He That Overcomes: A Study in the Book of Revelation

By H. A. “Buster” Dobbs

The book of Revelation records an immense struggle between good and evil, truth and error, God and Satan. Throughout Revelation and this study there is the great concept of spiritual warfare, with its demands for courage and faithfulness, and with its promise of great reward to those who overcome. The gist of the book is revelation, persecution, victory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449730611

H. A. “Buster” Dobbs

H. A. Dobbs, affectionately known among his many friends as Buster, was born in 1926 in the Panhandle of Texas, but grew up and received his schooling in Houston. He has lived there most of his life -- married Martha Jean DeWoody there, and they raised their family there, three children, eight grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren.   H. A. Dobbs has preached the word of God more than 50 years. He spent 17 years with the Memorial Church of Christ in Houston, bringing it from a small group to becoming one of the largest and strongest churches in that fellowship. His incisive thinking, his courageous proclamation of the truth of God's word, and his ability to teach and encourage Christians has resulted in revival meetings and lectureship participation in most of the states of our nation. He has been a guest speaker at many of the colleges and universities associated with churches of Christ. He has preached in the Far East and Russia. Dobbs has served as Editor-in-Chief of the Firm Foundation for 23 years, writing many editorials and articles of important religious significance. He has contributed material to more than 20 books. H. A. Dobbs has made a special study of the book of Revelation over a span of two dozen years. His insights are important. His call to stand steadfast in the awesome battle between good and evil is relevant in this secular age. He is, himself, committed to "fight the good fight of the faith."

Book preview

Contents

Foreword

The Magnificent Christ

Letters to the Churches

Letters to the Churches

THRONE OF GOD

Redemption

Breaking the Seals

SALVATION

Revelation 8:1-13

Trumpets Five and Six

THE LITTLE BOOK

Measuring the Temple

A Glorious Woman, a Dragon, a Child

BEASTS FROM THE SEA AND LAND

Revelation 15:1 to 8

Wrath of God; It is done

THE GREAT HARLOT

REVELATION 18:1-23

Rev 19:1-21

The Thousand Year Reign

The Beauty of the New Jerusalem

Revelation 22:1-21

To the incomparable Martha

Foreword

The book of Revelation is an often misunderstood and largely neglected part of the New Testament. The ordinary reader is many times confused by the imagery and highly-spiritual nature of the book. And yet, a blessing attends the reading and respectful keeping of the admonitions it contains (Rev. 1:3). If the book is not important to the Christian faith, if it can be ignored as we pursue scriptural knowledge, then the Holy Spirit gave it to the apostle John in vain.

Surely, there are things of great value for us in the book of Revelation. Even though it has suffered from interpretive mistakes and biased applications, it is still a part of the word of God and deserves our careful attention. It is not as difficult as some have imagined it to be.

H. A. Dobbs has brought long years of study to this inspirational examination of the book of Revelation. It is not written as an aloof academic exercise, nor is it filled with theological jargon. The author believes that the Bible can interpret itself, and uses scripture to explain scripture. Things that seem difficult are best understood in light of clearer, plainer passages of holy writ.

This work is intense. It is personal. It directly involves the reader with many confrontational challenges and questions. He often addresses the reader. He pleads for the modern believer to take a stand on the word of God, to be a good soldier in the ranks of God. It is this personal aspect of the work that makes it a valuable and spiritually profitable study.

Dobbs sees the overriding theme of Revelation as an immense struggle between good and evil, truth and error, God and Satan. Throughout Revelation and this study there is the great concept of spiritual warfare, with its demands for courage and faithfulness, and with its promise of great reward to those who overcome. Victory for the Lord and for his faithful followers is the key to its appeal. Dobbs emphasizes that idea. He gives us instructions about becoming a Christian and encouragement in pursuing the battle for the glory of God and His Christ.

This is a good study of Revelation. It will clarify some of the more difficult passages. It will demonstrate the relationship of some of the Old Testament prophecy with the imagery in John’s language. It will urge the serious student of God’s word to be an overcomer, to look forward to receiving the white stone inscribed with a new name, and to eat of the tree of life.

I have enjoyed reading this inspirational and challenging study of the last book of the New Testament. I am happy to be the author’s brother in the flesh and his brother in Christ.

–James 0. Dobbs

HE THAT OVERCOMES

The Magnificent Christ

Chapter 1

The book of Revelation chronicles the most devastating of all wars. More souls (lives) have been lost in this mother of all wars than in all other wars combined. It is the greatest tragedy ever to befall mankind.

