A. ALTERNATION BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH
a. Vision in heaven (chapter 1)
b. Seven letters to the churches (chapters 2 and 3)
a. Vision in heaven (chapter 4)
Specific words and phrases common to chapters 1 and 4 are:
“what is to take place hereafter”
“like a sound of many waters” / “speaking like a trumpet”
“I was in the Spirit”
“seven spirits before the throne”
“seven lamp stands” / “seven torches of fire”
“for ever and ever, I am alive for evermore” / “who lives for ever and ever”
“who was, and is, and is to come”
“glory and dominion” / “glory and honor and power”
“voice like a trumpet”
Similar alternation throughout the Book of Revelation is held to be the key to its structure by some
commentators.
B. IMPORTANCE OF THE NUMBER 7
elements in the letters
1. Opening address: “To the angel of the church of ..... write”
2. Self-designation of Christ
3. Compliment: “I know your works”
4. Criticism
5. Command
6. Promise and / or threat
7. Admonition: “He who has an ear, let him hear”
“Seven” in the Book of Revelation
Generally symbolizes completion.
Besides the obvious series of seven churches, bowls, seals, trumpets, plagues and blessings, certain
words and phrases appear exactly seven times or in multiples of seven:
7X: “the Spirit says,” “prophecy,” “candlestick,” “cloud,” “worthy,” “bottomless pit,” seven lists
including four related elements such as “kindred, tongue, people, tribe, etc.,” “kingdom,”
“wonder/miracle,” “earthquake,” “reign,” “(God's) wrath,” “Almighty God,” “Jesus Christ,” and seven
references to Jesus coming “quickly.”
14X: “servant,” “woe,” “for ever and ever,” “dwell,” “patience,” and references to the four living
creatures
21X: “power,” “king (or King of kings),” “book” and “day”
Because of the above phenomenon, there is a strong expectation that any structural organization in this
book must be based on the number seven. Thus, most commentators see a series of seven sections to
Revelation (with or without an introductory and/or concluding section) although they differ somewhat
in identifying the scope of these sections.
C. BASIC VIEWS OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES
a. literal: the geographical settings match the route of delivery for such a circular letter (consult
a map of the area)
b. symbolic, or typical view (but commentators disagree on what they stand for)
Ephesus – falling away; fundamentalism
Smyrna – fearful, ritualism
Pergamum – faltering, clericalism
Thiatyra – false, sacerdotalism (emphasis on priests)
Sardis – fruitless, liberalism
Philadelphia – feeble, revivalism
Laodicea – fashionable, materialism
c. chronological view (also called Historicist View)
Ephesus – post-apostolic age; Smyrna – persecuted church; Pergamum – church under
Constantine; Thyatira – Catholic Church of the Middle Ages; Sardis – Protestant
movement; Philadelphia – holiness and revival movements; Laodicea – present church
d. Some evidence for the progressive recapitulation view (repetition of some items while at the
same time moving forward chronologically) can be seen in that the first two letters emphasize
the past works of the church and allude to Christ's first coming while the last two letters spend
more time on the final fate of the church.
D. CHIASTIC ARRANGEMENT OF THE SEVEN LETTERS
1. Ephesus
2. Smyrna
3. Pergamum
4. Thyatira
5. Sardis
6. Philadelphia
7. Laodicea
The threat / warning component in each of the letters displays the clearest chiastic pattern, moving
from threats of utter rejection for churches 1 and 7, to warnings of religious persecution for believers in
2 and 6, to opposition by Christ himself in 3 and 5. The letter to Thyatira in the center is unique in that
its threat/warning is almost exclusively directed towards a false prophetess, not the church itself. This
particular letter is also the only one in the series that uses the phrase “all the churches.” It is also the
longest of the seven letters.
Other evidence of chiastic pairings within these letters includes: (a) the similar condemnations of
Ephesus (1) and Laodicea (7), (b) promises to these same churches both involving eating, (c) lack of a
condemnation for churches 2 and 6, (d) the phrase “those who say that they are Jews and are not, but
are a synagogue of Satan” in letter 2 and the same phrase with the two clauses reversed in letter 6, (e)
promises involving new names to churches 3 and 5, and (f) the identical opening phrase “The words of
him who has” found only in letters 3 and 5.
The Word “Overcome”
What does it mean to overcome? What images come to mind?
This word appears a number of times in the Book of Revelation (2:7,11,26; 3:5; 12:21).
An analytical concordance such as Young's or Strong's will give a hint as to the meaning of the various Hebrew and Greek words translated in this way:
Hebrew Words – mostly images of war
abar = pass over, enter, overrun
gud = invade, assault, strip
halam = beat down, overpower
lacham = wage war, devour, consume
yakol = to be able, have power, attain, prevail
Numbers 13:30 Caleb: “Let us go up and occupy the land, for we are able (with God's power).”
