Ken Blue Ministries

By Ken Blue

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. Revelation 13:1.

As we witness the dismantling of the nations located in the revised Roman Empire, we should be aware that this turmoil is part of a process that will pave the way for the Antichrist. The masses are referred to as the sea in Scripture. They are “raging,” and coming apart and the citizens must be perplexed about what is happening. However, there is an unseen power behind it all for a final showdown.

“The Mediterranean Sea, because the nations under Antichrist surround it on 3 sides. Sea represents peoples in symbolic passages (Rev. 13:1; 17:1,15; Dan. 7:2-3,17).
Beast rise up out of the sea 13: He will be a man (Rev. 13:18. He will rise out of the sea of humanity (Rev. 13:1; Dan. 7:24; 9:27; 11:36-45. He will become ruler of the territory of the 7 kingdoms symbolized by the 7 heads (Rev. 13:1; 17:8-17. He will become ruler of the 10 kingdoms that are yet to be formed inside the old Roman Empire territory (Rev. 13:1; 17:8-17; Dan. 7:23-24”. —Dake’s Study Notes.

Keep your eye on those nations. You will see ten nations join is a loose alliance. These, perhaps, make a covenant of peace with Israel. Of the ten, a dominant leader will come out of Syria. He will destroy three of the ten nations. The remaining seven will give their kingdoms to him. He will later move his headquarters to Babylon.

He will be kept busy trying to maintain peace within his kingdom. Also, nations outside his kingdom, from the north and the south, will wage war with him. After defeating them, he will move his headquarters to Jerusalem where he will attempt the “final solution,” the annihilation of all Jews. That will be his fatal and final mistake.

“1:7-11 “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. 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. 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. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 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.”
In verses 7-8 we have a preview of the manner of His coming and the reaction of some at that event. John tells us that he will come to Israel just as He departed.
Acts 1:9-11 declares, “…he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” This speaks of the Second Advent, which takes place at the end of the tribulation.
Not only does Jesus come as He departed, He returns to the very place. Zechariah, the prophet, speaks of this event in chapter 14:4. “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”
The statement, “every eye shall see Him,” should be understood as a figure of speech. It is sometimes used as an exaggeration (hyperbole), which adds more to the language than is intended, as when the Pharisees said: “the world is gone after Him.” John 12:19. See Luke 2: l, which says, “…there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.” John 3:26 says, “…Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan…all men come to him.” See also 1 Cor. 4:15: “For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers…” (See Jas. 3:6, 4:1.) The same figure of speech is used when one says, “everybody does it,” or “You never like how I look.”
No doubt, small infants will not see Jesus’ Second Advent. Not every person throughout the Gentile world will see Him. There will be many who will not see Him or even know of His exact return. The intent of the Holy Spirit is to amplify how public and startling Christ’s return will be to the nation of Israel and the armies encamped against Jerusalem. It will be as the lightening in the east can be seen in the west. Dake says it means, “All eyes in the immediate vicinity of Jerusalem where He lands (Zech. 14:1-5). People in distant parts of the earth will not see Him until later (Isaiah 2:2-4; Isaiah 66:19-21; Zech. 8:23).” All who survive within the land will “know Him.” However, many within the Gentile world will not know Him and must be evangelized during the Millennium.
“..they also which pierced him: and all kindreds (related tribes) of the earth (land) shall wail because of him..” (Rev. 1:7). The wailing is actually the mourning of Israel over their sins and rejection of their Messiah at His first coming. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zech. 12:10).
His sovereignty is declared in verse 8.
John identifies himself with the recipients of his letter in verse 9. He is their “brother,” a fellow Hebrew and a partaker of their suffering for the testimony of Jesus Christ. There is no proof that John was banished to the isle of Patmos as some claim. Rather, he was there to receive the revelation God gave him. Paul was sent to Arabia to receive God’s revelation concerning the church. John was sent to Patmos for the revelation of the Day of the Lord.
Verse 10 is the key to the understanding of this great book, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” We have commented briefly on “The Lord’s Day.” That day is the great day of God’s judgment as declared throughout Scripture. We give the following references for those who may have passed over the introduction. (See Joel 1:15; 2:1; Ps. 37:13; Isa. 13:6-9; Eze. 7:2-12; 12:22-28; Zeph. 1:14-18; Luke 19:41-44; James 5:9; Rev. 6:17.)
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says concerning the Day of the Lord: “The idea is a common Old Testament one. It denotes the consummation of the Kingdom of God and the absolute cessation of all attacks upon it (Isa 2:12; 13:6,9; 34:8; Eze 13:5; 30:3; Joe 1:15; 2:11; Am 5:18; Zep 1:14; Zec 14:1). It is a “day of visitation” (Isa 10:3), a day “of the wrath of Yahweh” (Eze 7:19), a “great day of Yahweh” (Zep 1:14). The entire conception in the Old Testament is dark and foreboding. In the New Testament it is eminently the day of Christ, the day of His coming in the glory of His father… there is a dark background to the bright picture, for it still remains a “day of wrath” (Ro 2:5-6), a “great day” (Rev. 6:17; Jude 1:6), a “day of God” (2 Pet 3:12), a “day of judgment” (Mt 10:15; 2 Pet 3:7; Ro 2:16). Sometimes it is called “that day” (Mt 7:22; 1Th 5:4; 2Ti 4:8), and again it is called “the day” without any qualification whatever… In that day He comes to His own (Mt 16:27), and therefore it is called “the day of our Lord Jesus” (2Co 1:14),”the day of Jesus Christ” or “of Christ” (Php 1:6,10), the day when there “shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven” (Mt 24:30).”
Since the Day of the Lord is in the future, the whole of Revelation concerns the things belonging to a future time. The book is a prophecy. Chapter 1:10 declares that the day of the Lord is a time of God’s “judgments.” It is “the day of vengeance” (see Isa. 61:2; 63:4.). It is the completion of Daniel’s vision concerning the fourth beast and the ten kings. In Daniel it is foretold; in the Revelation it unfolds.

