I, John,
your brother and companion in the tribulation
and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ,
was on the island that is called Patmos
for the word of God
and for
the testimony
of Jesus Christ.
I was in the Spirit
on the Lord’s Day,
and I hear behind me
a loud voice,
as of a trumpet,
saying:
“What you see,
write in a book
and sent it
to the seven churches:
to Ephesus,
to Smyrna
to Pergamos
to Thyatira
to Sardis
to Philadelphia
to Laodicea
Then I turned
to see the voice that spoke with me.
And having turned
I saw seven gold lampstands,
and in the midst
of the seven lampstands
clothed with a garment
down to the feet
and girded about
the chest with a golden band.
His head and hair
were white like wool,
as white as snow,
and His eyes
like a flame of fire;
His feet were like fine brass
as if refined in a furnace,
and His voice as the sound
of many waters;
He had in His right hand
seven stars,
out of His mouth
went a sharp two-edged sword,
and His countenance
was like the sun shining
in is strength.
And when I saw Him,
I fell at His feet as dead.
But He laid His right hand on me,
saying,
“Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
“I am He who lives,
and was dead,
and behold,
I am alive forevermore.
Amen.
And I have the
keys of Hades and of Death.
“Therefore write the things
which you have seen,
and the things which are,
and the things which will take place after this.
“The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand,
and the seven golden lampstands:
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches,
and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
SCRIPTURE AND STUDY NOTES
1:9 I, John, your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the
island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
- The person who was favored with this vision; his present state and condition: a persecuted man, banished, and
perhaps imprisoned for his adherence to Christ. (MH)
- He was their brother though an apostle. (MH)
- He was their companion in tribulation: the persecuted servants of God did not suffer alone. (MH)
- This indicates that the church was undergoing intense persecution as he was writing this letter (LB)
- He was their companion in patience, not only a sharer with them in suffering circumstances, but in suffering
- Tribulation is the necessary precursor of the kingdom (JFB)
- All three are inseparable: the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance. (JFB)
- Patience - endurance (JFB)
- Patmos - an island for criminals who were traitors of Rome; political prisoners; had a high hill with cave where
- Patmos is 4X8 miles and rocky (NIV)
- He was suffering for a cause worth suffering for: the testimony of Jesus Christ (MH)
- John drank of Christ’s cup, and was baptized with His baptism (Matthews 20:22) (JFB)
- The Apocalypse has been always appreciated most by the Church in adversity
References: Philippians 1:7 (just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as
both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace); 2 Timothy 2:12
(If we endure, we shall also reign with him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.)
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet.
- “In the Spirit” - he was proactively enduring the hardship by devoting himself to his secret place love relationship
with his Beloved. God honored him by granting an unparalleled revelation of the beauty and glory of Christ Jesus.
- A state of ecstasy; the outer world being shut out, and the inner and higher life or spirit being taken full possession
of by God’s Spirit, so that an immediate connection with the invisible world is established. While the prophet “speaks”
in the Spirit, the apocalyptic seer is “in” the Spirit in his whole person. (JFB)
- Julius Caesar first Roman emperor that people idolized and treated as a god. Emperor worship was the main religion.
Once a year had to raise hand and say “Caesar is Lord. The day everyone had to do it was called: “The Lord’s Day”.
Christians said, “Jesus is Lord” and they were put in prison. (DP)
- What he heard: an alarm was given as with the sound of a trumpet (MH)
- This voice came unexpectedly and suddenly (AC)
- This was calculated to call in every wandering thought, to fix his attention, and solemnize his whole frame. (AC)
- A great loud voice as that of a trumpet (JFB)
- The trumpet summoned to religious feasts, and accompanies God’s revelations of Himself. (JFB)
References: Acts 10:10 (Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance.);
Acts 20:7 (Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next
day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.); Revelation 4:1 (After these things I looked, and behold, a
door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up
here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”)
1:11 “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to
Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
- Write down - carefully note down everything that is presented to you. (AC)
- This was the closest book to being dictated as any book of the bible. John merely was the secretary. (DP)
- Seven represents the complete church (JFB)
- John had the visions from heaven, but he described them in his own language. He took notes as fast as he could
write and comprehend. (AC)
- Where does Jesus begin? With the churches. He cannot deal with the world until He first deals with the churches.
- Smyrna - a church exposed to persecutions unto death (JFB)
- Sardis - had a high name for spiritual life and yet dead; Without any active opposition to call forth their spiritual
energies; a dangerous position, considering man’s natural indolence.
- Laodicia - in its own estimate rich and having need of nothing with ample talents, yet lukewarm in Christ's cause.
