A Study in The Revelation - 1:5-2:7

Hello friends,

We continue in our study of The Revelation. In this installment, I lead the class through the Greeting, John's call and commission from the Lord, some thoughts on the various names of Jesus, and the message from the Lord to the church at Ephesus.

As always, I will present the options of interpretation when there are options, as well as my opinion on which option seems best. However, whereas there are certain teachings from The Revelation that are absolutely undeniably clear, there are some that we need not nor should not become too dogmatic.

The point of the book - "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him." (1:7)  

I trust the Lord will have his way in your heart as you study his word. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll address them at our next class. You will be able to hear my response to your question on our next recording. (I hope this is helpful to those not in our area who are following this class.)  You can write your questions to: drkirkmccormick@gmail.com

God bless you as you study and respond to His Word!  To God be the Glory...Come, Lord Jesus!

Kirk McCormick

** Before we start, should you miss a class you can listen to the podcast of any class by going to the church’s podcast site: royalpalmchurch.podbean.com

…or, better yet, by going to my (Kirk’s) blog where you can also get the notes for the class. Notes are not available at the church’s podcast site.  If you would, also, like to register for my blog, you can do so at the blog site. You will then receive word whenever I write an article, preach a sermon, etc.   Here is the blog address:  kirkmccormick.blogspot.com

** Also…some abbreviations to help you decode the notes.

“c.f.” = cross reference…you can find this same teaching in another part of the Bible

“v.” = the single verse of the chapter are we discussing

“vs.” = the multiple verses of a chapter are we discussing

“e.g.” = from the Latin, exempli gratia, which means “for the sake of example” or “for example”

“i.e.” = from the Latin, id est, which means “that is”

“OT” = Old Testament

“NT” = New Testament

Revelation 1:4-20

Note: There are churches in other parts of the Region (e.g.: Colossae (Colossians 1:2), Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13), Troas (2 Corinthians 2:12; Acts 20:5), Miletus (Acts 20:17)), so why these Seven?

Possible Answers:

1.     The Seven were the churches located on the main trade routes of the area. The others were more remote.

2.     John uses the number “7” throughout the book as a demonstration of the perfection of this vision.  In fact, “Seven” occurs fifty-four times. There are actually seven sets of seven. They are the:

·      seven candlesticks (1:12),

·      seven stars (1:16),

·      seven lamps (4:5),

·      seven seals (5:1),

·      seven horns and seven eyes (5:6),

·      seven thunders (10:3),

·      seven angels, plagues and bowls (15:6–8)

3.     Other commentators (the Futurists and Idealists) postulate that these 7 represent the church in throughout the ages, present and future.  If this were the case, the meaning would be:

·      Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) - the church that had forsaken its first love (2:4)

·      Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) - the church that would suffer persecution (2:10)

·      Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17) - the church that needed to repent (2:16)

·      Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29) - the church that had a false prophetess (2:20)

·      Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) - the church that had fallen asleep (3:2)

·      Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13) - the church that had endured patiently (3:10)

·      Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) - the church with the lukewarm faith (3:16)

4.     Some commentators (the Preterists) believe that John addresses these “7” because they represent the condition of the whole, universal church in John’s day.

5.     Others believe that these 7 were chosen because of their distinctive and extreme practice of emperor worship.

6.     More than likely, however, John likely writes to these seven because he has special authority over them as their Bishop. He knew and loved them best, so he could be the most severe and honest with them.  And they are listed in the order that one would travel (i.e.: circuit ministry) if one used the Roman road system.  Ephesus would be first if one was coming from Rome by ship. One would then travel clockwise to Smyrna, making Laodicea the last to be visited on the circuit.  John, of course, would follow that same circuit, so this makes practical sense, too.  This is the Historicist approach. (See the maps below)

Revelation 1:4-6 – The Greeting

·      “Grace and Peace” is the standard greeting

o   “Grace” = the mercy of God’s undeserved favor

o   “Peace” = Hebrew: shalom… a greeting of well-being indicative of a life restored/recreated by God through Holy Spirit’s work in a person’s heart/spirit

·      “…from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,  and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the

A Study in The Revelation - Introduction and 1:1-4

Hello friends,

I am starting to teach The Revelation at my weekly "Bible for Dummies" class at Royal Palm, each Wednesday at 7:00PM.  For those who cannot make the class, I'll be posting the audio and notes from each week on my blog.  My hope and prayer is that you will be blessed.

The Revelation is a difficult book to interpret but it is always a blessing for the one who seeks the Lord in it.  I will do my best to unpack the imagery and teach the explicit clearly.  Pray for me as I teach it...and I'll pray for all of us that Holy Spirit gives us insight to what God is doing.

Anyone who says they have The Revelation figured out completely is fooling him/herself. I will try to give alternative interpretations, but also my own understanding. The bottom line is, though, that this book is intended to prepare the reader for the Coming of the Lord, give insight to the signs, and reassure the hope that is ours when we trust Jesus for our salvation.  I am absolutely confident that we will grow in those as we study The Revelation.

God bless, Kirk McCormick.

Background on the Book of Revelation

** “Revelation” differs from all the other books of the Bible in that it is strictly “Apocalyptic” (from Greek: apocalypsis = to reveal).

·      Other books of the Bible contain apocalyptic language (e.g.: Daniel, Ezekiel), but only Revelation

"Watch Out Below!" - a message from Acts 2:1-21

Pentecost...Christians know about the historic event but how many tap into the present reality?

