Revelation 1:4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne.
John employs the first use of the mention of 7 in Revelation. This number, which Biblically signifies completion, occurs 54 times in this book; twice in this verse alone. The choice of using the number seven for the churches John writes to may have particular significance.
I come to you today with a prayer request for my family; more specifically for my father-in-law, who has been contending with pancreatic cancer for a count of years, and it has finally progressed to needing treatment.
Revelation 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.
The book of Revelation comes with a special blessing for those who first read, and then hear the words of this prophecy. There are two camps identified here: those who read Revelation, and those who listen. First there is a blessing to the reader of this prophecy. Bible teachers are flatly told that there is a blessing in reading this prophecy to others. Readers are informed that hearing these words–hearing and genuinely listening–is also a blessing.
Revelation 1:2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.
I first want to direct our mutual attention to the beginning and end of this verse, “who bore witness…to all things that he saw.” The who of course is the Apostle John. The idea of witnessing is of utmost importance both here and in all of Scripture. Why?
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants–things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,
I have in my possession a copy of the original AV, or King James Version of the Bible. Its title for this book is as such: “The Revelation of St. John the Divine.” The title carries with it a fundamental error in understanding. It is not a revelation of John; it was a revelation TO John, vouchsafed by Jesus Christ.