Without any active opposition to call forth their spiritual energies; a dangerous position, considering man’s natural
- Philadelphia - with little strength yet keeping Christ’s word and having an open door of usefulness set before it
by Christ Himself; in conflict with the Jewish synagogue, i.e, legal bondage
- Ephesus - intolerant of evil and of false apostles, yet having left its first love; in conflict with false freedom, i.e.,
- Thyatira - abounding in good works, love, service, and faith yet suffering the false prophetess to seduce many
- Pergamus - in conflict with Balaam-like tempters to fornication and idol-meats
1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
- This vision takes place on earth. The Throne vision in heaven (JFB)
- See the voice - ascertain where the voice came; to see who was it from whom the voice proceeded (JFB)
- He saw a representation of the church (MH)
- That - of what kind it was (JFB)
- In Exodus the seven are united in one candlestick or lampstand, ie., six arms and a central shaft. Here the seven
are separate, typifying, as that one, the entire Church, but now no longer as the Jewish Church (represented by the one
sevenfold candlestick) restricted to one outward unity and one lace; the several churches are mutually independent as
to external ceremonies and government yet one in the unity of the Spirit and the Headship of Christ. (JFB)
- Golden - to show how precious they are to the Lord (AC)
References: Exodus 25:37 (You shall make seven lamps for it, and they shall arrange its lamps so that they give light in front
of it.)
1:13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet
and girded about the chest with a golden band.
- He saw a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ (MH)
- Golden sash - says “Judge”
- His role as Judge
- This is a description of the high priest in his sacerdotal robes. (AC)
- The high priest wore a full-length robe (NIV)
- The garment and girdle seem to be emblems of His priesthood. (JFB)
- Aaron’s robe and girdle were “for glory and beauty” and combined the insignia of royalty and priesthood, the
- characteristics of Christ’s antitypical priesthood “after the order of Melchisedec”. (JFB)
- As Aaron wore these insignia when He came forth from the sanctuary to bless the people, so when Christ shall come
again, He shall appear in the similar attire of “beauty and glory”. (JFB)
- Garment down to the feet - a mark of high rank (JFB)
- The ordinary girding for one actively engaged, was at the loins; but Josephus expressly tells us that the Levitical
- priests were girt higher up, about the breasts or paps, appropriate to calm, majestic movement. The girdle bracing
- the frame together, symbolizes collected powers. (JFB)
- His being in the “midst” of the candlesticks (only seen in the temple) shows that it is as a king-priest He is so attired.
- (JFB)
- Righteousness and faithfulness are Christ’s girdle (JFB)
- The high priest’s girdle was only interwoven with gold, but Christ’s is all of gold; the antitype exceeds the type (JFB)
References: Revelation 2:1 (To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven starts
in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands); Ezekiel 1:26 (And above the firmament over their
heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with
the appearance of fire with brightness all around); Daniel 10:5 (I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man
clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz!); Revelation 15:6 (And out of the temple came the seven
angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.)
1:14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;
- When John turns around to see who is speaking to him and sees a figure so frightening that he collapses and
falls as dead. It is an awesome picture of Jesus. It is the same Jesus he had known for sixty years. He sat by Jesus
at meal times. He was beloved but now when he sees his best friend, he is dead on the floor. Jesus has snow white
hair, and His eyes are blazing with anger. A long white robe with a golden sash across His breast. And His feet like
brazen bronze. Any Roman would tell you that this was the appearance of a senior Roman judge – the sash – says
judge. Jesus is Judge of all evil as well as Savior of all sin. We get a much more mature and serious view of our Lord
Jesus Christ. (DP)
- White hair indicates His wisdom and Divine nature (LB); wisdom and dignity (NIV)
- Like white wool - the color is the point of comparison; signifying purity and glory. Not age, for hoary hairs are the
- Flame of fire - eyes - implies consuming indignation against sin (JFB); penetrating insight (NIV)
References: Daniel 7:9 (I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was
white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire.);
Daniel 10:6 (His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and
feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.)
1:15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
- Lower part of body represent His humanity/flesh
- Brass - judgment
- Fine brass - which in the furnace has reached a white heat (JFB)
- The feet of the priests were bare in ministering in the sanctuary. So our great High Priest here. (JFB)
References: Ezekiel 43:2 (And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the
sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory); Daniel 10:6 (His body was like beryl, his face like the
appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of
his words like the voice of a multitude); Ezekiel 1:24 (When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of
many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of any army; and when they stood still, they let down
their wings); SOS 2:8 (The voice of my beloved!.....); 5:2
1:16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance
was like the sun shining in its strength.
