Victory Through Revelation

Here is some from the first page of my soon-to-be-released book, Victory Through Revelation: Overcoming the Antichrist Spirit.


God has chosen to reveal Jesus Christ to you and to manifest you as  His bondservant. Be prepared, for it is to happen quickly!


Revelation 1Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 A revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave to him, to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly; and he did signify [it], having sent through his messenger to his servant John,

² who did testify the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, as many things also as he did see.

³ Happy is he who is reading, and those hearing, the words of the prophecy, and keeping the things written in it -- for the time is nigh!

⁴ John to the seven assemblies that [are] in Asia: Grace to you, and peace, from Him who is, and who was, and who is coming, and from the Seven Spirits that are before His throne,

⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born out of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth; to him who did love us, and did bathe us from our sins in his blood,

⁶ and did make us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him [is] the glory and the power to the ages of the ages! Amen.

Observation and Biblical Reflection


The very  first word of the book of Revelation is actually the word “revelation,” which, along with “revealing,” means, “uncovering and unveiling.”  The words that follow, “Jesus Christ”, Savior and Anointed, show that the book of Revelation is, first and foremost, the means God has chosen to unveil to us the Messiah and what He has to show us through His Word and testimony.


What is the purpose of God unveiling Jesus?  The Scripture indicates that God gave the revelation of Jesus Christ in order to “to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly.”


Looking at alternate meanings, particularly “make known” as an alternative to “shew to,” and “who” instead of “what things,” Scripture may suggest that along with showing his servants what must come about quickly, God also provided the revelation of Christ to make known His servants, who must of necessity come into being very quickly. The suggestion is that God gave the revelation of Christ not only to provide details about future events, but also to bring into being the faithfulness of His servants along with the recognition of those events.


Both the immediate and broader contexts appear to corroborate this view. Later in chapter 1, Christ will expose John’s great need and reveal the complete provision of Christ Himself to meet John’s — and our — deepest spiritual needs.


In the seven churches, the obedient response of those who have ears to hear indeed indicates who His servants are.

The Last Hour

Revelation 3
Wild that on this exact date last year I made notes on Revelation 3. This time I was led to read verses 10 and 11 which read, 

¹⁰ `Because thou didst keep the word of my endurance, I also will keep thee from the hour of the trial that is about to come upon all the world, to try those dwelling upon the earth.11 Lo, I come quickly, be holding fast that which thou hast, that no one may receive thy crown.

The word of my endurance is the word of Jesus for it is He who speaks here. Then there is the hour of the trial. I believe the Lord has put on my heart that it is the last hour.

This is what John said. Evidence to him included many antichrists coming to be. The question I have is why John calls his readers, little boys and girls in 1 John 2:

 18 Little youths, it is the last hour; and even as ye heard that the antichrist doth come, even now antichrists have become many -- whence we know that it is the last hour;

Just before this, John says, 

17 and the world doth pass away, and the desire of it, and he who is doing the will of God, he doth remain -- to the age. 

The online Greek  Interlinear gives the direct translation this way: 

And the system is-being-beside-led and the on-feeling of-it the-one yet doing the will of-the God is-remaining into the eon 

I believe John’s address to the readers as little children speaks of the innocence of those given the Kingdom of God. Jesus rejoiced for God revealing the power of His Messianic reign to little ones such as the disciples. 

Jesus said this in Luke 12: 

21 At that moment he was filled with joy by the Ruach HaKodesh and said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I thank you because you concealed these things from the sophisticated and educated, yet revealed them to ordinary people. Yes, Father, I thank you that it pleased you to do this.22 “My Father has handed over everything to me. Indeed, no one fully knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”23 Then, turning to the talmidim, he said, privately, “How blessed are the eyes that see what you are seeing! 24 Indeed, I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you are seeing but did not see them, and to hear the things you are hearing but did not hear them.”

Prior to this Jesus said:

18 Yeshua said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Remember, I have given you authority; so you can trample down snakes and scorpions, indeed, all the Enemy’s forces; and you will remain completely unharmed. 20 Nevertheless, don’t be glad that the spirits submit to you; be glad that your names have been recorded in heaven.”

Jesus saw the victory not only at that moment but today when His people would be overcoming the accuser, that is when the trampling of God's people would come to an end. God’s protection comes through overcoming by the blood of Jesus all the accusations of the enemy. Jesus even says to rejoice not because demons submit but because of your names being recorded in heaven. 

In that same context, Jesus said He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. It’s by overcoming through the cross of Christ that the enemy is cast out of heaven and to the earth. Again, it is by overcoming that Jesus guarantees our protection from the hour of trial coming upon the earth as He promised those who endure in Revelation 3.

In that context Jesus goes on to say, 

12 He who is overcoming -- I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and without he may not go any more, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, that doth come down out of the heaven from my God -- also my new name.

Why can believers have the confidence of God’s keeping them? Jesus makes them pillars in His sanctuary in the true third temple in the sanctuary of God. He and she are in forever, never to go out, Jesus having written the name of His God and the name of the city of His God, New Jerusalem, and Jesus’ new name upon us. 

Lightning as Jesus mentioned refers both to the victory of Christ and the banishment of Satan forever from the place of accusation.