Pentecost may be the fulcrum on which all of our modern ministry depends. God opened the windows of heaven and shouted, "Watch out below!" on that marvelous day of fulfilled prophecy, and he continues to empower his church, and believers in particular, today.  After all, Jesus said that his church would do "greater things" than he did once he ascended.

Of course, people often substitute the real deal of God's power lesser, false forms of pseudo-power, like intellect, physical strength, or material resources.  But God offers us power from above...power that restores and recreates the broken...power that does the miraculous.

Are you feeling the need for God's divine power? I know I am asking God daily for this kind of Kingdom experience. Will you listen to this message and respond to Holy Spirit's prompting?  May God bless you as you do.

- Kirk McCormick

“Watch Out Below”

This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches…”    - Jeremiah 9:23

3 Artificial Sources of False Power:

1.  Human intelligence – partial and limited

1 Corinthians 3:18 – “Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become

"The Value of Waiting" from Acts 1:4-9

Dear Friends,

How good are you at waiting? Would most say you are a patient person?  

I find that most of us, from time to time, are impatient. Whether it be in a slow-moving line at the supermarket or DMV, or waiting behind the driver who fails to move after the signal turns green, our patience is often tested. From the silly to most sensitive situations, we often pray, "God, give me patience and give it to me now."

In Acts 1:4-9 there are insights on The Value of Waiting on God. I hope this message will be a blessing to you as it was to me and our people at Royal Palm.  As Holy Spirit speaks to you, respond to his glory. And let me know what insights God brings to your attention. I'd love to hear.

God bless you, Kirk McCormick

 “The Value of Waiting”

Psalm 37:7 – “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”

Why Wait on God?

Overall… it is in the waiting that God perfects our faith.

** Yet… how many times have we grown impatient/tire of waiting… only to seize control and try to make things happen in our time, with our resources, given our knowledge.

** While we Wait, God

Is it Time to Rethink "Marriage"?

Hello friends!

I’m excited to tell you that, after many years of thought and planning, I have purchased a new BOAT!  I’m very excited about it. It’s a small boat, able to handle only three people at a time. It’s very stream-lined, so it should be fast in the water.  It’s carbon-footprint is minimal as it has no engine and runs solely on human power.  But the seating is comfortable and I want to invite YOU to go on the first cruise with me as we travel to the Bahamas. No expenses to you, just your company and a willingness to enjoy this incredible journey.

So here it is!...a picture of my new BOAT!!!

 Well, what do you think?  I showed this picture of my lovely boat to a good friend and he was so rude, insensitive and unloving. He had the gall to say, “That’s not a boat…that’s a bike!”  “No”, I told him. “That is a boat no matter what others have called it in the past.” Then I invited him to go with me on my initial cruise and he was so judgmental saying, “You’re crazy if you think I’d go with you into the water on THAT!”  I just could not understand why he felt the need to ruin my joy by suggesting that my new boat is a bike. Why is he so narrow-minded? Is he stuck in the antiquated constructs and definitions of the past?  Yes, my boat looks different from most boats, but that is the essence of its uniqueness. I’m confident my boat will float and satisfy my needs.  How mean for him to deny me this right of boat ownership…and he calls himself a Christian.

Okay…back to reality. The truth is, no matter how much I call this bike a boat, it will never be a boat. No matter how veraciously I defend my position that a bike is a boat, it’s still a bike.  No matter how many times I try to redefine what a bike is by calling it a boat, it’s still inherently a bike.  One might put flotation devices on the bike so it will

"ReCovered" - an Advent message

Hello Friends,

Don't you just love the Christmas season? I do. I especially find meaningful the Advent emphasis of preparing for the celebration of our Savior's birth.

"Why Jesus Came" is our Advent theme at Royal Palm Church this season.  In this message, I invite you to open with me Isaiah 40:1-5 as I combine it with John 3:16-21 to remind us that Jesus came NOT to condemn the world but that the world might be "ReCovered."  In other words, Jesus came to make it possible for us to live, by faith, under the covering of our Heavenly Father.

The "Covering" is a highly important teaching from the Old Testament. In short, it provides believers with all of the privileges of being a child of our Eternal  Patriarch. With God's Covering we have no identity, no status. Without the Covering we are vulnerable.  I go into the teaching about the Covering in this message, but I get excited that Jesus came to give you and me, by his grace, this Covering.

Listen to what Holy Spirit will say to you in this message. And may God bless you as you respond to His Word.  And share this word if you find it helpful.

Merry Christmas, Kirk McCormick

“ReCovered”

Question:  Why did Jesus come? 

Answer: To Recover his own.

 ** To be “Recovered” =

Dictionary says:

"I'm Thankful for God" - a Thanksgiving Message

Hello friends,

Sometimes the simplest messages are the best.  Here is one that I think will bless you.

I am thankful for God. For far more than what he does for me, but simply for WHO he is.  Yet, because he is who he is, he is gracious and faithful to me in his actions toward me. To think about what life would be without God is one horrific thought.  I mean...imagine how our world would be different. (Setting aside the fact that our world would not exist apart from the existence of God.)

This is why I wrote this message.  I am thankful for God simply because of who he is.  And I hope that this simple message will be an encouragement to you. So as you listen, respond to the Lord with your own list of thanks.  He will love hearing from you...and you will be blessed just being in God's presence.

God bless, Kirk McCormick

“I am Thankful for God”

  

Thankful for God’s intervention.

1 Chronicles 16:23 – “Sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Tell of his salvation from day to day.”