Revelation 1: 1 - 20

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven (the number of completeness or fulness) spirits (the Holy Spirit in His Executive work and Divine perfection) who are before his throne; 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten (first-born) of the dead, and the prince (chief Ruler) of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and washed (loosed) us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us a kingdom of priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory (honor; praise) and dominion (power; might) forever and ever. Amen (Truly; Verily). 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also who pierced (pricked; stabbed) him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail (mourn; lament; strike the breast) because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, who is (present), and who was(past), and who is to come (future), the Almighty (Omnipotent One; the One Who controls and rules over all).

9 I, John, who also am your brother, and companion (partaker; sharer; joint partner) in tribulation (oppression; affliction), and in the kingdom and patience (remaining under the load) of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony (witness; record) of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 And in the midst of the seven lampstands (candlesticks) one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot (a long robe reaching the feet), and girded about (wrapped or girded around) the breasts (chest area) with a golden girdle (belt). 14 His head and his hair were white like (as) wool, as white as (like) snow; and his eyes were like a flame (flaming; burning) of fire; 15 And his feet like fine bronze, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice like the sound of many waters (like Niagra Falls). 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged (double-edged) sword; and his countenance (appearance; face) was as the sun shineth in its strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell (fell down in worship) at his feet as dead. And he laid (put; placed) his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not (Stop fearing); I am the first and the last; 18 I am he that liveth (the Living One), and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen, and have the keys of (keeper of the keys; having power and authority) hades (the place of the unseen) and of death. 19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels (messengers; pastors) of the seven churches; and the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches.

"As the sun sank low over the Aegean Sea an old man stepped wearily into his grotto home. He longed for a night of renewing sleep. But as usual, it would not be his to enjoy. Sharing his cave were a band of criminals. All the men had been exiled to Patmos, that infamous desert island of the Aegean, for crimes that had been committed on the mainland. But the old man's only crime had been sharing his new life in Jesus with everyone he met. For his offense Domitian, the Emperor of Rome, had banished him to Patmos to die of old age or starvation.

"But God had other plans. Here in the seclusion of exile John the Apostle was to receive the most sweeping survey of future events ever to be granted to the mortal mind. God's revelations to John spanned twenty centuries, reaching past even our own sophisticated age of technology. Best of all, John saw Jesus Himself in such superlative grandeur that ordinary human words could never describe the sight" (Anonymous).

1 Verses 1 through 3 may be called the preface or supersubscription. The word Revelation is from apokalupsis which is from two words apo + kalupto - to remove the cover; to reveal; to take out of hiding; to bring into view. The verb apokalupto means to reveal, to make manifest, to uncover to view. The noun apoklupsis means a revelation, a disclosure, an appearing, a making manifest. So the final book of the New Testament is a book revealing, unveiling or bringing into view the Lord Jesus Christ Who is Creator, incarnate Redeemer, risen Lord, coming Judge and eternal King. Revelation is a book of which Christ is the great subject and center, particularly in that period of His administration and glory designated as the day of His uncovering, the day of His appearing. It is the last messages of Christ to men. Note further that the revelation is God's gift to His servants; that is, the followers of Christ and students of His word. God gave the word unto him (John); it is God's gift to John and to man, furthermore, John received it directly from Jesus Christ as He appeared while in exile on the isle of Patmos. The phrase genesthai en tachei kai esemauen is translated in various ways. The New King James Version reads, to show...things which must shortly come to pass. The word deixai means to show; exhibit (something). Genesthai means to come to pass; happen; something to be done. Other translations convey about the same idea - "occur" (Living Bible) or "take place" (Phillips; R.S.V.; Jerusalem Bible).

En tachei means "in or with quickness;" "in haste;" or "speedily." What does John mean by en tachei? Did John mean that the events of Revelation would happen soon - in his generation or even in his lifetime? Or did he mean when the time is come the events following will come in "rapid fire" sequence? Thomas writes, "the purpose of en tachei is to teach the imminence of the events foretold, not to set a time limit within which they must occur" (p. 56). It is true that God is not limited by considerations of time in the same way man is; however, He is concerned with it as it affects His creation. The verb esemanen from semainon means to signify (sign-ify); the noun sema is the word for "sign." John was first approached by an interpreting angel. Yeager says, "We may finally observe that, though the Revelation is given in symbolic language in many passages (Revelation 1:1) not everything in it is symbol. In fact unless the context and common sense dictates that symbol is being employed, there is no symbol" (Volume XVII, p. 498). God wanted his servants (plural) to know about some events that were soon to take place, so He sent his angel to John with a revelation of Jesus Christ. Hobbs writes, "The first readers of Revelation were undergoing severe persecution. The primary purpose of writing was to encourage them in their ordeal. It is held by some that 'shortly' may be understood in the sense of certainty. The Lord will certainly vindicate his people" (p. 21). Of course there is another word of certainty which is asphaleia (see Luke 1:4 and Acts 21:34; 22:30). Walvoord writes, "That which Daniel declared would occur 'in the latter days' is here described as 'shortly' (Gr. en tachei), that is, 'quickly or suddenly coming to pass,' indicating rapidity of execution after the beginning takes place. The idea is not that the event may occur soon, but that when it does, it will be sudden (compare Luke 18:8; Acts 12:7; 22:18; 25:4; Romans 26:20). A similar word, tachus, is translated 'quickly' seven times in Revelation (2:5, 16; 3:11; 11:14; 22:7, 12, 20) (p. 35).

2, 3 John further explains the ministry of Jesus by saying, "Who bare record (emarturesen from martureite - to bear witness; to give testimony; to testify) of the word of God, and of the testimony (marturian from marturia - record; report) of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. The two words martureite and marturia are basically from the same stem, so John bear witness of the word and reported concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and of the things he saw (eiden from orao - to perceive with the eye); of course, John heard some things as well.

