1/21/07 – 3LAW “Revelation’s Seven Churches – Part 1”
Victory Ministries International presents:
Awesome Truths and Amazing Facts  
Treasures of awesome truths from God’s Word 
and facts that affect you!

Hello!  This is Richard Vaughn

Today’s subject – “Revelation’s Seven Churches – Part 1”

Today we are going to begin a fascinating study of the seven churches of Revelation in the first three chapters of this apocalyptic book. There are some who believe that the book of Revelation is a closed book and that we should not study it. Oh what a blessing is lost with such foolish reasoning. As you will see, Revelation is not closed and is very relevant to Christianity today. Here’s an amazing fact that you may not be aware of: Revelation quotes the Old Testament over 500 times and of the 404 verses found in Revelation, 278 of those verses are found elsewhere in the Bible. 

Well, before we begin today’s program, shall we reverently seek God’s presence. Heavenly Father we ask for divine guidance through the agency of the Holy Spirit, as we open the word and begin our study of the seven churches in the Book of Revelation.  In Jesus name Amen.

I continue to keep my pledge to cry aloud and spare not, lift up my voice like a trumpet and to show God’s people where they are transgressing God’s Law.

Here are some more amazing facts about the book of Revelation. The number seven is God’s number that stands for completeness and perfection. In the book of Revelation we find seven used a number of times; seven churches, seven spirits, seven candlesticks, seven stars, seven lamps of fire, seven seals, seven horns, seven eyes, seven angels, seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven heads, seven crowns, seven vials with the seven last plagues, seven mountains, and seven kings.

Although the actual messages to the seven churches, begins in Chapter 2, we are going to begin this study in chapter 1 and verse 1. The Bible says, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:” Did you catch the source of this book? Some say it is the Revelation of John. It is true that he wrote it, but we just read that it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God the Father gave to him, Jesus. The purpose is to show unto his servants, which would be the true followers of Jesus, things which must shortly come to pass. So God wants His people to be studying this book so they will know what the future holds and will not be caught unprepared. Then look, it says, and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John. So it was signified or attested to by the angel Gabriel. From God the Father to Jesus to the angel Gabriel to John and finally to us who have a desire to learn the truth of God’s Word.

Verse 2; “Who (the apostle John) bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.” Here’s another amazing fact, words that denote visual communication occur 73 times in Revelation, while words that denote audio communication occur 38 times. The book of Revelation is a factual eye and ear witness report of what John saw and heard.

Verse 3; “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.” Oh friend did you hear that? God pronounces a blessing on all who read and they that hear the words and keep those things written in Revelation. In fact, verse 3 is the first of seven beatitudes found in Revelation. So if God puts a blessing on those who study Revelation, then those who think it a closed book, rob themselves two ways of a great blessing; first, by not studying it and second, by not being prepared for what’s coming on planet earth. To ignore what’s written in this book; could easily cost one their eternal life.

The book of Revelation opens to the world what has been, what is, and what is to come; it is for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come. It should be studied with reverential awe. We are privileged in knowing what is for our learning. 
     The Lord Himself revealed to His servant John the mysteries of the book of Revelation, and He designs that they shall be open to the study of all. In this book are depicted scenes that are now in the past, and some of eternal interest that are taking place around us; other of its prophecies will not receive their complete fulfillment until the close of time, when the last great conflict between the powers of darkness and the Prince of heaven will take place.

Verse 4; “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;” The messages to the seven churches of John’s day dealt with their true spiritual condition. But it has a dual application as it deals with the seven periods that would cover the entire history of the Christian church from the apostolic church of the first century, the church of Ephesus, to the final church period of Laodicea, where we are today in the 21st century.
In John’s day, the seven churches which are in Asia, would be geographically located today in the Republic of Turkey.

Verse 4 says, “…Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; …” This we know to be the eternal God the Father “and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;” The seven Spirits before His throne would be the Holy Spirit.

Verse 5; “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,” Jesus, who is the faithful witness, is the perfect representative of God’s character, mind and will to mankind.

Verse 6 says, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Christ is the king. The correct rendering of this verse is, “And hath made us a kingdom, priests unto God.”

We read of Jesus’ second coming in verse 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.” This verse counteracts the false teaching of a secret rapture of the church. The second coming of Jesus will be a spectacular event and the eye of every living person will see Him coming in the clouds. There will be a special resurrection of those who put Jesus to death and they will see Him coming not as a man of sorrows, rather as a King in all His glory. All the living lost will wail because they will know they are lost.

Verse 8; “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.” This is still God the Father. The Alpha and Omega begins in verse 11.

Verse 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.” John was sent to the Isle of Patmos, where, separated from his companions in the faith, his enemies supposed he would die from hardship and neglect. But John made friends and converts even there. They thought that they had at last placed the faithful witness where he could no longer trouble Israel or the wicked rulers of the world.  
     But all the heavenly universe saw the result of the conflict with the aged disciple and his separation from his companions in the faith. God and Christ and the heavenly host were John's companions on the Isle of Patmos. From them he received instruction which he imparted to those separated with him from the world. There he wrote out the visions and revelations he received from God, telling of the things which would take place in the closing period of this earth's history. When his voice would no longer witness for the truth, when he could no longer testify of the One he loved and served, the messages given to him on that rocky, barren coast were to go forth as a lamp that burneth.

Verse 10: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,” Many use this verse and apply the Lord’s day to Sunday, the first day of the week. If we take a stand on the Bible and the Bible only, this could not be the case, as no where in the Bible is the Lord’s day connected with the first day of the week. The Lord’s day is however, connected to God’s seventh day Sabbath. Exodus 20:10 “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God” And in Matthew 12:8 “For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.” The Sabbath, which God had instituted in Eden, was as precious to John on the lonely isle as when he was with his companions in the cities and towns. The precious promises that Christ had given regarding this day he repeated and claimed as his own. It was the sign to him that God was his. . . . On the Sabbath day the risen Saviour made His presence known to John.

John says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet” The great voice would indicate the intensity of that voice. Whose voice was it? It is obvious in reading verses 11 through 18, that it could only be the voice of Jesus. Time will not permit us to read it this week, but we will read those verses first thing next week.

Time is up for this week, so be tuned in next week as we study “Revelation’s Seven Churches – Part 2”.	

	If you want some more information or even Bible studies, contact me by writing to: Pastor Vaughn that’s V-A-U-G-H-N, at PO Box 727, South Hill, VA 23970. Once again that’s Pastor Vaughn that’s V-A-U-G-H-N, at PO Box 727, South Hill, VA 23970.  

	And remember, you are always welcome to worship with us each seventh day Lord’s Day (that’s Saturday mornings) at the Victory Seventh Day Adventist Church located at 117 W. Danville Street in the center of South Hill, VA. 

	Until next week, Jesus said in John 5:39, “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”. Even so, Come Lord Jesus.