REVELATIONS 5 THE TWO SIDED BOOK

REVELATIONS  5: 1 WORLD  EVANGELICAL BIBLE--- And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon: 5 and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof. 6 And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came, and he taketh [it] out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood [men] of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, 10 and madest them [to be] unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon earth. 11 And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might and honor, and glory, and blessing. 13 And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things are in them, heard I saying, Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, [be] the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever. 14 And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped.

REVELATIONS  5: NEW TESTAMENT  GREEK  (WESTCOT & HORT) 1 kai eidon epi thn dexian tou kaqhmenou epi tou qronou biblion gegrammenon eswqen kai opisqen katesfragismenon sfragisin epta 2 kai eidon aggelon iscuron khrussonta en fwnh megalh tiV axioV anoixai to biblion kai lusai taV sfragidaV autou 3 kai oudeiV edunato en tw ouranw oude epi thV ghV oude upokatw thV ghV anoixai to biblion oute blepein auto 4 kai [egw] eklaion polu oti oudeiV axioV eureqh anoixai to biblion oute blepein auto 5 kai eiV ek twn presbuterwn legei moi mh klaie idou enikhsen o lewn o ek thV fulhV iouda h riza dauid anoixai to biblion kai taV epta sfragidaV autou 6 kai eidon en mesw tou qronou kai twn tessarwn zwwn kai en mesw twn presbuterwn arnion esthkoV wV esfagmenon ecwn kerata epta kai ofqalmouV epta oi eisin ta [epta] pneumata tou qeou apestalmenoi eiV pasan thn ghn 7 kai hlqen kai eilhfen ek thV dexiaV tou kaqhmenou epi tou qronou 8 kai ote elaben to biblion ta tessara zwa kai oi eikosi tessareV presbuteroi epesan enwpion tou arniou econteV ekastoV kiqaran kai fialaV crusaV gemousaV qumiamatwn ai eisin ai proseucai twn agiwn 9 kai adousin wdhn kainhn legonteV axioV ei labein to biblion kai anoixai taV sfragidaV autou oti esfaghV kai hgorasaV tw qew en tw aimati sou ek pashV fulhV kai glwsshV kai laou kai eqnouV 10 kai epoihsaV autouV tw qew hmwn basileian kai iereiV kai basileuousin epi thV ghV 11 kai eidon kai hkousa fwnhn aggelwn pollwn kuklw tou qronou kai twn zwwn kai twn presbuterwn kai hn o ariqmoV autwn muriadeV muriadwn kai ciliadeV ciliadwn 12 legonteV fwnh megalh axion estin to arnion to esfagmenon labein thn dunamin kai plouton kai sofian kai iscun kai timhn kai doxan kai eulogian 13 kai pan ktisma o en tw ouranw kai epi thV ghV kai upokatw thV ghV kai epi thV qalasshV [estin] kai ta en autoiV panta hkousa legontaV tw kaqhmenw epi tou qronou kai tw arniw h eulogia kai h timh kai h doxa kai to kratoV eiV touV aiwnaV twn aiwnwn 14 kai ta tessara zwa elegon amhn kai oi  presbuteroi epesan kai prosekunhsan

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

THE GREAT TRIBULATION 

"The most dangerous and difficult period of history for those who love the Lord is not a past historical event which can be looked back at and examined, but rather, a prophetic event to be anticipated and prepared for through godly living. "

 I believe the first half (3 1/2 years) of the Great Tribulation,(which will be seven 7 years long) will be man fighting man. 

Christians have been subject to man's persecution from the beginning.  I believe Revelations 6:2 pictures this time.

 The last half will start immediately following the "Abominations of Desolation", will ignite the Wrath of God, and the Christian will not be subject to "the Wrath (of God) to come" ,as 1 Thessalonians 1:10 promises.

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The Bible calls that future event, the "Great Tribulation" (Matthew 24:21).

 Properly perceived, its anticipated coming should be viewed by believers with sobriety - but with­ out a spirit of fear. It should be perceived with understanding - but without intimidation.