Now John the Apostle pronounces a threefold beatitude or "blessing" (makarios - to bless; to make happy) upon those who read and those who hear the words of this prophecy (propheteias - a divine inspired forth telling or foretelling) and also those who keep (terountes from tereo - to preserve; to observe) the things which are written therein. For the time (kairos - the season; opportunity) is at hand (engus - nigh; near). So John pronounces a spiritual blessing upon the readers, those who hear it read (probably in public assembly since not everyone had a copy of the manuscript and had to depend upon someone to read it), and those who keep or observe the words of Revelation. For many years no one had their personal copy of the Bible, so they had to depend upon someone to read it publicly to a large congregation. "Apparently John provided only one copy of the book which was to be read publicly in each congregation. The public reading of the Scripture in assemblies was a practice adopted from the Jewish synagogue meetings (cf. Luke 4:16)" (Hailey, p. 97). In dealing with each of the letters to the churches, G. Campbell Morgan states that each epistle has (1) Christ's title; (2) Christ's commendation, (3) Christ's complaint, and (4) Christ's counsel (p. 10).

4 - 6 The letter is to be sent to seven churches in Asia Minor from "him which (who) is, and which (who) was, and which (who) is to come." The Greek reads, ho on kai ho en kai ho erchomenos. The first two references to God/Jesus Christ are forms of the verb "to be" or "being." Thus God/Jesus Christ "is" - present tense, and "was" - past tense. The third verb is erchomenos from erchomai - "coming" or "one who exists or comes in the future." The Godhead (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) are the only Ones Who have existed in the present, past and future; our God is unchangeable and unchanging. When Jehovah appeared to Moses in the burning bush He identified Himself as I AM THAT I AM; that is, He has always existed (the underived Existence, the Self-Existing One). The message is also "from the seven Spirits which are before his throne." "Seven" - hepta - is the first symbol of the Revelation; seven is the number of completion or fulness. The 'seven spirits' mean the Holy Spirit in the seven-fold plentitude of His divine perfection. He is the exclusive Executive of the worldwide missionary enterprise; He is the Divine Spirit (Yeager, p. 502).

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful (trustworthy, - worthy to be believed) witness, and the first begotten (prototokos from protos + tikto - first-born) of the dead, and the prince (archon - chief ruler); of the kings of the earth..." "To him who loves (present tense) us, and washed us (lusanti from luo - to loose, unbind or set free) from our sins in his own blood,..." The Psalmist (51:2) put it this way, "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." Jesus Christ Who loved us in the past, loves us now, and He loosed us from our sins by His own blood. Jesus Christ; Christ is His Greek name and Messiah is His Hebrew name - both meaning the anointed One. "The First-born" means first in time of the coming harvest of those who sleep, and first in rank of all who will rise from the dead. "In contrast to those who were previously restored to life only to die again, Christ is the Firstborn, the first to receive a resurrection body, which is immortal (compare Acts 26:23). As Christ is 'the firstborn of every creature' (Colossians 1:15), indicating that He was before all creation in time, so Christ was first also in resurrection (Walvoord, p. 38).

"And hath made us a kingdom of priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory (doxa - praise; honor) and dominion (kratos - power; might) forever and ever (aionas - forevermore). Amen (truly; verily; emphatic endorsement)." By our Lord's sacrificial death on the Cross He has made each believer a priest.

7 John writes, "Behold, he cometh (erchetai from erchomai is coming or approaching) with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced (exekentesan from ek + kenteo - to prick, to stab) him; and all kindreds (phulai from phule - tribes; family groups) of the earth shall wail (kopsontai from kopto - to mourn; to lament; to strike the breast) because of him. Even so (verily). Amen (verily)." In Daniel 7:13, 14 God had given the same vision to the prophet, "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." In the New Testament our Lord probably quoted from Daniel in Matthew 24:30 when He said, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Paul writes of the same event in I Thessalonians 4:17, "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Our Lord ascended into heaven with clouds (Acts 1:9 - 11); He shall return the same way (I Thessalonians 4:17). This coming of the Lord seems to be with a universal observation.

8 "I am Alpha (the first letter of the Greek alphabet) and Omega (the last letter of the Greek alphabet), the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come (for meaning see verse 4), the Almighty (pantokrator from pas +krateo - the Omnipotent One; the One Who controls and rules over all)." The Almighty One is the God of eternity; He is eternally now, having been always in the past, and He is also the eternally future Omnipotent One. "Almighty God is a title full of strength and consolation. He is Almighty in sustaining His people, yet equally Almighty in judgment on His enemies" (Scott, p. 31). Smith writes, "The emphasis is to be laid upon the Omega. It is as much as: I am Alpha, therefore also the Omega. The beginning is the surety for the end. The unconditional supremacy of God over the world, which is placed before our eyes by the beginning, since God made heaven and earth, since he spoke and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast, is also brought into notice again at the end" (p.30).

9 "I, John, who also am your brother, and companion (sugkoinonos from sun + kiononos - a partaker; sharer) in tribulation (thipsei - affliction; distress), and in the kingdom and patience (hupomone from hupo + meno - staying under the load; to endure) of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos (a small rocky island in the Aegean Sea), for the word of God, and for the testimony (martyrian - witness; report) of Christ." The Apostle John had been exiled, probably by the Roman emperor Domatian, on this rocky island of Patmos because he had preached the word of God and witnessed for Him. John's banishment was simply for witnessing for the Lord Jesus Christ instead of the lord emperor. John writes neither as an apostle nor as an elder but as a "brother and partaker (or companion) with the saints in "the tribulation, and kingdom, and patience in Jesus."

