The Revelation: Read, Hear, and Keep It

By Tommy Thompson

The Revelation focuses on the big picture that reveals what God wants his bond servants to know concerning their destiny. In The Revelation, God's thunder sounds and probes the future of his kingdom from the ascension of Jesus to his Second Coming. At a point in time to be determined by God, the faithful church that stands with Jesus on Mount Zion will hear his welcoming call "Come up here!" This call will herald the end of the church age. These redeemed souls will be led by Jesus to a special place he has prepared for them. All the rest of humanity will be left behind to endure God's wrath era. The unsaved souls who are left behind will hear their destiny at the Great White Throne Judgment. This final judgment to be executed by God will mark the end of times, and eternity for the redeemed saints will begin.

The thousand years pictures Satan in solitary confinement in the "bottomless pit." Simultaneously, the saints reign with Jesus in the place he has prepared for them. After the thousand years is complete, Satan will be cast summarily into the lake of fire and brimstone. God will then declare, "It is done," and the New Jerusalem will enter eternity as God's holy city on the new heaven and the new earth. In The Revelation, this big picture is opened for all the saints to contemplate. Read on...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685707675

Book preview

cover.jpg

The Revelation

Read, Hear, and Keep It

Tommy Thompson

Copyright © 2023 by Tommy Thompson

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

To Jesus the Christ who is the Lamb of God and his faithful saints who stand blameless before the throne of God

Chapter 1

Read It, Hear It, and Keep It

The book of Revelation was authored by God himself. The messages, visions, and prophecies found in the book were then passed through Jesus Christ to his angel. The apostle John was commissioned by Jesus to receive the visions and write what he saw in a book for the bond servants of God (saints) to read, hear, and keep. God stated expressly that all of his servants who read, hear, and keep the words of the prophecy would be blessed.

God selected seven churches of Christ in Asia to be the original recipients of the message, and they were all advised to hear what the Spirit of God was saying to them and to use the information to overcome the problems they all as individuals in each congregation would face. God promised them that all who overcame the trials and tribulations they would face would be blessed in a special way.

The message of the Revelation is also presented as the word of God coming through the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There is unity of purpose in the message as John receives it and sends it forth to the churches of Christ of his era. It is also apparent that the message of Revelation is intended for all bond servants of God who would become God’s elect on the earth until Jesus comes again to receive his saints and take them to the place he has prepared for them. (See Rev. 14:14–16 and Rev. 15:2–4, and then compare these scriptures to John 14:1–6.) Jesus has purchased and redeemed every saint with his own blood and made them to be a kingdom of priests belonging to God forever. (Compare 1 Pet. 2:9–10 with Rev. 5:9–10.)

The apostle John begins his narration of the events which God wants his saints to honor by stating that he was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day. During this special time of worship, John receives a revelation from God through Jesus, who was speaking in a loud voice. This voice spoke to John and told him to write down all that he was to be shown in a book and present it to seven churches—Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Although these were real churches, it is evident that the message they received was for all churches that would exist in all time. Jesus was presented to John as the Son of Man who was walking in the presence of seven golden lampstands. John also noted that Jesus held seven stars in his right hand.

John described the image he saw as follows:

He was clothed in a robe reaching to his feet.

He was girded across his vest with a golden girdle.

His head and hair were like white wool, as snow.

His eyes were like a flame of fire.

His feet were like burnished bronze.

His voice was like the sound of mighty waters.

A sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth.

His face was like the sun shining in its full strength.

This vision of Jesus, augmented by the powerful sound of his voice, may indicate the following:

Jesus was completely clothed. He did not walk naked.

The righteousness of Jesus was complete in every way. (See Matt. 3:15 and Mark 1:9–11. Compare to Rev. 19:8.)

Jesus wore an ephod of perfect gold implying that he is God’s perfect high priest who is the intercessor for God’s faithful priesthood. (See Heb. 12:22–29.)

The vestige and mind of Jesus were perfect and pure before God and man.

The eyes of Jesus burn as a light that beams perfectly into all the earth.

The feet of Jesus walked perfectly over the earth and now walks perfectly among his people. His walk is sure, is steadfast, and continues forever.

The voice of Jesus is an almighty rock sounding forth through his spoken and then written word (Rev. 1:19).

The mouth of Jesus is quick and powerful. His tongue is sharp and can separate one from God and from life eternal. (See Heb. 4:12.)

The glory of God beams from the face of his Son. (See Matt. 17:2.)

John was so overwhelmed by the glory and power of the vision that he fell at the feet of the man he saw as though he was dead. John then was comforted by the man and was told to write What you have seen, what is now, and what will take place later. This statement implies that John was to write down things that had already happened before his day, the things that were then taking place, and the things that would take place in the future.

