Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Judge of His Creation: A Study of the Book of Revelation

Copyright © 2012 Marianne Strenger

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The scripture taken from The Holy Bible, New King James version, copyright @1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Definitions and symbolism found in The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Comfort Print Edition copyright @1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Definitions found in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, William Morris, Editor, Published by Houghton, Mifflin Company

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-6744-0 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-6743-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-6742-6 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012917054

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/24/2012

Contents

DEDICATION TO THE KING OF ALL KINGS, JESUS CHRIST

FORWARD

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

DEDICATION TO THE KING OF ALL KINGS,

JESUS CHRIST

My heart is overflowing with a good theme;

I recite my composition concerning the King;

My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

You are fairer than the sons of men;

Grace is poured upon your lips;

Therefore God has blessed You forever.

Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,

With Your glory and Your majesty.

And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of

Truth, humility, and righteousness;

And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.

Psalm 45:1-4

FORWARD

The Holy Spirit has opened up the scriptures in this book at this particular time. The events in the world are rapidly moving towards darkness. These current revelations are for us to take note for our aid. For it is written in Isaiah 33: 5-6,

The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion (church) with justice and righteousness. Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.

As the darkness is getting darker; Isaiah 60: 1-2,

Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.

The light of the Lord leading our paths is imperative to our victory. In the Lord’s light we have direction to keep us in His way. The knowledge and intimate fellowship with our Lord will be our stability in the days ahead, as well as a lamp leading the unbelievers in the nations to our Lord.

I believe the Lord is saying:

1. Proverbs 29: 18:

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law.

To the New Testament believers: the law is the Word of God. Also, in Hosea 4: 6,

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God (the word of God), I also will forget your children.

We will search out the hidden agendas of the evil one. We will learn the many deceptions that are laid at our feet to keep us distracted from God and His plan.

2. In the gospel of John 17: 2&3, Jesus was praying to our Heavenly Father saying,

As You have given Him (Jesus) authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE, THAT THEY MAY KNOW YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST WHOM WHO HAVE SENT.

We will search out the secrets of our heavenly Father’s heart. Do you know them?

3. Paul states in Ephesians chapter 4: 11-15,

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, TILL WE ALL COME TO THE UNITY OF THE FAITH AND OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine (hot air!), by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting (to get their name famous and hunt your fortune), but, speaking the TRUTH in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head- CHRIST.

The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ unfolds to us the knowledge of the Son of Man, the Judge and King of all kings. Our lives reflect His light in the amount of knowledge we have of Him. I am not talking about head knowledge either; I am speaking about intimacy, a close fellowship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads us into everything the Lord has said and is saying to us today.

This knowledge is revelation about Him. Then we apprehend Him. This apprehending is experiencing the knowing all He is to us and all He has given us in Him. This comes by us experiencing the fulfillment of His word in our individual lives. The relationship we have with the Lord is no different than a bride or wife has with her husband.

This closeness with the Lord in relationship is our only stability now and in the days ahead as stated above. The relationship with the church you attend and church programs are not going to help you or others in any of the days ahead; only the intimate knowledge (also experience) of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

The way we will overcome is to intimately know Him as our God. Most people of the western world can say they know the Savior of the world. They have knowledge of Jesus Christ dying on the cross for their sins against God and their fellow man. But do you know the King of all kings and Lord of all lords? I pray you heed this book. Please keep searching in this book of Revelation for more illumination on the Majestic Son of God, King of all kings.

Let us have the same mind set as Paul as he said in Philippians 3:8,

Yet indeed I also count all things loss (in this world) for the EXCELLENCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

We cannot partake of the world and its deceptions and be loyal to the King. Do you want to know the Lion of God?

In having the same mind set as Paul in seeking after the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. Then we read what is written in Ephesians 3:19:

To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Do you think at this time, you have the knowledge of the heart of God, your heavenly Father? What has He planned for you? What are the perfect works that God is seeking from us? Do you know? What acts of devotion and loyalty is the Faithful One seeking in us? Do you understand the letters to the church from Jesus? God is love. Do you live in His Love every day?