10, 11 "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day (probably Sunday), and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; and, What thou seest, write in a book (biblion - a scroll), and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia (Minor): unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea." The word "spirit" is unclear whether the Holy Spirit or John fell into a trance; Goodspeed translates "I fell into a trance." The Pulpit Commentary reads concerning the passage 'in the Spirit' to mean, "I came to be in a state of ecstasy capable of receiving revelations; like genesthe me en ekstasei (Acts 22:7; compare 10:10; II Corinthians 12:2 - 4)" (Spence, Volume XXII, p. 5). "Yeager writes, "...It is reasonable to believe that the indwelling Holy Spirit in John is the Author of the experience. As John associated with the Holy Spirit the revelation came...The Holy Spirit picked him up from Patmos in the first century and carried him up to heaven and forward 1900 plus years to make him a contemporary witness of events yet future, or whether, in a trance or by some other supernatural operation of the Holy Spirit he saw into the future, but from an island in A. D. 90, is really immaterial" (pp. 512, 513). Yeager further writes, "The seven churches to whom the letters were directed existed in John's day and no doubt the letters were delivered to them. It is the privilege of all christians since then to read them. What we do insist upon is that the Revelation will have a special significance for end-time christians, because they will have in it a running account of events that will be taking place at that time..." (p. 492).

Ephesus was a maritime city in Asia Minor where Paul had preached the gospel on his second missionary journey (Acts 18: 19 - 20:1). In fact, Paul spent three years in Ephesus; Smyrna was a city about 40 miles north of Ephesus; Pergamum or Pergamos was some 50 miles almost directly north of Ephesus; Sardis, the capital of Lydia was some 25 miles north of Ephesus; Thyatira was 75 miles north east of Ephesus; Philadelphia was 70 miles northeast of Ephesus; Laodicea was probably 100 miles west of Ephesus. So this means all the cities of Revelation 1:11 were within a radius of 100 miles of Ephesus. The letter was what mighty be known today as a "round-robin" letter to the seven churches. Each church received all of the letters as well as the rest of the book of Revelation.

12, 13 In the loneliness of Patmos John heard a voice behind him. "And I turned to see the voice (to see who owned the voice) that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden lampstands (luchnias - candlesticks),..." When John heard a voice behind he made an about-face to see who owned the voice that spoke to him. Verse 20 of this same chapter states that the lampstands (candlesticks) are symbols of the seven churches of Asia Minor. "Lampstands" is in all probability a better word than "candlesticks." Morgan states that candlesticks presuppose a kind of light which is self-consumptive, while lampstands imply that they are perpetually fed oil (p. 11). "...These seven light-holders represent all churches of all ages, alike as setting forth their design, their relation to each other and to him who walks in the midst of them, and as all equally addressed in the messages which follow" (Smith, p. 34). "...and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot (podere - a garment, robe reaching to his feet), and girded about (periezosmenon from peri + zonnumi - wrapped around) the breasts (mastois - the chest area) with a golden (chrusan - made of gold) girdle (zonen - a belt over the abdomen)." The fact that the Son of man is "in the midst of the seven lampstands" could indicate a unifying of them into one whole, and directing them by individual messages, showing His intimate acquaintance with the details of each church. Morgan sees, "A remarkable Scripture in the prophecy of Isaiah (that) will serve to throw light upon the robing (of the Son of Man)" (p. 14). Isaiah 22:20 - 22 read, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant, Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah; and I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah."

14, 15 "His head and his hair were white like (hos - like, as) wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were like a flame of fire;..." Note the word "like;" John compares His head and hair "like" or "as" wool and snow, and his eyes "like" or "as" a flame (phlox - flaming or burning) of fire. John uses figurative language, specifically a simile in that he compares two different items expressly indicated by a term such as "like" and "as." Daniel uses the same expressions (Daniel 7:9 - 14; 10:5, 6). John repeats some of these expressions in Revelation 2:18; 19:12. These are pictures of the Lord Jesus Christ in His end-time resurrection power and glory. Our Lord's eyes are keen, penetrating judgment which searches out, and exposes in all its nakedness and evil; His feet as the most awful unyielding strength in judicial judgment.

"...And his feet like fine bronze (chalkolibano from two words chalkos and libanos - fine brass or burnished bronze), as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice like the sound of many waters." The feet of the most High were feet like brass, and His voice was like the Niagra. Although Jesus is portrayed as a Lamb in certain scriptures, here He is referred to as the Judge as in John 5:22 which reads, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." Oh, how these figures of speech must have made an impression upon the apostle. Ezekiel 1:24 and 43:2 speak of a voice, "...like the noise of great waters (many waters), like the voice of the Almighty..." Furthermore Revelation 14:2 and 19:6 speak of many waters and a voice like peals of thunder. The grandeur and majesty of His voice is beyond the ceaseless roar of many cataracts. Needless to say John was impressed with the loud voice from heaven.

16 "And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged (distomos from dis and stoma - "two mouthed;" double-edged) sword; and his countenance (opsis - appearance or face) was as the sun shineth in his strength." Countenance means all the features of the face "...the domelike splendor of the forehead, crowned by the white hair, the splendor of the forehead, the glory of the wondrous eyes, the marvelous expressiveness of the mouth, that which proceeds the sword-like speech, and the sound of the voice of many waters; take these, and other things not described, in combination, and the result is a sun of light and glory, shining in strength" (Morgan, p. 17). Verse 20 of this same chapter states that the seven stars and the seven angels (messengers) are symbolic of the pastors of the seven churches of Asia Minor. Of course the two-edged sword must be symbolic of the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). In II Thessalonians 2:8 Paul writes, "And then shall that wicked one (the Antichrist) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming,..." Other scriptures which refer to a sharp sword proceeding out of the mouth are Revelation 2:16; 3:16; 19:15, 21; and Isaiah 49:2.

