Religion and Theology

Summon one
Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near (Rev 1.3).

To begin with, the Roman Empire had a special prison where enemies of the empire were detained. It was a rocky island called Patmos. Prisoners who were detained there usually wasted away and later died. It was in that grim setting that John had a series of visions he later wrote down as Revelation, the strangest book in the New Testament.  It is highly likely that John wrote the book of Revelation approximately sixty years after Jesus had left the earth and the church was constantly being troubled with questions. Was Jesus really going to come as He had promised before He left Where did He go to What did He go to do Why did He not return immediately With the church being bugged with all these questions, John, in his revelation came to provide answers to all those questions. As hard to understand as it is conceived to be, John guides us by introducing the book as Jesus Christs revelation.  The book portrays a clear image of Jesus Christ and there is no way the New Testament would have been complete without it. While the letters discuss the deep significance of the resurrected Christ and what He accomplished, the book of Revelation portrays Jesus Christ from a new perspective as the mighty ruler of the forces of good. Rev 117 states that on seeing Jesus Christ in His exalted state, John he fell down on his knees as if dead. Revelation is all about Christs future triumph over all the forces of evil in the entire universe. This very important message of hope was not only needed by the ancient readers of the first century but also by the present readers. Fee and Stuart (2002) note that as a Christian prophet, John describes the tribulations the Christians, including him, were going through as the ultimate conflict between God and Satan in which God is able to win salvation that is eternal for His people. The peoples role presently is to defeat the evil one by the blood of the Lamb and also by their testimonies because God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ had already triumphed over the evil one, Satan. Miller and Gingerich (1994) add that John is well aware of the conflict that was being experienced and the effects it had on the church. He shares his tribulations and persecutions while in exile in Patmos and even goes ahead to mention by name one Christian who had been martyred. He is well aware of the imprisonment of Christians and persecution of the church in the Roman Empire and he portrays the resolution of these tribulations in terms of the great final battle at the end of time. Using the traditional imagery, John could have easily called on the Christians who were being persecuted to rise up against the forces of evil but he does not. He instead encourages them to reject any form of violence in as much as they were victims of violence themselves. God through His angel revealed to John all the things that would soon come to pass so that the people would be aware of them. John on the other hand bore witness of the Gods word and the testimony of Jesus Christ including all the things that he witnessed. In the first chapter of Revelation we are able to Johns prophetic call, where he describes himself as a brother to fellow Christians and a companion in tribulation and in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and reveals that he too was sharing the same tribulations the other Christians were, but was glad it was for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. On the day he received the revelation, John says he was in the spirit and he heard a strong voice, resembling that of a trumpet and the voice said it was Alfa and Omega, the first and last. The voice instructed John that whatever he heard and saw, he should write  to the seven churches which were Asia, Ephesus, Pergamum, Smyrna, Sardis, Thyatira, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. John places himself in exile and sees himself as a fellow sufferer before he gives the details of him receiving the revelation. John here is present as I who not only sees but also hears all that is going on around him and all that follows then (Fee and Stuart 2002).

Summon Two
John in chapter one is instructed to write down all he sees and hears during the revelation, and also what will happen later and should then send it to the seven churches. The first church was Ephesus and John was asked to let the church in Ephesus know that the Lord was aware of their deeds, hard work and also the tribulations they were going through. He lets them know that He understood they did not put up with wickedness and wicked men. That He knew the church in Ephesus had put to test those who were claiming to be apostles and found they were not. All the temptations and hardships the church was going through at the time God knew. He acknowledges they had endured a lot of hardship for His sake and yet they did not relent. But the Lord tells them they have forsaken their first love, and so He holds it against them. He is asking them to repent, and go back to their old ways in which they did right. If they do not repent, the Lord assures them of dire consequences. However, He notes that the people did not love wickedness which He describes as a favor to them, as He, also, displeases in wickedness. He lastly warns those who have ears to hear. That to all those that overcame, they would eat from the tree of life, which was in Gods paradise.

The second church was that of Smyrna. To the church of Smyrna, John was asked to let them know that this letter was from the one who is the First and last, who died and later came back to life. The Lord first acknowledges their afflictions, suffering, and poverty but encourages them by comforting them that they are also rich. He adds that He knew of those who pretended to be good and righteous but were on the contrary evil doers. The Lord encourages the church in Smyrna not to be afraid of the tribulations that they were about to suffer. That for ten days, the devil will put them to prison and they will suffer persecution. But the Lord God asks them not to be afraid and to be faithful up to the point of their death, and He shall reward them with the crown of life. That all those who have ears should listen, that they who overcame will not be hurt by the second death.

