Revelation Study Introduction Class 5

Beth Elohim Messianic Synagogue
Revelation Study Introduction Class 5
Seven times we have the word prophecy in this book. Indeed, prophecy is one giant and awesome subject. It is “prophecy;” not history. It is prophecy concerning the events that will take place “hereafter’ during the day of the L-rd, i.e., during the day when the L-rd will be the Judge, in contradistinction to the present day, i.e., “man’s day” (1 Cor. 4:3) during which time man is judging. Even “Historicists” understand some of this book to contain prophecy.
Most “Futurists” take from 4:1 as prophecy. But we fall back on the first blessing in verse 3: “ Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of THIS PROPHECY.” The fact that reading commences immediately; that hearing commences with reading, neither is to be postponed until some time in the future, or to some specific part of the book. Nor are we to be left in ignorance as to where our reading and blessings begin. I believe that “this prophecy” means exactly that, and that we are to read on and wait until we come to a particular verse where the blessing begins.
Our attention to what is written is not to be postponed. All the words are “ the words of this prophecy.” Yochanan (John) was to bear witness of “ all the things that he saw” (v. 2); and the command is “what thou seest write in A BOOK.” Therefore, what we have is in “a book,” and that book contains all that John saw and heard; and it is called “this prophecy.” Therefore, the entire book is prophecy for us. It is “ those things which are written in it” which we are to keep, and it is as a whole Book that we propose to deal with it. We should feel safer to be guided by what G-d Himself calls it than by what man tells us as to what part is prophecy and what is not. If they who tell us this agreed among themselves it would be something. But when they differ, we cannot gain anything substantial by listening to them.
The evidence afforded by this title is that as the whole book is prophecy, the “Church’ is not the subject in it. For as we have seen, the Church is not the subject of prophecy, but of “revelation.” The future of the Church is given and written for our reading and blessing in the Paulie Epistles, especially in 1 Thessalonians 4 where Sha’ul (Paul) speaks “by the word of the L-rd,” which means here as elsewhere, a prophetic announcement. Furthermore, we may add that, when John is told that he is to prophecy again (10:11), it is not about the Church but about peoples and nations, tongues, and kings.
But there is another title given to this book.
The Testimony of Yahshua HaMashiach
This may mean the testimony concerning Him, or the testimony which comes from Him, i.e., which he bore. If we understand it as the former, it then agrees with the entire prophetic word, which is concerning Him as “the coming One.” If we choose the latter meaning, then it refers to the nature of the testimony which Yahshua bore when on earth, and it does not go outside it. That testimony is related to the kingdom and not to the Church.
The word for “testimony” is worthy of note. It is marturia (fem.) and not marturion (neuter). When there are two nouns from the same root, one feminine and the other neuter, there is an unmistakable difference, that has to be carefully observed and noted. That is, if we believe that we must take dealing with “the words which the Ruach HaKodesh teacheth,” as we certainly must do, then we must take careful notice.
The difference here is clear and decided, and a few illustrations should be convincing. Put on your critical thinking “caps” and let’s work this out.
The neuter noun, ending in (-ion), denotes something definite and substantial, while the feminine noun, ending in (ia), denotes the matter referred to or contained in or relating to the neuter noun. For example: Emporia is merchandise; while Emporion is the place or building where the merchandise (emporia) is stored.
Apostasia are the matters concerning which there is defection, falling away, forsaking or revolt (Acts 21:21; 2 Thess. 2:3); while Apostasion is the act of falling away, or the document, etc. which contains it. Hence, it is the technical term for a bill of divorcement (Matt. 5:31; 19:7; Mk 10:4).
Georgia is tillage; georgion is the field where the tillage is carried on (1 Cor. 3:9)
Gymnasia denotes the exercises (1 Tim. 4:8); gymnasium, the place or building where the exercises are done.
Dokimee is the examination or proof (Rom. 5;4; 2 Cor. 2:9; 8:2: 9:13: 13:13; Phil. 2:22). While dokimion is the trial, at which the examination is made and the proofs given (Jas. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:7).
Mneia is remembrance or mention (Rom. 1:9; Eph.1;16; Phil. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2, 3:6; 2 Tim. 1:3; Philemon.4). mneion is the tombstone or sepulcher where the remembrance is made.
Soteria is a saving or delivering (and is the general word for salvation in the B’rit Chadashah (“New” Testament; while soterion is the act of saving, and almost the person who delivers. (See Luke 2;30 (where it is “seen”) and 3:6; Acts 28:28; Ephes. 5:17-29.
