Welcome to Thus Say the Prophets!
The Revelation of Y'shua the Anointed:
A Study into the Noahide Nazarene Way
By Ben Ruach ha Kodesh (John of AllFaith) � 9.16.09
Chapter One
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Y'shua the Anointed, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
We begin this study of the Book of the Revelation by pointing out that this is not the Revelation of the Apostle John as is often stated. Rather this is the only one of the sixty six books of the canonical Bible that is given by Y'shua the Anointed. This makes this book unique and of utmost importance.
We further note that this book, while given to us by Y'shua was received by him from HaShem, the God of Israel. This places the stature of this work among the other prophetic books such as Daniel. Indeed the Book of Daniel ends with this promise of further prophetic revelation:
Daniel 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
HaShem, Who sent His angel to reveal to Daniel the things that would come upon the Earth is the very same God who revealed to Y'shua the Anointed this great work. It is indeed correct to say that the Book of the Revelation of Y'shua the Anointed is the conclusion of the Book of the Daniel the Prophet. This is how intimately the two works are interwoven. As we make our way through this book we will therefore often reference Daniel's writings as it would be impossible to accurately understand certain aspects of either book without referring to the other. We will also draw from the writings of other prophets when these will help our understanding. To make this process as clear as possible, our present text, the Book of the Revelation of Y'shua the Anointed will always be presented in navy font while most others will be presented in maroon or sometimes green font. All biblical quotations in this study are from the Authorized King James Version unless otherwise noted. The exception to this is that the name of our Master is restored throughout this study. "Jesus Christ" is therefore corrected to Y'shua the Anointed. Likewise in the Torah readings the terms LORD GOD and so on will generally be replaced by the term HaShem (the Name). Both LORD ("Adonai") and HaShem are traditional replacements of the Holy Name ("HaShem") Tetragrammaton and are used to honor the sanctity of the Holy Name.
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Y'shua the Anointed, and of all things that he saw.
John the Beloved Apostle was, at this time, living on the prison Ilse of Patmos. The authority of his work therefore is that HaShem revealed these things to Y'shua the Anointed. Y'shua instructed "his angel" ("aggelo" or messenger) to reveal these things to John and John wrote them down for future generations.
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.
This entire book is a prophecy. The word used is "propheteia" which means it is the direct result of divine inspiration and is intended to reveal information from God especially regarding matters of the future. Those who say propheteia simply means "discourse" are incorrect. Propheteia refers to specific types of discourses with the aim of revealing future events and calling hearers to preparedness of those of events.
Notice also that this is only book in the Bible that specifically states that those who study, read or even hear it will receive blessings.
The text also says "and keep those things which are written therein" will be blessed. Head knowledge is important, but its not enough. As we come to understand these things we are called to act on them and the implications implicit in them according to the Light we have received.
And notice that John says, "for the time is at hand." The time for repentance is at hand. The time for righteousness is at hand. However understand that neither Apostle John nor even Y'shua the Anointed knew when these things would occur. Of this we read:
Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
The prophets were shown what needed to be revealed but even they lacked knowledge of the exact timing. They did however reveal the events that, as they occurred, would signal the End of the Age:
II Thess 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come...
Ours is the first generation in world history in which the essential requirements have all been met! This will be demonstrated as we continue on.
As we make our way through this wonderful book therefore we will, merely by its words, be blessed by God! As this study is written it will be posted here (http://allfaith.com/prophecy/rev.html) and on my Multiply blog. It will also be linked from my Noahide Nazarene website. I hope you will join me on this journey! As we progress your thoughts and questions are encouraged either on the blog entries or through this website.
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
The Seven Churches are:
- The Church of Ephesus
The Church of Smyrna
The Church of Pergamos
The Church of Thyatira
The Church of Sardis
The Church of Philadelphia
And The Church of the Laodiceans
As we will discuss in chapters two and three these were seven literal churches. One could have gone to visit them. However this is a prophecy and from the context it is clear that there is much more to these churches than literal congregations. As a prisoner of the Roman Empire the Apostle often had to choose his words carefully. We will likewise discuss "the seven Spirits which are before his throne" as we examine the next two chapters.
5 And from Y'shua the Anointed, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
The same Apostle John quoted Y'shua the Anointed:
John 8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
Y'shua the Anointed is "the faithful witness" because he is completely devoted to and harmonious with HaShem.
26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
When Y'shua the Anointed spoke his anointing was such that his every word was inspired by HaShem. All the biblical prophets spoke under direct inspiration from God but none of them lived in such a state all the time. Y'shua did. His entire life was anointed. He was, we might say, fully and permanently enlightened by "the Father." Hence he said, "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30). As Apostle John penned the Revelation of Y'shua the Anointed he was well aware of this by personal experience with the Master. Here therefore he stresses the importance and absolute authority of the revelation he is passing on.
Long had Israel awaited the coming of Moshiach and the promised Kingdom! Those who walked with Y'shua the Anointed were sorely disappointed and confused when he did not fulfill the Messianic prophecies but the time was not yet ripe. John, as well as Paul to a lesser but vital extent, received later instructions about the establishment of the Kingdom and this book is John's presentation of how the Kingdom will finally come. No wonder it is so specifically important! This is the book that heralds Moshiach!
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
John is here referencing the eternal hope of his (Jewish) people. As we read:
Deuteronomy 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
9 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
This, Prophet John says, will come to pass as his presentation of the Revelation of Y'shua the Anointed will reveal in due course.
Note that in verse one of this section the Diaspora is mentioned. Through the future-history presented here the Jews will be gathered from among all the nations, even those who have been "driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven." Part of the Revelation of Y'shua therefore is those events that will drive the Jewish people to their knees before HaShem.
According to Jewish tradition the following events will lead to the revelation of the Moshiach (Messiah)
- if Israel repented a single day;
- if Israel observed a single Shabbat properly;
- if Israel observed two Shabbats in a row properly;
- in a generation that is totally innocent or totally guilty;
- in a generation that loses hope;
- in a generation where children are totally disrespectful towards their parents and elders;
The events recorded by John in the Revelation will bring these conditions about and usher in Moshiach and the Kingdom of HaShem.
9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Y'shua the Anointed, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Y'shua the Anointed.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.
As described above, John was in exile on Patmos. He gives us a vivid picture of how this information came to him. Most Prophets do not take such pains but John of certain that his revelation is of vital importance.
It was on the biblical Sabbath, the day of the Lord, and John was pondering the things of God. As often occurs in the Hebrew Scriptures as well as in the New Testament, HaShem's messenger (angel) speaks in God's Name first hand. Y'shua does this on a few occasions as well. A legitimate Messenger of HaShem reveals the Mind of God perfectly and so there is no difference. We know the order of this revelation from the above verses however. HaShem revealed it to Y'shua, who revealed it to "his angel" who revealed this to John. Now the angel of God speaks directly to John in the Voice of the Almighty.
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
In his vision HaShem allows John to peer into the spiritual realms of existence to a degree seldom experience by other mortals. Much of what John writes is beyond his comprehension as is clear as he attempts to relate his experiences. This book however is his eyewitness account of future-history and the things he was shown will all come to pass.
As I say above, chapters two and three deal with the Seven Churches and so I will leave this topic for there.
To confirm the obvious, standing in the midst of the Seven Lampstands or candlesticks John beholds the radiant, eternal form of Y'shua the Anointed. The revelation is "signified is by Y'shua's angel."
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