To the church of Pergamum, Christ identifies Himself as He who has a sharp and double edged sword. He is aware of where they live, in suffering and tribulation, where the throne of Satan is. But the Lord is quick to note that irrespective of their sufferings, the church in Pergamum had not forsaken Him, nor had they renounced their faith, even after facing persecutions and even death, like the death of Antipas. The Lord however says He has a few things against the church in Pergamum. That they were responsible for the misdeeds like sexual immorality and eating foods sacrificed to idols. Therefore the Lord is calling them to repent from their sinful habits or He will come down and punish them. To those who have ears are asked to listen. To they that overcome shall receive hidden manna, according the Lord God, and a white stone shall be given to them, with a name written on them, a name only known to those who receive it.

To the church in Thyatira, lets His presence known by saying He was the Son of God whose eyes He says are like blazing fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze. Christ says He acknowledges the deeds of the people of Thyatira, their love, faith, perseverance and that they were now doing more than they were previously doing. However, He is quick to criticize them because they had fallen to sexual immorality. They had tolerated the fake prophetess who then led them to sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed for idols. Christ says He will cast the fake prophetess a rose of suffering as she had refused to turn away and repent from her evil ways. For those who commit adultery with her He will make them suffer intensely if the refuse to repent. He adds that He will strike her children dead and all the churches will know that He is the one who searches the hearts and minds and repays each and everyone according to their deeds. To those in Thyatira that have not held to her teachings nor learned the so called top secrets of the devil, Christ promises not to hold any other burden upon them. He is however asking them to hold on till the day that He returns. He promises those who overcome and do His will authority over the nations. He says they will rule the nations with iron scepters, and will dash them to pieces like pottery, just as He has received authority from the Father. Again, those who have ears are urged to hear what the spirit says to the churches.

To the church in Sardis, Christ describes Himself as He who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. Christ is not happy with the people of Sardis. He describes them as having a reputation of being alive but instead they are dead. He is urging the church in Sardis to wake up and strengthen what is remaining and is about to die. They are asked to obey what they have heard and consequently repent. If they do not repent Christ says He will come like a thief, when they least expect and they shall be judged. He however notes that there are some in Sardis who have walked in righteousness and as a reward He will dress them in white clothing and let them walk with Him as a sign of their worthiness. Christ promises those who overcome tribulation that He shall dress them in white clothing and shall not remove their names in the book of life and also that He will acknowledge them before His Father and the angels in Heaven. Once again like in all the other churches, Christ is urging those who have ears to hear what the spirit is saying to the churches.

Summon Three
The next letter was written to the church of Philadelphia. These are the words of him who is Holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open, Christ says. Christ first acknowledges that He knows their deeds and assures the church in Philadelphia that He had placed before them an open door that no one could shut. He appreciates them for holding on to His faith and His word and not denying His name even as He understands they have little strength. Christ therefore promises them that those who walked in the ways of the evil one shall fall at the feet of the righteous and acknowledge that truly Christ has loved the righteous. And since they have endured with patience, Christ promises them that He will also keep them away from the hour of the trial which He said was coming soon to test those who lived on the earth. Christ is asking the people of Philadelphia to hold on till His return so that no one can take their crown, and promises those who overcome a pillar in the Temple of God. That He shall write on them the name of His God and the name of the city of God, which will be the New Jerusalem and which will come down of Heaven from God. That Christ will also write His new name on those who endure and overcome the suffering and tribulations before His return.

The next letter was addressed to the church of Laodicea. In His letter, Christ, describes the message in the letter as the words of Amen, the faithful and the true witness, and the ruler of Gods creation. He is not pleased with the deeds of the people of Laodicea. He says they are neither hot nor cold and adds that it was better if they were either one of them.  Because of their lukewarm nature, He warns them that He is about to spit them out of His mouth as a result. He describes the people in Laodicea as poor, pitiful, blind and naked, yet they claimed to have a lot of riches and did not need anything else. Christ urges them to repent and adds that He rebukes and disciplines those that He loves. In addition, Christ shows His forgiving nature once again when He tells them that if anyone heard His voice and opened the door for Christ, He would come in and eat with them and them with Him. For those who overcome He promises to allow them sit with Him in His throne, just as His Father let Him sit on His throne. Him who has an ear is advised to hear what the spirit is telling the churches.

John then goes ahead to describe the visions as he had witnessed them. He begins with the vision he saw of the Throne in Heaven. He gives a vivid description of what the throne in Heaven looked like. According to him, a voice resembling the previous one that had called him, called on him again. The voice asked to show him the events that were about to take place. At once, John found himself in the spirit and before him was a throne in Heaven with someone sitting on it. He described the one sitting on it as having the appearance of jasper and carnelian. Encircling the throne was a rainbow that resembled emerald. Surrounding the throne were twenty four other thrones and seated on them were twenty four elders, all dressed in white and wearing gold crowns on their heads. Flashes of light came from the throne and seven lamps were blazing before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.