17, 18 And when John saw him, he fell (epesa from pipto - fell down physically) at his feet as dead. And he laid (etheken from tithemi - to put or place) his hand upon John saying unto him, Fear not, I am the first and the last;... The effect of the glorious vision of Jesus Christ was overpowering.

"I am," is emphatic; the "I" is repeated (ego eimi), he that liveth (I am the Living One; the One Who is alive), and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of (kleis - the keeper of the keys having authority and power over) hades (adou from a privative + idein - the unseen world; the place of departed spirits) and of death. The word Hades is the place of conscious memory, of torment, of flame, and of thirst (Luke 16:23). The Victor over death calls attention to the fact that He ever lives, He will die no more. Since the Savior conquered death, hades and the grave, He is the Sovereign over all. "There is nothing in heaven or under heaven, there is nothing in earth or under earth, there is nothing in life or in death, there is nothing in this time or in the time that is yet to come, that is not under the surveillance of the great God and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ...Christ is the ruler of the unseen world, the world of men's souls and the world of the heavenly spirits. Whether souls are damned and in torment or are glorified and in paradise, He is king over all. He is adored in heaven and feared in hell" (Criswell, Volume I, p. 164). Everything and everyone is under His control.

19, 20 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter (mellei meta tauta which means things that shall come to pass or to be at the point of doing): the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches; and the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches. John is admonished to write what he sees - upon the interpretation of this passagge hinges the remainder of the Revelation. We understand what is meant by "things which thou has seen," and "the things which are." What did Jesus mean by "the things which shall be hereafter?"

Yeager writes, "As we apply the principle of zeitgeist and look at the passage as John and Jesus did, we must say that all that Jesus is saying is that John is to write all that he has just seen and what he is still seeing, and all that he will see in the rest of the time that the Revelation is revealed. To imagine verse 19 as a scheme for interpretation is the rankest example of twisting Scripture, in order to make it conform to preconceived ideas, that we have ever seen" (p. 526). He states that meta tauta does not mean "after" in a dispensational sense but rather "after" in the order of dictation of the epistles and display of each of the scenes of Revelation 4:1 - 22:5...The "after that" means he raptured John to heaven and showed him the heavenly scene of Chapters 4 and 5. Then John saw the first six seals ripped off. Meta tauta (Revelation 7:1) he saw another scene, and then another and another. To read meta tauta otherwise is to contort the picture (Ibid). The dispensationalists state that the phrase meta tauta refers to the time frame of the tribulation after the saints have been raptured into heaven to be with the Lord during the great tribulation period. This subject will be discussed further as we proceed in the book.

The Revelation simply states that the seven golden candlesticks are symbolic of the seven churches of Asia Minor to whom John writes the letter. The seven stars are the messengers (angeloi from angelos - the sent ones) senior pastors of the respective churches.

* * * * * * * * * *

G. Campbell Morgan states that in dealing with each of the epistles, he notices "four distinct matters: (1) Christ's title; (2) Christ's commendation; (3) Christ's complaint, and (4) Christ's counsel. These will not always be in this exact order, for in some cases either commendation or complaint is omitted...Take this picture and look at it again and again until the vision holds you in its marvelous power. His head and His hair white like wool, His purity and His eternity; His eyes like a flame of fire, His intimate knowledge, penetrating and piercing; His feet like burnished brass, signifying the procedure of strength and purity; His voice like the voice of many waters, a concord of perfect tones; in His hand seven stars, His administrative right, power and protection; from His mouth a sharp two-edged sword, keen and accurate verdicts concerning His people; His whole countenance as the sun, creating day, flashing light, bathing all the landscape with beauty. Such was the One Who moved amid the churches in the vision of the saint at Patmos, and such the One Who still unifies the churches into the Church, by His presence and presidence. Thus the Lord is seen in all the fulness and the functions of His glory, presiding over the witnessing of the Church in the midst of darkness, and we now turn to a study of the messages He delivers, ever keeping this vision before us" (p. 10, 18).

Revelation 2:1 - 29

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and is alive. 9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich;) and I know the blasphemy (evil speaking; railing) of them who say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue (congregation; assembly) of Satan. 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer (experience pain; be vexed). Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried (tested; assayed), and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: He that overcometh shall not be hurt (injured; suffer wrong) of the second death.

12 And unto the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These things saith he who hath the sharp sword (javelin) with two edges. 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest (inhabit; reside), even where Satan's throne is; and thou holdest fast (retain; keep) my name, and hast not denied (repudiated; refused) my faith, even in those days in which Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine (teaching; philosophy) of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block (trap stick; snare) before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also them that hold to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly (swiftly), and will fight (make war) against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden (secret) manna, and will give him a white stone (small pebble), and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth except he that receiveth it.

18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine bronze. 19 I know thy works, and love, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20 Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou allowest that woman, Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce (deceive; lead astray) my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space (time; season) to repent of her fornication, and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery (engage in illicit sexual acts) with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill (slay; put to death) her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the minds (inmost thoughts; feelings) and hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto you, I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will put upon you no other burden (weight). 25 But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come (arrive; make my presence known). 26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth (preserves; holds fast) my works unto the end, to him will I give power (authority) over the nations; 27 And he shall rule them with a rod (scepter; staff) of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers (in pieces), even as I received (accepted; assumed) of my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

1 John was to write the first letter to the church at Ephesus. The maritime city of Ephesus was the capital of proconsular Asia, and an opulent city on the western coast of Asia Minor on the banks of the Cayster River about forty miles from Smyrna. The Ephesians worshiped the Asian goddess Diana (Artemis) whose temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; today the city is a small Turkish town and has become Ayasaluk (Unger, pp. 316, 317). There were many Jews in the city who were influenced by Christianity. Here Paul, after staying for nearly three years, established a congregation (Acts 19:1 - 20:1). This is the church to whom Paul wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians setting forth the believer's union with Christ and their relationship to that union of both the Jews and Gentiles (Acts 19:17, 26). He established the church there during his third missionary journey; his departure from the Ephesians is very touching (Acts 20:17 - 38).