The closing book of the Bible describes a non-carnal, spiritual fight between the forces of evil and the forces of good. It is stated in colorful, prophetic, poetic imagery, designed to command our attention.

It opens with a description of those who fight on the side of truth. They are arrayed against the forces of evil.

The army of Satan is described and his technique of using material things and godless leaders to attempt to defeat the army of the Lord is faithfully reported and the army marches under the captaincy of a vicious murderer and the father of lies (John 8:44).

The battle rages over thousands of years and ends in the final skirmish, called in Hebrew Har-Mageden.

The army of the Prince of this world, also called the Prince of darkness, is utterly defeated by the army of the Prince of Peace, also called the Prince of Life.

The war delineated in the book of Revelation is not a temporal battle, seeing that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world (John 8:23; 18:36). No rockets red glare … no bombs bursting in air.

The Devil may employ godless governments in an attempt to ruin the blessed Redeemer, but the gigantic contest is for human hearts and continues until ages are no more. It is not fully visible to mortal eyes, but it is real.

The fiery climax of the fight between right and wrong concludes when Satan and his minions are captured and punished, and the universe passes into oblivion.

The fight is on, the trumpet sound is ringing out,

The cry To arms is heard afar and near;

The Lord of hosts is marching on to victory,

The triumph of the right will soon appear.¹

CHAPTER ONE OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

The timeless history of the hostile conflict between the Devil and Jesus begins with a description of the Captain of Salvation. It is told us by an old man who was on a rocky island where prisoners were forced to work at hard labor in the mines.

The island was named Patmos and it was the place where the government of Rome once exiled prisoners.

It was a short but impassible distance from the mainland. Escape was impossible, especially by one weakened by the ravages of time.

Verse 1

The Revelation of Jesus Christ,

which God gave him to show unto his servants,

even the things which must shortly come to pass:

and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John;

The old man was named John and he was an apostle of the Christ. He began his prophetic history, a history that continues to record the fortunes and misfortunes of earthlings, by saying that what he was about to write was The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show unto his servants (Rev 1:1). Prophecy is history told in advance and that is what John does in this astounding book. It is an adventure, an exciting experience.

The disclosure was sent by an angel to the servant/apostle of Jesus, and concerned things that might take very long time to unfold, but described by the prophet John as things that will shortly come to pass. Man’s little stay on the planet earth is like a breath or a sigh when compared to eternity (Rev 1:1). Shortly come to pass does not mean the things written in the book will all soon occur, for even a casual reading of this revelation describes a long period whose duration is not known by man. John is saying that the things he describes would begin to happen soon and would be repeated in every generation for as long as the world continues. These things happened and kept on happening. History repeats itself. It started in the first century and continues in every century and will still be happening at the last century of earth and time.

Verse 2

who bare witness of the word of God,

and of the testimony of Jesus Christ,

even of all things that he saw.

John, who was a brother of James and a son of Zebedee, taught the Word of God, which is the testimony of Jesus. This was his crime. This made him an enemy of the ruling power.² This earned him a hard seat on a despised and lonely island. All who would live godly in Christ Jesus can expect and will receive similar rejection and punishment.³

Verse 3

Blessed is he that readeth,

and they that hear the words of the prophecy,

and keep the things that are written therein:

for the time is at hand.

John, wrote what an angel of God signified to him, and part of that included these words, Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the prophecy, and keep the words that are written therein: for the time is at hand (Rev 1:3). It is unfortunate that many rob themselves of the promised blessing because they have been duped into believing that the book of Revelation is written in unintelligible language that tends to overwhelm or intimidate. They are cowed by the book’s undeserved reputation of not being understandable and consequently they neither read nor listen to its stimulating message and deprive themselves of utmost bliss.

There are things written in the book of Revelation that need to be kept; things that encourage and strengthen and things that need to be understood, believed and obeyed.

The time, says John, is at hand. He is about to describe an awful war between the devil and his underlings and the Lord and his slaves. He is warning believers about dismal days of stress and disappointment, which can be turned to the virtue of consecration and victory. Such days are at hand for every generation and will be until he who made time brings it to a sudden end.

Verse 4

John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace,

from him who is and who was and who is to come;

and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne;

We learn more about the seven churches in the following two chapters. In anticipation of what he is to say to the people of God who made up the seven churches, John commends them to God and asks for the Lord God to endow them with his rich gifts and with a lovely inner calm; it is the peace of God which passes understanding.⁴ In the midst of the raging storms of life the pious are blessed with an inner quiet that enables them to keep their eyes on the goal, and even stubborn conflict between truth and error cannot reach nor disturb that confidence of faith.

