The Revelation Series - Student Guide by Chris Viljoen - HTML preview
Download the book in PDF, ePub, Kindle for a complete version.
PART 1
In Chapter 1-4 we see 7 Stars (angels), 7 Candlesticks (congregations of Asia), 7 Letters (conversion message and warning) ... We also partially see what Jesus looks like in the Spirit. We see the rapture and the Throne room of heaven, with 4 living creatures (literally), 7 Torches (the Holy Spirit after the rapture), and 24 elders (the Church of God after the rapture).
1
2
The Revelation Series - Student Guide
CHAPTER 1 – The 777.
John was on the island of Patmos, for the sake of the Word of God, (praying for everyone) and one day in the spirit to see the Revelation. He hears God behind him like a trumpet, saying: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last...”
John saw 7 golden candlesticks when he turned around. One of them was like Jesus, with a garment hanging down to the feet, with a golden belt around the chest (Daniel 10:5), with a white head and hair (Proverbs 16:31), and eyes like fire (Matthew 6:22 & 2 Kings 6:17). Feet like bright brass glowing hot (Daniel 10:6), and with a voice of many waters. He held seven stars in His right hand. From His mouth went a Two-Edged Sword (Hebrews 4:12), and He was like the sun (Revelation 22:5 & Isaiah 60:19). He tells John that the 7 candlesticks are the 7 churches, and the 7 stars are the 7 angels of the churches. Jesus also tells John that Jesus holds the keys to death and Hades.
A multidimensional God showed John the Baptist this story in a smaller 3-dimensional picture because we cannot even begin to understand the reality of what is about to happen. There will be too many great things to see (1 Corinthians 2:9).
3
C Viljoen
CHAPTER 2 – The repentance warning.
that you allow the false prophetess Jezebel to
seduce My servants. (1 Thessalonians 5:14,
Proverbs 12:26 & Romans 15:1) Let her followers
repent. God pays everyone according to his
works. My followers, wait for Me. (Romans 2:6 &
Psalm 91:7-8) LISTEN: If you overcome, you’ll
have the power of an iron rod over the nations,
like Jesus, & you will possess Satan.
First letter, to the angel of the church of
CHAPTER 3 – The repentance warning.
Ephesus:
The fifth letter, to Sardis:
God knows your good works and patience, but
God knows your good works and that you sound
God has against you that you have left your first
alive but are dead. (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians
love. (Jeremiah 2:2, 1 John 4:19) Then repent and
2:13, Matthew 5:37 & 42-43, 1 John 1:6, 8 &
do the first works (James 2:26 & Galatians 5:6 &
4:20) Awake and repent, or I will come upon you
Galatians 5:22-23). LISTEN: If you do not
unexpectedly like a thief in the night (1
overcome, you will not get into heaven to eat
Thessalonians 5:2). LISTEN: If you overcome, your
from the tree of life.
name will be in the book of life, and you will wear
worthy white robes forever.
Second letter, to the angel of Smyrna:
God knows your good works and poverty but has
The sixth letter, to Philadelphia:
against you the slander that you are a synagogue
God has the key of David. → 1 Samuel 16:1 & 11-
for Satan. (Colossians 3:11, 1 Corinthians 13:1,
12(David comes to take over the kingship from
Matthew 7:21 & 5:44) You will be oppressed for
King Saul), Ecclesiastes 1:12, Isaiah 9:6-7 & 22:22
10 days by Satan who will throw you into prison
& Luke 1:32 (Jesus comes with that key “throne”
to test you. Earn the crown of life by remaining
when He comes to get us) He opens doors that no
faithful unto death (Matthew 10:28, John 16:33,
one can close and closes doors that no one can
James 1:12). LISTEN: Those who overcome will
open. God knows all your works and has placed
not see the second death.
an open door before you. You have little strength
but have not denied Me. (Joshua 1:7 & Ephesians
Third letter, to Pergamos:
6:10-11) Stand strong when the trial comes upon
God knows your works, and that you dwell at the
the earth. LISTEN: If you overcome, you will
throne of Satan. You are faithful and have not
become a pillar in My temple. I will write My new
denied Me. But there are people who throw a
Name on you.
stumbling block before the children of Israel.
