Well, we want to say Shabbat Shalom to everyone, God bless you, welcome to the Bible classes of the ministry of the Holy Scriptures in Israel, we are happy to have you with us and we pray that the Lord will bless you as we learn together from the Word of God, one chapter at a time, one verse at a time, throughout the whole Word of God. And in this ministry meeting this Saturday, Shabbat afternoon, we are studying really the book of Revelation. And hopefully you have a Bible with you. If you will, please open your Bible to Revelation chapter 1, where we will begin the reading from verse 9 to verse 20.

But before we will read, let's just ask the Lord to bless the meeting today. And so, our God and our Father, we want to thank you so much for the Lamb of God, for the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, who is seated upon the throne in heaven. And we learn from Him and about Him, even as we learn from the Word of God. Bless your word today, the book of Revelation, for we ask it in Yeshua, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, turn with me to Revelation chapter 1, and I'm reading today from verse 9, Revelation chapter 1 and verse 9. I'll read all the way to verse 20.

So, follow me, please. I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, of Yeshua HaMashiach, was on the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and what thou sayest, 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 I to Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girded about the chest with a golden girdle. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went 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 dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not, I am the first and the I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen, and have the keys of hell and death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. And then verse 20. The mystery of the seven stars, which thou sowest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. And the seven lampstand, or candlesticks, which thou sowest, are the seven churches.

And here I am stopping, beloved brothers and sisters, reading for us today Revelation chapter 1, verses 9 to 20. Now, this is actually, beloved brothers and sisters, is the third message that we have here on the book of Revelation. We have covered, first of all, by way of introduction, the first a few verses of chapter 1 as an introduction that was written to the whole book of a chazon of Revelation and that introduction presented before us the subject of the book and the subject of the book is the Revelation of Yeshua of Jesus the Messiah not the Revelation but a Revelation one single Revelation a unfolding and you remember beloved brothers and sisters that the word Revelation the name of the book simply is not the Revelation of John the divine it is a Revelation of Yeshua HaMashiach Jesus the Messiah the word Revelation is coming from the Greek word apocalypsis in the Hebrew it is hidgalut or chazon and apocalypsis simply mean an unveiling of the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach we mentioned also as we introduced the whole book that the word apocalypsis in Hebrew hidgalut in Greek apocalypsis mentioned about 18 times in the brit hachadasha in the new covenant the first time in Luke 2 32 the last time in Revelation 1 1.

And we have here some you might say 18 times where the word apocalypsis is mentioned in the Scripture and why because God want to reveal the Lord Jesus the Messiah before all he want to unfold the greatness of the person of the Lord Yeshua Jesus before everyone to reveal to all who is this person that's why we have here the Revelation as we begin of Jesus Christ of Yeshua the Messiah remember that we did mention the fact that the prophet Isaiah tells us already in Isaiah 52 and Isaiah 53 concerning who the Lord Jesus is how God wanted to reveal him to all and if you remember in Isaiah 53 and actually 52 and verse 13 onward behold my servant behold my servant God is saying because he wanted everyone to behold his servant who is this servant the Messiah and in chapter 53 and verse 12 we read therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he has poured up his soul unto death.

He was. Numbered with the transgressors. He bared the sins of many and he made intercession for the transgressions. In other words, God wants to reveal the person of his son, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus before all humanity. And in fact, in Colossians chapter 1, we read that he is the head of their body this is the church the assembly the ecclesia for us today who are believers who is the beginning the first born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence and that's why God is revealing him before us and remember we have covered all the way from a Revelation 1 verse 1 to verse 8 because we didn't only see and presented in the introduction is the Revelation of Jesus Christ the Revelation of Yeshua the Messiah we have also have learned about the greetings that were written to the seven local assemblies in Asia Minor in chapter 1 verses 4 to 8 which we have covered as well you remember we read I John notice a verse 4 John to the seven churches.

