End Time Insights

The opening salutation of the Book of Revelation is from “ He Who is ,” Jesus Christ, and the “ Seven Spirits of God .” The last phrase is unique to this Book in the Bible, and the idea of God having “ Seven Spirits ” creates theological difficulties since elsewhere Scripture stresses His absolute oneness. Moreover, in Revelation , the “ Spirit ” always speaks in the singular number, and never the plural.

In the Book of Revelation , God is the “ Almighty ,” the “ One Who sits on the Throne ,” the “ Alpha and Omega ,” the “ One Who is and Who was and Who is coming .” This last phrase is more than a declaration about His nature, and the appellation is modified at key points in Revelation to mark progress towards the consummation of the present age. This description of God recalls the self-designation that Yahweh declared to Moses: I AM WHO I AM .

In his first vision, John “ came to be in the spirit ” on the Isle of Patmos where he saw a vision of “ one like a Son of Man ” standing among the “ Seven Golden Lampstands .” The “ lampstands ” represented the seven churches of Asia. In the fourth chapter, he again “ came to be in the spirit .” But this time, he was summoned to heaven to receive a vision of the “ Throne ” at the center of the creation, the “ Sealed Scroll ,” and the slain “ Lamb .”

The next paragraph in the Book of Revelation presents greetings to the “ Seven Assemblies of Asia ” from the “ Throne ,” namely, from God, Jesus, and the “ Seven Spirits of God .” The greetings stress the current reign of the Son of God over the affairs of the Earth, but his sovereignty is based on his past sacrificial death and resurrection. The recipients of the Book are identified as the “ Seven Assemblies ” located in key cities of the province.

The vision of the “ Throne ” is the theological center of the Book of Revelation and sets the stage for the visions that follow it. In Chapter 4, John sees the Divine “ Throne ” and the “ One Who Sits on it ” reigning from the center of the Cosmos. In Chapter 5, he sees the “ slain Lamb ” take the scroll “ Sealed with Seven Seals ” from the “ Throne ,” an act followed by all creation declaring the Lamb “ worthy ” to break its seals and open the “ Sealed Scroll .”

The central figure of the book is the freshly slain Lamb who alone has the authority to open the Sealed Scroll, beginning with its seven seals - Revelation 4:1-5:14.  The scene in chapters 4 and 5 is the theological center of the book of Revelation and sets the stage for all that follows. Through a paradoxical victory, the sacrificial Lamb is crowned sovereign over the Cosmos.  This next scene is connected to the preceding seven letters by verbal links.