(Matthew 10:33 & 18:6) Repent, or I will come
The seventh letter, to Laodicea:
and wage war against you, with the sword of My
Thus says the Amen: I know all your works, and
mouth. (Matthew 4:4 & 7 & 10) LISTEN: Those
that you are neither cold nor hot, so you were
who overcome get hidden manna, and a white
spat out of My mouth. (2 Corinthians 1:20 &
choice stone (Nameplate: “I belong to God” -
Matthew 6:19) You trust in riches alone. I rebuke
Revelation 19:12 & Exodus 3:13-14) with a new
those I love! Repent yourselves! I'm knocking on
name on it that no one knows but he who gets it.
your door! (Matthew 19:20-21 & John 3:5 & 16)
Open up, so you can live. LISTEN: Those who
The fourth letter, to Thyatira:
overcome will come and sit with Me on My
God knows your good works and that the last
throne, just as I sat with My Father on His throne.
works are more than the first but has against you
4
The Revelation Series - Student Guide
THE COUNTRIES OF ASIA - BIBLE TIMES
THE COUNTRIES OF ASIA - TODAY'S DAYS
WHERE DOES SOUTH AFRICA AND THE BLACK SEA FIT IN
BIBLE NAME – NEW NAME
Ephesus – Selçuk
Smyrna - İzmir
Pergamus – Bergama
Thyatira – Akhisar
Sardis - Sart
Philadelphia – Alaşehir
Laodicea - Laodikeia
5
C Viljoen
CHAPTER 4 – The Throne Room after the rapture, with living creatures, torches, and elders.
After that, Jesus takes John up from the ground through an open door in heaven, and he sees the Throne Room: (Matthew 7:14, Psalm 78:23, John 14:6)
No man comes to God except through: ____________________.
Here is all that John saw and heard in there:
The Throne on which God sits with a rainbow around it, which looks like an Emerald “bright green, emerald jewel”. God looks like Jasper and Sardis. Lightning and thunder and loud voices issued from the throne.
(Deuteronomy 7:9, Isaiah 1:17-19, Genesis 9:13-16)
The rainbow ____________________ God of his covenant to never destroy everything again.
6
The Revelation Series - Student Guide
Around the throne were 4 living creatures, each with 6 wings and many eyes... Each had a different head: Lion, Calf, Man, and Eagle. They kept singing: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!” (Revelation 19:4, 5:6-14 & 15:7, Revelation 6:1-17, Ezekiel 1 & 10:2, Hebrews 4:13, Isaiah 6:1-4)
The 4 creatures are the leaders of praise and _______________ in heaven, and they help God when He _______________. These beings carry and render service to the _______________ of God.
Holy, Holy, Holy is the
Lord God,
the Almighty,
who was and who is
and who is to come!
Ezekiel saw these beings in the Old Testament, each with these 4 heads, carrying the Throne. Many believe in a traditional story, that these 4 creatures might be the 4 Gospels, because if you look at the beginning of each Gospel book: Matthew (the Human head) speaks of Jesus' bloodline, Mark (the Lion -Head) speaks of the voice crying in the wilderness, Luke speaks of the sacrifice in Jerusalem (the Calf's head), and John speaks of the perfection of the Word of God, and how he was caught up in the clouds to the Revelation to be seen (the Eagle-head). No evidence for this exists, and it's just what people think is possible. The Bible's only God has these beings who serve Him at the Throne, and they are the leaders of the service of the other beings (angels and elders) in heaven.
7
C Viljoen
7 Torches of fire (the 7 Spirits of God) burn before the throne, on a crystal sea.
This is the Holy Spirit who appears in 7 forms: Isaiah 11:2!
The Spirit of the (1) Lord, of (2) __________, (3) __________, (4) __________, (5) __________, (6) __________, and of (7) __________…
Of the works of the Holy Spirit:1 Corinthians 12:3, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Romans 8:2, John 14:17, Ephesians 1:17, Matthew 12:28, and Romans 8:26.
Extra Information: Genesis 1:31 & 1:2, Revelation 2-3, Acts 1:4, Revelation 4:5 & 5:6.
The torches are NOT the candlesticks, because in Revelation 1:4 John speaks of both separately.