In other words, John, Yohanan, is writing this book of Revelation of Jesus the Messiah. He is Yohanan, the son of Zebedee, Yohanan ben Zavdai, this Galilean Jewish man that was now receiving the book of Revelation from the glorified Messiah, and he's writing this now to the various assemblies the seven churches which are in Asia this is verse 4 of chapter 1 and so the greetings now is to the seven churches the seven local assembly and we mentioned that in Asia this is Asia Minor present-day turkey there were many more than just seven assemblies, but the number seven is prominent in the Word of God, and there is a reason why the number seven is mentioned so many times, because the number seven in the Word of God identify with that which is complete, with that which is full, with the full number, and it represents the fact that God is intending to write to these seven assemblies to give them what he has in mind for them so it's really representing actually writing to all the assemblies of the living God from the.

Time that the church was born some 2,000 years ago until the time in which you and I live in including the coming rapture of the church when the church will be taken to be in heaven with the Lord before the tribulation period will begin so the first message we had as an introduction the second message we had is the greeting to the seven assemblies that John is writing to and now in verses 9 to 20 of of Revelation chapter 1 John is showing to us and telling us of the vision that he has seen of the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah on the island that is called the island of Patmos.

Now notice that. Revelation 1 verse 9 to 20 really divide into three sections. First of all verses 9, 10, and 11 the setting of the vision that he saw. Secondly in verses 12 to 18 is the vision itself. And finally, in verses 19 to 20, the instruction and the interpretation of that vision which John has seen. So let's go over these verses one verse at a time. First of all, the setting of that first vision that John has seen. Revelation 1 verses 9, 10, 11 it says in verse 9 notice that i'm reading verse 9 i John John identify himself ani Yohanan i John this is the hanan ben zevadai that we read about him already earlier i John who am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was on the island that is called Patmos why for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ so John is telling now as he's writing to the to the local assemblies in Asia minor in present-day turkey he's telling them what happened he's really introducing the what he's ready to write and about the vision that he's going to see and to give us the whole Revelation of the Lord Jesus the Messiah and what events will take place throughout the history of the church age and ultimately the the tribulation days and the messianic kingdom and the eternal.

Order also from the island of Patmos which is present-day Greece he's writing to the seven assemblies which were located in present-day turkey now notice the island of Patmos if you will visit today the island of Patmos and we have taken many time many trips many groups to the island of Patmos the island of Patmos so beautifully a beautiful island today but in the days when the apostle Yohanan was there he was actually banished by Domitian the emperor to this island as a prisoner he did not go there for a vacation he did not go there to you might say to have a time of rest you might say but actually notice what he said i John who am your brother and companion notice that in now number one in tribulation number two in a in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ i was on the isle that is called Patmos and he gives us the reason John why you were on this island that is called Patmos present day Greece here he gives us the reason why.

It was for the word of God at the end of verse 9 and for the testimony of Jesus Christ apparently Yohanan that is John he was shepherding he was ministering to the believers in the local assembly at Ephesus but because he was so faithful to present the word of God to present the gospel and to teach the word of God and to share it with everyone after all he was a shaliyah an apostle because of the fact that he gave testimony to the Lord Jesus the Messiah he was banished he was sent away Satan was trying to stop him from preaching the word of God and sending him to the island that is called Patmos that is present day Greece why because notice that the word of God I was preaching the word of God and I was giving a testimony to the person of the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

And so he's writing to the brothers and sisters in the local assemblies in this Asia Minor, to the seven assemblies, the seven churches, and he's saying to them, listen, I am your brother. Notice that it's very interesting in verse 9, John does not say, I am the apostle Paul or the apostle John you know the great apostle is Paul you might say i was in a you know he was not elevating himself he said i'm just i'm your brother and not only that i'm your brother i'm a companion i'm a fellow companion fellow a companion but i am a fellow brother and a fellow companion what in the tribulation he experienced tribulation again tribulation here what John is speaking about is simply trouble in his life because of the fact that he believed that Jesus was the Messiah and so because of his testimony concerning the word of God the promises of God because of his testimony concerning the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah he experienced tribulation perhaps like you and I today when we share with others concerning the Lord and and there's opposition there's rejection of the Messiah and therefore those that follow the Lord are being rejected and despised and you remember what the Lord Jesus the Messiah said in the upper.

