Category: Revelation

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Each of the seven churches is in what is now modern Turkey. Back then, Turkey was a polyglot mix of almost every nationality under the sun. Idolatry is called sexual immorality in the prophets – the image is that we the church are God’s wife! The idolatry of Thyatira was a mixture of current ideas with traditional Christian belief.

SJA Notes

* Eternal God, the One, True and Ever-Blessed Lord. Thank You for Your word to us today.

“To the one who conquers …”

Reading this we might think on John’s memories, here at the winding down of his earthly life – How his King Jesus taught and lived what it meant to conquer.

The upside-down nature of God’s kingdom, that the weak would be strong, the humble lifted high, the small mustard-seed faith.

The conquering through submission and servant-hearted quiet meekness under God’s will.

To arm ourselves with the armor of God, wielding only one weapon, the Sword of His Spirit, His word.

Offering up ourselves as living sacrifices, resisting evil and fleeing from temptation.

Following Jesus. Turning to Jesus, doing what He tells us too, instead of what the world says.

This is conquering as Jesus set it out, His pattern and model.

To conquer the world by God living in us.

* Great God Above,

Thank You for these messages to the seven churches.

Please Lord God, may we be amongst those who conquer, in Your Name, living with You in our lives.

Please be alive in us today and onwards.

Mark us as a faithful and obedient people.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

We can find facets of our own congregation’s life in each of the seven churches. Do any of these descriptions apply to your congregation? What is your responsibility to Christ, to your congregation with what you see?

SJA Notes

* God Above, You are the true God, there is none like You – The first and the last, who died and came to life.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

This is a call from Jesus to and for all of us.

This last book in God’s word, written by John has this first section as a call from our King to listen to what is said to the churches.

It is Spirit who speaks, and it is Jesus who speaks. This is good for us to know, it reaffirms our triune God.

We see that the sword Jesus bears is from out of His mouth – The only weapon we have in God’s armory is this sword, His word. The self-same sword that God Himself uses.

Let us be encouraged to read and dwell on the words to the churches, the warnings and the encouragements.

We are the churches today. These words are for us.

* Dear Lord God,

Thank You for Your word, the sword of the Spirit, the sword that Jesus bears from His mouth.

Please help us to listen to what You tell us Lord God, to these words here in this revelation to Your people.

Please help us to listen and obey.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

This rich picture of Jesus is drawn from Genesis 3:24, Joshua 5:13-15, Ezekiel 1:7,27, Daniel 7:9,13, 8:17, Ezekiel 43:2, all through Ezekiel! This picture links Him to the whole of the Old Testament story of God’s dealings with mankind, from the Fall to Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land under Joshua, to the promise of the Messiah in Daniel’s revelation and in the prophets.

SJA Notes

* Father God in Heaven, may our hearts be open to Your word to us today.

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wait on account of him. Even so. Amen.”

Previously in his letters the apostle John has reminded us of the importance of acknowledging Jesus’s return.

Here he pointedly reminds us again of the hard word that this will be for many.

All tribes of the earth will WAIL on account of the King returning.

He is not a human king, mighty for a moment then gone to the dust like all others.

He is not a broken king, ruling with selfishness or greed, no lust for power or wealth or prestige.

What Jesus is though – He is the Alpha and the Omega, He is the ALMIGHTY.

As John so carefully points us to in his writings – Jesus _is_ God.

This book details for us much of what will happen when Jesus returns.

But He is returning.

And all will see Him.

* Dear God Above,

You are eternal, ever-living, the first and the last, the living God.

You hold the keys of death and hades.

You are the Almighty.

Please fix in us a right and true mode of thought to Your return.

Amen.