Furthermore, Paul writes of fighting the wild beasts at Ephesus (I Corinthians 15:32); he left Timothy there to pastor the church (I Timothy 1:3), and later Paul sent Tychicus to assist in strengthening the church (II Timothy 4:12). Hobbs writes, "In his class notes, A. T. Robertson called Ephesus 'the church of orthodox coldness. Orthodox to death, an orthodox church in cold storage. Death on heretics, but mighty cool on the spiritual. It is the church that HAS BEEN, HAS HAD good preachers. Now it has lost the first love, and first works, and is holding on to its first faith by the skin of the teeth'" (p. 41).

Jesus is seen walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks showing His Presence, overseership, control, direction and protection over the church. As has already noted the word "lampstands" is a better word than "candlesticks," since candles were not known during John's time. Criswell writes, "A lamp (lampstand) is a far more beautiful and effective representation and symbol of what the Spirit of God is saying to His churches than a candlestick" (Volume II, p. 25). God is in control as He was in Isaiah 49:16 when He said, "Behold, I have engraved thee upon the palms of my hands..." Yeager promotes the idea that the material in the Ephesian letter is theological, ethical and ecclesiastical, synchronizes with the political events of the first seal (Revelation 6:1, 2) and the environmental conditions of the first trumpet (Revelation 8:7) (p. 530). See note at the end of this chapter.

2, 3 The commendation is seven-fold and one is startled by the completeness of the commendation. Jesus knows the works (erga from ergon - deeds), their labor (kopon from kapos - trouble; unpleasant activity; painful toil), their patience (hupomonen from hupomone - endurance; remaining under the load) and how they could not bear (bastasai from bastasai - to take up a burden of; no impurity is condoned) them who are evil; they have tried (epeirasas from perirazo - to test; examine) the evil ones who say they are apostles and are not, but have found them liars (pseuseis from pseudes meaning false). Paul had told the church (Acts 20:29, 30) earlier, "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Since the Lord is Omniscient, He knows those who work and labor for Him. He knows our patience with the activities of this life that are unpleasant, with His assistance we are able to cope with every situation. There were some in the church that were claiming to be apostles, but were not; they had ferreted out those and knew their true color. There was no complicity with evil things. These leaders were put to the acid test and proven false. What was true in the Ephesian church can be applicable today in our churches; we are to put to the test those who make claims and see if they are truly who they say they are. They may be faith healers or miracle workers; they may be the current cult of the "Holy Spirit" or the "New Age." These liars will have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Revelation 21:8).

And (they) have borne or endured, and had patience or carried a load; there was triumphant fortitude, and for His name's sake have labored (kekopiakes from kopiao - wearied or tired). All true pastors and church members work for the Lord's sake and not our own. Persecution raged around the church at Ephesus, but they had maintained their good works. 4, 5 The Lord, however, has a thing (somewhat) against the church, because they had left (aphekes from aphiemi - forsaken or lain aside) their first (proten from protos - chief) love. The word "somewhat" is not in the original text, nor is "a thing." Herein is a negative comment from the Lord. That "first love" is probably that warm, earnest, active spirit of love for the Savior. There seemed to be a spiritual decline in their zeal for the Lord; they had backslidden which can happen to a church as well as an individual. After all churches are made up of individuals. A small group in the church can lead the entire church to backslide; their love had cooled. If they will remember their first estate they can remedy the situation. Morgan cites the church's first love as the love of espousal or marital love (p. 24). When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth (II Corinthians 11:2) he stated, "...For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."

He admonishes them to remember (mnemoneue from mnemoneuo - to be mindful or bear in mind) their former position and how they are fallen and they must repent (metanoeson from meta + noeo - to change their mind or reverse the way they are going) and do their first work or else (poieson ei de me - if you do not) He will come quickly and remove (kineso from kineo - to move) their lampstand out of its place, except they repent. Yeager says, "First love efficiency should set the pattern for the entire Christian life. Indeed later efficiency should exceed the first, due to growth in grace" (p. 535). The order is to remember or call to mind and repent or turn from the way they are going and go another way. Repentance is a 180 degree turnabout. The word "repent" is found thirty-four times in the New Testament and twelve of those times in Revelation. To fail to repent will bring dire circumstances; more than likely the extinction of the church. Criswell writes, "Uselessness invites disaster. If one of the church light bulbs ceases to shine, the custodian has it thrown away. 'I will remove thy lampstand...except thou repent...for you do not love the Lord any more'" (Volume II, p. 90). In fact the church at Ephesus as well as the city now lays in ruins.

6, 7 A commendation follows; the church does hate (miseis from miseo - to despise) the deeds or works of the Nicolaitans which the Lord also hates. The word "Nicolaitans" probably comes from a man by the name of Nicolas who was one of the first deacons (Acts 6:5). The entomology of the word, however comes from two words nike + laos - people of the laity or conqueror (one who overcomes) the people. The word may mean that a pastor or a layman sought to overcome or overpower a people; there may have been a hierarchical overlordship of clergy or laity. A pastor may be as guilty of acting as a Roman Catholic pontiff. It is true that the pastor is to be general overseer of the church, but there is a difference between overseer and exercising lordship over a church. There may have been an Antinomian element who declared that grace is sufficient for salvation, and that life is of little moment. Then the admonition that is repeated (Revelation 2:11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13) - he who has an ear (the capacity to hear), let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Then the promise - To him that overcometh (nikonti from nikao - to conquer or defeat an enemy) will I give to eat (phagein from pagos - to eat plenty) of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise (paradeiso from paradeiso - a place of reward, rest and comfort for the righteous dead) of God. Whatever applied to the churches of the Revelation must indeed apply to churches in every century, else the book is applicable to the church of the first century only or to the church of the tribulation age. In theological terms - zeitgeist from the German words zeit = time and geist = spirit means the situation (spirit) of times.