Numbers 22:38 Balaam: “I am not able to say anything except the words of God.”
Greek Words
hettaomi = to be overcome, be inferior (passive sense). In the active sense it means “to be superior to.”
II Peter 2:19-20 “Whatever overcomes a man, to that he is enslaved.”
katakurieuo = to exercise power and dominion over, domineer, lord over (usually in a negative sense)
Mark 10:42-43 “Those who rule the Gentiles...”
I Peter 5:3 “Elders should not domineer”
kurieuo = to have dominion, be lord of, be authorized. This is still a somewhat negative word and is nowhere applied to the believer in an active sense.
Romans 6:9 Death has no dominion over Christ.
Romans 6:14 Sin has no dominion over the believer.
II Corinthians 1:24 Paul: “We don't have dominion over your faith”
Romans 14:9 Christ has dominion over the living and the dead.
nikao = to gain the victory, conquer, surpass, be stronger than.
Applied to Christ:
John 16:33 has overcome the world
Luke 11:20-22 has overcome the power of Satan
Revelation 3:21; 5:5 has conquered.
Revelation 17:14 will overcome the ten kings who oppose him.
Applied to Believers:
Romans 12:21 Overcome evil with good.
flesh I Corinthians 15:54-57 God gives us the victory over sin and death.
world I John 5:4 Our faith in Jesus overcomes the world.
Devil I John 2:13, 4:4 You have overcome Satan.
Revelation 12:10-11 The word here is actually hyper-nikao (conquering to the nth degree – see Romans 8)
Those Who Overcome
Verse Overcomers
7+1 occurrences believers
5:5; 6:2 Christ
11:7 the enemy
12:11 believers
13:7 the enemy
15:2 believers
17:14 Christ
21:7 believers
Promises to the Churches
Revelation 2:7: eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God. See Revelation 22:2 – restored
fellowship with God and healing.
Genesis 3:22: eternal life
Proverbs 3:13,18: wisdom
Revelation 2:11: not be hurt by the second death. See Revelation 20:14; 21:8
Even though we may physically die before Christ's coming, this is a negative promise that we will not
be subjected to eternal death and separation from God that is the fate of others. Rabbinical context: the
second death = death of the wicked in the world to come.
Revelation 2:17: hidden manna. There was a Jewish legend that manna was hidden in a cave in Mt.
Sinai and that the Messiah would reveal where it was and feed mankind.
Revelation 2:17: a white stone with a new name. See Revelation 19:11-16;22:4; Romans 8:1; and
Isaiah 62:2.
Revelation 2:26: power over the nations. See Revelation 20:4; Psalm 2:8-9; Matthew 19:28. This is the
general idea of judgment, reigning in power, crushing opposition to God's people. Those persecuted for
Christ's sake will be in charge.
Revelation 2:28: the morning star. See Revelation 22:16 (Jesus himself. Believers will share in the
splendor of this reign.); Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 14:12; Daniel 12:3.
Other interpretations: Satan (Isaiah 14); immortality of believers (Daniel 12), dawn of eternal life; the
Holy Spirit; or the planet Venus.
Revelation 3:5: white garments. See Revelation 19:8,14 (righteous deeds, purity); Isaiah 61:10
(righteousness, salvation). During festivities honoring the Roman gods or a victorious emperor, the
worshiper had to wear white, unsoiled clothes or they would be dishonoring the gods.
Revelation 3:5: name not blotted out from the Book of Life. Another negative promise. See Revelation
17:8; 20:12-15; 21:27; Daniel 12:1
Revelation 3:5: confess his name before the Father and angels. See Matthew 10:32; Luke 12:8.
Natural consequences -- If we aren't ashamed to call ourselves Christians, He won't be ashamed of us
in heaven.
Revelation 3:12: a pillar in the temple of God. See Psalm 23; 27:4; Revelation 21:22-25; Galatians 2:9:
Peter, James and John as reputed pillars of the church. Indicates stability and permanency in God's
presence forever.
Revelation 3:12: the name of God, New Jerusalem, and Christ's new name. See Revelation 14:1. To
bear the name of a place means to have citizenship in it.
Revelation 3:21: sit with Christ on his throne: See Revelation 20:4; II Timothy 2:12
Revelation 21:6: water of life. See Revelation 22:1-2,17; Psalm 36:8-9 (delight in the presence of God;
John 4:10-14 (total satisfaction, eternal life)
Revelation 21:7: I will be his God and he will be my son.” Amazing statement about the deity of Christ.
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