~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jumping ahead, we are told in verse 20 that the seven stars which the Lord holds in his right hand symbolically represent the seven angels of the seven churches. The word "aggelos" means "messenger," which for the most part refers to heavenly messengers, but can and does also refer to human messengers. For example:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The messenger in scripture above is of course speaking of John the Baptist. The same word "aggelos" is used for the word "messenger" in the verse above, which would be in reference to John as a human messenger.
Since John is being told to write to the messengers of the seven churches, I lean towards them as referring to the pastors or overseers of those individual churches, opposed to letters being written to angelic beings. And regarding this, why would John need to write letters to heavenly beings who are spirit and who are always in the presence of the Lord. Also, the consequences of those churches not repenting would also include the messengers of those churches, which would mean that, if the messengers were angels, then they would be held accountable along with the rest of the human church.
"and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth."
As I have continued to make known, the book of Revelation should be read in the literal sense unless a symbolic, figurative or metaphoric interpretation is required. We have already seen some of the symbolism in Revelation mixed in with the literal, such as the "seven stars" representing the seven messengers and here we have a "double-edged sword proceeding from the mouth of the Lord. So what is this double-edged sword symbolically representing?
"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." - Ephesians 6:16-17
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12
Scripture interprets scripture! And here we find the answer to the symbolic meaning behind the "double-edged sword" as figurative representing the word of God. Consequently, the double-edged sword is mentioned in a couple of other scriptures within Revelation, as follows:
Given as the Lord's introduction to the church of Pergamum:
"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. - Rev.2:12
"Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth." - Rev.2:16
Used by the Lord to strike down the nations with at Armageddon:
"The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. - Rev.19:15
"The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." - Rev.19:21
Based on the verses in Ephesians and Hebrews previously mentioned, the double-edged sword is then symbolic for the spoken word of God. This means that when Christ returns to the earth to end the age as revealed here in Rev.19:11-21, the Lord will speak his word as that double-edged sword and all of those people who will have been gathered together at Armageddon will simply drop dead where they stand, with the birds that will have been gathered together gorging themselves on their flesh, with their spirits/souls going into Hades.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am going to tell you a trick here that you can use on Jehovah's Witnesses. The Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God Jehovah, but is Michael the archangel incarnate. If you ask them who is the "Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End," they will tell you it is in reference to "Jehovah God," meaning that those designations are not referring to Jesus. At this point one merely needs to read to them the rest of the verse which says, "I am the first and the last, the Living One. I was dead and behold, now I am alive forever and ever." After this you can ask them, "when did Jehovah ever die?" Hello! Another reference linking Jesus as being the First and the Last and coming to life again is found in his introduction in the letter to Smyrna in Rev.2:8.
"And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades."
This simply means that Christ has authority over death and the authority to send souls into Hades/Sheol.
"whoever has the Son has life, whoever does not have the Son does not have life."
It is the righteous blood of Jesus who had no sin, which covers our sins through faith in Him. His righteousness is being imputed to every one who believes in Him. Therefore, Jesus holds the keys (has authority over) death and Hades. Death referring to the unrighteous dead and Hades which is synonymous with Sheol, referring to the destination of the spirits of those who do not belong to Christ, such as the rich man of Lazarus fame who was and is in torment in flame in Hades (Luke 16:19-31). Regarding Hades/Sheol, here is the definition of it, pronounced "hah-dace"
86 hádēs (from 1 /A "not" and idein/eidō, "see") – properly, the "unseen place," referring to the (invisible) realm in which all the unrighteous dead reside, i.e. the present dwelling place of all the departed (deceased); Hades.
Note: I changed the definition which says "which all the dead reside" to "which all the unrighteous dead reside" and that because after Christ rose, when a believer dies, scripture states that their spirit does not go down into Hades, but goes immediately to be in the presence of the Lord (See 2 Cor.5:6, Phil.1:23)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Therefore write the things that you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that are about to take place after these"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rev.1:19 is a verse which many just read over without recognizing its significance. Yet it is the key to understanding the chronological order of Revelation in relation to the current church period and God's wrath which follows. In the verse John is told to write:
What you have seen = Everything that John wrote from Rev.1:1 to verse 19.
The things that are = The church period represented by the letters to the seven churches
The things that must take place after these = The events that take place after "the things that are," i.e. the things that must take place after the church period.
The letters to the seven churches, though written to those literal churches of Asia in the first century, are also written to every believer throughout the entire church period.
The letters to the churches represent the entire church period and is "the things that are," or as the NIV has it, "what is now." Jesus said, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Consequently, the church is still currently being built
Once the church has been completed, according to His promise in John 14:1-3 and the detailed account of that event in 1 Thes.4:13-18, the Lord will descend and will gather His church, the dead and living, bringing the "what is now" to completion. After the letters to the seven churches, we then see in Rev.4:1 that voice that sounds like a trumpet saying "come up here and I will show you "what must take place after this," i.e. after the "what is now," after the church period.
We will address Rev.4:1 in more detail when we get to that in our study.
To be continued .......
