Themes of Revelation, God's perfect world is coming soon!

 Revelation 1:4-8; 22:7; 2:9-10; 13:10b; 14:12; 12:10-17; 13:5-7;19:6-9, 11-16;21:1-4; 22:1-5

from John to the seven churches, Grace and peace to you from God: eternal, sevenfold Spirit (1:4)

• saying, "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea." (Revelation 1:11)
• I wonder what these names mean, i.e. Philadelphia is brotherly love. From Wikipedia
• Ephesus (Revelation 2:1–7): known for having labored hard and not fainted, and separating themselves from the wicked; admonished for having forsaken its first love (2:4)
• Smyrna (Revelation 2:8–11): admired for its tribulation and poverty; forecast to suffer persecution (2:10)
• Christians will have calamity by blasphemous opposition people of those belonging to Satan, also emphasized in Rev 13:10, prison, die by the sword. It means that God's holy peole must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful. Rev 14:12 emphasises this meaning: "This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.", Revelation 13:5-7 "beast allowed to speak blasphemies against God, war and conquer God's holy people. Rules every tribe, people, language, nation."
• Satan deceives by questioning God's Word, denying it and substituted his own lie
• Revelation 12:10-17 talks to abortion, 
  
• Pergamon (Revelation 2:12–17): located where 'Satan's seat' is; needs to repent of allowing false teachers (2:16)
• Thyatira (Revelation 2:18–29): known for its charity, whose "latter works are greater than the former"; tolerates the teachings of a false prophetess (2:20)
• Sardis (Revelation 3:1–6): admonished for – in contrast to its good reputation – being dead; cautioned to fortify itself and return to God through repentance (3:2–3)
• Philadelphia (called Alaşehir since 1350; Revelation 3:7–13): known as steadfast in faith, keeping God's word and enduring patiently (3:10)
• Do we wash our robe or love to live a lie (Rev 22:14-15)
  
• Rev 19:8, She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.

• Laodicea on the Lycus, near Denizli (see Laodicean Church) (Revelation 3:14–22): called lukewarm and insipid (3:16)

Jesus Christ (faithful witness, first resurrected, ruler of kings of the world, loves us, freed us from sins, shedding blood for us), made us kingdom of priest for God his Father (all glory and power to him forever). (5-6)

• Everyone will see Jesus return, even those who pierced him, all nations will mourn for him (Alpha, Omega, Lord God, Almighty One) (7-8)
• Rev 19:11-16, name is Faithful and True, "A name was written on him that no one understood except himself." Title: Word of God, King of Kings and Lord of all lords. 

Coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy (22:7)

• Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)
• Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth. Revelation 2:16
• Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour when I will come upon you. Revelation 3:3
• I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Revelation 3:11
• "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains awake and clothed, so that he will not go naked and let his shame be exposed." Revelation 16:15
• But he said to me, "Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" Revelation 22:9

"new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Rev 21:1-2

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Witnessing: Prepared by God to tell about Jesus, we see what God does and understand our purpose (Acts)

When we're prepared by God

John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:5

...dates and times are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere Acts 1:6-8

When we tell people about Jesus:

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

We witness what God does:

“But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’ This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven.

“Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us. He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!’

“As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” Acts 11:9-18

Then we realize Witnessing is about understanding why God placed us here. 

I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you... one message... the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. 

“And now I am bound by the Spirit to go... I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me... my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. (Eph 2:10)

... I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.

“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves (Matthew 7:15), will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

•  - Marks of the false teacher: cause dissensions and hindrances, slaves to own appetites, smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting (Romans 16:17–18).  “deceitful spirits” who advocate “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1) and as those “who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them” (2 Peter 2:1). false brothers (2 Corinthians 11:26); false apostles (2 Corinthians 11:13); false teachers (2 Peter 2:1); false speakers, that is, liars (1 Timothy 4:2); and false Christs (Matthew 24:24), testable (1 John 4:1), “swindler” (Luke 18:11; 1 Corinthians 5:10–11; 6:10)
• Those warnings are summarized in the word translated beware in Matthew 7:15. It is not a call simply to notice or sense something, but to be on guard against it because it is so harmful. The word conveys the idea of holding the mind away. False prophets are more than wrong; they are dangerous, and we should not expose our minds to them. They pervert thinking and poison the soul. False prophets are spiritual beasts and are immeasurably more deadly than the physical ones. Both Peter and Jude call them “unreasoning animals” (2 Peter 2:12; cf. Jude 10). - masters.edu

“And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.

“I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Journey of Generosity) Acts 20:20-35

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Revelation in pictures

 0 Romans 1:16, 1 2 Peter 1:21, 2 Revelation 1:7, 3 Revelation 1:19, 4 Revelation 2:1-11, 5 Revelation 2:12–3:6, 6 Revelation 3:7-22, 7 Ephesians 4:3-7

8 Daniel 7:18, 9 Revelation 4:10-11, 10 Revelation 5:8-9, 11 2 Peter 3:12-13,  

12 Revelation 6:2, 13 Revelation 7:15, 14 Revelation 8:6, 15 Revelation 11:15, 16 Revelation 12:5, 17 Revelation 13:7b-8

18 Romans 5:3-4, 19 Revelation 14:14-15, 20 Revelation 16:1, 21 Jeremiah 9:24, 22 Revelation 17:4, 23 Revelation 18:14

24 Revelation 19:9, 25 Revelation 20:6, 26 Revelation 20:14-15, 27 Revelation 21:22-23, 28 Revelation 22:1-2, 29 Revelation 22:7, 30 Revelation 22:20-21

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