When we pursue God as our one desire, the fullness of the love of Christ will be made manifest in us and through us. The nations will know that Jesus Christ is Lord, Savior and King of the world. He IS all and in all now and at the consummation of this age. Written in Colossians 3:11,

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but CHRIST IS ALL AND IN ALL.

INTRODUCTION

It is written in Proverbs 25: 2,

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

So are you ready to seek, ask and find hidden mysteries and to receive His blessing?

Our heavenly Father’s heart’s desire is to start with scripture. Jesus Christ is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. Jesus Christ is the word of God. This book is all about Him. It is written in Psalm 111: 2-3,

The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them. His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever.

The written scripture in 1 Corinthians 2:7-10 states:

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, and the deep things of God.

The Word writes about us in Isaiah 62: 12,

And they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.

All the above scriptures show Our Heavenly Father’s heart. He gave His Beloved Son to us as a sacrifice so that He may have a city of His own people. Psalm 122: 3-5 states:

Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to THE TESTIMONY OF ISRAEL, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

I have read the book of Revelation again and again and again….Holy Spirit, please help me write what You want to help strengthen Your people in preparation of the things that are happening now and are to come.

First of all what was, and is, will be again… This is not about a book of the end times as it keeps getting the reputation and name for. It is a book of God and His ways through Jesus Christ and His people. Our heavenly Father’s patience always exalts His majesty as He is glorified through His creation.

The events of this book of Revelation have been going on since the beginning of time. Since the Word of God was written starting at Genesis all the way through until the end of time. God calls out certain people and trains them to be His own. Evil, also, calls his own to gather against the people of God. There is a constant rise and fall and tribulation for all of humanity.

When evil has accumulated to the full cup of iniquity on the earth, God retaliates in justice. This cup of iniquity usually births a rise of an antichrist or tyrant. This evil head rises to rule the territory that he has acquired as he covetously wants more. Also a witness of God rises. The evil one persecutes the righteous. This allows God a way in for judgment as the example of Israel in Egypt with Pharaoh. God will be exalted and the prideful will fall as did Pharaoh and his hosts of Egypt.

There is an explanation of what is happening now, and happened then, that will happen again; just the names of the people will be different… The Book of Revelation is more about the ways of God, as well as, the glory and exaltation of Jesus Christ, His Son. As we study the Word, it may seem evil seems to triumph for a time…. Actually it is time, time and a half, which is a period of three and a half years of tribulation that evil triumphs.

The people of God are persecuted and sometimes killed. However, the rewards of His people are they are forever His. They will walk with Him in white. Most important of all, we are known by Him as it is written in 2 Timothy 2:19:

Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: The Lord knows those who are His and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

I have seen the same words in the Old Testament and the New Testament that are written in Revelation. Is this book just for the end of time? No, I believe it is for now. As we gain knowledge of evil’s deception so we, His people, are not led astray by his wiles. We may continue in our walk with the Lord in strength. We will learn to endure tribulation and afflictions to the purification of our souls.

So we keep the seal of the Holy Spirit to end in victory. Then our clothes remain white and spotless and our hearts will remain faithful towards Him…See, there is nothing new under the sun. It is written in Ecclesiastes 3:15,

That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; and God requires an account of what is past.

I believe that there is much hoopla about the end times. I am not saying that evil is not getting to a height that will reach God’s fullness of iniquity in this generation. However, based on what was in past history, a storm of sorts will arise in the sovereignty of God, to allow mankind to be judged by work of their own hands. The sovereign judgment comes, as the cup of God’s wrath is poured forth for the destruction of the antichrist type and his followers.

There will be a complete end of time but I do not think it is that soon… God is much bigger than what we see and hear and want. His purpose will be completed when He has completed it… That is Christ will be all in all. Everything else will be consumed in fire.

