Revealed: Hope in the Vision of the Future

22:1–5

Foreword

The world seems to be falling apart! Is this something to fear, or an anticipation of a new world Jesus is establishing?

For many years, Pastor Werner Kniesel and I have developed a mutual friendship and camaraderie in church planting. He has pastored one of the largest churches in Europe in Zurich, Switzerland. His marriage and life character are impeccable. His reputation with world leaders is renowned. His greatest quality, however, is his humility. Every moment I have spent with Werner over the years has left me more hungry to be like Jesus!

This volume on Revelation comes from many years of purity in ministry, a pastoral heart for people, and focus on the salvation of the lost. In this timely treatise, Pastor Werner, boils it all down to that theme as the most important activity of the church. Though the book intricately explains all the seals, trumpets, and bowls of the Revelation, it maintains the focus upon Jesus and His desire to rescue men and women from the lake of fire.

This is not a book to simply broaden your knowledge. It is written from the heart of a soul winner with hopes that you will take this work as a personal mandate to rescue the lost. Read it, digest it, then distribute it to friends, neighbors and family who are not ready for eternity. When all the books are written and destroyed by the brightness of His coming, only those that were used to deliver people from the lake of fire will be rewarded!

Congratulations on discovering this simple, yet profound, manual on the Revelation. I have spent six months teaching it to our church and they have been immensely blessed. Congratulations, Werner, on completing a life work on your most important message to reach the lost. May the Kingdom of God expand exponentially through every printed copy. Keep your eyes on the skies and your hand to the plow. You are a part of the final harvest of souls, and it is beginning now!

Larry Stockstill

Acknowlegements

My appreciation goes to:

My dear wife Hedi, who so faithfully has been at my side ministering with me during so many years.

The staff and congregation of CZB Zurich with whom I had the privilege to share twenty-four years.

Trudy Rittmeyer, my sister, who translated the German manuscript into English.

The staff of Word Alive Press for their professional cooperation at all levels.

Larry Stockstill, a dear Pastor and friend who loves the Lord, the church and its mission, for his example and inspiration to me.

Most of all, to Jesus my Lord and the wonderful Helper He gave, the Holy Spirit, for what they mean to me and my ministry.

Introduction

to Revelation

As a Christian, one should read and study the book of Revelation. For many, this book remains mysterious, but this should not be the case. Jesus said, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book (Revelation 22:10). The Word of God promises blessings for both reader and student of this book.

As you read, you will soon be aware that much of Revelation is symbolic and will not be easily understood. The meaning of a passage can often be determined in relationship to the actual context, or in reference to the Old Testament. Jesus Himself explains the symbols that were revealed to John in the first chapter.

Revelation is not a book of disorder or confusion. I believe that we find two accounts of similar events. The first one of these accounts starts with Revelation 4 and continues to the end of Revelation 11. It says, in Revelation 10:7, But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

The second account begins with Revelation 12. The same events are portrayed, but these last chapters give us more insight and enlightenment. I would like to point out that much of what God says and does is confirmed by two or three witnesses. When Pharaoh had his dreams concerning the future of Egypt, he did not just have one dream, but two different dreams with identical meanings. We can find the same principle at work in Daniel, to whom the future kingdoms of the world were revealed. He had one vision in Daniel 2, and another in Daniel 7. The two passages revealed the same truth in order to make the message more understandable and complete. In Revelation, God gave John a first vision, and then a second one. Both visions complement each other and produce a clearer picture. We shall study the Book of Revelation accordingly.

There are many different opinions concerning the interpretation of this book. There is agreement as to the main features, but not always to the details found in the writings. There are actually two interpretive theories. The first bases everything on history, the Historist Interpretation, which views Revelation 4–19 as the Dispensation of the Church. Everything written in these chapters is explained in view of the last two thousand years of history. The other theory is the Futurist Interpretation, which states that Chapters 1–3 pertain directly to the Church, while the remaining chapters are a description of the End Times.

We shall be discussing the Futurist Interpretation not simply out of curiosity, but because we live in the closing times of the Church. We should know about some of the things that will happen to our Earth and to the people living on it. These truths should lead us to a deeper relationship with God and to an intentional effort to work for Him.