The apostle John was the conduit through which Jesus communicated to the seven churches in Asia.⁵

The communication is from Jehovah, who is and who was and who is to come, that is, is eternal. The letter also comes from the seven Spirits that are before his throne," signifying the Holy Spirit (seven being completeness or perfection) who reveals and confirms divine wisdom.⁶

Verse 5

and from Jesus Christ,

who is the faithful witness,

the firstborn of the dead,

and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

Unto him that loveth us,

and loosed us from our sins by his blood;

The communication is also from Jesus Christ, who is (1) the faithful witness, (2) the firstborn of the dead, (3) ruler of the kings of the earth and (4) the redeemer of mankind⁷. This letter is therefore from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is the wisdom of an infinite three-in-one Being perfectly united in the one Godhead. A priest is one who offers sacrifices and a king is one who rules; the two offices are united in Jesus. Through Jesus we offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.⁸ We rule the world because we rise above the world; it holds no attraction for us because our promised reward is not here but hereafter, though we receive blessing in the here and now.

There is no detergent stronger than the blood of the Lamb of God for it alone has power to make our sinful souls as pure and beautiful as new fallen snow.

Verse 6

and he made us to be a kingdom,

to be priests unto his God and Father;

to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Jesus made the saved of earth to be a kingdom of priests. The new covenant teaches the universal royalty and priesthood of every believer. All those who are loosed from their sins by the cleansing blood of Jesus are kings and priests. Every saved person is, in the eyes of God, a monarch of righteousness and a priest by the power of an endless life (the endless life of Jesus).⁹

Verse 7

Behold, he cometh with the clouds;

and every eye shall see him,

and they that pierced him;

and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him.

Even so, Amen.

Jesus is coming again with the clouds. Coming with the clouds is to come with irresistible power.¹⁰ When he comes again (1) every eye shall see him, (2) they that crucified him shall see him, and (3) the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. What will happen when Jesus comes a second time is vividly reported in this closing book of the Bible and those things are so manifest and conclusive that no one, on earth or in the heaven of heavens, will be able to miss it or deny it. Up until this moment, it has not happened. So Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.¹¹

Verse 8

I am the Alpha and the Omega,

saith the Lord God,

who is and who was and who is to come,

the Almighty.

The Lord God is the Alpha and the Omega, as we might say in English He is everything from A to Z. . He is the almighty, eternal One Godhead. From first to last, He is God. There is none other. The reference here is to Jesus who came, lived, died, and lived again –is … was … is to come. The unity between the three members of the Godhead is riveted so firmly that it cannot be broken. They are three separate and distinct Beings but their perfect unity make them one God. These three are one. They are one in purpose, thought, word, work, and substance. No other being possess their essence, which is divine spirit, so they alone are one God and besides them there is none other. Each of the three beings of the one Godhead has a mutually accepted role in the divine economy, yet what one does, they all do. The Godhead is all powerful, all wise, and everywhere present; the three being that make up the one Godhead possess infinite wisdom, power holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. In this verse Jesus speaks but the Comforter and the Father are in profound agreement.

Verse 9

I John, your brother and partaker with you in tribulation and kingdom and patience which are in Jesus,

was in the isle that is called Patmos,

for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus

The apostle John describes himself as a partaker with you in tribulation and kingship and patience, which are in Jesus.¹² It may seem strange to link tribulation with royalty and patience. Jesus said, while on trial before Pilate, that he came into the world as a king, but within a few hours he suffered the humility and pain of the cross and endured it all patiently. The kings and queens in the Kingdom of God on earth – the church – are beset with the distress of oppression and are longsuffering. The mix may seem singular but it is realistic.

Disciples of Jesus who reign with Him patiently endure tribulation.¹³

John was in this plight because he held tenaciously to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.¹⁴ The book of Revelation commends those who are faithful and true in holding fast to Bible teaching, come what may. Word of God incudes the Old Testament with its rich history and abundant prophecies concerning Jesus. Testimony of Jesus refers to the New Testament, which is also the Word of God. The importance of God-breathed scripture is vigorously emphasized in the book of Revelation, which is a serious rebuke to religious liberalism.

Verse 10-11

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,

and I heard behind me a great voice,

as of a trumpet, saying,

What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto

Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

John was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, which may mean that he was in the attitude of worship on Sunday, or that in deepest meditation he was caught up in a prophetic trance. He heard behind him a voice that was loud like the blare of a trumpet.