- Stars - no light of their own; reflect light; used for navigation
- Stars = angels
- Their being in the right hand of Christ shows that they are under His special care and most powerful protection. (AC)
- He is their possessor and Upholder (JFB)
- Out of mouth went - going forth - not wielded in the hand. His Word is omnipotent in executing His will in punishing
sinners. It is the sword of His Spirit. (JFB)
- Sword in mouth - His spoken word is in view
- Two-edged sword - cuts both ways: reward and judgment
- The sword symbolizes the power and force of His message (LB)
- Long and heavy broadsword (JFB)
- Broadsword - a sword with a broad blade for cutting rather than thrusting (W)
- Sun shining - unclouded power (JFB)
- With the Hebrews, truth and the full representation ideally of the religious reality were the paramount consideration,
that representation being designed not to be outwardly embodied, but to remain a purely mental conception. This
exalting of the essence above the form marks their deeper religious earnestness. (JFB)
References: Revelation 1:20 (The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden
lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches);
2:1 (To the angel of the church of Ephesus.....); 3:1 (And to the angel of the church....); Isaiah 49:2 (And He has made My
mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft; in His quiver He
has hidden Me); Matthew 17:2 (and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes
became as white as the light); Hebrews 4:12 (For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart)
1:17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid;
I am the First and the Last.”
- Fell at his feet - a sign of great respect and awe (NIV)
- When John turns around to see who is speaking to him and sees a figure so frightening that he collapses and
- The goodness of the Lord Jesus to raise him up, put strength into him, and speak words of comfort
- So fallen is man that God’s manifestation of His glorious presence overwhelms him (JFB)
- The touch of His hand, as of old, imparted strength (JFB)
- The First and the Last - an open claim on His part to the attributes of Deity (WNT)
- The First and The Last - from eternity, and enduring to eternity (JFB)
References: Ezekiel 1:28 (Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the
brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord); Daniel 8:18 (Now, as he was
speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright.); 10:10
(Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands), 12 (Then he said to
me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your
God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.); Isaiah 41:4 (Who has performed and done it,
calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord, am the first; and with the last I am He‘); 44:6 (thus says the Lord,
the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.);
48:12 (Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called; I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.)
1:18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and
of Death.
- Living One - Based on OT references to the “Living God” (NIV)
- Implying complete power over the dead, and over the place of the dead. (AC)
- Alive forevermore - “living unto the ages of ages”;I have life, and am the source of it to My people (JFB)
- He acquaints John with: (MH)
1. His divine nature (The First and the Last)
2. His former suffering (He was dead)
3. His resurrection and life (alive and live forevermore)
4. His office and authority (has the keys of hell and death)
5. His will and pleasure (write)
6. Meaning of the seven stars and seven candlesticks
- He has authority over life, death, and the grave. (AC)
- Christ can both save and destroy, can kill and make alive. (AC)
- Keys are emblems of authority, opening and shutting at will “the gates of Hades” (JFB)
References: Romans 6:9 (knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has
dominion over Him); Revelation 4:9 (Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the
throne, who lives forever and ever); Psalm 68:20 (Our God is the God of salvation; and to God the Lord belong escapes
from death)
1:19 “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after
this.
- Write therefore (NIV)
- Many take the threefold division of this verse as a clue to the entire structure of the book:
What you have seen
Things which are
Things which will take place after this (NIV)
References: Revelation 1:9-18; Revelation 2:1; Revelation 4:1
1:20 “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven
stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
- The first of several places where the symbols are interpreted (NIV)
- Mystery - the allegorical explanation of the stars and lampstands. (AC)
- Mystery signifies the hidden truth, veiled under this symbol, and now revealed (JFB)
- Mysteries of God: Jewish four steps of “entering a secret garden”: garden – PRDS
P – simple surface meaning
R – hints provided for
D – parables
S – hidden, most mysterious layer
- The leaders are accountable to God for the churches they lead (LB)
- Stars symbolize lordship (Numbers 24:17; Daniel 12:3; Jude 13)
- Angels - bishop or superintendent pastor - the one who holds responsibility for the spiritual state of the Church
under him. This title is in accordance with the enigmatic symbolism of the book, transferred from the heavenly to
the earthly superior ministers of Jehovah; reminding them that, like the heavenly angels above, they below should
fulfill God’s mission zealously, promptly and efficiently. (JFB)
References: Revelation 2:1 (....who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands); Zechariah 4:2 (And he said to
me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the
stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.); Numbers 24:17 (....a Star shall come out of Jacob....);
Daniel 12:3 (Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to
righteousness like the stars forever and ever); Jude 13 (raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering
stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever)
BOOK OF REVELATION
GENERAL NOTES
- Just as Genesis is the book of beginnings, Revelation is the book of consummation. In it, the divine program of
redemption is brought to fruition, and the holy name of God is vindicated before all creation. (NBMC)
- The purpose of the Book of Revelation is to comfort the churches in their struggle against the forces of evil. (TB)
- Three themes: suffering, kingdom, patient endurance (NIV)
- Things associated with Jesus: clouds, trumpets, lightning, rainbow, the sun, many waters, pillars of fire; earthquakes
- The Book of Revelation is a book of symbols. They are signs. They are not the realities. The exit sign is not the
reality. You walk through the door that the exit sign points to. The symbols - taken from the Old Testament - point
to something beyond themselves. (DP)
- Revelation is best described as a drama. There are characters, changing scenes and action. The title of the
drama is “The Unveiling” (bringing to light) (TB)
- Greek influence has been the biggest danger to the Church for the last 2,000 years. The separation of sacred and
secular and separation of physical and spiritual are Greek. (DP)
- The only book He has attached sanctions: blessings and curse (DP)
- The Bible a romance. The story of a father looking for a bride for his son and their marriage. (DP)
- The Book of Revelation constantly switches between earth and heaven because what happens in heaven reflects
what happens down here. There are battles in heaven that are reflected in wars down here. (DP)
- The Book is in two parts: (HBH)
1. Things which are - Chapters 1-3
2. Things which shall be hereafter - Chapters 4-22
- This was written as a Manual for Martyrdom; an instruction book for Christians (DP)
- There are 56 predictions in Revelation (DP)
- Revelation 14:12 the purpose: to endure (DP)
- The Lord’s calls: (DP)
1. To see it through, endure, remain faithful
2. Overcome
- The Book of Revelation has two incentives to endure and overcome: (DP)
1. Positive - rewards - “for great is your reward”
2. Negative - name blotted out; lot in lake of fire
- Reminds us of consequences of denying the Lord (DP)
- Divides into two parts: the present and the future (DP)
- The Unveiling - bringing to light (DP)
- The only things not revealed are the sins of the saints which have been covered/atoned for by the Blood of The
- All the individuals in Book of Revelation are male. The three females are personifications and represent someone
- Revelation is made up of two kinds of revelation: visions and voices. John is told to write down everything he sees
with his eyes and hears with his ears. (DP)
- For the first few chapters it is “I heard”
- Then quite suddenly after the announcement that a time for a wedding has come, it changes to “I saw”
- The final visions are seeing
- Total of seven visions (seven times “I saw”); they are chronological
1. Jesus among churches
2. Throne of God
3. Worthy Ram
4. Return of Christ
5. 1,000 year reign
6. Day of judgment
7. New heaven and new earth
- Part of John’s revelation was from the third heaven, but most of it was from the second heaven. The first heaven was
before the fall of man. The second heaven is the spiritual realm during the reign of evil upon the earth. The third
heaven is when the love and domain of the Father will again prevail over the earth through The King. (RJ - Final
Quest, Page 45)
- Revelation gives no chronological disclosure of the conflict between good and evil. John proceeds instead by the
use of interlocking spirals of material, dealing in much repetition and emphasizing his main points over and over again.
- Our call: to call the gaze of humanity to Him (Isaiah 40) - prepare for the coming of the Lord.
- Forerunner ministry: announces ahead of time the unprecedented activities of the Lord that are just around the
corner. They will declare what is unprecedented and uncommon in this generation. They declare these truths in
order to make sense of what is happening to the people of God.
Churches
Candlesticks
Stars
Angels
Spirits
Lamb with Seven horns and seven eyes
Lamps
Thunders
Seals
Trumpets
Persons (chapters 12-14)
Red Dragon with seven heads and seven crowns
A Leopard-like beast with seven heads
A scarlet-colored beast with seven heads
Mountains
Kings
Bowls
New Things (chapters 20-22)
- Seven beatitudes in Revelation: (NIV)
1. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and are those who hear it and take to heart what is
written in it - 1:3
2. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord - 14:13
3. Blessed is he that watches (for the Lord’s Coming - 16:15
4. Blessed are those bidden to Lamb’s marriage supper - 19:9
5. Blessed is he that has part in the first resurrection - 20:6
6. Blessed is he that keeps the words of this book - 22:7
7. Blessed are they that wash their robes - 22:14 (HBH)
- Significance of other numbers: (HBH
3 - the numerical signature of God
4 - the numerical signature of nature, creation
7 - 3 plus 4: the signature of totality
10 - signature of worldly power
12 - 3 times 4 - signature of God’s people
- Only two books call Jesus “Word of God”: Gospel of John and Book of Revelation
- Four kinds of symbols in the Book of Revelation: (DP)
1. Symbols that are obvious - a dragon, a serpent, lake of fire - many very easy to understand
2. Symbols that are explained within the book - the seven lamp stands and the seven stars
3. Symbols that are paralleled somewhere else in the bible. There are more than 400 illusions to the Old
Testament.