Room at the end of the gospel of John in chapter 16 he says in this world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer i have overcome the world you remember John chapter 16 and at the end of that chapter we read in this verse 30 verse John chapter 14 at the end of chapter 14 and we read listen to this we read i read chapter 14 chapter 15 and actually chapter 16 as well the Lord said this thing he spoke unto them he said i speak this unto you that in me you might have peace in the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world in this world you will have trouble he's not speaking about the great tribulation that will happen in at the end of the days he's speaking about tribulation that believers experience in the day by day living and so John that is Yohanan have experienced tribulation because he gave testimony to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, and that's why.

He was on the island, because the emperor Domitian had banished him, had put him in prison, had sent him away from the assembly, the Ephesian assembly where he was ministering. He sent him away to his brother to try to stop him from preaching the word of God and from giving testimony to the person and the work of Yeshua HaMashiach of the Lord Jesus Christ but notice in humility he says I'm your brother in humility he says I'm your companion in tribulation and I am your brother and companion in tribulation notice and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. What does he mean when he says the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ?

What does he mean by that is that we live in a present age in the time in which we live in and the believer is called to have patience to await the day when the Lord will come back and finally establish what he promised to establish. You remember, beloved brothers and sisters, he's not now speaking specifically about the future kingdom, that the Messiah will come when Israel will be restored and the whole world will be under the Messianic kingdom. He's speaking about the present-day kingdom, mystery kingdom. What does he mean? That he is not here, the kingdom has to have a king, and the king is absent.

And the subject of the king, namely all true believers during that church age, are in a mystery kingdom following the rejected king and learning to have patience until the day that he will come to take us to be with him in glory. So he says, and I'm reading that verse again, I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom. You see, he was already in the kingdom and patient of Jesus Christ. He was part of this mystery kingdom where the king was rejected and he's absent. While his subjects although don't see the king visibly and yet they follow him and they have to experience tribulation trials and to learn patience you know it reminds me of what the apostle Paul said to the Romans if you remember in chapter 5 what the apostle Paul said to the Romans I just want to read to you about a patience and tribulation you remember in Romans chapter 5 Shaul Paul said he says to them therefore being justified by faith we have peace we have shalom with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Romans 5 verse 1 by whom also we have access by faith unto the grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God and not only so we glory in tribulation we glory when we go through trials why because knowing the tribulation workers patience Romans 5 verse 3 and here your hanan that is John is saying i am your brother i am your companion when and where in tribulation during tribulation in the.

Kingdom and the patience of Jesus Christ, of Yeshua the Messiah. I was on the island that is called Patmos, present day Greece. Why I was there? For the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. You will notice this, beloved brothers and sisters, in a world in which we live in today, when you will share the word of God and when you will give testimony to Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah it is you're bound to experience some opposition this is the world we live in today and thank God we still have liberty today to be under the sound of the word but you can just imagine under the Roman Empire during the time that johanan John was there the emperor banished him away from his brethren in the local assembly in the city of Ephesus and put him as it were in prison get out of the way we will not allow you to share the word of God and to share about Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and yet in the midst of tribulation he received this amazing Revelation.

So you and i today and the world was blessed to see the Revelation of this wonderful person by the name of Yeshua Jesus Christ christos Mashiach the anointed one that God have sent to the world for God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son to this world why because God want to reveal to the world the way of salvation that comes only through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and so now notice that now that he gave the setting we see he's alone on the island of Patmos the the emperor thought i will send him away from the believers so he will be alone he will not speak he will not be able to share anything he will not be able to speak about the word of God to speak about Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and in the meanwhile the Lord used this occasion to give him the book of Revelation and so in verse 10 notice that in verse 10 we see what John.

Have heard, verse 10 and 11, we see John, notice that in verse 10, he says, John, now notice that again, he says, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and notice, and I heard. Here's what he hears. I heard behind me a great voice of a trumpet, and verse 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 the seven congregation kehillot in Hebrew ecclesia the seven congregations seven assemblies which are in Asia this is Asia Minor and the voice spoke to him and told him that told him unto the unto Ephesus and unto Smyrna and unto Pergamos and unto tyatira and unto Sardis and unto Philadelphia and unto Laodicea.