The book is “The Revelation, or the unveiling, of Jesus Christ” (v.1). Just as the veil of the temple was opened from top to bottom, and the Ark of the Covenant was revealed, so this prophecy reveals or unveils the coming of Christ in the Day of the Lord to destroy His enemies, to take possession of the earth and to rule in splendor and glory. It, the Revelation, was given by Him; and it is about Him and His Second Advent. Jesus gave the Revelation to John; an angel “signified” or clarified its meaning (see John 18:32). The book is sent to God’s “servants” who are represented by the seven churches. It is true that all believers of all ages are God’s servants, but in the Revelation it is used in a restricted sense of the seven churches, which are comprised of Jewish believers. (See Rev. 2:20; 7:3; Rev. 10:7; Rev. 11:18; Rev. 19:5; Rev. 22:3,6.)

In verse 2, John records what Jesus did and calls Him the Word of God (see John’s Gospel and epistles). John calls Him by His earthly and official names. “Jesus” is His earthly name, which means, Jehovah saves. “Christ” is His official name and means the anointed or Messiah. Jesus Christ was Israel’s Messiah and they knew Him not.

It is important to remember that at the time John records the Revelation, he had already seen the entire vision through chapter 22:21. As he writes, he adds commentary and at times speaks of the time he was in. At other times, he speaks of what he has seen and what was to follow.

Jesus is also called, “God’s Faithful Witness.” His followers must also follow His example. Prior to His ascension to heaven, He commissioned the twelve as His witnesses (see Acts 1:8). The Book of Acts is a record of their faithful attempt to witness His resurrection to Israel and bring them to repentance so they might have the promised kingdom. Their witness was rejected. However, His faithful servants will take up the witness again in the Day of the Lord as recorded in the Book of Revelation. (See Rev. 6:9; 11:7; 12:11, 17; 19:10; 20:4.) Those who are faithful and endure to the end will enter the kingdom. “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). If we would mentally remove Romans through Philemon from our Bibles, we would see that there is a continuous witness from Acts through Revelation, with the offer of the Kingdom to Israel.