Circling the throne and in the middle were four living creatures, covered with eyes both in the front and at the back. The first one was like a lion, the second like an ox, the third like a man, and the forth like an eagle. All had six wings and covered with eyes even under their wings. The four creatures worshipped the Lord God Almighty day and night and never stopped singing praise to the Most High.  As the creatures worshipped, the twenty four elders fell on their knees before Him that lives forever and ever and praised and worshiped Him at the same time glorifying His creation.

John then saw a scroll written on both sides and sealed with seven seals, on the right hand of him that sat on the throne. Then an angel in a loud voice asked who was worthy to break the seal and open the scroll. There was no one in heaven or under the earth that could open the scroll, and John wept on seeing this.  But one of the elders comforted John and told him not to weep as the Lion of Judah had succeeded and was able to open the scroll together with its seven seals. Then John saw a lamb that looked like it had been slain. It was standing in the middle of the throne surrounded by the four creatures and the twenty four elders. The lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represented the seven spirits of God sent out on earth. The lamb came and picked the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne and on taking it, the four creatures and the twenty four elders all fell before Him in worship and praise of the Lamb singing new songs to the Lamb. Soon angels in their thousands and hundred of thousands together with creature in Heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all that are in them sang praises to the Lamb and worshiped Him saying worthy is the Lamb. Here the Lamb is Jesus Christ who came to earth and died for the sins of man that he may be saved.

Summon four
John then watched as the Lamb opened one of the seven seals and one of the four creatures called unto him to come and look what it contained. There was a white horse, and its rider was holding a bow. He was given a crown and rode like a conqueror on quest. Then the Lamb opened the second of the seven seal, and the second living creature called John to witness what is contained. A fierce red horse then came out and was given authority to take peace from the earth and also cause men to slay each other. For this he was given a large sword. Then the Lamb opened the third seal and out came a black horse, its rider holding a pair of scales in his hands. Then a voice came from one of the four living creatures and said, A quart HYPERLINK httpwww.biblegateway.compassagesearchRevelation6versionNIV l fen-NIV-30784a o See footnote a a of wheat for a days wages, HYPERLINK httpwww.biblegateway.compassagesearchRevelation6versionNIV l fen-NIV-30784b o See footnote b b and three quarts of barley for a days wages, HYPERLINK httpwww.biblegateway.compassagesearchRevelation6versionNIV l fen-NIV-30784c o See footnote c c and do not damage the oil and the wine (Rev 66). The Lamb opened the fourth seal, and one of the four living creatures called on John to come witness what is contained. There before John was a pale horse and the rider of the horse was named death. Hades followed close behind him. To a quarter of the earth they were given authority to kill by famine, plague, wild beasts of the earth, and by the sword. The fifth seal was then opened by the Lamb and behold there were the souls of those who had been killed for the sake of the word of God and as a result of their testimony which they had held on to. They were calling out in loud voices asking the Sovereign Lord for how long they shall be there until the Lord carries out judgment on the inhabitants of the world and at the same time avenge their blood. They were all dressed in white lobes and told to wait a little bit longer until the number of their fellow brothers who were to be killed just as they had, was completed.

When the Lamb opened the sixth seal, there was an earthquake and the sun changed its color to black. The stars were falling on the earth, and the sky folded like a scroll, rolling up and mountains and islands were removed from their places. And everyone on earth including the kings, generals, princes the rich, and the poor slaves and free men, all hid in caves calling on the mountains to fall on them to save them from the wrath of the Lamb and the face of He who sits on the throne of glory, for the day of their wrath was upon them and no one could stand it.

John then saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth and they were holding back the four winds of the earth. Another angel appeared from the east and with him he had the seal of the living God. Calling out in a loud voice he asked the angels guarding the four corners of the earth not to harm the land or the sea until a seal was put on the foreheads of the servants of God. Then 144, 000, all from the tribe of Israel were sealed. Then John saw large multitude of people, a multitude that could not be counted from all races, tribes and languages and from every nation standing before the throne of throne of God and were all singing praises to God. The multitudes represented those who had overcome the great tribulation and they had been saved by the blood of the Lamb. They stayed at Gods throne and served him day and night and in return the Lord God would shelter them in His arms and they will never thirst nor hunger no more. The Lord God Almighty will wipe every tear from their eyes and nothing shall harm them for the Lamb at the middle of the throne would be their shepherd.

For about half an hour, there was silence in Heaven, when the Lamb opened the seventh seal. The seven angels that were standing before God were given seven trumpets. Another angel came holding a censer and was given much incense as well as prayers of all saints. Smoke from the incense and the prayers for the saints all went up from his hands and before God. He then filled fire in the incense and tossed it to the face of the earth and thunders, flashes of lightening and an earthquake was experienced.

