written of Me.” (A claim repeated in Hebrews 10:7.) The ONLY way the Bible makes cohesive sense is to place Jesus in every verse, in every context. This is what is being revealed. Jesus Christ is our all in all, and we need not fear, and we need never worry. Jesus is not only in control now, He is coming back soon to rule and reign, to an earth only He is capable of redeeming. (In the Bible, there are three times as many references to the return of Christ as there are to His first appearing. It is the central focus of the New Testament.)
When Jesus returns, it will be so glorious, “every eye will see Him.” Some will praise and glorify, but in His presence the majority of those on earth will mourn, especially those who pierced Him in His first coming, as well as those who continue to pierce Him by failing to acknowledge Who He was, and Who He is, and Who He will forever be.
In that day, all of man’s excuses will be inexcusable, and all will know this has always been God’s case against mankind.
Pastor Bill
The heptadic pattern, (a pattern pf sevens,) of the Book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ is established early and often.
This heptadic structure begins as John identifies the addressees of this Book. It is written to the seven churches which are in Asia – which is present-day western Turkey.
He records a greeting from the Triune God we serve, of grace and peace. (This will be interesting considering the rebuke Jesus provides five of those seven churches in chapters 2 and 3.) This is the Father’s desire - even for the churches which are in many ways failing from their fundamental mission.
Likewise, this greeting proceeds from the “seven Spirits who are before His throne.” (Isaiah 11:1-2 confirms for us this is indeed the Holy Spirit of God.) (This is the first of over 800 symbolic allusions from the Old Testament found in this Book.)
And the greeting also comes from Jesus Christ, our great benefactor, Who has washed us in His own blood and made us both kings and priests to His God and Father, worthy of the spontaneous doxology that bursts forth of His glory and dominion which lasts forever.
Remembering this is all taking place in the heavenly realm vision John has been provided only makes this all the more amazing. John has in a sense gone from a worldly outhouse existence on the prison island of Patmos to the very penthouse of God. What he describes is the absolute pinnacle of human existence.
To John is given this extraordinary promise of Christ’s return to the earth of His creation. The redemption of all that has fallen is about to begin, and once it starts it will all proceed quickly in the exact order given in the next 19 chapters.
The 66 Books of the Bible are entirely about the Lord Jesus Christ. He declares of Himself in Psalm 40, “In the volume of the Book it is written of Me.” (A claim repeated in Hebrews 10:7.) The ONLY way the Bible makes cohesive sense is to place Jesus in every verse, in every context. This is what is being revealed. Jesus Christ is our all in all, and we need not fear, and we need never worry. Jesus is not only in control now, He is coming back soon to rule and reign, to an earth only He is capable of redeeming. (In the Bible, there are three times as many references to the return of Christ as there are to His first appearing. It is the central focus of the New Testament.)
When Jesus returns, it will be so glorious, “every eye will see Him.” Some will praise and glorify, but in His presence the majority of those on earth will mourn, especially those who pierced Him in His first coming, as well as those who continue to pierce Him by failing to acknowledge Who He was, and Who He is, and Who He will forever be.
In that day, all of man’s excuses will be inexcusable, and all will know this has always been God’s case against mankind.
Pastor Bill