I have noticed that most of the time, believers want the return of Jesus Christ in their own days or at least in their children, or grandchildren. But we are not looking forward in faith to the final frontier of our days. The promise of our Lord as we end our days here on this earth in faith is death will be overcome, that we will not die an eternal death. Our mortality will be consumed up by immortality as it is written by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15: 51-55:

Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?

This will be the last walk of faith that we go through as mankind- believing the promise of God that we will arise anew and immortal.

In Chapter 14 of Revelation, Jesus Christ standing on Mount Zion is now as well as the future. We are with Him till the end of the age. Jesus said in Matthew 28: 20,

Teaching them (the disciples), to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen

I believe, from much study and prayer, the book of Revelation is as much for us now as for those in the future. Satan is bound for the fulfillment of a time (1000 years). Who is keeping Satan bound? The Spirit of Truth is here with us. What is the Holy Spirit’s purpose for the believers and unbelievers? What is the meaning of the New Creation in Christ Jesus for you and me? Is that now or in the future?

Can we obtain the fullness of Christ here or is that for the future in heaven? What is the view from heaven’s eyes on the perfection of Jesus Christ’s followers? What does the image of Jesus Christ look like to the eyes of the heavenly Father?

I know at the end of your days, you do not want to meet Jesus Christ missing His desire for you today. While we have today to live, let us find out what the King of all kings wants from us. Let us find the hidden meanings of the letters to the churches. Let us be found faithful with the complete knowledge of His call for us today.

I think it is a big deception to keep looking to the near future for the end time because we have only today and we must live it completely in the authority of His Kingdom. Is your pastor the only priest and king that John was referring to? Are you a priest and king to God now? Does that scripture apply to all believers or only clergy? What does Jesus Christ call you? What does He say about you worshiping Him as King?

This book is all symbolic and there are a lot of hidden mysteries. There are many symbols hiding those mysteries of God. There are one set of symbols for God’s people and one set of symbols for the antichrist and his army. Let’s open our understanding now in our times, so we and our children and grandchildren will have the knowledge and wisdom of God’s ways. Each generation has their own antichrist gathering to war upon the saints and against God and His Christ. The problem with looking to the future; we are missing the strategies that the Holy Spirit is trying to teach us to take hold of for this day. Let’s keep our eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us listen intently to the Holy Spirit and lead a triumphant life in Him NOW.

For very soon our individual end time will be here, maybe not the worlds, but our days will be fulfilled. We will have to give account on the works of Jesus that we do NOW.

As I have read and read this book… the main idea I keep asking the Holy Spirit is---What does that mean?… In 1 John 2:27,

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

It is written the Holy Spirit will show us all things as written in 1 John 2:20,

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

So I ask and ask and ask.

So as we ask the Holy Spirit, the Great Teacher, to open up our eyes to see the great revelations of our Lord and of His people.

I love mysteries. This is the best mystery of all; the revealing of HIS LOVE.

CHAPTER ONE

John, the beloved, is stuck on the Island of Patmos. The enemies of Christ, (John too), could not kill him. I do not have written proof, but I have heard they tried boiling him in oil and that failed, so they just dropped him off in exile.

I cannot find any word meaning for Patmos but I know the name has some sort of significance. In the book of Ezekiel 3:22, the Lord was instructing Ezekiel,

Then the hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, arise, go out into the plain, and there I shall talk with you.

The Lord is revealing His purpose in making these visions plain to Ezekiel at the plain! John is captive here for the testimony of Jesus Christ. The Lord has John’s full attention in exile as He reveals His veiled mysteries.

The book of Revelation is releasing the hidden mystery of the Holy One and of His saints. John is to send this revelation by letter to His saints. It is interesting that John himself mentions he is in the tribulation of his time. In verse 9 of chapter 1,

I, John, both 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.

Please note, John is in the tribulation (what was for him and will be again for us and other generations to come). We also are experiencing the tribulation, and the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ-now. There also will be tribulation and the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ for the next generation.

All is being worked out by His hand; we are the washed ones in the Lamb’s blood as well as our purification and sanctification of our souls into His image by the Holy Spirit…. The born from above babies are being proved into His completed work by the Holy Spirit as mature sons and daughters of God. We are to have the same image of Him, the Christ, and no longer resemble the beast nature.

