Book of Revelation

The last book in the Bible, that for many readers speak of terrible future, for the world and
mankind.

- Judgement - God’s wrath being poured out on the Earth.

But the Book of Revelation, as I read it and as I research on this day’s topic,

the book of revelation unveils far more than terrible, cosmic destruction.

“It begins by revealing the Heart of the Resurrected Jesus Christ for those He has left
behind.”

- This book begins with a curious beginning,

- It provides for series of 7 Letters, 7 Letters to the 7 Churches of the first Century.

- 7 letters directed to the 7 churches, Jesus Christ’s followers who lived in an ANTI-
CHRISTIAN ROMAN EMPIRE.

For about more than 50 years have passed since the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, his
resurrection, and his ascension to heaven,

the Disciples of Jesus and their Disciples have spread the message and have built
churches throughout the ROMAN WORLD at the CLOSE of FIRST CENTURY,

In other words, Christianity has been growing 50 years after the death and resurrection and
ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven.

The Growth of Christianity became a Threat to the Roman Emperor Ceasar, and
considered it that soon, Christianity would have been a possible rivalry in power and
authority.

GREAT FIRE OF ROME

But after the great fire of Rome occurred on July 19, AD 64,

On July 18, 64 A.D., the Great Fire of Rome burned nearly two-thirds of the city to the
ground. This was no ordinary fire: It burned for nearly a week before it was put out and
then started again, and no one is quite sure how. The fire is probably most famous for
being the one Emperor Nero fiddled through—or did he? The Great Fire of Rome may be
shrouded in mystery, but there are some things we know for sure.

- he certainly created an environment of unrest and paranoia.

CEASAR NERO Blamed this Growing Churches of Christians of that Great Fire of Rome.

- For the very reason that He had to protect their image because there was doubt about the
part that CEASAR NERO had caused the fire.
- A brilliant Strategy to blame the CHristians.
- Because they were troubled that God was greater than they are, and from all other gods,
greater than Ceasar as well.

Because Roman Empire is full of gods, yet despite of all of this, Christians have continued
to grow.

DOMITIAN CAME INTO POWER

But when Domitian Came into Power in 81 AD, it was then that Christians became
Persecuted!

It was in his administration that the Traditional Roman religions and policies are held, as a
result of Domitian Persecution.

JOHN
But John, a faithful servant of Christ, apostle John, once the beloved disciple of Jesus in
his youth,

And for years, he was the Bishop in Ephesus, became an aging pastor, he was imprisoned
in the isle of patmos, a small greek island in the midst of the aegean sea.

Letter of God through the Revelation from Jesus Christ as made known by
sending his angel to his servant John.

John’s Vision of Christ

9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that
are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of
Jesus. 

10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a
trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven
golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[d] dressed in a
robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 

14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing
fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing
waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-
edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and
said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now
look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The
mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is
this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the
seven churches.

ON VERSE 10:

10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like
a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the
seven churches: to

Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

Ephesus,

Greetings and Doxology

4 John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven
spirits[a] before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from
the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

1. Power Point

John Begins his letter to the 7 churches of asia minor by quoting Jesus Christ
who said:

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” the one “who is, and who was, and who is
to come, the Almighty.”

That was a statement! What a powerful message!

A powerful statement of Jesus Christ that the suffering Christians in the Roman
Empire Domitians desperately needed to hear.

Because Bible History would tell us that there was a great persecutions from
the Dominitian Roman Empire to the suffering Christians

Because of such suffering and persecution among our fellow Christians at that
time, Christ has revealed himself and has a letter to John to the Asia Minor and
interestingly, one of the letters is the letter to the EPHESUS!

What is EPHESUS?
 - A World class city, people come from every corner of the Globe.
- Center of Cult worship to Artemis,
- Pilgrims came to EPhesus’ massive temple considered as one of the 7
wonders of the world.

Christians in EPHESUS
- There was group of followers of Christ in Ephesus.
- A church was planted in Ephesus in the midst of pagan environment.
- Apostle Paul, John and Timothy were in Ephesus.

1. Greatest Famous Celsus Library in the World.

- Early Christians would tend to believe and remind them that they are
the intellectual centers.
2. At the top of the Archways, are the inscriptions of: Ceasar the Augustus Who
is god. That would remind them of emperor worship that caused tension in
their lives.
3. Town Brothel - Reminded christian of the rampant seduction of sexual
immorality in EPhesus.

4. Town MArket Agora - The most important center in Ephesus, it was in the
form of large square, surrounded by columns with three gates. Ephesus was a
port city, and goods from all over the world were sold at Town Market Agora.

No City would tell us how the life of the early Christians were in the Roman
Empire, than the City of Ephesus.

Ephesus was a very rich town. It was very cosmopolitan.

Most of the significant activities in Ephesus happened in Agora Town Market.

People would gather here socially. IT is the center of life in Ephesus and the
most cities in the life of the Roman Empire.

And what happened there largely indicative and determinative of the Status of
social interactions and the life of the Early Christians.

One of the Challenges of the early Christians is that the entrance of the Town
Market Agora was the incense burner
- that in order to see a glimpse and enter of the Agora Market, you have to
hold an incense -- An Act of loyalty to the Roman Emperor who claimed to be
the Lord.

Christians Struggle with that. It is very hard to imagine that but it happened.

