[2] Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
[3] Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
In verse 9, John writes, [9] I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
"There's more tomfoolery taught about verse nine than any other verse in the Book of Revelation," says Jordan. "John was not exiled on the isle of Patmos because he'd been preaching and they didn't like what he was saying and got mad at him and stuck him on that island. That's what you're told but that's not what the verse says at all.
"When John writes, 'I'm your brother and companion in tribulation,' he's saying, 'I'm part of the community that's suffering. I'm on the island to get something from God.'
"What did he get at Patmos? Verse one and two says he went there for the purpose of getting the information God gave him.
"Verse 10 says, [10] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
[11] Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
"That's the Lord Jesus Christ talking to him. Notice, 'I was in the Spirit.' That is a common statement in the prophets about being in a prophetic vision.
"Where was he taken? With Ezekiel, God took him and showed him the temple. John was literally transported out of the 1st Century into the future to see in prophetic vision the things that are going to come to pass out there.
"When you come to chapter 2, and as we studied through the minor prophets, I said to you over and over and over again that when you read Israel's history, and you read the prophets in Israel, they constantly say, 'You see this thing happening out in the future; it's like that thing back there in the past.'
"In fact, back in the Book of Judges, he records some incidents and says, 'This is a rehearsal for what's going to take place in the future.'
"In Zachariah 14, he says, 'He'll fight as He did in the days of old.' So it would not be unexpected for a Jewish Bible student to read these passages of John's in Revelation and spot things in them that refer to their past history.
"The fascinating thing about it is that when you go through and list those things, you discover that the problems listed are traced all the way the history; they match the course of history in your Old Testament. The literary order of Revelation corresponds to the historical order found in the Bible.
"Jude 11 says, [11] Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
"Notice there are three examples. Verse 16 says, [16] These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. He does that in Revelation 19.
*****
"Revelation 2:20 says, [20] Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
"That's exactly what Baal did back in verse 14. With Jezebel you've moved over into the time of the I and II Kings. Jezebel's husband's name was Ahab. They were the two who took Baal worship and made it a state religion in Israel. They intensified it, not just as something Israelis were doing, but they literally made it the state religion.
"Instead of God's truth, it became the Baalite truth and they made it the national religion. It's the official religion, by the way, for the Antichrist in Revelation 17: [5] And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
"That's why he says in verse 24, [24] But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
"The 'depths of Satan' is that intensive zenith form of Baal worship where you're completely captured, captivated, by that blinding false doctrine. That's when they're carried out into captivity. Those first four churches focus on Israel's history up to the captivity."
(new article tomorrow)
"There's more tomfoolery taught about verse nine than any other verse in the Book of Revelation," says Jordan. "John was not exiled on the isle of Patmos because he'd been preaching and they didn't like what he was saying and got mad at him and stuck him on that island. That's what you're told but that's not what the verse says at all.
"When John writes, 'I'm your brother and companion in tribulation,' he's saying, 'I'm part of the community that's suffering. I'm on the island to get something from God.'
"What did he get at Patmos? Verse one and two says he went there for the purpose of getting the information God gave him.
"Verse 10 says, [10] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
[11] Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
"That's the Lord Jesus Christ talking to him. Notice, 'I was in the Spirit.' That is a common statement in the prophets about being in a prophetic vision.
"Where was he taken? With Ezekiel, God took him and showed him the temple. John was literally transported out of the 1st Century into the future to see in prophetic vision the things that are going to come to pass out there.
"When you come to chapter 2, and as we studied through the minor prophets, I said to you over and over and over again that when you read Israel's history, and you read the prophets in Israel, they constantly say, 'You see this thing happening out in the future; it's like that thing back there in the past.'
"In fact, back in the Book of Judges, he records some incidents and says, 'This is a rehearsal for what's going to take place in the future.'
"In Zachariah 14, he says, 'He'll fight as He did in the days of old.' So it would not be unexpected for a Jewish Bible student to read these passages of John's in Revelation and spot things in them that refer to their past history.
"The fascinating thing about it is that when you go through and list those things, you discover that the problems listed are traced all the way the history; they match the course of history in your Old Testament. The literary order of Revelation corresponds to the historical order found in the Bible.
"Jude 11 says, [11] Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
"Notice there are three examples. Verse 16 says, [16] These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. He does that in Revelation 19.
*****
"Revelation 2:20 says, [20] Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
"That's exactly what Baal did back in verse 14. With Jezebel you've moved over into the time of the I and II Kings. Jezebel's husband's name was Ahab. They were the two who took Baal worship and made it a state religion in Israel. They intensified it, not just as something Israelis were doing, but they literally made it the state religion.
"Instead of God's truth, it became the Baalite truth and they made it the national religion. It's the official religion, by the way, for the Antichrist in Revelation 17: [5] And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
"That's why he says in verse 24, [24] But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
"The 'depths of Satan' is that intensive zenith form of Baal worship where you're completely captured, captivated, by that blinding false doctrine. That's when they're carried out into captivity. Those first four churches focus on Israel's history up to the captivity."
(new article tomorrow)
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