Summon five

The first trumpet was blown by the first angel, a mixture of fire and blood appeared and was cast upon the earth burning a third of the earth, trees and green grass. The next trumpet was blown and something that resembled a ball of mountain on fire was thrown on the sea.  One third of the sea then turned into blood destroying ships and killing a third of all the living creatures in the sea. When the third trumpet was blown, Wormwood, a huge star lighting and burning like a torch fell on a third of the rivers from the sky turning a third of the waters bitter. Many people lost their lives as a result of the waters that had turned bitter. The fourth trumpet was then blown by the fourth angel and a third of the sun, moon, and stars were struck. As a result, a third of both day and night were left without light. The next angel blew his trumpet and warned the inhabitants of the earth that the other three angels were about to blast their trumpets. The firth angel blew the trumpet and John saw a star that had fallen from the sky and it was given the key to the Abyss and on opening it there came from it great smoke such that the sun and the stars were darkened by it. Out of the smoke came locusts and were given power similar to those of locusts. They were not to harm any plant or tree or grass in that case, but were to harm all those people who did not posses the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not allowed to kill them but were allowed to torture them. People will in those days seek death but death will elude them. Then sixth angel sounded his trumpet and a voice came from the horn instructing the angel to release the four angels who had been placed at the four corners of the earth. They had been kept ready for this day and hour to destroy a third of mankind. John in his revelation says two hundred million mounted troops were released upon the earth and a third of mankind was killed by fire and smoke that emanated from these beasts mouths. Those that were not killed did not repent of their sins and continued worshiping false gods and continued in their wicked ways of theft, murder and sexual immorality. An angel then appeared from Heaven and in His hand was a scroll which John was later asked to eat and then prophesy about many peoples, languages, nations, and kings. John prophesies about the servants of God that He would use and who would prophesy for 1,260 days all dressed in clothes of sack. Fire will come from their mouths and kill anyone who tries to harm them. After they finish their testimony, the beast from the abyss will kill them and their bodies will lie in the streets and for three days the people will refuse them burial, but after three and a half days the Lord will breathe life in to them and people will be struck by terror on seeing them. And God would call them up to Heaven as their enemies look on. At that instance a great earthquake hit the earth and seven thousand people died and the terrified survivors gave glory to the God of Heaven.

In the parable of the woman and the dragon, it is revealed to John how there was war in Heaven and Michael and his angels fought the devil who is portrayed as the dragon, and how the dragon and its angels fought back but lost and were hence cast out from Heaven. A voice in Heaven is heard declaring that they had overcome the dragon with the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. The voice tells the Heavens to rejoice but at the same time was sad for the inhabitants of earth where the devil was cast. For he was full of wrath as he was aware his time was near. The devil then waged war against all those in earth who held the testimony of Jesus Christ and also to all those who obeyed the commandments of God. Then John saw a beast rising form the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads which each head having a blasphemous name on it. One of the heads seemed to have a fatal wound that appeared to have healed, and people worshiped the beast. The devil had given the beast its power and authority. John says the beast uttered proud words and blasphemies for forty two months and was given authority over all tribes and nations. All those whose names are not written in the book of life will worship the beast. All those who have ears let hem hear. Anyone bound to go to captivity, to captivity he shall go. Likewise, if anyone is to be slain by the sword, then with the sword he shall be killed. This therefore calls for patience among the saints. This calls for endurance and faithfulness for the part of the saints. Then another beast that had two horns and spoke like a dragon came out of the earth. It exercised authority over the first beast and forced people to worship the first beast. He caused great sign and forced people to set up an image of the beast and was given power to breath to the first beasts image and it would speak and perform wonders and all those who refused to worship it were killed. He then forced everyone small, big, old, young, slave, free, to get a mark on the right hand or on their forehead, as no one would be allowed to buy or sell without the mark of the beast. His number is 666.

The angels of the Lord were then sent upon the earth and warned the inhabitants of the earth to repent and that all those who worshiped the beast, or got his mark on their right hands or foreheads, will face Gods fury as the hour of judgment had come. Then John heard a voice from Heaven telling him to write Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.

The angels of the Lord then poured the wrath of God upon the inhabitants of earth and there was great suffering and tribulation. All those who worshiped the beast or had the mark of the beast were punished, but still they cursed the name of God for the suffering there were going through and refused to repent. They were asked to turn away from their evil ways, for the Son of Man will come like a thief, when they least expect and woe unto they that are caught unprepared. The devil and his false prophets gathered in readiness to wage war against the army in Heaven. But he was captured and his followers were killed by the sword. The beast was then cast into the abyss for a thousand years and after the thousand years are through, he shall be let free to deceive men and he will gather men and wage war against the Lamb, but he will be defeated and will be cast in the lake of burning sulfur where he and his followers will anguish in pain for ever and ever. The Lord is asking the inhabitants of earth to wait upon him and endure patiently, for He is coming soon to judge the living and the dead. And each person will be judged according to how they lived and what they did while on earth, for He is Alfa and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord.