Home Builders Community Group: Revelation Chapter 1: part 1

The Persecution of the church

The Romans believed in a pantheon of gods. The Christian view of monotheism was a threat to Roman religion and so the Romans persecuted the Christians for treason and apostasy.

At Circus Maximus, Christians were fed to the lions
In 64 AD, a great fire destroyed much of Rome and Nero blamed the Christians. This began a state sponsored persecution of Christians
The Zealotes led an uprising and temporarily regained control of Jerusalem.
In 70 AD, the Roman army sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple - literally brick by brick as Jesus had prophesied
1 Corinthians 7:25-28, Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

A typical tactic of the Romans was to torture a person’s spouse and children in order to coerce that person into renouncing their faith.

Acts 9:1-2, And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Christians were facing persecution from all sides - Jews and Romans

It was to this persecuted Church that Jesus gave His revelation

Rev 1:1-3, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

We often think of the Apocalypse as a catastrophic and dreadful event that will happen in the future.
Jesus gave this revelation to be a blessing to its readers.

Matthew 10:34-36, Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

When a Jew became a Christian, he became the enemy of his family
When a gentile became a Christian, he became an enemy of his family.
This still happens today. Some people are reluctant to come to Christ because they know it will alienate them from their families and friends.

John 3:19-20, And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 15:18-19, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
We are either for Christ or we’re against Him. We need to decide which side we’re on.

More Christians should ask themselves if the world hates them?
If a Christian is never persecuted for his faith, maybe it’s because people don’t see Christ in him!

John’s message to the churches

Rev 1:4-6, John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

The Greek word for witness is martyr. Jesus was persecuted and killed for His testimony but…

The message was sent to seven, literal churches but they are intended for all the churches.

Rev 1:7, 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.

Rev 1:8, 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.

Ego eimi ho ōn
These are the exact words God told Moses in Exodus when He said, “I am who I am.”

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