He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jumping ahead, we are told in verse 20 that the seven stars which the Lord holds in his right hand symbolically represent the seven angels of the seven churches. The word "aggelos" means "messenger," which for the most part refers to heavenly messengers, but can and does also refer to human messengers. For example:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The messenger in scripture above is of course speaking of John the Baptist. The same word "aggelos" is used for the word "messenger" in the verse above, which would be in reference to John as a human messenger.
Since John is being told to write to the messengers of the seven churches, I lean towards them as referring to the pastors or overseers of those individual churches, opposed to letters being written to angelic beings. And regarding this, why would John need to write letters to heavenly beings who are spirit and who are always in the presence of the Lord. Also, the consequences of those churches not repenting would also include the messengers of those churches, which would mean that, if the messengers were angels, then they would be held accountable along with the rest of the human church.
"and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth."
As I have continued to make known, the book of Revelation should be read in the literal sense unless a symbolic, figurative or metaphoric interpretation is required. We have already seen some of the symbolism in Revelation mixed in with the literal, such as the "seven stars" representing the seven messengers and here we have a "double-edged sword proceeding from the mouth of the Lord. So what is this double-edged sword symbolically representing?
"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." - Ephesians 6:16-17
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12
Scripture interprets scripture! And here we find the answer to the symbolic meaning behind the "double-edged sword" as figurative representing the word of God. Consequently, the double-edged sword is mentioned in a couple of other scriptures within Revelation, as follows:
Given as the Lord's introduction to the church of Pergamum:
"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. - Rev.2:12
"Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth." - Rev.2:16
Used by the Lord to strike down the nations with at Armageddon:
"The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. - Rev.19:15
"The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." - Rev.19:21
Based on the verses in Ephesians and Hebrews previously mentioned, the double-edged sword is then symbolic for the spoken word of God. This means that when Christ returns to the earth to end the age as revealed here in Rev.19:11-21, the Lord will speak his word as that double-edged sword and all of those people who will have been gathered together at Armageddon will simply drop dead where they stand, with the birds that will have been gathered together gorging themselves on their flesh, with their spirits/souls going into Hades.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am going to tell you a trick here that you can use on Jehovah's Witnesses. The Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God Jehovah, but is Michael the archangel incarnate. If you ask them who is the "Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End," they will tell you it is in reference to "Jehovah God," meaning that those designations are not referring to Jesus. At this point one merely needs to read to them the rest of the verse which says, "I am the first and the last, the Living One. I was dead and behold, now I am alive forever and ever." After this you can ask them, "when did Jehovah ever die?" Hello! Another reference linking Jesus as being the First and the Last and coming to life again is found in his introduction in the letter to Smyrna in Rev.2:8.
"And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades."
This simply means that Christ has authority over death and the authority to send souls into Hades/Sheol.
"whoever has the Son has life, whoever does not have the Son does not have life."
- All have sinned
- The reward for sin is death
- Unless there is a shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sins
It is the righteous blood of Jesus who had no sin, which covers our sins through faith in Him. His righteousness is being imputed to every one who believes in Him. Therefore, Jesus holds the keys (has authority over) death and Hades. Death referring to the unrighteous dead and Hades which is synonymous with Sheol, referring to the destination of the spirits of those who do not belong to Christ, such as the rich man of Lazarus fame who was and is in torment in flame in Hades (Luke 16:19-31). Regarding Hades/Sheol, here is the definition of it, pronounced "hah-dace"
86 hádēs (from 1 /A "not" and idein/eidō, "see") – properly, the "unseen place," referring to the (invisible) realm in which all the unrighteous dead reside, i.e. the present dwelling place of all the departed (deceased); Hades.
Note: I changed the definition which says "which all the dead reside" to "which all the unrighteous dead reside" and that because after Christ rose, when a believer dies, scripture states that their spirit does not go down into Hades, but goes immediately to be in the presence of the Lord (See 2 Cor.5:6, Phil.1:23)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Therefore write the things that you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that are about to take place after these"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rev.1:19 is a verse which many just read over without recognizing its significance. Yet it is the key to understanding the chronological order of Revelation in relation to the current church period and God's wrath which follows. In the verse John is told to write:
What you have seen = Everything that John wrote from Rev.1:1 to verse 19.
The things that are = The church period represented by the letters to the seven churches
The things that must take place after these = The events that take place after "the things that are," i.e. the things that must take place after the church period.
The letters to the seven churches, though written to those literal churches of Asia in the first century, are also written to every believer throughout the entire church period.
The letters to the churches represent the entire church period and is "the things that are," or as the NIV has it, "what is now." Jesus said, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Consequently, the church is still currently being built
Once the church has been completed, according to His promise in John 14:1-3 and the detailed account of that event in 1 Thes.4:13-18, the Lord will descend and will gather His church, the dead and living, bringing the "what is now" to completion. After the letters to the seven churches, we then see in Rev.4:1 that voice that sounds like a trumpet saying "come up here and I will show you "what must take place after this," i.e. after the "what is now," after the church period.
We will address Rev.4:1 in more detail when we get to that in our study.
To be continued .......