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8, 9 "And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and is alive." The city of Smyrna was an Ionian city in the Aegean Sea, about 40 miles due north of Ephesus at the mouth of a small river, Meles. It had a good harbor; it flourished in trade, commerce and the arts and was known as "the lovely--the crown of Ionia--the ornament of Asia." It was largely inhabited by Jews bitterly opposed to Christ and Christianity; and the church at Smyrna became known as the type of a suffering church. It was Polycarp's field of Christian usefulness, and here he suffered martyrdom around A. D. 169. Our Lord is referred to here as the first and the last or (from eternity past to eternity future), who was dead and is alive (ezesen from zao - to come to life). At one time Polycarp was one of the earlier pastors of the church, but it is highly unlikely that he were the pastor at the time of this writing. The so-called Jews of verse 9 are said to have been especially violent against Polycarp as he suffered martyrdom at their hands. They accused him and carried faggots for the fire that took his life.

Jesus said He knew their tribulation, and poverty (actual beggary), but in reality they were rich; He knew the blasphemy (blasphemian - slander, railing or reviling) of them who say they were Jews and were not (Jews in name only), but were of the synagogue (syngoge - assembly or congregation) of Satan. The word "tribulation" suggests the pressure of the millstones that grind the wheat into flour, or that force the blood out of the grape, or like the execution of a man by placing a heavy boulder upon him. The weight of the great rock gradually crushes him to death; the pressure of persecution and sorrow and death. Their poverty was the picture of the man who just barely makes a living; he was at the point of "beggary" meaning absolute and utter destitution. The blasphemy experienced by the church was a vilification or railing by the pagan of Smyrna to the point of publishing libelous statements and the confiscation of their goods. Doubtless the church members were reduced to a condition of actual want. Our Lord understood what the church was going through. Had He not undergone the same - the Jews had blasphemed (slandered) Him, they had stripped Him of His possessions; they persecuted Him unto death? He could truly say, "I know," "I know." The Jews in the flourishing and wealthy city had poisoned the minds of the populace against the Christians.

10 The church at Smyrna was to have no fear of the things they would suffer (paschein from pascho - to experience pain or to be vexed). Although the Devil would cast some of them into prison, they would be tried (peirasthete from peirazo meaning tempted or assayed), and they would suffer tribulation for ten days. In spite of the circumstances they were to be faithful unto death; if so, they would receive a crown of life. The "ten days" we do not understand but during the end-time they will understand; the crown of life seems to be reserved for martyrs or those who love the Lord with an enduring love (James 1:12). The work of Satan is very obvious here; after all he is "the accuser of the brethren" and "a murderer from the beginning."

11 Our Lord repeats, "he that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Then He says, "He that overcomes shall not be hurt (adikethe from adikeo - injured) of the second death." Not be hurt or injured technically means they will not be martyred unjustly. Of course, we understand the second death to be the spiritual death or separation for God eternally (Revelation 20:6, 14, 21:8). In 20:14 John writes of the second death as taking place in "the lake that burns with fire and brimstone."

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12 The third church of Revelation was Pergamum or Pergamos. This was a city of Mysia in Asia Minor noted for its manufacture of parchment which was called "pergamena" from which the city gets its name. The city was greatly addicted to idolatry, and its groves, which were one of the wonders of the place, were filled with statues and altars. Antipas is said to have met martyrdom there. Under Attalic kings Pergamos became a city of temples, devoted to a sensuous worship, and being in its origin, according to pagan notions, a sacred place, might not unnaturally be viewed by Jews and Jewish Christians as one "where was the throne of Satan." (Unger, p. 844). "Aesculapius, the god of medicine, was worshiped there under the form of a serpent, and the special aspect of this worship was that of the study of the secret springs of life..." (Morgan, p. 43). Jesus is spoken of as having a sharp sword (rhomphaian from rhomphais - a javelin) with two edges. The two-edged sword or javelin reminds one of the fact that "...the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword..." (Hebrews 4:12). The reference may be to the severity of that scrutiny in which the Lord "tries" those especially, who bear his name and represent him before the world.

13 The Lord knows where the church dwells (katoikeis from katoikeo - to inhabit or to reside); He is aware of where Satan's throne is. He commends the church for holding fast (krateis from krateo - retain; keep) his name, and the fact that they have not denied (erneso from arneomai - refuse; repudiate) the faith, even in those days in which Antipas was the Lord's faithful martyr and who was slain among them where Satan dwells. Antipas is said to have been a "faithful martyr" before A. D. 100 who was put to death in a tumult among the priests of Aesculapius. Tradition relates that he was burned in a brazen bull under Domitian (Unger, p. 69). The church at Pergamos kept Jesus' name and His faith. His name means loyalty to His Person, the peculiar, separate, unique Person of Jesus Christ, the One and only Person of His order that the world has ever seen. His faith marks the glory of His Person; it is the perfection of His purpose. Hobbs writes, "A 'name' denoted personality. The crux of Roman persecution was in the names 'Caesar' and 'Christ.' Emperor worshipers were required to say, 'kurios Kaisaros,' 'Caesar is Lord' or 'Lord Caesar.' The Christians were refusing to say this. Rather they said, 'Kurios Christos,' 'Christ is Lord' or 'Lord Christ.' To say Kurios Kaisaros was to escape punishment. To say Kurios Christos was to suffer persecution, perhaps death. Despite the consequences, the Christians of Pergamos held to the name Kurios Christos" (p. 46). Some have assumed that Aesculapius was worshiped there under the form of a serpent, the symbol of Satan.