What is the actual relationship of the book of Revelation to the rest of the Bible? The gospel of Jesus Christ is the basis of Revelation. Right at the beginning of the first chapter, John points to the Gospel. These opening passages speak of Jesus as the Son of God. They also state that Jesus was born and resurrected. This is the basis of the Gospel of Salvation. The Son of God came, died, and rose again. John also states that salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ, then goes on to show the result of faith for those who accept this salvation, have direct access to God the Father, and have become priests. The first chapter shows us that Jesus has the power over Death and Hell. We are also told that Jesus will return and that there will be a judgment over the people who have rejected Christ. The book of Revelation is in complete harmony and agreement with the preaching of the Apostles and the Prophets.

John’s Vision of Christ

Following these introductory passages, we shall look into John’s vision, which he describes in Revelation 1:9–20.

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: ‘Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.’ I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone ‘like a son of man’, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.’

This took place around 96 A.D. All of the other Apostles were dead and the destruction of Jerusalem had occurred approximately twenty-five years earlier. There was a new generation of believers working in the churches. They were not primarily those who had accepted salvation at, or shortly after, Pentecost.

During this time, Jesus revealed Himself to one of His disciples, one of the three who had been closest to Him. If anyone knew Jesus well, it was John. Now, he saw Jesus in His present position and authority, not as He had been on earth—a human, demoted and humbled—but as the exalted King! Notice how he describes Him:

…dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance (Revelation 1:14–16).

Can we picture and understand the Majesty of Jesus? Jesus Christ is the exalted King and Lord. He is holy. If John fell down as if dead, how will a sinner react when he stands before our Lord?

As Christians, we should never lose our faith in God because we have access to Him through the blood of Jesus. But, we should also never lose sight of the holiness of God’s Majesty! With what kind of attitude do we go into the presence of God? Is it with reverence, respect and worship? John saw Him in the midst of the churches—then and now.

I have noticed that Jesus did not just address one individual in charge of all the churches; He addressed each church and each of its leaders individually. According to the Bible, in this vision a star represents the leader of a church. This vision shows us that Jesus is holding the stars in His right hand. When John saw all of this, he fell as though dead to the ground. Jesus touched him and said, Do not be afraid (Revelation 1:17). Then he told John to pay attention to the message. John was instructed to write what he saw, that which occurred ninety-six years after Christ, and that which would happen later. Most Bible teachers agree that these letters to the seven existing churches have a universal significance. They have a direct message, not only for the seven churches, but also for all Christendom throughout every generation. At that time, there were more than seven churches in Asia Minor. As far as we know, there were over one hundred churches, but only seven are mentioned. Did Jesus not care about the others? Of course He did. We read at the end of each letter, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. I believe that we can and must examine our church and our personal life according to the truths presented to these seven churches. There is no other place in the Bible that discusses the situation of a church in such a clear, understandable and vivid way as here. We cannot ignore this. We must pay attention.

These messages also portray the actual development of Christianity starting with the church in Ephesus, in the time of the apostles, right up to the church in Laodicea, which represents the lukewarm church of the end time.

We can see that Jesus appears to John as one who walks among His churches and judges and tests His churches in every aspect. He also keeps the leaders of the churches in His hand, and demands accountability from them. Just as Jesus showed that He held the stars in His hand, and that He demanded accountability from them, so He wants to show us that the moment will come when each Christian must give an account before Him. That is why He instructed the churches to rectify certain things, repent, and to change their minds.

I am certain that it will be an interesting journey as we travel through The Book of Revelation. We will discover how wonderful God’s plan is for the church, for the nation of Israel, and for all people. We shall also learn how each person should heed His call as long as there is a time of grace.

The Letters

In my opinion, most Christians and pastors do not give the letters to the seven churches enough attention. Due to the leading and anointing of the Holy Spirit, the apostles and the early Christians were able to start many churches. Acts and the Epistles give us insight into the growth of some of these churches. Now, after some decades of existence, the Lord of the churches, Jesus, addressed them. I find this very noteworthy. These seven churches were selected to demonstrate the dangers and the wrong development that each Christian and each church will likely encounter throughout time. It is most important that we view these seven letters as a complete message to us from God. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! What He states in these letters is for each person at all times. It is not necessary for Him to repeat things. He spoke. We must listen and obey.

John, who was often called Jesus’ favorite disciple, received these messages under the influence of the vision he describes in Revelation 1:13–16. This overwhelming experience caused John to fall to the ground as if dead. After Jesus revived him, he received these messages for the seven churches. We can imagine what this meant to John. This was not a friendly little reminder, but a strong message of how God viewed the existing churches, and how He wants all churches to be throughout all times.

Do Not Lose the

Most Important

Revelation 2:1–7

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit