Revelation 1 Scofield
Read Revelation 1 · Matthew Henry on Revelation 1
1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
“angel”
(See Scofield "Heb 1:4")
1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
“sins”
Sin. (See Scofield "Rom 3:23").
1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
“isle”
From Rev 1:1 to Rev 1:20 the Seer is on the earth, looking at the vision of Christ; Rev 2:1 to Rev 3:22 he is on the earth looking forward through the church-age; Rev 4:1 to Rev 11:1 he is "in the Spirit" (Rev 4:2; cf Ezek 3:12–14) observing things in heaven and on earth; Rev 11:1 to Rev 11:12 he is in Jerusalem with the two witnesses. Rev 11:13 to the end he is in heaven observing and recording things in heaven and upon the earth.
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
“voice”
The theophanies. Rev 1:9–20; Gen 12:7
1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
“hell”
Hades, (See Scofield "Luke 16:23").
1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
“hereafter”
things that are to be after these, i.e. after the churches.
1:20 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 which thou sawest are the seven churches.
“angels”
The natural explanation of the "messengers" is that they were men sent by the seven churches to ascertain the state of the aged apostle, now an exile in Patmos (cf) Phil 4:18 but they figure any who bear God's messages to a church.
“churches”
The messages to the seven churches have a fourfold application:
(1) Local, to the churches actually addressed;
(2) admonitory, to all churches in all time as tests by which they may discern their true spiritual state in the sight of God;
(3) personal, in the exhortations to him "that hath an ear," and in the promise "to him that overcometh";
(4) prophetic, as disclosing seven phases of the spiritual history of the church from, say, A.D. 96 to the end. It is incredible that in a prophecy covering the church period, there should be no such foreview. These messages must contain that foreview if it is in the book at all, for the church does not appear after Rev 3:22. Again, these messages by their very terms go beyond the local assemblies mentioned. Most conclusively of all, these messages do present an exact foreview of the spiritual history of the church, and in this precise order. Ephesus gives the general state at the date of the writing; Smyrna, the period of the great persecutions; Pergamos, the church settled down in the world, "where Satan's throne is," after the conversion of Constantine, say A.D. 316. Thyatira is the Papacy, developed out of the Pergamos state: Balaamism (worldliness) and Nicolaitanism (priestly assumption) having conquered. As Jezebel brought idolatry into Israel, so Romanism weds Christian doctrine to pagan ceremonies. Sardis is the Protestant Reformation, whose works were not "fulfilled." Philadelphia is whatever bears clear testimony to the Word and the Name in the time of self-satisfied profession represented by Laodicea.
“mystery”
(See Scofield "Matt 13:11").
Public domain (1917). Text from the BibleSupport.com e-Sword module.
Introduction to Revelation
WRITER: The Apostle John (Rev 1:1)
DATE: A.D. 96
THEME: The theme of the Revelation is Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1), presented in a threefold way: As to time: "which is, and which was, and which is to come" (Rev 1:4); As to relationships--the churches (Rev 1:9 to Rev 3:22), to the tribulation (Rev 4:1 to Rev 19:21), to the kingdom (Rev 20:1 to Rev 22:21); In His offices--High Priest (Rev 8:3–6), Bridegroom (Rev 19:7–9), King-Judge (Rev 20:1–15).
But while Christ is thus the central theme of the book, all of the events move toward one consummation, the bringing in of the covenanted kingdom. The key-phrase is the prophetic declaration of the "great voices in heaven" (Rev 11:15), lit, "The world kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ has come." The book is, therefore, a prophecy (Rev 1:3).
The three major divisions of Revelation must be clearly held if the interpretation is to be sane and coherent. John was commanded to "write" concerning three classes of "things" (Rev 1:19):
1. Things past, "the things thou hast seen," i.e. the Patmos vision, Rev 1:1–20.
2. Things present, "the things which are," i.e. things then existing--obviously the churches. The temple had been destroyed, the Jews dispersed: the testimony of God had been committed to the Churches (1 Tim 3:15). Accordingly we have seven messages to seven representative churches, Rev 2:1 to Rev 3:22. It is noteworthy that the church is not mentioned in chapters 5-18. Things future, "things which shall be hereafter," lit. "after these," i.e. after the church period ends, Rev 4:1 to Rev 22:21.
3. The third major division, as Erdman (W.J.) has pointed out, falls into a series of six sevens, with parenthetical passages, making, with the church division, seven sevens.
The six sevens are: The seals, Rev 4:1 to Rev 8:1. The seven trumpets, Rev 8:2 to Rev 11:19. The seven personages, Rev 12:1 to Rev 14:20. The seven vials (bowls), Rev 15:1 to Rev 16:21. The seven dooms, Rev 17:1 to Rev 20:15. The seven new things, Rev 21:1 to Rev 22:21.
The parenthetical passages are: The Jewish remnant and the tribulation saints, Rev 7:1–17. The angel, the little book, the two witnesses, Rev 10:1 to Rev 11:14. The Lamb, the Remnant, and the everlasting Gospel, Rev 14:1–13. The gathering of the kings at Armageddon, Rev 16:13–16. The four alleluias in heaven, Rev 19:1–6. These passages do not advance the prophetic narrative. Looking backward and forward they sum up results accomplished, and speak of results yet to come as if they had already come. In Rev 14:1, for example, the Lamb and Remnant are seen prophetically on Mount Sion, though they are not actually there till Rev 20:4–6.
The end of the church period (Revelation 2-3) is left indeterminate. It will end by the fulfilment of 1 Thess 4:14–17. Revelation 4-19 are believed to synchronize with Daniel's Seventieth Week (See Scofield "Dan 9:24"). The great tribulation begins at the middle of the week," and continues three and a half years (Rev 11:3 to Rev 19:21). The tribulation is brought to an end by the appearing of the Lord and the battle of Armageddon (Matt 24:29; Matt 24:30; Rev 19:11–21). The kingdom follows (Rev 20:4; Rev 20:5); after this the "little season" (Rev 20:7–15), and then eternity.
Interpreters of the Revelation should bear in mind two important passages: 1 Pet 1:12; 2 Pet 1:20; 2 Pet 1:21. Doubtless much which is designedly obscure to us will be clear to those for whom it was written as the time approaches.