Satan's throne or seat could have to do with the beautiful, impressive, idolatrous temples that the Greeks built everywhere in the capital city. The temple had four gods, Zeus (the Latin name for him was Jupiter; the head of all gods); Dionysius (the Latin name for him was Bacchus; the god of wine and of drama); Athena (the Latin name for her was Minerva; the goddess of wisdom in art and in war); and to Aesculapius, the god of healing; in the heart of the city, Apollos bestowed his blessings upon indescribably licentious rites..." Satan invites the church and the people of God to share with him the glamor and the glitter of all things that mammon has to offer of worldly greatness and glory" (Criswell, Volume II, pp. 112, 122, 126). 14 In spite of some commendation, the Lord has condemnation as well, some of them held to the doctrine (didachen from didache - the teaching or philosophy) of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block (scandalon - trap stick or a snare) before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. The account of Balaam and Balak is found in Numbers 22:2 - 25:18; also referred to in II Peter 2:17 and Jude 11. Balaam was a self-conceited and covetous heathen diviner who possessed some knowledge of Jehovah God and promoted himself as having some superior powers derived from God, but who wanted Balak to implore God to curse Israel. All of this was done because of the greed of money or reward for prophesying. The "error of Balaam" (Jude 11) was the diviner-prophet's mistake in concluding on the basis of natural morality, that God must righteously curse the nation Israel, seeing the evil in it. The "way of Balaam" (II Peter 2:15) is the covetous conduct of the typical hireling prophet, solicitous only to commercialize His gift. The "doctrine of Balaam" was the teaching of the mercenary seer to abandon godly separation and a pilgrim character in favor of worldly conformity. Balaam as a prophet offered the strange spectacle of a prophet-diviner--a mixture of paganistic ritual with a true, though blurred knowledge of the true God (Unger, pp. 119, 120). "Note that Christ is displeased even with those who, though rejecting Balaamism, nevertheless tolerate it...Intolerance is the refusal to fellowship heresy...The church is charged with the responsibility of correcting false teaching, not given permission to tolerate it" (Yeager, p. 550). Furthermore, the church was tolerating the "doctrine of Balaam" that they may eat of the things sacrificed to idols, and indulge in the sin of fornication...(they were) holding a doctrine which excuses the actual wrong...behind the wrong conduct is the wrong creed, and they are holding the doctrine of Balaam in order to excuse or justify conduct which is wrong (Morgan, p. 49).

15 There were some in the church who held to the doctrines or teachings of the Nicolaitans (see Revelation 2:6). The Lord mentioned in 2:6 that He hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. The word Nicolaitane comes from two words nike meaning "victory" and laos meaning "people" or "laity." In all probability the word refers to a group, or a class, who exalted themselves above the people; they subjugated the people. One is reminded of James 4:4, "...the friendship of the world is enmity with God." God states that He hated this doctrine. This doctrine or heresy was held by the Antinomians which says, "You are so safe in the name and in the faith, that it matters little about your conduct. You may mix with the sinners of Pergamum, and follow their habits, and yet share the benefits of the covenant. This is the teaching of Balaam, and it had its crudesence in the church at Pergamum" (Morgan, p. 52).

16, 17 The church was admonished to repent, or else the Lord would come unto them quickly (tachu - swiftly) and will fight (polemeso from polemeo meaning to wage war) with them with the sword of His mouth. He repeats he that has an ear, let him hear what the Holy Spirit says unto the churches. Furthermore, He says to him that overcomes will He give to eat of the hidden (kekrummenou from krupto - secret) manna, and will give him a white stone (psephon from psephos - small worn pebble) with a new name written thereon which no man knows except the one receiving it. The manna speaks of Christ's life sustaining Bread. The stones were used to determine lots; some white stones and some black stones were inserted into a bag and according to the stones taken from the bag determined whether a man was acquitted or accused. The white stone is the stone of acquittal, while the black stone is a stone of accusation. The Apostle Paul black-balled (black-stoned) Stephen determining that he should die the death of a martyr (Acts 26:10). Satan has already black-balled the Christian, but thanks be unto God, Christ will give us a white stone of acquittal; Satan's black stone cannot prevail over Christ's white stone of acquittal.

There may be another meaning to the white stone known as the tessara hospitalis. "Two men who were friends, about to part, would divide a white stone in two, each carrying with him half, upon which was inscribed the name of the friend. It may be that they would never meet again, but that stone in each case would be bequeathed to a son, and sometimes generations after, a man would meet another, and they would find that they possessed the complementary halves of one white stone, and their friendship would be at once created upon the basis of the friendship made long ago" (Morgan, pp. 54, 55). Thus the white stone may be viewed as the white stone of acquittal or the white stone of unending friendship; my name written on His half, His name written on mine.

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18, 19 The fourth church to whom John was to write was Thyatira. The reader of the New Testament is first introduced to Thyatira in Acts 16:14 where Lydia is spoken of as being from the city of Thyatira. She could have been the one who started the church in Thyatira.

The city was situated on the river Lycus between Sardis and Pergamum. The principal deity of the city was Apollo, worshiped as the sun-god under the surname Tyrimnas. A priestess of Artemis is also mentioned in the inscriptions. The modern city of Akhisar marks the site of the ancient city in the territory which is now Anatolian Turkey (Unger, p. 1093). Jesus approached the church as the Son of God (and Judge), who has His eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine bronze.

