ALL TIME--PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE

"Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter."   REVELATIONS 1:19

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
DOES THIS VIEW INVOLVE ALL OF REVELATIONS OR JUST THE 7 CHURCHES/

I BELIEVE IT SURELY INVOLVES THE VIEW OF CHURCH.

Some have argued that because these 7  churches are the last mention of the church, then this "last mention" must include all churches in a historical timeline with each church representing a church age. 
The Rev. 1:19 view gives some credence to this argument of a historical timeline.

 Obviously what we know is that these 7 churches were existing churches at the time of John's writing.  Because John is writing this in his old age these 7 churches do have a history. Maybe 50 or more years have passed since the churches were founded, and this gives the churches numerous generations of church members. They were and are churches made up of mostly Gentile believers.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT OUR STUDY OF THE CHURCHES?

The Roman-Jewish War had just about wiped out Jerusalem as a city.  The Temple was destroyed and along with it the Jerusalem Church. The Jerusalem Church obviously had developed as the Center of Christianity with the apostles and elders (James, Peter, and John--Acts 15; Gal.2), living there, but the war would have drove them out.  Tradition has it that John moved with Mary(Jesus' mother) to Ephesus. Ephesus was a very large cosmopolitan city with a seaport--one of Rome's "free cities, making this an ideal Christian base.  With John there--for decades the last living Apostle--and his close disciples(Polycarp, etc.), Ephesus probably replaced Jerusalem as a Christian Center. 

Because the Ephesian Church has numerous mention in the New Testament and appears to replace Jerusalem as the Christian Center--at least to function that way for the first three centuries.

WHAT ABOUT ROME?

UNTIL EMPEROR CONSTANTINE (300 AD), Rome would not have been a place for centering Christianity.

REVELATIONS----APOCALYPSE'S MEANING--in THE END WE WIN

WHAT DOES APOCALYPSE MEAN?

APOCALYPSE: "the destruction or devastation of something, or an instance of this."

A search on the internet todays gives a number of movie titles that show evidence what writers, especially film writers thought it meant. Here's some samples: "Apocalypse Now", "American Horror Story,  Apocalypse", "The Apocalypse Zombie", " X-men Apocalypse".

The word taken from the Bible doesn't mean any of these things. The transliteration of the title of John's writing, normally called "Revelations" is "Apocalypse of John" or "Revelations to John". 

THIS REVELATION TO JOHN 

REVEALS JESUS CHRIST

 BY HIS CONTACT WITH MANKIND AND THEIR RESULTING REACTION. 

ONE REACTION RESULTS IN HOPE!

 

THE LIVING HOPE CHRISTIAN HAVE

SOME CHRISTIANS, IN THE U.S.A. TODAY, HOPE FOR BIGGER BETTER BUILDINGS AND PARKING LOTS--SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF THE LORD'S MONEY. YES--IN THE U.S.,
THIS PRESENT LIFE IS SWEET. 
Christians today, in the U.S.A., are really living in a golden age brought about by our United States Constitution.  I believe, as some. Believe it or not, many in communist China--that our strengths, our living standards and freedoms are brought about by the union of Christian beliefs and values, and civil liberties guaranteed from the U.S. Constitution.(see intro. "Jesus in Beijing").  It should be noted here, that this is not from the U.S. GOVERNMENT MAKING CHRISTIANITY A NATIONAL RELIGION, BUT FROM THE U.S. CONSITUTION GUARANTEEING THEY WON'T CONTROL CHRISTIANITY,  
Christianity is growing faster in China (in house-churches) than most western nation--noticeably the United States. Unfortunately, the United States appears to be moving away from these values, and with it the Constitution.  I believe originally, the U.S. Government was and is well-intentioned in granting tax exemptions to churches, but it's the church's physical property(the buildings that are exempted not the Christian People--the Church).   Christians need to guard against the government to make the Christian Church the national religion or institutionalize Christian. The Bible calls the church the Body of Christ (Eph. 4)--not property owned by any man. 
Christians in China and in other lands are suffering for their Christian Walk.  Denominational churches and institutional churches in China--usually registered and under government control are not suffering (not as much), but the house-churches are suffering.  This is because house-churches won't register or accept government control or made institutional, and for that, they are suffering.
On the other hand, in Muslim countries, all Christians suffer to some degree, depending on how much control the Muslims have on the government.  

RELATING TO THE BIBLE MESSAGE IN REVELATIONS
To the early Christians, life was not as sweet, as it may be to some Christians today, certainly in the United States of America.  