The Lord specifically gave him in these verses the assemblies in Asia Minor, the local, you know, when we use the word churches, beloved brothers and sisters, we don't speak about buildings, we don't speak about cement, we don't speak about blocks, we don't speak about mortar, we don't speak about stained glass windows, we don't speak about stipple, we don't speak about some big wooden cross somewhere above. The word for churches in the Greek, ecclesia, church is the called out individuals. Jewish believers in Yeshua HaMashiach, gentle believers in Yeshua, the Messiah, and united together, they are forming the ecclesia, the assembly, the church. It's not a building.

It's not a structure. It's not some sort of wood and stone and whatever it is people it is living stones and these living stones these seven churches of believers they were living in these seven local cities in Asia Minor present-day Turkey which is called Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and La Adosia. Literal seven locations in present-day Turkey who every local area, local city, local town had true believers in that local assembly. And to remind you that to be part of the church, of the assembly, of the Kehillah, one must be born of the Spirit of God, a true child of God, a true believer in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah one that received forgiveness of sins and that he or she have accepted the finished work of the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah became part of the church the the universal church but they are expressing themselves in their local cities local assemblies Ephesus Smyrna as we have here and then we have here the seven names Pergamos tyatira Sardis Philadelphia and laadosia.

But notice that before we just kind of we don't want to neglect it he in verse 10 he says i was in the Spirit what does it mean i was in the Spirit he was another word he was controlled by the holy Spirit of God he was in the Spirit he was taken by the Spirit he was the one that was the Spirit of God controlled him and took him over and began to use him to give to us the Revelation of Jesus the Messiah this is very interesting because it is a very same expression that the early Hebrews the the prophets of Israel used this expression like Ezekiel in Ezekiel 37 and verse 1 Ezekiel said the hand of the Lord was upon me and he carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and he set me down in the midst of the valley the expression we might call it a Hebrew Scripture expression is that the the Spirit of the Lord carried the prophet of God so when Yohanan saying i was in the Spirit he simply means that he was.

Guided by the holy Spirit of God he was in the realm of the spirit not in the realm of the flesh not in the realm of what men think but the Spirit of God God the holy Spirit of God guided him and gave him that book of Revelation you know this is so interesting to hear and to read how the servants of the Lord in days of old, whether it is Jeremiah or whether it is Ezekiel, they were guided by the Holy Spirit of God. We read in Jeremiah chapter 1 and verse 4, we read in that interesting verse, then the word of the Lord came unto me saying, the word of the Lord came unto me and in the power of the Spirit of God, the word of the Lord came upon the servant of God and use the servant of God to receive the word and then to give it to others or to put it down and to give it to others so he was in the Spirit notice that beloved brothers and sisters and I.

Just want to mention that throughout the book of Revelation a few times he used the word in the Spirit I was in the Spirit if you turn for a moment to chapter 4 of Revelation and there notice that in verse 2 we read in verse 2 and immediately I was in the Spirit and I beheld you notice that in the Spirit in Hebrew I was in the Spirit if you turn a little bit further in Revelation chapter 17 you notice once again in verse 3 where we read listen to his beloved brothers and sisters so he carried me away in their spirit into the wilderness in other words God by the power of Ruach ha'Elohim Ruach ha'kodesh the holy Spirit of God have carried John have carried Yohanan and gave him a message and show him a vision one more time at the end of Revelation in chapter 21 and verse 10, we do read, and he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain.

So this expression, I was in the Spirit and he carried me in the Spirit. Is mentioned in Revelation chapter 1 and verse 10, Revelation 4 verse 2, Revelation 17 verse 3, Revelation 21 verse 10 and it is very similar way in which God have led the prophets of Israel historically by the power of the Spirit of God to give us the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord. And so it's not only that that we read of John in chapter 1 and verse 10. I was in the Spirit but then notice what he says he says on the Lord's day now this is also very interesting expression and why it is a very interesting expression because there are various views various views to look at this passage the Lord's day you know we always call the first day of the week the Lord's day.

Why? Because on that first day of the week the Lord rose from among the dead and it become a day in which the early believers in the Lord Jesus the Messiah already in Israel and beyond came to gather together when the Shabbat ended on the first day of the week. It became a day that they remember they gather together to remember the Lord Jesus the Messiah in his death burial and resurrection so this is one way to look at it the Lord's day even though we don't read. I was there on sunday on the first day of the week but it became known by the early believers as the day the Lord's day the day that is in reference to the first day of the week and that is a good way to look at it as as it is really the Lord in in fact beloved brothers and sisters every day belong to the Lord the first day the second day the third day the fourth day the fifth day the sixth day the Shabbat day the seventh day all days belong to the Lord but it became to be known by the believers over the generation but I just want to mention also that this expression here in verse 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day can be also looked upon in the sense that he was on the Lord's day and that expression the Lord's day or the day of the Lord is an expression that oftentimes in the Hebrew Scripture is specifically applies to the tribulation period it is often.

Called the day of the Lord Yom Yehovah and why it is called Yom Adonai or Yom Yehovah because it's a day when God will unleash his judgment upon this world and the judgment will come to judge this world in righteousness to refine the nation of Israel to restore Israel to himself and that speak of the tribulation death and ultimately the coming kingdom where the day of the Lord will conclude we might say with the culminate with the messianic the thousand years the millennial age this is another way to look at that as well and i would like to mention why it is another way to look at that because the vast majority of the whole book of Revelation deal with the day of the Lord with the tribulation period in fact from chapter 6 and verse 1 to chapter 19 to the end of chapter 19, all these chapters, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, these 14 chapters in the book of Revelation deal with seven years.

The tribulation period, Tzarat Yaakov, Jacob trouble mentioned by Jeremiah. After that, we have the Messianic kingdom, Revelation chapter 20. After that we have the eternal order Revelation chapter 21 and 22 but the vast majority of the book of Revelation deal with the tribulation period which in the Hebrew Scripture is often called the day of the Lord Yom Adonai, Yom Yehovah this is just another way to look at that so he was in the spirit in the realm of the spirit and he received Revelation concerning what will take place specifically during the tribulation period Yes, Revelation 2 and 3 will happen before, Revelation 20, 21, 22 will take place after, but the vast majority of the book of Revelation deal with only seven years.

And these seven years are the tribulation period. Sarat Yaakov, Jacob's trouble, mentioned in Jeremiah chapter 30. Now, the third way to look at that, it is a way in which others also look at it, that I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, some call it Lordy day, a special day, a special day in which I received a Revelation from the glorified Messiah. And so when we look at this verse, when John writes in verse 9, 10, and 11, what John is really saying, in verse 9, he was alone on the island that is called Patmos. And then notice he was John, Yohanan, it was him. The place was the island of Patmos.

The reason that he was there because of the persecution of John, Yohanan, because he gave testimony to the word of the Lord and to the person of the Lord Jesus. And he was on that unique day that he was carried by the Spirit of God than receive this amazing Revelation concerning the person of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, and what he will bring about because of what he had done when he gave himself, when he died, was buried and rose again and so we read in this verse 10 all of a sudden as he was there on that island of Patmos because he was banished by the emperor he was there carried by the Holy Spirit of God and we hear here he tells us that he heard something what did he hear verse 10b what did he hear it says I heard behind me a great voice and of a trumpet it's of a trumpet he heard the sound of a great voice a powerful voice and the sound was so powerful like a trumpet in Hebrew we call it shofar and as he is a a hearing behind him he heard not only the voice.

But the saying of that voice and what does he hear he hear the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah of the glorified Messiah who speaks to him and he said i'm Alpha and Omega verse 11 i'm beginning and the last i'm the first and the last and and and he's saying to John John i am the beginning i am the end i am the first i am the last i am the Alpha i am the Omega and he says what you see John i want you to write it in a book and so it says in verse 11 it says you write it in a book and send it to the seven local churches, local assemblies of believers that are found in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Triatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

And I said before, beloved brothers and sisters, there were more than seven. Colossae, Colossae as well, and there were other assemblies that were there, but the number seven represents the meaning of the word fullness, and the information that he would give to the seven local assemblies in Asia Minor will really represent the full information that John Yohanan will receive about the person of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and what he accomplishing but it will be also sufficient enough information to spread it and to share it among all the assemblies in Asia Minor and beyond John what you see I want you to write it in a book and I want you to send it notice the words here in this verse verse a 9 10 and 11 I heard He saw, he wrote, and he sent.

