Revelation, Stephen Picklesimer [summer reading list .txt] 📗

to work with His Church through sequential eras. Each message contains Christ’s brief description of the spiritual condition of these seven consecutive Church eras.
These messages are not spoken to the many well-known, respected denominations of this world’s professing Christianity. They are directed to God’s one true Church. Men have never understood the messages, because they have never recognized how to identify God’s Church.
All are described as having their own unique set of doctrinal and spiritual problems (Smyrna and Philadelphia are exceptions) that eventually lead to Christ raising up a new leader to establish the next era. These eras are known as Ephesus (2:1), Smyrna (2:8), Pergamos (2:12), Thyatira (2:18), Sardis (3:1), Philadelphia (3:7) and Laodicea (3:14).
These were actually seven cities lying close together (in this order) on a mail route in Asia Minor. God knew that each city would reflect a corresponding attitude existing in the era it represents. Christ was able to use them to show a pattern that would span the 2,000-year history of His Church.
History demonstrates that most in each of these eras did not heed the warnings spoken to them by Christ. This is never truer than at the end of the age. While the Church has now progressed into the deplorable, seventh (or last) era, known as Laodicea, the most faithful brethren in the Church of God today are a remnant of the sixth, the Philadelphian era. They remain separate from the lukewarm seventh era. (Read our booklet Where Is God’s Church? and our book Where Is the True Church? – and Its Incredible History!)
Chapter 4: Before God’s Throne and the Twenty-four Elders

The 4th and 5th chapters represent the setting for the central part of the Revelation, which is to follow. They set the stage for unveiling the great prophecies explaining the theme of the book.
In verse 1, John describes a door opening in heaven and an invitation from a great voice to “come up” to be shown things “which must be hereafter.” Understand that John was actually on a small island (Patmos) in the Mediterranean Sea and all of what he saw was occurring in vision. He was not literally in heaven.
In verse 2, John saw the Father on His throne, introducing Him and presenting a magnificent picture of the setting in which God exists. Surrounding Him are 24 additional “seats” (lesser thrones), occupied by “twenty-four elders.”
It is important to study this chapter with chapter 5, because they present a descriptive picture of four “beasts” (living creatures), as well as the twenty-four elders—and Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of God (vs. 6), standing before God’s throne.
This awe-inspiring setting pictures the environment—atmosphere—magnificent beauty—of God’s throne. The description is simply stunning!

Chapter 5: Christ Unseals the Prophecy

Verse 1 pictures the Father holding the entire book of Revelation (with seven seals upon it) in His right hand. At this point, the book (actually a scroll or parchment) is still unopened—sealed—LOCKED! Now notice: “And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, SEALED WITH SEVEN SEALS.”
Seven is God’s number of completeness—and, of course, the book was also completely sealed. This means that the meaning of the prophecy has remained hidden from view—unavailable to mankind! It has not even been possible to read it correctly in proper sequence, let alone understand it.
Here is the description: “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon” (vs. 2-4).
The account reveals that no man is qualified to open the book. If only men would simply believe God, there would not have been so many men, over the centuries, giving their interpretations of a prophecy that cannot possibly be understood. Like Daniel, who recorded a prophecy he did not understand, John was also unable to comprehend this prophecy. He actually cried because he did not see any way to open the book (vs. 5).
It is at this point that Christ, and Christ alone (not any human being), is deemed to be “worthy” to UNSEAL THE BOOK!
Understand this! The interpretation of the book of Revelation is not that of The Restored Church of God, or any person within it, including me. No man is capable of opening a single prophecy in this book.
The book of Revelation has been available in English since the King James version was translated from the original Greek in 1611. So, on the surface, this is a difficult point to understand because, of course, many have opened the Bible to this book and read all of its 22 chapters. But they have not correctly understood it. Because they have not believed chapter 5—that Jesus Christ has sole authority to unseal the book. Endless differing, competing, humanly-devised “interpretations,” creating much confusion, have floated around for 2,000 years. Popular modern novelists have only made this worse.
Do not be confused about who alone can open this book to correct understanding. Remember, Daniel’s book is a companion to all the main prophecies of Revelation, and his book was “SEALED till the time of the end” (12:9).
Christ reveals the meaning of these prophecies: “and He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne” (Rev. 5:7).
The Twenty-four Elders Explained
Let’s notice something else about the twenty-four elders—and clear up a misunderstanding that has existed about who and what they are.
First read chapter five’s additional reference to them: “And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for You were slain, and have redeemed us [them] to God by the blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And have made us [them] unto our God kings and priests: and we [they] shall reign on the earth” (vs. 8-10).
Some claim the twenty-four elders are taken from saved human beings. This idea comes from a mistranslation of the italicized words “us” and “we.” They should be replaced by the words in brackets. See the Revised Standard Version, and also the margin of the New King James Version. Both render them correctly.
These elders are spirit beings created by God to be His counselors. They were probably created before the physical creation, along with the cherubim (Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer—who became Satan), the seraphim, the four living creatures and the billions of other angels (vs. 11) that serve God.
It is impossible for the twenty-four elders to be resurrected saints. Jesus said, “And no man has ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (John 3:13). Only when Christ returns to earth will Christians be given immortality (I Cor. 15:23)!
The twenty-four elders rule with God in heaven, having an advisory role to Him. The resurrected saints will rule on earth (Rev. 20:4; Matt. 5:5; Dan. 7:27). Though the vision that John saw is unsealed in heaven, it reflects events that will occur “on the earth.”

Chapter 6: The Seals Are Opened

We now come to the critically important chapter 6—and the beginning of Christ’s one-by-one removal of each of the SEVEN SEALS.
First, again understand that, beginning with chapter 6, unsealing the seven seals spans the next 15 chapters of the book. But since chapter 6 explains six of the seven seals, obviously they do not individually receive a large amount of space. The seventh seal is so important—and so multi-faceted—that God devotes much space to its complete explanation. Most of the remainder of the book is devoted to just the SEVENTH SEAL!
This is another KEY to understanding the whole book.
The world sees the Apocalypse as a mystic, cryptic message of DOOM! The first four seals are represented by four riders, on four different-colored horses. Of course, much has been said and written about them. But “the four horsemen of the Apocalypse,” as they are commonly referred to, are still viewed as mysterious, unexplained horrors to be unleashed upon the world without warning.
To clearly understand the first seal of Revelation 6:2, we must accept a basic fact. Recall, the Greek term apocalypse simply means “revelation.” So let’s now explain what is to be revealed—THE SEVEN SEALS.
We will read the description of each seal before discussing it. Remember, God wants His servants—“the wise”—to understand!
The First Seal—FALSE CHRISTS
Let’s now examine the first seal: “And I saw when the Lamb opened ONE OF THE SEALS, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer” (vs. 1-2).
What John records is written in SYMBOLS. He does not speak in plain language. It is impossible to understand these symbols by merely re-reading Revelation 6 over and over until their correct meaning sort of “pops into your head.”
It is also absolutely critical to recognize that an endless list of human interpretations is available