Throughout the book of Revelation voices emanating from heaven are described as stentorian, like a sudden crash of thunder. This is designed to capture and hold attention. We should honor the Word of God with unbreakable concentration, and never in a trifling manner. Worshipping the great I am is seriously important, and must never be reduced to the frivolity of foolishness.

A booming voice commands John to write¹⁵ what he saw in a book and send it to the seven churches.

Verse 12-13

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.

And having turned I saw seven golden candlesticks;

and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man,

clothed with a garment down to the foot,

and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle.

John received a vision of the Captain of our salvation. In a revelation from the throne room of God, a long war is about to be described. We are first introduced to the commander-in-chief of the army of righteousness. The army of Jesus is made up of himself as the leader, the saved people of earth who comprise the church, and Jehovah with his heavenly host. This powerful force will be set in array in chapters one through six.

All eyes must now turn to John’s vision of the glorified Christ. The loud, trumpet-voice-of-God compels us to focus all our senses on the one who is about to be described.

There is a literary technique by which a non-human is represented as having human characteristics and attributes. John uses that technique as he describes the indescribable and bids us look upon one that would otherwise be invisible. Inspiration wisely presents to us with a few bold strokes the vision of Jesus in his glory. It is awesome.

In a vision John sees the magnificent splendor of Christ. This description abounds in symbols and figures. It stresses the preeminence of him who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, and whose name is the name that is above every name.

John saw seven golden candlesticks. The apostle also saw one like a Son of Man in the midst of seven golden candlesticks clothed in a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle (v 13). The Being John saw wore a long, flowing robe with a golden sash, reminiscent of the robe and sash of the Jewish High Priest of Israel.¹⁶

Verses 14-16

And his head and his hair were white as white wool,

white as snow;

and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

and his feet like unto burnished brass,

as if it had been refined in a furnace;

and his voice as the voice of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars:

and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword:

and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

His white hair symbolizes purity; and his eyes were a flame of fire, indicating an ability to look upon the naked, quivering soul and see all things both visible and invisible.

His feet were like burnished brass, suggesting that he would trample with indifference all who regarded him, his church, and his cross with indifference; and his voice was soothing and consoling like the voice of many waters. The voice of God can be as loud as thunder or as soothing as a babbling brook, which it is depends on the circumstances.

In his right hand he clutches seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeds a sharp two-edged sword (For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.¹⁷ His gentle, comforting words can turn to reproof and rebuke.

He shines with the brightness of the sun at high noon reminding us of his transfiguration on the mountain, witnessed by Peter, James, John, Moses, and Elijah … his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.¹⁸

There he stands: White, glistening hair, eyes like flames of fire, a sharp sword coming out of his mouth, his robe reaches to his feet, his sash is pure gold, his feet are like burnished brass that has been refined in a furnace, his voice is soft but can be loud and decisive. About this amazing figure is brilliance too strong to gaze upon.

This is Christ in his glory.

Verse 17-18

And when I saw him,

I fell at his feet as one dead.

And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not;

I am the first and the last,and the Living one;

and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore,

and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

We should not be surprised to learn that when the apostle John saw this manifestation of a divine being that he fell at his feet as one dead (v 17). Jesus and John were especially close while Jesus was in the flesh and on earth. John sat next to Jesus in the upper room when the Passover of the Jews was observed and the Lord’ Supper instituted; John together with James and Peter were with Jesus on the glory mountain when Jesus was transfigured. Though they had been intimate friends during the four years of Jesus teaching ministry, still, to see him exalted was more than human strength could bear and John fell at his feet as one dead.

Jesus laid his hand upon John and said, Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Jesus overcame sin and destroyed death; he opened the gates of heaven for all who love and obey him. He is the world’s redeemer

Verses 19-20

Write therefore the things which thou sawest,

and the things which are,

and the things which shall come to pass hereafter;

the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand,

and the seven golden candlesticks.

The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:

and the seven candlesticks are seven churches.

This vision of the glorified Jesus was to be written. The information was to be preserved. It was not for John only, but for people of all coming generations. The book that never passes away contains this sublime description of the Holy Being that is to lead in the battle of eternity. He is aided and assisted by His Father and the Comforter, his church, and the heavenly host.

The mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks is explained. The book of Revelation explains itself and when that is not done an interpreter gives an inspired explanation. We can proceed in confidence that the meaning of the book is given in the book. If we stay with that, we cannot go wrong.

The seven stars in the right hand of Jesus are the angels of the seven churches (of Asia Minor). The seven golden candlesticks are the seven churches, which represent the church of Christ in every period and age.

Jesus, holding the messengers of the churches in his right hand, walks in the midst of the congregations of his people. He is with the saved and the saved are, consequently, with him.

The war will shortly begin but will not shortly end. But first John will give us information about the church of Christ and the great, white throne.

This splendid story throbs with excitement and holds the heart in thrall by its powerful attraction.

This is the inspired story of the good fight of faith.

HE THAT OVERCOMES

Letters to the Churches

Part 1

Chapter Two

The Lord told John to write to the church in seven cities the very words he heard from the lips of the glorified Jesus. Let us review the seven letters.

Ephesus

Verses 1-7

Verse 1

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand,

he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:

The Lord clutches the seven stars in his right hand – that is, his most powerful hand.¹⁹ The stars represent the messengers of the churches, as we are told in the last verse of chapter one. He walks among the seven candlesticks, which represent the churches. These two figures affirm the great love Jesus has for the church and for his messengers who teach his word and encourage others to obey it.

Verse 2

I know thy works, and thy toil and patience,

and that thou canst not bear evil men,

and didst try them that call themselves apostles,

and they are not,

and didst find them false;

Jesus does not waste words but is brief and to the point. He knew the works of the saved in Ephesus because he is an all-knowing God; there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.²⁰

Jesus knew the works of his spiritual brothers and sisters in Ephesus two thousand years ago and he knows the works of every creature today. He is a silent witness of all we do and say and we can never escape his penetrating gaze. We cannot impose on him because he sees all we do, say, or think, and is quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.²¹ This does not frighten the true believer because he knows that the look of Jesus sees in each one the things that are noble and good as well as the things that are evil and bad. He assures us that if we come before him with the cry, unclean, unclean and confess our sins he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.²² It is the disobedient unbeliever who should tremble in fear to know that Jesus sees us as we really are and will reward us accordingly.

To the members of the church in Ephesus Jesus said, I know thy works, toil, and patience. He understood their long, strenuous, fatiguing labor. When in human form and on his earthly mission, Jesus was often bone-tired and drooping in weariness. Picture him sitting exhausted by a well and begging a drink of water from a Samaritan woman.²³

Even today, with flaming eyes, he looks upon and sympathizes with his hard-pressed, and often worn out disciples. He knows about road-worn, strained muscles and loss of vigor and freshness.

His heart goes out to soldiers in the foxholes as his words ring out like pistol shots, Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.²⁴

Jesus commends his valiant ones for finding evil men unbearable. He does not expect us to be unreasonably radical and unbalanced in rooting out false teachers, but he does expect us to in all civility identify and reject those who falsely claim apostolic power. It is moral to find lying prophets untrue and treacherous.

Jesus knows how betrayal feels!

When those who were once enlightened turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them,²⁵ they jeopardize their souls and cause the great heart of Jesus to bleed. They are dastardly traitors to the highest and holiest cause mortals can know.

Their end is perdition.

The Lord’s army must find them false, and first entreat, and then rebuke them. If they will not repent, their fate is sure and sealed. We take no pleasure in it, but we would be fools not to recognize it. Jesus takes note of it and so must we. It seems incredible that they would claim to be an apostle of Jesus when they are not. Christ commends the believers at Ephesus for examining the false claims of false teachers and finding them corrupt. He expects no less of us.

The Captain of our salvation does not ask us to endure what he has never known but speaks from experience when he encourages us to be not weary in well doing.²⁶ To the Ephesians he gives these soul-cheering words:

Verse 3

and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name’s sake,

and hast not grown weary.

Do not give up, no matter how heavy the load or rough the road, take his yoke upon you and do not allow pain and hardship to cause you to stumble. He gives you strength for the day’s labor and rest to your soul. Even when the stormy billows are tossing high, he gives you a ray of hope and it shines brighter and brighter until the coming of a perfect day.

The vineyard of the Lord is a place of unceasing toil under a brazen and burning sun. We wordlessly bear the burden of the day and the scorching heat. The work is wearisome, but the joy is as constant as the sun’s rays. It is a mixture of labor and happiness. It is, after all, the vineyard of the Lord and there is an anticipation of reward at the end of the day. We, like Jesus, endure because of the joy that is set before us.²⁷

Discipline is necessary for soldiers. An undisciplined soldier is a disaster in waiting. Infantrymen must learn unquestioning obedience. In the heat of battle, we cannot disregard an officer’s command. That would generate chaos. Anarchy has no place in the military and is intolerable.

Verse 4-5

But I have this against thee,

that thou didst leave thy first love.

Remember therefore whence thou art fallen,

and repent and do the first works;

or else I come to thee,

and