REVELATION:
REMOVING THE
PROPHETIC VEIL
REVELATION
We are living in the final moments before Jesus’ return. Evidence of this is all around and apparent to the spiritually discerning eye. On any given day, you can turn on the news, go outside, look at your computer, or handheld devices to see how close we are. All types of violence, lewdness, sexual acts, murder, theft, drugs, and other ungodly things are displayed, heard, and read on the screen in various news articles, social media outlets, and airwaves. In addition, many tunes promoted by countless record labels and ungodly artists contain lyrics endorsing sexual promiscuity, transgenderism, homosexuality, disrespect to authority, violence, and greed help keep the prisons, abortion clinics, night clubs, and morgues full. Sadly, the wickedness is not limited to the adult world. The devil has his minions attacking children through video games, drag queen story-time, after-school satanic clubs, cartoons, gangs, music and more to pervert their minds.
There are threats of wars, rising terrorist organizations domestically and abroad, pharmaceutical drug pushing, and government corruption being inspired by the devil everywhere. Even more, wickedness abounds through the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) community whose goal is to spread their abominations onto children, entertainment, churches, and even your local restrooms in the act of defiance against God’s holy laws. Right is being called wrong, and wrong is being called right. All the while, many within the body of Christ are asleep, in a demonically induced coma, and drunk off the wine of many greedy, cowardly, and spiritually dead, compromised pastors, evangelists, so-called prophets, and other spiritual leaders. Yet, God gave a warning about these last days. This warning is great! So, what does God have to say to us in today’s times, and why must it be revealed?
In this first lesson, you will learn about God's messages and warnings to the churches concerning the last days and why they are of greater urgency now than ever before. God pronounced a blessing over all who read and understand the writings within this prophetic book. May you be blessed as He helps you better understand the end-time prophecies that were given to His servant John for the body of Christ.
Understanding the Revelation
“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” (Revelation 1:1-3).
What does Revelation mean?
In the Koine Greek, Revelation is described as the apocalypse, (ἀποκάλυψις, apokalypsis), which means unveiling and end-time destruction. When you unveil or reveal something, it means to uncover or discover its purpose. It also means to expose and make something known. The book of Revelation has always been for the body of Christ to understand and make known to others. By unveiling its contents, we will be prepared for the end times we now live in and the days ahead. God wants His children to be ready for the enemy’s attacks and to look forward to the blessed hope given to all who endure to the end. This is why God gave this Revelation to Jesus, who gave it to the angel to give to John for him to write down and give to the body of Christ.
Who was John?
John was an apostle of Christ and the youngest of the Twelve chosen to follow Jesus during His 3 ½ years of ministry. John was the son of Zebedee and the brother of James. The Bible says: “Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him” (Matthew 4:21-22). Notice that the brothers, James and John) did not hesitate to follow the Lord. They left everything they knew behind, jobs, family, friends, and homes. John was called The Beloved, for he was dear to Jesus’ heart, and they were close. Therefore, Jesus trusted John with the responsibility of looking after His mother during His final moments on the cross. The Bible says: “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27). Just as Jesus trusted John to look after Mary, we should take care to be found trustworthy to tend to the things of God. Jesus did not want His mother to be alone, and due to Joseph, her husband, being more than likely deceased at that time, He ensured that His mother had a trusted male to care for her.
Why was a blessing pronounced over this particular book of the Bible?
Many events were prophesied to occur during the last days. God did not want His people to be blind, unaware, and caught off guard as to these last-day events. Instead, He wanted His people to have complete knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of His Word so we would be ready for the enemy’s devices. God also knew that this book would be the most controversial of all the others written. Many pastors, churches, and denominations do not teach out of the book of Revelation in its entirety. They have caused many to believe that this prophetic book is too difficult to understand and should remain closed. This is not true, and the Lord will grant guidance and discernment to all who desire knowledge and understanding concerning His Word. The Bible says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…”(Hosea 4:6).
Revelation was given to teach, rebuke, prepare, warn, and encourage those regarding the last days, the church, and the devil’s attempt to destroy the body of Christ while deceiving the world. The Bible says: “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). The prophecies within the book of Revelation were given to John to give to the church. A blessing was pronounced over those who read and took its meaning to heart. Revelation warns of difficult times ahead and even now, but all who remain steadfast in the Lord will be blessed in the end.
Island of Patmos
Message to the 7 Churches
“This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him—even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen! ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,’ says the Lord God. ‘I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One’ ” (Revelation 1:4-8).
John wrote to the seven churches in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) during the time of this revelation. Although these were not the only churches, Jesus’ message was centered on these seven, but they symbolized the church at large. The gospel had been spread throughout the world as Jesus had instructed His followers to do long before there were the conveniences of planes for travel, phones, television, or radio. They endured great hardship but did it gladly for the sake of the kingdom. Because of their obedience, souls continue to be saved worldwide. The Bible says: “Jesus came near and spoke to them, ‘I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age’ ” (Matthew 28:18-20). The instructions given to these churches represent the body of Christ in its completion, symbolized by the number seven. We will be going into more details about these seven churches and what we can learn from them concerning God’s desire for His church today.
