After the prophecies about Israel, the Lord turned to the Gentiles. For them he had a book of prophecy written, so that they would understand what lies ahead. He showed it to the apostle John in a vision: the book of Revelation.
This study covers the first chapter and the first of the seven letters, the one to Ephesus.
A book of signs, written for us
Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ, given so that his servants may know what must shortly come to pass. Christ sent his angel to John and made it known by signs. He did not state the future plainly but showed John pictures and symbols, which have to be understood. A blessing is promised to those who read the book, hear it and keep what is written in it (Revelation 1:3).
It is addressed to the seven churches in Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. They stood in Asia Minor, now Turkey, and were Gentile churches. They also picture the age of grace as seven ages. We belong to the Gentiles, so the book was written for us.
Priests, a kingdom, and the One who comes
Christ loosed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom and priests to God his Father (Revelation 1:5–6). A priest speaks God's word to the people and pleads with God for them, a kind of go-between. We serve the world in this way now and will when his kingdom comes. We are also his kingdom, because Christ rules over his church.
He comes with the clouds, and every eye will see him (Revelation 1:7). The cloud is the sign that he comes to reign on earth when the seventieth "seven" has ended and the thousand-year kingdom begins. He will reward the good, but the wicked he will put to death.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
— Revelation 1:8
He has no beginning or end: nothing came before him and nothing will come after. He made everything, each thing for its appointed time, and he will come to judge and rule.
The vision on Patmos
John, a brother and companion in tribulation, was banished to the island of Patmos as a punishment, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. A great voice behind him told him to write what he saw and send it to the seven churches.
He turned and saw seven lampstands, and among them one like the Son of man in a long robe. Each detail is a picture:
- White hair: age and wisdom, like a judge's white wig.
- Eyes like fire: a stern, piercing gaze, the look of a judge.
- A voice like many waters: one of three voices heard in visions (trumpet, many waters, thunder), each showing that the words come from God.
- A two-edged sword from his mouth: his words; once he has spoken, it is done.
- A face like the sun: his light reaches all he has made.
John fell at his feet as though dead, for in God's presence a man's strength leaves him. Christ laid his right hand on him.
Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore…
— Revelation 1:17–18
He holds the keys of death and of the realm of the dead (mrutlok), and he alone decides who dies and when, and how long anyone stays there. That realm lies beneath the earth in two parts, a place of comfort and hell, with no crossing between them.
Stars and lampstands
John is told to write what he has seen, what now is and what will follow. The mystery is then explained: the seven stars in Christ's right hand are the angels, or messengers (doot), of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the churches.
So the seven churches are seven periods within the age of grace. In each, a messenger, a man of God, comes to that church, and what he teaches is what the believers of that time must hold to.
The letter to Ephesus
The letter opens with Christ naming himself: he is the One who holds the seven stars and walks among the lampstands. Ephesus is the first period, the age of the apostles. The gospel reached the Gentiles especially through Paul, and churches were founded in all seven cities. Paul is the messenger of this first age.
The Lord knows their works, labour and patience. Paul was stoned and beaten and went hungry, yet kept preaching, and the church worked with him, so the praise is theirs too. Paul also tested those who called themselves apostles and found them false, for God had not appointed them. Today, too, whichever title carries the most weight, many take it for themselves.
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
— Revelation 2:4
The early love and zeal faded. The Lord calls them to repent and do the first works, or he will remove their lampstand from its place.
The Ephesians hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, as the Lord does. The name joins the Greek nikao, to conquer or gather under oneself, and laos, people: leading people after oneself. Where the tithe is taught as belonging to one's own pastor, the more people he gathers the more he receives, so people are held back from going elsewhere. God dislikes this. We belong to one worldwide church, founded by Jesus Christ and not by another man, so there is no "my church" and "your church".
The overcomer is promised the fruit of the tree of life: eternal life, which Jesus taught. All this happened after John's time, so for us the letter is history, a prophecy already fulfilled.
Takeaway
Revelation is meant to be read, heard and kept, and it was written for us, the Gentile church. The Lord who walks among his churches knows their work and endurance, and names what he holds against them. We belong to one church worldwide, so we follow God and not any man.