Jesus knows the works, love, service, faith and patience of the church. He mentions works twice and states that he knows their last works were more than the first which shows improvement. There had been progress and development; the outward and evident activity of the church had broadened and deepened. The writer of Hebrews 6:10 writes of good works thus, "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shown toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." In other words, the Lord is a good Bookkeeper; He observes our work and rewards accordingly.

20 - 22 Notwithstanding or however, He has a few things against the church because she suffers that woman Jezebel, a false prophetess, to teach and seduce (plana from planao - to deceive; to lead astray) God's servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Jezebel was a cruel queen of Israel and the wife of Ahab (917 - 897 B. C.). She was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, who worshiped Baal, the male god of sex, and led her husband to do so; she also persecuted the prophets of God especially Elijah (I Kings 19:1 - 3). Who was the Jezebel of Thyratira? To go further than the Scriptures go would be speculation; we know only that she called herself a prophetess. The church at Thyratira was tolerating someone like Jezebel who was leading church members astray; she was committing the same sins that the church at Pergamum was tolerating. Was she a prophetess who refers to herself as an oracle of god, an infallible authority, denying the Word of the Lord?

God had given this woman, Jezebel, space (chronon from chronos - time or a season) to repent of her fornication and she had not repented. Because she had not repented, God said he would cast her into a bed (klinen from klinos - pallet) with those who commit adultery (moicheuontas from moicheuo - to engage in illicit sexual intercourse) with her into great tribulation unless they repent of their deeds. Yeager writes, "There appears to be little ground for distinguishing between thipsis megale of Matthew 24:21 and Mark 13:24 and tes thipseos tes megages of Revelation 7:14. The threat of coming thipsin megalen of Revelation 2:22 seems parallel" (p. 559).

23 - 25 And God will kill (apokteno from apokteino - to slay or put to death) Jezebel's children and all the churches will know that He is the One Who searches the minds (nephrous from nephros - the inmost thoughts and feelings) and hearts; and He will give unto every one of them according to their works. We know not who this Jezebel was, but needless to say the church at Thyratira knew or will know during the tribulation period. All we know she had some of the characteristics of the Old Testament Jezebel and the church at Thyratira should not tolerate her and her sinful acts. All those whom she influenced to do evil will meet their doom alone with Jezebel. John writes that the rest in Thyratira as many as have not this doctrine or teaching and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, He will put upon them no other burden (baros - weight). But that which the church has they should hold fast till Jesus comes (hexo - arrive or be present). Our Lord admonishes those who are faithful to remain faithful.

26, 27 To him who overcomes and keeps (teron from tereo - preserves; maintains faith) our Lord's works unto the end, to that person will God give power over the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers. Those individuals in the church who remain faithful in their working for the Lord will have a position of governmental authority in the Kingdom of God. Christ will rule with power (exousian - authority) over the nations like a king rules with a rod (rhabdo from rhabdos - scepter or staff) of iron; like the earthen pots of the potter He shall break into shivers (suntribetai from sun + tribo - to thresh under trampling feet).

28, 29 Just as Jesus received (eilepha from lambano - accepted; assumed) power and authority from the Father so will the overcomers receive that same power. God will give him the morning star (proinon from proinos - the star of the morning). And he that has ears let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (see also 2:7, 11, 17; 3:6, 13, 22). The morning star heralds the dawning of a new day. "...When the morning star appears the Sun of Righteousness is soon to arise with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2)" (Yeager, pp. 567, 568).

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Criswell as well as others seem to think that the seven churches could represent churches in every age. In every year, in every age, in every country, and in every denomination there are Ephesian churches who cool off, who once had a fire and a flame and an evangelistic zeal and who now are cooling in their drive for the souls of men. In every age there are these seven churches. There are Ephesian churches in this age. There are Smyrian churches in this age, churches of the martyrs...All seven co-exist together: some that are aflame with missions (Philadelphian churches), some that are paying the price with their lives (Smyrian churches)...and some that are Laodiceans, taking it easy in Zion" (Volume II, pp. 42, 43).

Yeager sees the book of Revelation as a hypothetical scheme in which the material in Ephesian church letter, which is theological, ethical and ecclesiastical, synchronizes with the political events of the first seal (Revelation 6:1,2) in which the white horse rider, who brings false peace and the environmental conditions of the first trumpet - hail, fire, one-half of the trees, all crops lost (Revelation 8:7). The church at Smyrna (2:8 - 11) coincides with the second seal - war (6:3, 4) and the second trumpet - one-third sea, marine life, ships lost (8:8, 9). The church at Pergamos coincides with the third seal - famine (6:10, 11) and the third trumpet - water pollution (8:10, 11). The church at Thyratira coincides with the fourth seal - pestilence (6:5, 6) and the fourth trumpet - sun, moon and stars affected (8:12, 13). The church at Sardis coincides with the fifth seal - martyrs (6:9 - 11) and the fifth trumpet - antichrist restored (9:1 - 12). The churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea coincides with the sixth seal - second coming (6:12 - 17) and the sixth trumpet - (11:15 - 18). The churches represent the religious picture, the seals represent the political picture and the trumpets represent the divine judgment. He does not agree with Criswell in his continous historical idea where each church represents an era in history beginning with the first century and continuing until Jesus comes. Yeager believes in the futurist view that Revelation will not be fulfilled until the end of the age. Revelation provides a scenario of prewritten history for the last seven years of the church age. The churches, seals and trumpets are contemperanous and coterminous. The vials are contemperaneous and coterminous with the last three churches, the last two seals and the last three trumpets (Volume XVII, pp. 493, 500, 600).