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Revelation 1
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| 1:1
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: |
 (1:1, 3)
"Things which must shortly come to pass"
John believed that the things that he wrote about would happen soon, within his own lifetime.
After nearly 2000 years, believers still believe that "the time is at hand" and
that the events described in Revelation will "shortly come to pass."
What the Bible says about the end of the world
 St. John on Patmos
(Hans Baldung Grien, 1511)
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| 1:2
Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ,
and of all things that he saw.
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| 1:3
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.
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| 1:4
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;
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| 1:5
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, |
Jesus "washed us ... in his own blood."
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| 1:6
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be
glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. |
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| 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. |
"Every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him."
"Every eye shall see him," including those who executed him. Everyone will "wail because of him." But
millions have lived and died without ever seeing him coming "with clouds."
 "He cometh with clouds;
and every eye shall see him."
Everyone will see Jesus descend from the sky. Such an event would
only be possible on a flat earth.
 (1:7)
Will Jesus' second coming be visible to all?
Well, not according to the Jehovah's Witnesses, anyway.
Even though Jesus (Mt.24:30) says he'll return "on the clouds of heaven with great power and
glory" and this verse says that "every eye shall see him," The Governing
Body claims that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 without clouds, glory, or being seen by anyone.
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| 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.
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| 1:9
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the
kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos,
for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
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| 1:10
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice,
as of a trumpet,
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| 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou
seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in
Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira,
and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
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| 1:12
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw
seven golden candlesticks; |
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| 1:13
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with
a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
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 (1:13-16)
Jesus has white hair, eyes of fire, feet of brass, and has a sword sticking out of his mouth.
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| 1:14
His head and his hairs
were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
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| 1:15
And his feet like unto
fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound
of many waters.
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| 1:16
And he had in his right hand
seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword:
and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. |
"He had in his right hand seven stars."
Jesus holds seven stars in his hand. Of course, it is
possible that this is metaphorical. Perhaps. But it is clear from other
verses (6:13, 8:10, 12:4)
that John thought of stars as being small, perhaps even small enough for Jesus to hold in
his hand.
"I am the first and the last."
Is Jesus God?
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| 1:17
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand
upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
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| 1:18
I am he that
liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the
keys of hell and of death. |
"I ... have the keys of hell and of death."
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| 1:19
Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the
things which shall be hereafter; |
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| 1:20
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the
seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven
churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven
churches.
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Next Chapter
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Injustice 
Contradictions
Language 
Intolerance 
Women 
Sex 
Family Values 
Homosexuality 
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St. John on Patmos