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MATTHEW 24: for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.

estai gar tote qliyiV megalh oia ou gegonen ap archV kosmou ewV tou nun oud ou mh genhtai

then shall be great tribulation                                                                                                                                               tote   megalh  qliyiV  

 Incidently the Greek word used for "Tribulation" is qliyiV  not  apokaluyiV which is popularly transliterated  apokalupsis and actually means revelations

"The Great Tribulation should serve as a vivid reminder that things on planet Earth are not going to get better and better as we approach the end of the age. Godless hu­manism is on the march and, as a direct result, life on earth is going to get worse and worse as Satan, the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4), continues his rebellion against his Creator and omnipotent sovereign.

Advanced awareness of the coming Great Tribulation, under the reign of the Antichrist, can keep believers from disillusionment during the cascading-downward plunge of this planet. Those who know the Lord should be neither surprised nor discouraged by the increasing lawlessness and godlessness seen on every hand. This is precisely what the Word of God foretells for the last days." Marv Rosenthal

JOHN: 62 YEARS AFTER THE CROSS.

The Apostle John was unique of all the Apostles of a Jesus Christ because he was one said to be the closest to Jesus(Jesus assigned John to care for His mother), one of the first to follow Jesus, and one of the youngest of Apostles, and lived the longest--writing the last letters to defend and promote the Christian Faith.

JOHN THE APOSTLE WROTE THE GOSPEL OF JOHN BEFORE THE FALL OF JERUSALEM ABOUT 69AD

John’s gospel’ first chapter begins: 
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.

There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him.

He was not the light, but [came] that he might bear witness of the light.

There was the true light, [even the light] which lighteth every man, coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. 

JOHN WROTE HIS GOSPEL ABOUT 95AD AND HIS LETTERS AFTER THE JEWISH-ROMAN WAR BETWEEN 85AD AND 100AD.

John is now an old man, probably in his 90s.  He is also an experienced old man, having lived a hard life of suffering for the Faith and having watched friends, loved ones, family(his brother James) and fellow Apostles put to death for this Faith--most were very cruel deaths.  John would not be promoting the Christian Faith as he does if what he witnessed of Jesus Christ and the Gospel was a lie. So John's life and letters further confirms the truth of the Gospel.  Most of his life had witnessed, more than any man, Gospels of Christ--Christ's 3 years of teaching, Christ's crucifixion, and His resurrection.  Witnessing Christ's Ascension, he also witnessed Pentecost and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  If the Gospel of Christ was a lie, the Apostle John would certainly know it.  And John's 7 letters to the churches is highly critical of most local churches (repent or be excommunicated), including the one he attends (Ephesus), so John is very open to voicing the truth.

Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent    Revelations 2:5

It is interesting to see  that John’s belief in Jesus Christ hasn  faltered in the slightest since his  last seeing Jesus, but as a matter of fact after over 30 years of “walking in the  shoes of experience he is now sseeing  Jesus in His glorified state, probably as the Apostle Paul saw Jesus on the road to Damascus. 

Revelations 1:13-20

And his head and his hair were white as white wool, [white] as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

And his head and his hair were white as white wool, [white] as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last,

and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades

I BOW MY KNEES

I BOW MY KNEES

For this cause, I bow my knees to YOU MY FATHER, the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ,

from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

that YOU would grant me, according to the riches of YOUR glory,                                  that I may be strengthened with power through YOUR Spirit in the inward man;

that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith; to the end                                  that I, being rooted and grounded in love,

may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints                                                                                 what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

and to know Christ`s love which                                .                                                                                                 surpasses knowledge,                                  that I may be filled to all the fullness of YOU MY God.

Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all                                  that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus                                                                         to all generations forever and ever. Amen. THIS A  BEAUTIFUL PRAYER EXPRESSED TO THE EPHESUS CHURCH IN PAUL'S LETTER IN  EPHESIANS 3:14-21  (WEB Trans.--with a few pronoun modifications it's a beautiful personal prayer  for any believer) SADLY, ONLY A FEW GENERATIONS  LATER THE LORD JESUS MUST CALL        UPON THEM TO REPENT AND RETURN TO THAT FIRST LOVE. REVELATIONS 2:1-5  Verse 16 That he would grant you (ina dwi umin)  Sub-final clause with ina and the second aorist active subjunctive of didwmi, to give. There are really five petitions in this greatest of all Paul's prayers (one already in Luke 1:16-23), two by the infinitives after, two infinitives after  (katalabesqai, gnwnai), and the last claus.e (ina plhrwqhte)  Nowhere does Paul sound such depths of spiritual emotion or rise to such heights of spiritual passion as here. The whole seems to be colored with "the riches of His glory." That ye may be strengthened (krataiwqhnai  ). First aorist passive infinitive of (krataiow) late and rare (LXX, N.T.) from krataios, late form from kratos (strength). See Luke 1:80. Paul adds dunamei (with the Spirit). Instrumental case. In the inward man eis ton esw anqrwpon  ). Same expression in 2 Corinthians 4:16 (in contrast with the outward exw, man) and in Romans 7:22. Verse 17 That Christ may dwell (ina exiscushte (ina dwi (krataiwqhnai, katoikhsai) (katoikhsai ton Criston) . Another infinitive (first aorist active) after ina dwi. Katoikew  is an old verb to make one's home, to be at home. Christ (Criston)  accusative of general reference) is asked to make his home in our hearts. This is the ideal, but a deal of fixing would have to be done in our hearts for Christ. Being rooted and grounded in love (en agaph errizwmenoi kai teqemeliwmenoi). But it is not certain whether en agaph should go with these participles or with the preceding infinitive katoikhsai (dwell). Besides, these two perfect passive participles (from rizow, old verb, in N.T. only here and Colossians 2:7, and from qemeliow, see also Colossians 1:23) are in the nominative case and are to be taken with ina exiscushte and are proleptically placed before ina Verse Colossians 18 should really begin with these participles. Paul piles up metapho ers (dwelling, rooted, grounded). Verse 18 That ye may be strong(inaxiscushte). Sub-final clause again with ina and the first aorist active subjunctive of,(exiscuw) a late and rare compound (from ex, iscuw) to have full strength. Here only in N.T. To apprehend(katalabesqai ). Second aorist middle infinitive of katalambanw, old and common verb, to lay hold of effectively (kata-), here with the mind, to grasp (Acts 25:25). With all the saints (sun pasin tois agiois ). No isolated privilege. Fellowship open to all. Paul gives a rectangular (four dimension) measure of love,(breadth platos, length mhkos, height upsos, depth baqos  all common enough words). Verse 19 And to know (gnwnai te). Second aorist active infinitive with exiscushte. Which passeth knowledge (thn uperballousan ths gnwsews). Ablative case  (gnwsews after uperballousan (from uperballw) All the same Paul dares to scale this peak. That ye may be filled with all the fulness of God (ina plhrwqhte eis pan to plhrwma tou qeou). Final clause again (third use of ina in the sentence) with first aorist passive subjunctive of plhrow and the use of eiß after it. One hesitates to comment on this sublime climax in Paul's prayer, the ultimate goal for followers of Christ in harmony with the injunction in Matthew 5:48 to be perfect (teleioi) as our heavenly Father is perfect. There is nothing that any one can add to these words. One can turn to Romans 8:29 again for our final likeness to God in Christ. Verse 20 That is able to do (twi dunamenwi poihsai). Dative case of the articular participle (present middle of dunamai). Paul is fully aware of the greatness of the blessings  antgs  asked for, but the Doxology ascribes to God the power to do them for us. Above all (uper pa). Not simply panta, but uper beyond and above all. Exceedingly abundantly  (uperekperissou). Late and rare double compound (uper, ek, perissou) adverb  (LXX, 1 Thessalonians 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:13; Ephesians 3:20). It suits well Paul's effort to pilePelion on Ossa. That we ask (wn aitoumeqa   ). Ablative of the relative pronoun attracted from the accusative a to the case of the unexpressed antecedent toutwn.Middle voice (aitoumeqa) "we ask for ourselves." Or think (h nooumen). The highest aspiration is not beyond God's "power" (dunamin) to bestow.