Actually, the early Christians' physical environment was not good.  Half of the population was illiterate, and half of the population was slaves. Physical death would have been much more common, especially among children.  The average age at death was relatively young.  Death occurring closer to what today is middle age or younger. (Frank Viola, THE UNTOLD STORY OF N.T. CHURCH.)

NATURALLY, DEATH  SHOULD BE LOOKED ON AS OUR ENEMY (which the Bible agrees 1Corinthians 15:26).  However, the Christians, in John's day, would obviously regard the end of this life differently than Christians today. 

OBVIOUSLY, THE END OF THIS PRESENT LIFE WILL HAPPEN.  As we know, this life has nothing eternal about it--everything living on earth ultimately dies. As everyone knows death exists in an imminent posture for this mortal life.  Regardless of the circumstance of the Christian or the nonChristian's mortal life ends. The only thing we are taking with us in death will be our immortal souls. In fact, Biblically speaking, this life is a preparation for the next--which is everlasting life.

So what Jesus offers in the Apocalypse to John is the Christian Hope.
 THE CHRISTIANS PATHWAY TO VICTORY--WE WIN AT THE END!
   
viewing these scriptures in a expositional way,

Apokalupsis  apokalupsiß

apokaluptw,   is an old Greek verb: to uncover, to unveil

Verse 1 The Revelation

(apokalupsiß). Late and rare word outside of N.T. (once in Plutarch and so in the vernacular Koin‚), only once in the Gospels (Luke 2:32), but in LXX and common in the Epistles (2 Thessalonians 1:7), though only here in this book besides the title, from apokaluptw,

. In the Epistles apokalupsiß is used for insight into truth (Ephesians 1:17) or for the revelation of God or Christ at the second coming of Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7). It is interesting to compare apokalupsiß with epipaneia (2 Thessalonians 2:8) and panerwsiß (1 Corinthians 12:7).

The precise meaning here turns on the genitive following. Of Jesus Christ (Ihsou Cristou). Hort takes it as objective genitive (revelation about Jesus Christ), but Swete rightly argues for the subjective genitive because of the next clause. Gave him (edwken autoi).

It is the Son who received the revelation from the Father, as is usual (John 5:20,26, etc.). To shew (deixai). First aorist active infinitive of deiknumi, purpose of God in giving the revelation to Christ. Unto his servants (toiß douloiß autou). Believers in general and not just to officials. Dative case. God's servants (or Christ's). Must shortly come to pass (dei genesqai en tacei). Second aorist middle infinitive of ginomai with dei. See this same adjunct (en tacei) in Luke 18:8; Romans 16:20; Revelation 22:6.

THE HOPE OF IMMINENT  RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO GOD'S CLOCK, NOT OURS.

 It is a relative term to be judged in the light of 2 Peter 3:8 according to God's clock, not ours. And yet undoubtedly the hopes of the early Christians looked for a speedy return of the Lord Jesus. This vivid panorama must be read in the light of that glorious hope and of the blazing fires of persecution from Rome. Sent and signified (eshmanen aposteilaß). "Having sent (first aorist active participle of apostellw, Matthew 10:16 and again in Revelation 22:6 of God 

John's writings (originally, all in the common Greek language) are some of the simplest Greek, and literally called "koine (or common) Greek.  

John often explains what the message of his writings are. For example: "…these (writings) have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." John 20:31

WHAT REVELATIONS AMOUNT TO IS WHAT THE APOCALYPSE  IS TO JOHN Jesus tells John what the message is.. "Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be." REVELATIONS 1:19

So John is to write down:  the things you have seen--the past.
--Obviously, this is a timeline. The scope of this timeline, from this statement, is what JOHN HAS SEEN.
       John has seen much, having been with Jesus from the start and His Apostle to the present time of John's life--sometime around 100AD.
       However the first prophetic event--the letters to the seven churches only includes a timeline of the past and the present, and the church is not mentioned again in Revelations.  I believe, as many others, that there is a future view of the church age. The future view to John starts following John's death around 100 AD which is the Apostolic Age.  The end of the church age is represented by the wealthy and independent Laodicean Church. This church relies on itself--which is its wealth and self-knowledge.

John also writes this about these revelations: "Belessed is he who reads, and those who hears the word of the prophecy, and heed the the things which are written in it, for the time is near."  Revelations 1:3

THERE EXISTS IN SCRIPTURE A GOOD MESSAGE, EMPIRICALLY CONSISTENT (Daniel is part of "Dead Sea Scrolls), TO GOD'S PLAN OF ACTION AND THE COMING OF CHRIST
       So we will bring in the Prophet Daniel.  DANIEL 9 

DANIEL 9--THE PRINCE WHO IS COMING

SIGNS OF FINAL DAYS

536 BC

DANIEL 9:

          The year is 536BC. Most of the 9th chapter 

of Daniel is Daniel's prayer for the restoration of 

Israel.   Previoiusly, Jeremiah theprophet, in 606BC, prophecies (Jeremiah



 25:11-12)
e
Jerusalem  was invaded and Daniel and others 

taken as prisoners, carried to Babylon for 70 years

For Daniel has been in Babylon since 606BC. 