4. Symbols that are puzzling. Some we can’t explain until we actually see them. One is the white stone that
Jesus will give to each of us. Scholars have given 21 explanations of the stone. We don’t need to know now.
- John’s revelation partly visual and partly verbal. He is writing an outline as fast as he can. Eleven times in Book of
Revelation he is rebuked for not writing it down. It is the closest to being dictated as any book. John was the
- He alone has the power to produce all of the witnesses together in court. It is He who brings all things to their final
judgment, verdict and execution.
- History is not moving toward chaos, but towards Christ.
- The First Coming divided history; the Second Coming will conclude it.
- The Second Coming - beginning of tomorrow
- Ready ShootAim; build the ship at sea; uproar with those who want it tidy and neat before.
- Three unprecedented Holy Spirit activities at the end of the age:
1. The Holy Spirit will restore the First Commandment to first place in the church.
2. The Holy Spirit will gather the Great Harvest through an unprecedented demonstration of the power of God
leading to one billion souls being saved.
3. The Holy Spirit will release the temporal judgments of the Lord.
- John considered Book of Revelation:
1. An apocalypse - unveiling of what was hidden
- An unfolding from a divine perspective of the meaning of events in visible world
- These events illustrate the cosmic conflict between the Lamb and the devil which is going on in the invisible
2. A prophecy - carried same weight as Old Testament prophecy
- John implies he himself is a prophet
- Prophets always looked forward to a future consummation
- Addressed current problems and political context of the time
- This age has already been invaded by God in the birth of Jesus
- Christians live in both ages simultaneously
1. The world persecutes the church (Revelation 1-11)
2. The dragon wages war with the Lamb (Revelation 12-22)
- Paul’s admonition for the END TIMES:
Romans 11:25 & 26 - Must not be ignorant of this secret plan. If ignorant you will be wise in your own opinion which
leads to arrogance and apostasy
Ignorant of end times
to
Wise in your own opinion
to
Arrogance
to
Apostasy
- Three things need to know:
1. Spiritual blindness has come in part to Israel
2. Blindness UNTIL fullness of gentiles comes in
3. So all Israel will be saved
- Romans 11;11 we will provoke Israel to jealousy - one of primary functions - so Israel will usher in Messianic kingdom
- (JFB) Auberlen observes “The history of salvation is mysteriously governed by holy numbers. They are the
scaffolding of the organic edifice. They are not merely outward indications of time, but indications of nature and
essence. Not only nature, but history, is based in numbers. Scripture and antiquity put numbers as the fundamental
forms of things, where we put ideas”. As number is the regulator of the relations and proportions of the natural world,
so does it enter most frequently into the revelations of the Apocalypse, which sets forth the harmonies of the
supernatural, the immediately Divine. Thus the most supernatural revelation leads us the farthest into the natural,
as was to be expected, seeing the God of nature and of revelation is one.
- Seven - the number of perfection
- The seven churches - represent the Church in its totality
- The seven seals - trumpets - bowls - are severally a complete series each in itself, fulfilling perfectly the divine
- Three and a half - implies a number opposed to the divine (seven) but broken in itself and which in the moment of
its highest triumph, is overwhelmed by judgment and utter ruin
- Seven - the number of God’s revelation in the world
- Four - the number of the world’s extension; Four corners of the earth, four winds, four angels loosed from the
- Euphrates, Jerusalem lying “foursquare” - represent world-wide extension
- John, seeing more deeply into the essentially God-opposed character of the world, presents to us, not the four
beasts of Daniel, but the seven heads of the beast, whereby it arrogates to itself the sevenfold perfection of the
Spirits of God; at the same time that, with characteristic self-contradiction, it has ten horns, the number peculiar to
the world power. It’s unjust usurpation of the sacred number seven is marked by the addition of an eighth to the
seven heads, and also by the beast’s own number, 666, which in units, tens, and hundreds, verges upon, but falls
short of, seven.
- The judgments of the world are complete in six: after the sixth seal and the sixth trumpet, there is a pause. When
seven comes, there comes “the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ”
- Six is the number of the world given to judgment.
- Six is half of twelve, as three and a half is the half of seven.
- Twelve is the number of the Church
- Twelve times twelve thousand the number of the sealed elect
- The tree of life yields twelve manner of fruits
- 10 - signature of worldly power