January 2011

Revelation Chapters 6 and 7 – Yahweh's Covenant People, 01-22-2011

In Chapter 5 we saw a scroll with seven seals, and the scroll had writing on it front and back. Only Yahshua Christ Himself – who is the lion of the tribe of Judah and the root of David - was able to open the seven seals, and each time he opens one, we see a pronouncement is made concerning things which are to happen upon the earth. The seventh seal itself contains 7 trumpets, and the seventh trumpet contains seven vials. The first seal is finally opened at the beginning of Chapter 6. I must say that the imagery of Revelation Chapter 5 hearkens to a challenge which Yahweh made at Isaiah 41:21-29, where we see that only Yahweh can tell us the past or the future, and therefore all other prophets are false. This passage in Isaiah is a direct challenge to all false religions:

Revelation Chapter 5 – Yahweh's Covenant People, 01-08-2011

V 1 And I saw at the right hand of Him sitting upon the throne a scroll, written on the inside and on the back, having been sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty messenger proclaiming with a great voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loosen its seven seals?” 3 And no one was able in heaven nor upon the earth nor under the earth to open the scroll or to see it. 4 And I wept much, because no one is found worthy to open the scroll or to see it. 5 And one from among the elders says to me: “Weep not! Behold! The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and its seven seals!”

Yahshua Christ is the Lion of Judah and He is also the root of David. This is the Christian Paradox, and it has been argued since the time of Christ: For that reason Christ asked the Pharisees “If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?”, as we see recorded at Matthew 22:45. That He is God, Yahweh Himself having come as one of His own sons, is the only way that He could possibly be both the Root and the Offspring of David (cf. Isaiah 11:1, 10, Rev. 22:16). Of all of the sons of Adam, only Yahshua is worthy to open the seven seals, because only Yahshua is blameless and only Yahshua is God. Only God Himself can see the future. The scroll is a metaphorical device, and it is about to be opened in these images which are related to John. The complete opening of the scroll is in stages. First there are 6 seals, and then a seventh which itself consists of seven trumpets. The seventh trumpet consists of the pouring of seven vials, so we have a picture of sevens nested to three levels.

Chapter 3 Program Introduction:

From last week we have been covering the messages to the seven Assemblies of Asia. Last week from Chapter 2 we have already discussed the messages to the assemblies of Ephesos, Smurna, and Pergamos. 

We saw it mentioned to the Ephesians that they had left their first love, which must have been that Gospel and Christian instruction brought to them by Paul of Tarsus, and they were warned to return to it. They were complimented for rejecting false apostles, and especially also the Nicolaitans, who were evidently pedlars of idolatry and licentiousness, and who also bore a form of what may be called proto-Gnosticism, as we had seen from the early Christian writers. From their name, which means “people-conquerors”, it is evident that those promoters of a professional priesthood, which have forever sought to subvert and rule over the people, is being described.

We then saw in the message to the church at Smurna, which means anointing, that this assembly was not criticized. Rather, they were warned about those enemies of Yahweh who would persecute them, and encouraged to stand firm in the face of that persecution.