In the Apocalypse, we have marturion (the neuter), testimony, only once (Rev. 15:5), where it is used of a thing, “the tabernacle of the testimony,” i.e., the tent and tables of stone which were placed therein. In every other place (nine times) we have marturia, the testimony given or witness borne (1:2,9; 6:9; 11:7; 12:11,17; 19:10, twice: 20:4). In all of these cases, it is testimony or witness borne, as a reference to them will show. It seems quite clear then, that where we read in this prophecy of “the testimony of Yahshua” (1:2, 9; 12:17; 19:10, twice 30), it means the testimony which the L-rd Yahshua bore or gave on earth as “Yahshua” in the days of His humiliation (not as Messiah as raised from the dead). The testimony was, as was already said, concerning His kingdom and concerning Israel (see Rom. 15:8); and it is the same testimony which the same Yahshua gives in the book of this prophecy. This is also related to the seven-fold witness of Yahshua as to what he defines as a “true believer.”
Specific Expressions in Chapters 1-3
There are specific expressions used throughout the Apocalypse which are entirely unlike any expressions used in connection with the “Church” or in the Church Epistles. Some of these are sufficient in themselves to show that the :Church” is not the subject of the Apocalypse, and have already been identified. But there are others of import which require a deeper examination. Therefore these are grouped together under this heading, referring to the Exposition that follows, where supplementary comments addressing them are provided. To locate these expressions, we must explore beyond the first chapter, except for one expression which occurs seven times in chapters 2 and 3.
There are sufficient expressions in chapter 1 to show us how the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit)has at the very threshold of this book, used these expressions for our consideration and guidance. We find seven of these expressions:
The first is found in Rev. 1:5 and is sorely mistranslated from the Greek which reads “… to Him loving us and washing us from our sins by His blood…” (Literal translation). From the Syriac Peshito Version (1846) we read “…who hath loved us, and released us from our sins by his blood…”( Syriac is a straightforward language similar to Hebrew with Peshitta meaning to straighten out or stretch). From the Word: the Bible from 26 translations (1991) we read “ … To Him who ever loves us and once and for all released us, by washing us clean…”
I submit these few translations show that verse 5 did not say “Messiah loved His “Church” and gave Himself for it.’ Christians seem unable to rise above and beyond the thought that they are not the center of the universe and certainly not the subject of the book of Revelation. Christian clergy are taught and blindly follow without independent critical thinking that includes hermeneutic method to verify scripture with scripture to verify or discover the truth or falsity of what they are taught and unfortunately subsequently teach their parishioners. The thought that YHVH said of Israel, “ Yea, he loved the people,” does not enter into their minds that John is not talking about the “Church.” Gentile hatred of the Jew, biological and “true Jews” defined in Romans 2-3 has resulted in Church Replacement Theology by Christianity, whereby Israel has been permanently divorced and G-d has changed his mind about all of the promises He made to Israel. This is a convenient way to teach and/or believe that since the Jews/Israel has been cut out of the Old Testament and even the Apocalypse, G-d’s laws were also abrogated or “cut out” with Yahshua’s crucifixion. This is completely absurd. Yet, it is strange with the repeated assertions which YHVH makes of His love for Israel, that not only should Israel be passed over by Bible students, but this love actually taken from Israel and appropriated to the Church; depriving Israel of G-d’s love and blessing, leaving them for G-d’s judgement and curses. Even in the face of the following passages, the Church insists they are the “New Israel’ and will be the “Bride of Christ,” again a mistranslation.
In Deuteronomy 7:7,8 we read “ The L-rd did not set His love upon you, nor choose you because you were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people. But because the L-rd loved you, and because He would keep the oath which he had sworn to your fathers, hath the L-rd brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you,” etc. (See Deuteronomy 6:37;23:5, etc.).
Hosea 11:1,4 reads” When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt… I drew them with the cords of a man, with bands of love.” Isaiah 3:4 reads “ Sinst thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee.”
Jeremiah 31:3 reads “ The L-rd hath appeared of old unto me, saying, ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.”
And the L-rd, the Redeemer of Israel says in Isaiah 54:10 “ For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the L-rd that hath mercy upon thee.”
We are quite aware that these passages have all been appropriated by the Church to itself using the false doctrine of Church replacement Theology. Therefore, we can hardly expect them to be received in evidence that the words in Revelation 1:5 are not the words spoken by the Church. But we must be content to leave the matter here for now, for the Church is addressed in Revelation 18:4-8 which will be addressed in a future lesson.
“ These are the true sayings of G-d.” If people feely choose to reject G-d and His Word/Torah/instructions/Law, we can hardly hope that those same people will take these lessons seriously. But for those who earnestly want to learn the truth of G-d’s Word, specifically the book of Revelation, these lessons are a great place to start. For those who have some biblical knowledge, these lessons will serve as a reliable source for comparison, for G-d’s Torah is consistent, never changing throughout, just as G-d is never changing; always was, is, and always will be… (Rev. 1:8; Isa. 40:8; Ps. 119:89; 1 Pet. 1:25; Matt, 24:35)
Shalom v’brachas,
Rabbi Tamah Davis-Hart