This page provides notes about various things in Revelation chapter one that do not fit into other lessons from that chapter. They are, however, points of sufficient interest that I have included them here. You can think of this lesson as footnotes to our studies in
John The "John" who introduces himself here (Rev 1:4), is most likely John the apostle who wrote the gospel and the three epistles that also bear his name. Some insist that it is a different John, because the language style differs from the other books. However that is explained in that John is writing a different manner of book, and doing so under the thrall of the visions being shown to him
Asia The "Asia" here (Rev 1:4), is not what we call Asia today, but rather Asia Minor, the area of which Ephesus is the major city. The seven churches to whom the letter was originally circulated were in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea (Rev 1:11). These towns are listed in clockwise order going north to Pergamum, then
Patmos John was on a small island off the coast of Ephesus. There he would be able, undisturbed, to receive "the word of God and the testimony of Jesus" . It is necessary, sometimes, to go away to a lonely place in order to be
The Lord's day John is beginning one of the most remarkable days of his life. Heaven is opening up to him. He is "in spirit" not in his usual
As a matter of interest, all the days of the week are named after false gods as shown in the table below. Maybe we should call every day
Seven churches The seven churches to whom the book of Revelation was originally circulated, are listed in clockwise order as you would find them, travelling north from Ephesus (the capital of Asia Minor) to Pergamum, then southwest to Laodicea. Although John is writing to these seven churches, they are representative of all churches of Christ, and what John heard, saw, and wrote,
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