Because to be shut out of the Agora is to be shut out of so much life.

That was challenge of them!

There were also 14 temples of Pagan Idolatry worship.

But none of this rivaled the temple of Artemis - the ancient goddess of fertility
and life. Her reign as a goddess was the most dominant in the Roman empire.
And the center of worship to Artemis was in Ephesus.

ITs temple was one of the 7 wonders of the World. It wider than a football
field. Wrapped with 127 pillars of marbles. Imagine!

And all of the town worshipped at that temple. In fact all of the worship in
artemis pervaded the life and every aspect of society, even as to commerce,
trade, and other industrial business relations.

The temple of artemis became the banking and commerce headquarters

wherein people would come and bring their money and the temple would get
interest and youd get loan.

SO it was a very center point in Ephesus.

Temple of prostitutes, male and female. Rampant sexual immorality very end
of every activity.

Think of such challenge to the early Christians.

They also celebrate the birthday of the Artemis, then they would raise the
picture of artemis and worship, with music and dancing and cheering and they
would do processions with the massive of attendees all over the roman empire.

They would do all of this in drunken state.

Again, this was the challenge to the early church to live in a society of ephesus.
MUCH GREATER CHALLENGE
But there is much greater challenge that the worship of Artemis,
And this did not compare to at the end of the day to the Worship of the
Emperor Domitian which was also headquarters in the City of Ephesus.

Ephesus had an honor of being a city that is a host to a temple an emperor.

Only few cities got this honor, and Ephesus had two.

The Temple of Domitian was built on the highest place in Ephesus so that
everyone would see him in the town of Ephesus.

And that people would see him and people actually go and worship him as
god.

In fact, on the top of the temple was a structure that was actually held up by
other statutes, these were the statutes of all the other gods of the empire, that
the other gods of the empire would actually raise him up or hold him up to the
highest. ------ what a statement!!!

On the platform of the harbor, there you would the Domitian Statute!
-50 feet tall with an armed raised in power
- when you come into the harbor, there you would look up and it’s the
first thing you would see in Ephesus.

--For early Christians that was a very intimidating sight because domitian next
to Nero, is one of the emperors that must brutally persecuted the early church.

Contrast Compare John’s Vision of Christ.

We can observe that Christ appear with much greater power than these iconic
power of Artemis, Agora, And Domitian.

The struggle of power of the roman emperor was very apparent and the only
way that he can hold the roman empire together was to claim to be a god. So
that all of the people of different cultures, nations and beliefs would have one
thing in common by calling the emperor god, lord or master.

And people will worship the emperor ---- Caesar.

And there are activities and festivities in the roman empire, where the roman
citizens, the early christians are required to affirm publicly with their own
voice, that Caesar-- is lord.

Caesar really has the intent that all would praise and worship him.

For this reason, massive persectutions to early Chrisitans exists.

Church of Ephesus lived under the shadow of this seduction,

Reason why John was exiled in the island of Patmos.

Another unsettling realities in early christians was the presence of Demons in

Ephesus that they are very much at work.

That’s why Paul wrote a letter to Ephesus, in Ephesians chapter 6:

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that
you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of
God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you
have done everything, to stand. 

Paul has the intent to tell the early Christians in ephesus to live a life amidst the life they
have in ephesus, something that rigns true in their heart.

Christllikeness something like forgiveness, showing comapassion to all, “Honor your father
and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—

Bring your children up to the admonition of the Lord,

Servants, be obedient to your master,
Master, give up threatening your servants knowing that you too have your master in heaven.

Paul admonishes the early christians to admonish in sincerity of heart and of good will.

As I said, Paul was asking them to imitate Christ in a Christ-denying world.

Christ wrote his letter to the early christians in ephesus.

Despite the pressures, challenges, sufferings and persecutions, there was no hint or evidence that
the early Christians had compromised, compared to some other churches whom God sent his
letter to.
Kung lantawon naton, hapos lg man tane sila mag sunod life just like the other roman peole in
Ephesus. Pero wala gd sila nag compromised. Pwede man sila ka kuha sang incense and honor the
roman empire and be socially accepted and enjoy the life or the market life in Agora.

In fact, sa letter ni Jesus to the Ephesus, he said, that ang akon gina-hate, gina-
hate nyo man.

The Influence of Christianity in Ephesus was very powerful. .

Reason why Jesus in his letter started to commend and praise the Ephesus!

“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate
wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found
them false.

3 "You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

With this list, Pwede gd sila ma awardad church of the year.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. First love: means in priority,
motivation, plans.

All of those commendable things Jesus said to the Early Chrisitans in Ephesus, is like also
saying “Youre not doing this because you love me.”

YOure doing this only as a habit, a project, a duty. Its like getting this done and being
faithful, but its not because you love me.

It’s a loveless labor. A perfect result of work without passion. Boring at the end of the day.

We lose effectiveness as Christians, this is a loveless labor contradicting to Christlikeness

according to Paul in his letter to the Ephesus.

5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If
you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand
from its place.

6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I
will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon
take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to
everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the
one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to
heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Conclusion:
Jesus Christ is talking to you just like when he revealed himself to John. That He wanted
RELATIONSHIP with you, with us. Not just a behavior, a duty or a habit. But a RELATIONSHIP.

Let us restore our Relationship to Christ, Our First LOve!