The city of Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed..." in 586BC--(6 years after Ezekiel prophecies this happening (Ezekiel 5:5-12)

Now in 536BC, Daniel has been captive in 

Babylon for 70   years,  and after Daniel

long repentant prayer to God, concerning 

restoration of Jerusalem and the Temple.

God answers this prayer with the angel Gabriel giving Daniel 

this message about Jerusalem and the Temple:


(Daniel 9)  

	24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy Place.
	25. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem to the Messiah the Prince               shall be seven weeks, and sixty and two weeks:              the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
	26. And after sixty and two weeks              shall Messiah (Jesus Christ) be cut off, but not for himself: and                                                              the people \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  \\\\ of  the prince that shall come                                             shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;                                            \\\ and its end shall be with a flood,         and ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''to the end of the war                                                      desolations are determined.
	27. And           \\he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: And                                     \\ in the midst of the week  he shall cause the sacrifice and  the oblation to cease, and                          \\for the overspreading of abominations,   he shall make it desolate, even until the                                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\consummation, and that determined shall be poured \\                                                                                                     upon the desolate.

Therefore Daniel has now received an answer to his prayer.  The answer is in "weeks" or (units of seven) and understood to be in years.  70 units of 7 years is 490 years, and at that time the "end of sin", " the atonement, and the bringing in "everlasting righteousness."(DANIEL 9:24)

This statement about 70 weeks must involve the end of the age.  That would happen with "end of sin" and "bringing in everlasting righteousness." 
Israel's king Herod the Great  did restore  the Temple.


THE LAST DAYS
So God's answer to Daniel's prayer about Jerusalem involved more than he asked for; this involved "the end of sin" and "bring in everlasting righteousness." 

The answer is an answer tom Daniel's prayer and concerns "Jerusalem, the Jewish people,   and the Christ" (in the LXX)  "who will be cut off but not for Himself," This "cutting off of the Messiah" is measured in 2 sections of time, "7 weeks and 62 weeks" from or "after the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem."    

This answer concerns the Messiah's "cutting off" (His death in the crucifixtion), but the answer goes further in time concerning Jerusalem, and mentions "a people who will destroy the city and sanctuary"(temple).  This people belong to"the Prince who is to come."   

March 14, 445BC   Issuing of this decree

WHAT HAS HAPPENED AFTER DANIEL AND THE LAST TIME SECTION  The issuing of this decree did happen by Persian King Darius II or Ahasuerus in March 14, 445BC.  "Seven weeks" later or 49 years later, the city was rebuilt, and then "62 weeks" or 434 years later (totaling 69 weeks or 483 years later) Israel  rejected their Messiah--Christ, "cutting the Messiah off  and have nothing." DANIEL 9:26)   

APRIL 38 AD     Cutting the Messiah off  


SEE MY PAGE "ROMANS--GRAFTING ON NEW BRANCHES"

EMPIRICAL HISTORY

The people of this Prince--"the Prince who is to 

come," will"destroy Jerusalem and the sanctuary (Temple)

70AD.  Jerusalem and temple destroyed by Roman Legions

The people of that "Prince who is to 

come" --History tells us were the Romans, 

This is "the people"who destroyed Jerusalem 

and the Temple in 70AD. 
--the Temple Herod built. This Herod was the king that killed all the babies in Bethleham,
Jesus and His followers used this Temple until the Romans destroyed it .in 70AD
The the prophetic clock stopped for Jerusalem

AND A MAJOR GAP APPEARED IN THE TIME-CHRONOLOGY FOR JERUSALEM.

This left 1 week or 7 years with Israel--for jerusalem. The "Prince who is to come," will "make a firm covenant"  with Israel. (see my  blog on "firm covenant),


REVELATIONS 6:2

 The prince who is to come, I BELIEVE IS THE PERSON RIDING THE WHITE HORSE IN REVELATIONS.  Revlations gives him another identifying appearance.  He will start a war--whose number is 666.  


"verse 27   
"will be making a firm covenant with Israel for 1 week  (7 years)...."

2018  JERUSALEM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE WORLD GOVERNMENTS. So has this "firm covenant". been made already?