Throughout the word of God, men that are against Jesus Christ and His people lock up these saints like John, Peter, and Paul as well as the Old Testament prophets. This is the hand of the sovereign God. These people of God were to be imprisoned in His plan. In prison, they may receive the revelation and teaching of the Holy Spirit and not be disturbed. By their imprisonment, they were given plenty of time to write the conversations, teachings and prophecies of God.

When we are imprisoned by men, a higher purpose is being established by God to get these chosen few to write His words and teachings to broadcast them to others and next generations. When the status quo of the church is becoming doctrine, God needs to reboot us. He will choose one of us to be imprisoned to write the vision of God. This will bring us to the next level of revelation of His will. This illumination is always out of the box. The revelation usually goes against the established religion, or doctrine of Christianity or of the current times. However, we are spiritually stagnating if our faith is not daily increasing in the growing revealed knowledge of His great plan in Jesus Christ.

In verses 4 -6 of chapter 1, John starts with a blessing for:

Grace to you and peace from Him WHO IS AND WHO WAS AND WHO IS TO COME…. (The always present, ever Eternal God) and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, AND HAS MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS TO HIS GOD AND FATHER, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

And in verse 7,

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

The vapors are clouds. All flesh of mankind is like vapors. In Psalm 39:11,

When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; surely every man is vapor.

We are the vapors or clouds that accompany Him as He returns. The witnesses as stated in Hebrews 12:1,

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

We are the cloud of witnesses that appear with Jesus Christ on Mount Zion in chapter 14 as well as in chapter 19, as the army of the King of all kings.

Then He says in verse 8;

I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END, says the Lord, WHO IS AND WHO WAS AND WHO IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.

And again the Lord speaks in verse 11:

I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST.

Jesus gives instructions to John to write in a book or scroll what he sees. John then is to send the book to the seven churches….. But notice, His announcement: as He is so He is all time, and that was and is and is to be is HIS… He is all encompassing and owns all things and all the in between are His. The Great I AM, always present, always sovereign in the handling of mankind in the nations of the world…. He has been, always will be and is….If you receive that revelation now of His Sovereignty over everything and all things, it will be a lot easier for you to go through this book.

In verses 13-18,

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 gold 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 its strength.

And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and Death.

The verses of 13-18 are the description of His character in symbolism. Emmanuel is in our midst. He, Jesus Christ, the All Encompassing One is in the midst of the seven lampstands. The lampstands are us, the church.

Jesus is clothed with a garment down to His feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. The divine nature of His righteousness is girded about His chest ….He is righteous. Jesus Christ, the only Man who was found righteous before God. He never committed sin. Jesus Christ, a Champion of glory! Jesus Christ is bringing many sons to glory through that righteousness.

His head and hair were white like wool. His hair represents His Glory, Wisdom and Purity. Jesus Christ has no part with the corruption of the world. His eyes are like a flame of fire. Eyes are symbolic representing the fountains of our heart. Jesus’ eyes (heart) are filled with the zeal of His Father. The fire in Jesus’ eyes also speaks of His purity and love.

His soul was made perfect in obedience by suffering. As written in Hebrews 5: 8,

Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

In verse 15:

His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace.

The furnace of affliction, He suffered by obedience to His Father, showing His zeal for His Father. No matter what affliction and suffering came, He never turned away from the Father’s will.

In verse 15, states,

His voice as the sound of many waters.

That description is written many times in this bible. Twice in Ezekiel, once in Ezekiel 1: 24, describing the living creatures:

When they went (moved), 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 an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings.

And 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.

Also written in Rev 14:2,

And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.

In chapter 14, John was witnessing this scene on Mount Zion. Many waters represent many nations. John saw the many people from all the nations gathered as His body. All the people from the nations that He has called become one nation in Jesus Christ. These are His people, His nation. The God of creation has His own people gathered from many tongues and tribes. His tribes (nation) speak the Word of God throughout the world. We speak His words, sounding just like Him, a voice of many waters.

His right hand had seven stars in verse 16. Stars represent messengers and the saints as it is written. In Psalm 147:2-4,

The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.

This has to do with the building of Jerusalem (us). We are the building of Jerusalem—His people, His saints, His temple. And we are held by His right hand. The right hand always represents the place of power and honor. As Jesus Christ is now seated at the right hand of God.

Verse 16,

Out of His mouth went a sharp two edged sword.

We know that the two edge sword is the WORD OF GOD, of which He is! It is written in 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.

He is Truth embodied.

The end of verse 16 states:

His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

He is the Light of the world. Truth, the Word of God, also represents Light. In Psalm 36:9,

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.

John’s gospel was written after this book of Revelation was written. That is why John wrote in his Gospel 1: 1-9:

In the beginning was the WORD, (what was), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

In verse 17, John sees Jesus as this description and falls down as dead… He is sooo great! Jesus speaks to John, in verses 17 & 18,

DO NOT BE AFRAID; I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST. I AM HE WHO LIVES, AND WAS DEAD, AND BEHOLD, I AM ALIVE FOREVER MORE. AMEN. AND I HAVE THE KEYS OF HADES AND OF DEATH.

When we get to chapter 6, the fourth seal is broken, the horse and rider of Death and Hades is revealed. Jesus now has those keys to Death because He has overcome death and the grave. In verse 19, Jesus instructs John,

Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

John saw what was and also saw what is. John was told by Jesus to write down what is and also write down the things that are to come, (what is to be).

A mystery is revealed in verse 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 (messengers) of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

The stars in His right hand are the angels or messengers. I believe we are the messengers of the church now. And the seven gold lampstands are the churches, the body of Christ.

As we proceed through the chapters, the description and character of Jesus Christ is displayed continually through Him and through His saints. Please keep notes of the symbols because they reveal His purpose of correction, exhortation, or judgment.

Remember also, the symbols of the antichrist and his people are also revealed continually this book. I pray we may have a heart to understand what the Holy Spirit is showing us!

CHAPTER 2

This is a book about the Great I Am who is from the Beginning and the Last.

As I read these letters, I always seek the godly character Jesus is displaying. In each letter, He shows a display of His divine nature. The Holy Spirit’s goal is help us to attain that godly character in maturity and fullness in Him.

In chapter 2, verse 1,

To the messenger of the church of Ephesus write, These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden (golden is represented as divine from heaven) lampstands: (Us).

I remember the first time I received the revelation that God was with us… Immanuel, that Jesus, God incarnate, came to be with me. He is here with me now. I remember walking my horse, Prince, to the pasture from the barn. I was telling him how cool and wonderful that God was with me and walking with us now. He is no longer way up in heaven- somewhere. I did not know this was the Father’s intention from the beginning of time. His plan long before He sent Jesus into the world…. He wanted to be with us…

I really like being with horses for the same reason as I love being in the presence of God. Horses are so big compared to man. They could trample us or squish us with their might, but most of the horses are very gentle and kind, like our God. God never fails. Love never fails. So when this knowledge came to me, I held it so close to my heart, like a diamond treasure.

When I learned that He sent His Spirit to be in me. Well, that spawned another long talk with my horse, Prince. The Creator of the universe dwells not just with me, but in me… I will never be alone again. He has given me my only hope of Glory-Himself.

His Holy Spirit is there to commune with me. He tells me what to do, which was a huge relief. I did not have to figure out life anymore, since I did a horrible job up to this illumination. The Holy Spirit explains the knowledge of Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father to me. When I read the Bible, it came alive to me. The Words on each page were just for me. I was astounded and amazed at His all encompassing love…. I am still to this day, amazed at His love. He is my First Love….

I always heard songs about Immanuel during the Christmas season. I always saw red, green and white as the colors for Christmas. I never questioned the tradition because that is Christmas… That is how dangerous tradition is… Tradition never makes God, His Word and Ways personal to us. So the relationship that He desires and yearns for is never realized due to our