Over the last forty years I have heard many teachings on the Book of Revelation. Each teaching was based on a facet of the focus of the minister. If he or she was focused on global destruction, the teaching would center around those passages that spoke of such destruction. I am interested in looking at facets that cover the broad spectrum of the intent of the Revelation of Our Lord Jesus Christ which is how this final book begins.
First of all this Revelation was given to John, the beloved disciple. He wrote through the eyes of Love, thus the name “Beloved”. He ends his Gospel with the revelation of the 153 fish- the Sons of GOD. Who better to give this prophecy to but to one who has the revelation of Love. Who better to entrust such a prophecy to that would span thousands of years but to one who would walk and write of the greatest revelation “For GOD so Loved the world”.
It is not my intent to dissect each symbolic passage and apply it to history or focus on some forthcoming geopolitical event. I want to look at how it applies to the here and now. After all that is where we live each day and must direct our efforts to produce fruit for the Kingdom. We are first instructed:
Rev 1:3 “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”
What are we to “keep”? The understanding that produces some response on our part. When we hear, we respond. When we hear not, nothing happens. Think about it. Revelation produces a response in us whether it be a specific action, a change in our path, or a new focus. Something in us changes.
John writes to the seven churches in Asia. We can look at these churches in various facets of history, in various states of challenges, or at a personal level. The leader of a country is a reflection of the people. The state of each church is a reflection of its members. The very first church John addresses in the Revelation is Ephesus. When we consider the issues that so easily beset us, we normally deal with the first and foremost issue. I believe this Revelation did just that:
Rev 2:4 “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
The very first issue with the people is Love! How many of us were overcome with excitement at the time of our salvation or at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? It was like the weights were removed from us and we had this new zeal for The LORD. Nothing else mattered. We were like young thoroughbreds who wanted to run even though we knew not where to go. Have you lost your first Love? Have you forgotten what your salvation was based on? Love!
The Book of Revelation is written to "him that overcometh”:
The church of Ephesus: “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”
The church in Smyrna: “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
The church in Pergamos: “ To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”
The church in Thyatira: “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations”
The church in Sardis: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”
The church in Philadelphia: “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”
The church of the Laodiceans: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
Consider the progression of the promises listed above: Life, no second death, manna to eat, power over nations, clothed in white garments, pillar in the temple, sitting with Jesus on HIS throne. What does it take to overcome? We must not lose our Love. Love must be our motivation to overcome or otherwise we will grow weary. Love will sustain us as we overcome all obstacles. Our Love empowers us as overcomers and without it, we will fall into the same situations that were mentioned among the churches. What must we overcome? All challenges that would prevent us from embracing the Revelation of Love and walking in the same Love that overcometh the world. Think about it.