I want you to send it. Hearing, seeing, writing, and sending. And he's now called to send it to the seven local assemblies in Asia Minor. Now, as we cover these verses, what John have heard now, the voice of the Lord is speaking to him. And now notice in verses 12 to 18, this is also so beautiful, because in verse 8, I'm sorry, verse 12 to verse 18, we have the vision itself. Not so much what John heard, verses 9, 10, and 11, but what John saw in verses 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, and in verse 17, 18, what John did. He heard, he saw, and he did something. He acted upon it. And so notice verses 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, the vision itself.

What John is seeing, beloved brothers and sisters, again, to remind ourselves that there is a difference between a dream halom in Hebrew and a vision chazon halom a dream you see when you sleep at night you dream dreams chazon is what you literally receive from the Lord a vision to see it's much more than just merely a dream and so John is now telling us what did he see now notice it that's so beautiful because what he sees beloved brothers and sisters in verse 12 we read John saw seven golden lampstands notice I'm reading in verse 12 he turned now and what does he see to see the voice he was going to look at the voice who is the one who is speaking but what.

Does he see he was turning around to see the voice that speak with me and behind he said that being turn, I saw, what did he see? Seven golden candlesticks. Now, it is better to use the word lampstands rather than candlesticks. You know, when you think of a candlestick, you think of many sticks, you know, in one candlestick. But really what he saw is seven individual lampstands. Perhaps in a circle seven individual lampstands he sees them as he sees these seven lampstand notice that it says here i saw seven a golden candlestick of golden lampstands and it is very interesting that we have here the interpretation of what these lampstands are you know the assembly the church the congregation is called to be a lamp that give light to the world you know the Lord Jesus the Messiah says you are the light of the world if you remember beloved brothers and sisters in the gospel of Matthew let me just read Matthew for a moment in chapter 5 and verse 14 the Lord Jesus the Messiah the servant of the mountain says ye are the light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid neither do men light a candle and put it under a bush but on a a lampstand or candlestick in order to give light unto all that are in the house in other words really what we really see that these seven lights or lampstand representing the seven assemblies in Asia Minor.

Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea they are representing a local assembly that are giving light to the world a testimony to the person of the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah you see he saw seven lampstand candlesticks beloved brothers and sisters a light of testimony in their locality you see beloved brothers and sisters and of course as they give testimony they give testimony because their testimony is given to them as they are occupied with the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah who said of himself in John chapter 8 and verse 12 Jesus then spake Yeshua unto them and he said I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life in other words as God's people are following the Lord Jesus the Messiah they give light to the world around them and when they don't walk in in in fellowship with the Lord they cannot give a testimony and a light to the world and so the seven lampstands representing the seven assembly.

How do we know it well notice that if you go down to verse 20 to the end of the chapter he says in verse 20 in the middle he says the seven golden candlesticks he says at the end really are the seven churches notice the last words the seven candlesticks which thou sowest are the seven assemblies in other words the seven lampstands which John Yohanan saw representing the seven assemblies in Asia Minor which are to give light to the world around them and beloved brothers and sisters in reality every local church local assembly local supposed to give light to the people around there and when there is harmony and fellowship and and the word of God is being presented and love among the believers and fellowship with one another and godly walk, they can give a good testimony.