These Torches of Fire are the Holy Spirit, and perhaps represent the baptism that Jesus brings (the baptism of the Holy Spirit and of Fire - Luke 3:16, to the cleansing of our souls 1 Thessalonians 5:19), and that is why they are hanging over the water. 2 Kings 5.
Currently the Holy Spirit is still “sent out” and with us (Psalm 104:30 and Ecclesiastes 12:7) Acts 1:4-8, 2:38
& John 14:26, to save us, and the rapture has not yet does not happen.
The sea has always been associated with sin and death. Isaiah 57:20 → (sinners are like a troubled sea).
Matthew 14:25 → Jesus has power over the sea “or therefore over sin”. Genesis 1:2b →God has always walked above sin. Matthew 8:32 → Demons sailed into the sea. Jude 1:13 → All of our spirits have been compared to stars, and some are “doomed to darkness” …
Revelation 13:1 & James 1:6.
The sea and the earth are the ____________________ kingdom. The Word teaches us that someone who hesitates, someone who doubts, is like the ________________________________________.
Into the sea Revelation 4:6 is like Crystal (calm and clear), and it shows us that God and his Glorious beings can see everything, can see right through everyone (Hebrews 4:12-13 & Acts 15:18). The sea represents sin that is overcome “once and for all”, made quiet, brought under “submission” (Mark 4:39 & 41), with the Christians caught up and in tranquility before God, and with the Wicked left behind in the dark, forever.
The sea will be gone because the memory of God's judgment will be gone.
8
The Revelation Series - Student Guide
24 Elders with white robes and golden crowns around the throne. Every time the 4 creatures sing, the elders fall on the ground and worship God and throw their crowns on the ground before Him, and say:
“You are worthy, because by Your Will everything exists.” Luke 14:14
When the rapture happens, we will be ____________________ for our deeds on earth.
These elders are not angels, because angels could never have aged. These elders are the representatives of the church of God, after the rapture happens in Revelation 3:4 & 4:2. These are persons who walked on earth, because they are clothed with the same clothes that we Christians get: Revelation 3:5 & James 1:12.
The Lord tells us that we who endure, who overcome sin, will rule with Him, in Revelation 2:26-27, 5:10, 20:4, Matthew 19:28, Luke 22:30, & 2 Timothy 2:12, so the 24 Elders must then represent us, the church of God. The elders are the living and the dead who will rise in the rapture and be caught up to heaven.
The 7 Candlesticks are the 7 ______________________________ currently on earth.
The 7 Stars are the 7 ____________________ of the 7 Candlesticks.
The 7 Torches (lamps), horns, and eyes are the 7 ____________________, at least the Holy Spirit.
The 24 Elders are the ____________________ of God.
9
What did we learn?
HOMEWORK – FOR EACH SESSION: Each person can choose one of the following:
- Tell one Bible fact → __________
- Read a short story from the Bible → __________
- Open with prayer → __________
- Conclude with prayer → __________
REFERENCES:
- Psalm 101:3 & 84:11, 1 Samuel 16:7, Proverbs 21:4, Matthew 5:29 & 13:43, Luke 11:34-35 & 1:78-79, Mark 12:30, Romans 2: 28-29, 1 Corinthians 15:33, & Ephesians 4:4.
INTERESTING FACTS:
- 1 John 2:12-18 - A summary of the warning of the coming of Christ, the attack of the Antichrist, and the eye which is the window of the soul.
- The Old Testament saw this candlestick image of Jesus before John in Revelation, found in Daniel 10:4-6.
- Revelation has about 404 verses, of which 278 are directly quoted from other books of the Bible.
- Acts 12:1-17– Great miracles around the time of John.
- There are traditional stories that say that “Prochorus” is the nephew of Stephen in Acts 6:5, and that John received the vision of the Revelation precisely on Patmos by seeing it with his own eyes, and that Próchorus was its author “scribe”, who wrote all that John saw and described. Also, that John was “exiled” by the Romans to Patmos to work there as a slave in the mine along with other captured slaves who were sent there on a regular basis as hermits. Unfortunately, the Bible doesn't say anything about this, and it's just a belief based on historical stories and tradition now, because there are ancient mining caves where these people may have worked and lived.
10
The Revelation Series - Student Guide