The first chapter of revelation closes with an explanation of the mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden lampstands. The stars were described as the angels of the seven churches, and the golden lampstands were described as the seven churches. The angels are generally seen as the leading messengers of the churches such as elders, ministers, and teachers. The churches are pictured as lampstands that hold up God’s light for the world to see. (See Matt. 5:14–16, and compare it to Eph. 3:10).

Jesus is pictured in the first chapter of Revelation in several capacities:

In verse 1, he is seen as the avenue of communication between God and his bond servants.

In verse 5, Jesus is presented as the faithful witness of God. (See Rev. 11:3–4.) In this verse, Jesus is also portrayed as the firstborn from the dead.

In verse 6, Jesus Christ is exalted as the one who has the glory and dominion forever and forever. In this verse, he is also pictured as the one who gives deliverance to all who persevere as saints in him. (See Rev. 14:12.)

In verse 7, Jesus is revealed as the one who will come with the clouds to receive his saints. Every eye will see him. (See Rev. 14:14–16.)

In verse 18, Jesus is seen as the one who has the keys to Death and Hades. (See Rev. 6:8 and Rev. 20:13–14.)

Summary of Chapter 1

The first chapter of Revelation sets the stage for the rest of the book. The message found in the Revelation is for the church, the bond servants of God. The saints who comprise the church are promised that they will be blessed if they read, hear, and keep the words of the prophecy. The saints are honored as priests and kings in the kingdom of God. The bond servants (saints) are told that Jesus will come again on the clouds, and it is implied that they should be living in the Spirit of God and be prepared to go with Jesus when he comes.

As chapter 1 unfolds, the power of God is seen in the vestige of Jesus. Jesus is pictured as the High Priest of God who walks with his church throughout all time and in eternity. He is the Comforter whose dynamic presence will shepherd his people and guide them with the powerful word of his mouth. The voice of Jesus is portrayed as the sound of rushing waters. His message pours forth from his mouth which wields the sharp two-edged sword which is his word of truth. (See Heb. 4:12.)

The central theme of chapter one is Jesus and his relationship with his faithful followers who hear and obey his word of truth. Jesus tells his bond servants that he has a message for them and they are to read, hear, and keep the message until he comes again. The closing verses of the chapter portrays the church as a lampstand charged with the responsibility to hold up the true light of God for the world to see, and the leaders of the church as stars which he describes as angels or messengers charged with the responsibility of teaching God’s truth to the churches. As chapters 2 and 3 unfold, it will be seen that the messengers and the churches they lead fall into severe apostasy and the church leaves its first love. False teachers who do not listen to Jesus lead the church away from God.

God wants his church to remain true to him and hold up the true light of God which illuminates the world with his wisdom and saving power. This is, very likely, the primary reason God authored the book of Revelation.

Chapter 2

A Different View

The Revelation was addressed to the bond servants of God to show them what would shortly take place (Rev. 1:1). The apostle John was instructed, Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: To Ephesus and to Smyrna to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and Philadelphia and to Laodicea (Rev. 1:4, 11). The elderly apostle was also told by Jesus, Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. In this command, John was told to include information that would embrace history before the current era of John’s day, things currently taking place in his day as well as future events that would happen after John’s time. (See Rev. 1:19; 4:1; and 10:11.) In other words, the visions John was to see involved the past, the present, and the future. In view of this fact, the phrase in Rev. 1:1 Things which must shortly take place should be balanced with the statement in Rev. 10:11 You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings and the statement made by Jesus in Rev. 4:1, commanding John, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things. What John saw from God’s throne room was the opening of the seven seals which involved the history of the church from its inception until Jesus comes again. (See Rev. 6.) The sixth seal concludes with the statement that The great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand? It should be noted that the entire events of the seventh seal are yet future from this point. The opening of the seventh seal heralds the sounding of the seven trumpets.

At this point, God inserts chapter 7, which answers this desperate question Who is able to stand? God answers that it is the sealed ones, his elect who are his bond servants who have his seal upon their foreheads, who will be able to stand. The ones who are standing with Jesus on Mount Zion (Rev. 14:1–5) are the ones who have been redeemed as a result of their submission to the will of God and willingness to support his church upon the earth. (See Heb. 12:22–29.) These are the ones who will be taken by Jesus from the earth to the place which he has prepared for them (1 Thess. 4:13–18 thru 5:1–11). All the rest will be left behind to endure a period of God’s wrath which will be poured out upon the earth. (See Rev. 14:17 thru 16:1.)