Not only is the victory of believers hidden from those who are sleeping but also from all those in the world who refuse Christ.

When Christ is revealed from heaven, His little children will be with Him and every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced Him.

Restoration

How does the restoration of all things happen?

Acts 3:21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

Matthew 17:11 Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.

We find indications in the Old Testament of how God transforms lives bringing them into complete alignment with His will. 

With the resurrection (so to speak) of Joseph, Jacob was on the way to the restoration of all things. 

Genesis 4:3-5 says:

3 And He saith, `I [am] God, God of thy father, be not afraid of going down to Egypt, for for a great nation I set thee there;

4 I -- I go down with thee to Egypt, and I -- I also certainly bring thee up, and Joseph doth put his hand on thine eyes.'

5 And Jacob riseth from Beer-Sheba, and the sons of Israel bear away Jacob their father, And their infants, and their wives, in the waggons which Pharaoh hath sent to bear him,

Jews believe that when Elijah comes, the accompanying restoration involves returning to God in such a way that all past sins become as positive mitsvot. I believe Jesus affirms this in His being the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

Another example is Abraham who was circumcised at 99 years old, and when he died, Genesis 25:7,8 describes it this way.

7 And these [are] the days of the years of the life of Abraham, which he lived, a hundred and seventy and five years;

8 and Abraham expireth, and dieth in a good old age, aged and satisfied, and is gathered unto his people.

It is understood by the rabbis that Abraham's age perfectly matched his years, which implies a fullness to life.

The way the Bible describes Sarah is being as beautiful at her age of death as she was at 20 and at 7. Jewish teachers believe Psalm 37:18 refers to her:

18 Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect, And their inheritance is -- to the age.

19 They are not ashamed in a time of evil, And in days of famine they are satisfied. 

The context implies not only the perfection but also the provision and protection of God's people.

Jews ask how Sarah could have been perfect when her life was cut short. There are many more things which can be said on the topic. For instance, the author of Hebrews describes how this happens in Christ, but the words of Jesus in Revelation clearly indicate how turning to Christ brings about the perfection God has for His people. Jesus said (Revelation 3) to the called-out ones:

“To the angel of the Messianic Community in Sardis, write: ‘Here is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars: “I know what you are doing — you have a reputation for being alive, but in fact you are dead! 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains, before it dies too! For I have found what you are doing incomplete in the sight of my God. 3 So remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and turn from your sin! For if you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief; and you don’t know at what moment I will come upon you. 4 Nevertheless, you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes; and they will walk with me, clothed in white, because they are worthy. 5 He who wins the victory will, like them, be dressed in white clothing; and I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life; in fact, I will acknowledge him individually before my Father and before his angels. 6 Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities.”’

Malachi 3 and the Appearance of Elijah

The first phrase of Malachi 3 God says, Behold me sending my messenger. God sends his messenger, which is part of His return.

The chapter goes on to prophecy about the return of Messiah in such a way that refines and purifies.

This appears to be what happens by the message of the one who is sent before the God of heaven’s armies. Isn't this what happened to Joshua before the battle of Jericho and what John describes in the book of Revelation? Unless God purifies us, no one will be be able to stand before God. Our cry should be for God to purify us even if we don’t experientially feel this is what must happen.

Scripture says the Lord whom you are seeking will suddenly come to His temple. The question is whether this points to a literal temple. Scripture is highlighting our need for Christ. Please read on. 

The temple must be rebuilt. Understanding this only as literal appears to draw attention from the point of Scripture, whereas if it figuratively refers to the people of God, then the context explains the meaning. Reference to the temple spotlights the need for rebuilding, but the temple is not the center of the message. God builds it through purifying and cleansing His people. Peter says we are living stones being built into the temple of the Lord with Christ as the foundation or cornerstone. Purification which brings the stones into total alignment with the cornerstone is the preparation and sign of His soon return. 

The powerful word of repentance and alignment "surfaces the way for the faces of God” (literal Hebrew to English translation) . The message prepares the road so to speak. He surfaces the way to faces of me sounds like his appearance paves the way for the revelation of God. It also seems that it may imply that the messenger surfaces or appears to reveal Him who is coming to those who are delighting in Him. The Scripture focuses the reader on Messiah with the textual repetition of he and him and lord around the word temple. The word of God continues to focus on Him whom ones are seeking —THE LORD — and the messenger of the covenant, in which His own are delighting, behold. He comes says Yahweh of hosts. The ones who are delighting in the covenant of God written upon our hearts are those who behold the messenger and those who are preparing themselves for Christ’s return. 

An implication that I suggest above may be that Elijah or his message surfaces as God allows, in order to reveal the faces of God to those delighting in Him. This phrase, faces of God, refers to the fullness of God or personal knowledge of God through His revealing Himself. This contrasts people hearing or reading about God and not experiencing His speaking to them. In connection to that lack of feeling connected to God’s word or His word not speaking to us, Rabbis believe the lack of experience God means to use to draw us to Himself. It is God telling people to seek Him to hear Him and know Him. 

He and His word are hidden in order for us to seek Him out and what He has to say to us through His word.