The “blessing” (v.3) is for those who read, hear, and keep the things written in the Book of Revelation. The entire book is written to the seven churches. They will testify that Jesus is the Christ in the Day of the Lord. Therefore, the “blessings” are for them. No one in this dispensation is to “keep” or do the things written to the seven churches. These churches do not exist in this dispensation; literally or figuratively.

“…the time is at hand.” In other words, the time at hand was contemporary with the Day of the Lord.

The seven churches are in “Asia” (v. 4). Asia is not the United States of America. These letters are for the Jews in a specific location in the “Day of the Lord.”

These letters to the seven churches are from:
1. The Eternal God- He is called the God who was, is, and is to come. He is the same God who appeared to Moses in the Wilderness as the great “I Am.” He is the eternal, ever- present, and ever-existing God!

2. The Eternal Spirit- Chapter 5 sheds light on what is meant by the “seven Spirits.” “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth” (v.6). The seven horns and the seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. No doubt these speak of the omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent Holy Spirit. The horns represent strength. The Eyes represent wisdom and observation. Their presence in all the earth assures the remnant that He is with them in their sufferings. This truth is seen throughout the Psalms.

3. The Eternal Son- The deity of Christ is attested throughout the book. Verses 5-6 state that he is:
a. The “Faithful witness” – We dealt with this in verse two. This speaks of Him as the “Son of Man” during His earthly ministry and in the coming “Day of the Lord.” God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The book to the Hebrews speaks of Him as a faithful High Priest. Jesus is seen in this book as the Son of Man, and God’s faithful high priest. Overcoming will be the requirement of the remnant if they are to enter the promised rest and become a nation of kings and priests. Jesus Christ is faithful and He is, “The same yesterday, today and forever.” (See Hebrews 13: 8.) Faithfulness is the requirement in the Day of the Lord to become citizens of the Kingdom.

b. The “first begotten of the dead” – This speaks of His resurrection in a glorified body. Jesus is the only person raised to eternal life in a glorified body. Thus, He is the “first begotten” and the “first fruits” from among the dead! This speaks volumes as to who He is, and of God’s pleasure toward Him.

c. It is said here, in time, that Jesus Christ is “the prince of the kings of the earth” It means, at this point in the Day of the Lord, John has already seen the complete unfolding of the Revelation, and Jesus is the prince of the kings of the earth. As said earlier, in relation to the time in which John found himself, Jesus had taken His position over the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

However, as far as Israel is concerned today, Jesus Christ is a banished and rejected King in waiting. “From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (Hebrews 10:13). He is not the prince of the kings of the earth today and most world leaders do not even acknowledge His existence except for political advantage. It is so imperative that we understand what John meant by “in the Spirit” and “the day of the Lord” which we will deal with in 1:10.

d. Jesus, “…that loved us and washed us from our sins” (v.5). To be washed in His blood is a figure of speech that speaks of His atoning death for them. No one in the Old Testament was ever “washed in blood.” His death on the cross atoned for their sins. As a garment washed in water looses and removes the dirt, so Jesus’ death on the cross loosed them from their sins and its penalty. The “us” in Revelation is not a reference to the body of Christ, but specifically the nation of Israel. At what point they fully understand this, we are not sure. God’s love for Israel is clearly stated throughout the Old Testament. “Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever…” (2 Chron. 9:8; see also Hosea 11:1).

Keep in mind that those speaking are doing so in retrospect. They have overcome the Beast, endured to the end of the tribulation, and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. It is the example of Christ’s faithfulness unto death, and His resurrection that empowered these to willingly lay down their lives for Him. This is how they “washed” their own robes in His blood. Again, those who have come through the Great Tribulation state this.

e. “…made us kings and priests” – This is the rejoicing by those who have rejected the mark of the beast and endured to the end. The above is a statement of fact. The text says, “hath made us…” This is the fulfillment of Exodus 19:6, which says, “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Peter says the same thing to the “…strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,”

This promise is given again to Thyatira, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father” (Rev. 2:26-27). Verse 6 will become a reality for believing Israel in the “Day of the Lord.” The following will illustrate Jesus’ promise to the faithful: “And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” Luke 19:17. “That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Luke 22:30. “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21.