Revelation, Tribulation & Rapture Part 1

The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters of which the book of Revelation bears out in its 22 chapters, Chapter 1, ALEF, the letter of Jehovah / Jesus, and beginning -  affirms:

  1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, 
  1:4  Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the 
          dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
  1:8  I am the ALPHA and the Omega, the BEGINNING and 
         the End,” says the Lord, who is and who was and who 
         is to come, the Almighty.
1:17  I am the First and the Last

John is in the Spirit 'on the DAY of the LORD', given vision of peoples and events during the time of the Lord's return.  The seven churches are introduced and  revealed in vision as 'seven lampstands' which are KEY to understanding the book of Revelation and God's great, longsuffering mercy with Israel and His church, that none should perish, but all come to repentance.  

Chapter 2, BEYT, speaks of God's HOUSE, His WIFE, and family relationship.  BEYT is also significant of DIVISION.  Here, the first four churches are identified by their relationship and also reveal 'division'.  One is able to love when things are good, but when times become difficult, what then?

  2:1  The church of EPHESUS:      LOVELESS
          Strong on doctrine and discernment, nevertheless they 
          have 'left' (divorced)  from their first love.  They are told 
          to repent and return or they will be PERMITTED 
          (the meaning of Ephesus) to remain divorced.
  
2:8  The church of SMYRNA:   PERSECUTED
         These are tested for ten days - the period of 'repentance' between Yom Teruah 
         (Trumpets) and Yom Kippur (Atonement) - 1-10 Tishrei, the 7th month.   
         This was also the length of Daniel's fast when captive to Babylon.      

2:12  The church of PERGAMOS:  COMPROMISING
         Genesis 10 reveals the beginning of Babylon [confusion/chaos] at the hand of Nimrod 
         [rebellion].  The book of Revelation is the playing out of her end.  PERGAMOS means
         purgos (tower) gamos (married).  Those who divorce their first love are open to 
         compromise their faith [lured by greed] joining with Babylon 'as married' [openly immoral].

2:18  The church of THYATIRA:  CORRUPT
         These have faith, service, works (that are abundant) but allow JEZEBEL and not only eat 
         from her table but teach others to do so.  She must repent, or as her name [odor of 
         affliction] states, she and her children will be thrown into GREAT TRIBULATION.

Chapter 3, GIMEL, the CAMEL, lifts its rider 'on high' and offers 
passage across an unforgiving wilderness. For those who 
survive they receive their REWARD and for those who don't, 
the journey ends in PUNISHMENT.  The punishment of the 
law is death, the reward of the Spirit is life.  Three remaining 
churches, SARDIS, PHILADELPHIA, and LAODICEA bear 
this out as DEAD, ALIVE, and LUKEWARM [wretchedly 
fluctuating in love] exemplified by the two thieves crucified 
with Christ.

 
Eph 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
                against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts 
                of wickedness in the heavenly places.
  
Revelation 11:8 speaks of 'Jerusalem where our Lord was crucified' as 'spiritual Sodom 
and Egypt.  As much as that presents an 'oxymoron', what, even more,  of a 'dead church'?

  3:1  The church of SARDIS:  DEAD
         'You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead'.  SARDIS means 'red ones'.  
         Esau is Edom [RED] (Gen 36:1). Looking at Esau by the spirit and not according to
         the flesh, you see one who is firstborn, but the name 'Esau' implying 'praying with the 
         head uncovered'.  God has a covenant people that he yet waits to return to him, but 
         who sold their birthright for a place in this world.    SARDIS has a name 'that you are 
         alive' but is 'dead'.  Repent, and the reward will be 'white garments'.  And if not - the 
         punishment:  your name blotted out of the book of life'.  

  3:7  The church of PHILADELPHIA:  FAITHFUL
         These have an 'open door' and remain FAITHFUL in all persecution.  They reveal the
         'true Jew' and their reward is to be spared the HOUR OF TRIAL that will come upon the
         whole world.   Upon death, the name of God and the city of God, New Jerusalem will be
         written upon them.   

3:14 The church of  LAODICEA:  LUKEWARM
        These are blinded, unable to see their own nakedness, unable to see justice.  Jesus Christ
        in a final calling, as to the two thieves on the cross(es),  stands at the door and knocks.  
        The wedding supper is ready for those who repent.  Their reward will be to sit on Christ's
        throne as He sat on His Father's throne.

Revelation 4 - DALET, the DOOR.  John sees a DOOR open in heaven and is called up to see  what is about to take place.  Remember that he is in the Spirit on the Lord's Day.  This is not 'Sunday'.  It is referring to the appointed fall feasts of the Lord,  the time of the return of Messiah - known as the Lord's Day, Day of the Lord, Day of Christ.

 

Revelation 5 - HEI - to BEHOLD the Lamb of God, to BEHOLD the Lion of Judah.  The Lion of Judah is declared worthy to open the scroll and the judgments are ready to unfold.

Rev 5:5  But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, 
              the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has 
              prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven 
              seals.



So now the stage is set for the opening of the seals.

To be continued

Selah
Shalom