The salutation: “Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,” lets us know that God’s existence has always been and will never cease. The Bible says: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand” (Job 38:4). God’s response to Job tells us that He has been in existence since and before the beginning of time. He is forever present and always will be. You can also understand this by His response to Moses when asked the question of who he should tell the Children of Israel sent him. The Bible says: “But Moses said to God, ‘If I now come to the Israelites and say to them,’ ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they are going to ask me, ‘What’s this God’s name? What am I supposed to say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I Am Who I Am.’ So say to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you’ ” (Exodus 3:13-14).
The Seven Spirits
(Revelation 1:4)
The seven spirits found in Revelation 1:4 represent the qualities, traits, and characteristics of God, similar to the Spirit’s description given in the book of Isaiah. The Bible says: “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2). Let’s study the Holy Spirit who embodies these seven Spirits rolled into one.
The Seven Spirits Explained
1. 1. Spirit of Rest – “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). Jesus had to go away for the Holy Spirit to come and rest upon those in the upper room to do the work of God. The Oxford Dictionary defines the word rest as to be based on, grounded in, or relied upon. Therefore, the Holy Spirit allows us to base our trust in Him, be grounded in His Word, and rely upon His strength. Jesus had been sent by his Father to die to save mankind from eternal damnation. Yet, once his earthly work was over, the Holy Spirit came to reside in the hearts of all who believed and accepted the Good News about the Gospel of Christ. This Spirit of Rest was essential for all who were willing to allow Him to reign in their lives to be a witness to others. (John 14:26; Romans 8:14)
2. 2. Spirit of Wisdom – The Bible says: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” (Ephesians 1:17). God wants His children to have spiritual discernment and wisdom in all things. So when we ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom, this is one of the gifts that He gives generously to His children. To defeat the enemy and stay steadfast in the will of God, one must have wisdom, not as the world thinks of wisdom nor our own accord but given from the Holy Spirit. The Bible also says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalms 111:10). One cannot truly understand the meaning of reverencing the Lord when there is a lack of spiritual wisdom that only comes from the Holy Spirit.
3. 3. Spirit of Understanding – The Bible says: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). It is the work of the Holy Spirit to teach all things given from the Father above. One can learn about God but not truly know Him unless one allows the Holy Spirit to give the gift of understanding through total submission to the Lord. During this process, we can receive His words wholeheartedly, and the Holy Spirit will bring things back to our memory when recollection is needed. God wants His children to understand what He is saying to the church so that they will know how to use the knowledge acquired to stand and fight against the enemy when he comes in like a flood. The Bible says: “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” (Isaiah 59:19).
4. 4. Spirit of Counsel – The Bible says: “And when he (The Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11). The enemy has deceived many in the world; however, the Holy Spirit is the One who convicts and gives counsel on the things of Christ so that we may be saved through Jesus’ salvation. This counsel is not forced upon anyone but is there to be received by all. Only through humility would one be willing to accept the counsel that the Holy Spirit has to offer. Pride has no room with God, but a humble heart that is willing to receive opens the pathway to Him in all areas of our lives. The Bible says: “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7).
5. 5. Spirit of Power – The Bible says: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). No one can do the Lord’s work correctly without the power given through the Holy Spirit. The devil is like a roaring lion and seeks to destroy all who will be a witness for God. Therefore, the Power of God, given through the Holy Spirit, will defeat the enemy in his own game of evil, destruction, and deceit. It is just like a car, which needs a jump. Without the juice from another vehicle or jump starter, the vehicle’s battery will be dead and not run. The Lord is the juice that gives the electrical surge for the Power we need through cables from the Holy Spirit. Once the jump has been given, you are then ready to drive. The Bible says: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3).
6. 6. Spirit of Knowledge – The Bible says: “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:8). Once again, we see that the Holy Spirit gives wisdom and then knowledge upon the believer and faithful follower of Christ. This knowledge, led by the Holy Spirit, is given and received through the Word of God. It is not enough just to acquire knowledge without knowing when and how to use it. For example, many people attend higher levels of education to acquire knowledge, but the phrase educated idiot was deemed necessary to let people know that education without common sense still makes one an idiot. The Bible says: “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others” (Proverbs 12:15). Therefore, the Holy gives this balance to the believer.
7. Spirit of Fear (Reverence) – The Bible says: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). This work of the Spirit does not make us afraid as in the natural. Instead, this fear is one of humility and reverence for the things of God. The Bible says: “I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech (Proverbs 8:12-13). The Holy Spirit helps us acknowledge that God is greater than we are; therefore, we must humbly submit ourselves to our Creator and Lord.
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