The recipients of God’s wrath will be an apostate church and rebellious people who have never known the mystery of God and refuse to obey Jesus. (See Rev. 15 and 16.) To every one of the seven churches of Asia, Jesus said, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. This means that every human being on earth must tune their ear to hear the Spirit. Salvation from sin is an individual matter. The remedy for spiritual death is the mystery of God. Jesus speaks through his angel in Rev. 10:7 and tells all humanity that the mystery is important. This prophecy states that "In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets." The prophets, including Jesus and his apostles, gave the world the Word of God (the Bible); and He has told us to read it, hear it, and keep it (Rev. 1:3). All who do this will be blessed and will learn what the mystery of God is. This mystery is defined by the apostle Paul in Eph. 1:7–12:

In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

It is evident from this scripture that the mystery of God’s will is the summing of all things in Christ. When God says in Rev. 10:7 that The mystery of God is finished when the seventh trumpet is about to sound, the days of the sounding of the seventh trumpet are yet future. This means that the sounding of the seventh trumpet which heralds the advent of the seven last plagues is a period of time which follows the finished mystery of God! In other words, the mystery of God is the Second Coming of Jesus the Christ, which is revealed in Rev. 14:14–16. No one knows exactly when that will be; it is a mystery! Only God himself knows. At that time, God will take his people and his peace from the earth, and this will be followed by the pouring out of God’s wrath upon the earth. (See Rev. 16.) The Revelation is a warning to all people that now is the time for preparing oneself to be ready to go with Jesus when he comes again.

In view of these facts, one must conclude that the prophecies of the Revelation include all of time and extend into eternity. The bottom line is that the book of Revelation presents three eras of time before eternity begins. In order to understand the Revelation, it is essential to identify these time eras and put them together in the order that God has given them to his bond servants. Most of the confusion that exists today stems from the fact that the saints have been misled concerning these eras of time beginning with the establishment of the church and ending with the beginning of eternity. These eras may be identified as follows and are taken in the exact order that God has given them.

The Church Age (Rev. 1–14): This era encompasses the age of God’s grace, mercy, and love as it is fulfilled in Jesus the Christ. During this period of time, Jesus pleads with all people and asks them to open the door of their life and permit him to come in. (See Rev. 3:20, and compare it to John 14:24.) He pleads through his Holy Spirit–inspired Word (the Bible) and his faithful and true church. (See Rev. 11:3–4, and compare it to Eph. 3:8–12.) The church age is an era when people are invited to enjoy peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1–11). The church age is God’s age of redemption (Re. 5:9–10). This age will end at the Second Coming of Christ when he will receive all his living saints on earth (the elect) up to him. (See Rev. 14:14–16, and compare it to Matt. 24:30–31.) The church age will be followed immediately with the age of God’s wrath (Rev. 6:17; 14:17–20).

The Wrath Age (Rev. 15–19): During this age, God’s wrath will be poured out upon the earth. The recipients of God’s wrath will be all the people who are left behind following the Second Coming of Jesus. (See Matt. 24:37–42, and compare it to Rev. 14:17–20.) During the wrath age, seven select angels will emerge from God’s temple in heaven. These angels will be given the seven last plagues by one of the four living creatures (a contingency of God’s saints who possess eternal spiritual life because of their obedience to Jesus Christ), and a loud voice from the temple will give the command to each of the angels to pour out their bowl of wrath upon the earth. The sixteenth chapter of Revelation explains in detail the content of these last bowls of the wrath of God which will be poured out upon the earth with specific targets in mind. The wrath age will end when the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and all the rest are killed by the sharp two-edged sword coming from the mouth of Jesus. The birds of heaven will pick their bones, and the judgment age of one thousand years will begin. (See Rev. 19:11–21.)

The Judgment Age of One Thousand Years (Rev. 20): The beginning of this age will see the devil bound made impotent and held in solitary confinement in the bottomless pit which is the earth. (See Rev. 20:1–3.) Simultaneously, the saints will reign with Jesus in the special place he has prepared for them. (See Rev. 20:4–6.) During this era (a perfect time of one thousand years), there will be no human life on earth, because The rest were killed by the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat upon the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh (Rev. 19:21). The saints will be given thrones, judgment will be given to them, and they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (See 1 Cor. 6:1–2, and compare it to Rev. 19:1–9, then compare these two scriptures to Rev. 20:4–6.) The great multitude in heaven in Rev. 19:1 is the antecedent to the ones who attended the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7), the ones who rode across heaven with Jesus on white horses (Rev. 19:14), and the ones who were seated on thrones (Rev. 20:4). These are none other than the saints who have been redeemed from the earth and from among men. They are the saints who have successfully responded to the call of God and have been privileged to participate in the first resurrection. They are the overcomers who are rewarded by Jesus because of their obedience and faithfulness to him. (See Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26 and Rev. 3:5, 12, 21.) The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. (See Rev. 20:11–15.) This will be an exciting time for all the saints who have opened the door of their life to Jesus. They are the overcomers who have listened to Jesus and obeyed him.

At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison, and he will gather his army from the four corners of the earth where the army has been held in abeyance by God through the thousand years of judgment. The devil’s army is probably his angels and demons who have been in hibernation while the devil serves his thousand-year prison term in isolation from them. Satan will persuade his army to have one last go at the camp of the saints where the saints have been reigning with Jesus and participating in the judgment age. Fire comes down