To the Seven Churches in Asia Revelation 1:4

As John the apostle continued to share the “Revelation” given to him by Jesus through an angel, he wrote, “Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand”, and in chapter one and verse four of Revelation, John addresses the “Revelation”, “to the seven churches which are in Asia” and shares concerning the “eternal nature” of God where we read:

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;

The verse begins, “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;” John began with the word, “John” which means “Jehovah is a gracious giver” and was “the writer of the fourth Gospel, son of Zebedee and Salome and brother of James the elder” “to the seven churches” or “to the seven assemblies of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting” “which are in Asia” which refers to “the churches that are located in the orient which embraces Mysia, Lydia, Phrygia, Caria and corresponds closely to Turkey today”: “Grace” which means “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness and unmerited favor” “be unto you” or “be toward the seven churches”, “and peace” which means “tranquility, exemption from the rage of havoc of war, harmony and concord”, “from him which is” or “from God who presently exists”, “and which was” which means “used to be”, “and which is to come” or “shall come into being, arise, come and show forth and be established”. John wrote to the “seven churches” which were located in “Asia”, and his greeting to them was replete with “grace and peace” which comes from the “eternal” God who “is, was and is to come” all at the same time.

The verse continues, “... and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;” John added the words, “and from the seven Spirits” or “from the seven Spirits of God” “which are before” which means “that are in the presence and in front of” “his throne” or “God's tribunal or judge's bench”. John shared how God's “seven Spirits” in front of His “judicial bench” was the source of “grace and peace” toward the “seven churches”.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we realize to whom he addressed this “Revelation”. The “seven churches” in “Asia” were present during the time of John's writing, and “grace and peace” were directed toward them from the “eternal God” with “the seven Spirits” before His “throne”. God exists in the “eternal now” so that the “past, present and future” are all before Him, and nothing that happens, has happened or will happen is out of His site. This “eternal” God desires to extend His “unmerited favor” and “tranquility” to every person who yields their life to Him through His Son Jesus Christ, and like the address to the “seven churches in Asia”, God wants to give His “grace and peace” today.

Next time we see John share how this “Revelation” is, “from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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