But when there is darkness and violation of the word of God and disobedience and broken relationship with one another and with the fellowship with the Lord is broken, they cannot give a testimony to the world around. And that's what happened with. Us at times when we do not walk with the Lord and fellowship with one another. We cannot be a good testimony around but the churches the assembly the kehila the congregation is really called to give light that's what they are called here the seven golden lampstands but he doesn't see only this in these verses because in the next verse verse 13 the apostle Yohanan not only see the seven golden lampstands which represent the seven local assemblies in Asia Minor he see the Lord Yeshua the Messiah examining in the midst of the assembly he's viewing everything and notice i'm reading now in verse 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstand in the midst of the seven candlesticks was one like unto the son of man clothed with garment down to the foot very interesting he's in the midst do you know that the Lord Jesus always want to be in the midst where two or three are gathered together unto my name Matthew 18 20.

There am i in the midst of them the Lord is always the center of the assembly of the believers God in Israel's history always wanted to be in the center of his people Israel that's why he asked Israel to build the tabernacle later on the temple and God said i may dwell among them Exodus chapter 25 i want you to make me a tabernacle because i want to dwell in among my people the people of Israel and the Lord Jesus the Messiah who is now glorified he want to be in the midst of the assembly of believers that's why the believers are called to gather unto him and not to gather unto the preacher or to gather unto a system and to gather unto all sort of man-made organization but to gather unto the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah who is the center of the assembly where two or three are gathered together unto my name here or there am I.

In the midst of them and so now that he saw that the one notice it was one like unto the son of man where do we get this expression the son of man again to remind you the son of man is the Hebrew word ben ha-Adam and ben ha-Adam is one of the messianic titles of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah in Daniel chapter 7 we read in verse 13 and i saw in a night vision this is Daniel now years earlier sometime at about 555 BC John writing at about 96 AD they see the same person Daniel saw in a vision one like the son of man come with the clouds of heaven the Hebrew word is Ben Ha'Adam and here John later on some 600 years later he see in his vision what does he see one like unto the son of man like ben ha-Adam and you know that throughout the gospel of Matthew how many time Yeshua was called.

By the the people of Israel son of man ben Adam ben Adam ben Adam how many time he was called son of man, son of man, ben ha-Adam. You know, you and I are sons of Adam, descendants of Adam. You and I are sinners because we have inherited Adam's sin nature, but he was the son of man, the sinless one without any sin. He was the ben ha-Adam, ha-ben ha-Adam, the son of man. And so John is now seeing in that vision, after he saw the seven lampstand, and in the midst of the seven lampstand representing the seven local assemblies in Asia Minor, he saw in the midst of them one like the Son of Man, and now he began to give us a description of the Son of Man.

Notice, and we have here a list from verse 13 down 13b we have a list to verse 16 of description of the son of man let me just read you read us for us all this notice what it says here he saw one like under the son. Of man and then number one he was clothed with a garment down to his foot he was geared about his chest with a golden girdle. Verse 14, his head and his hair were white like wool, not as white as snow, his eyes were as a flame of fire, his feet like unto fine brass as if they burn in a furnace his voice as the sound of many waters and he had in his right hand a seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was as the sun in his strength you notice these beloved brothers and sisters from verse 13 to verse 16 we see a description of what John saw concerning the son of man which is none else but our Lord Jesus Christ our Lord Yeshua the Messiah who came to this world who was born to the virgin Miriam in the city of Bethlehem who lived a perfect life here on earth for these 33 33 and a half years who was ultimately if gone.

And he dined on a shameful cross and a shameful tree for the sin of this world who was buried and rose again and was ascended to heaven and God said to him sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool and really what John Yohanan is seeing he's seeing the glorified Messiah the glorified Christ in a role of a judge and he sees him in a center in the midst of all the seven assemblies and he sees everything that is going on in every local assembly among the believers and these descriptions here give us a description of what he sees and what he knows notice i just want to mention that as we are just about to conclude we read him that the Lord is judging here this is verse 13 he's in the midst of the assembly he knows everything that is going on among his own people whether it is the seven assemblies in Asia Minor but he knows what the condition that in every local assembly around the.

World in every country in every period of time in the in church history and we see him evaluating the spiritual condition of every local congregation local church local assembly he was a garment his garment that it was it's like a king in a role of a judge notice his chest is girded about with golden girdle his head and his hair was white as wool and and white as snow represent his wisdom he knows everything he's a wise son of man his eyes were as a flame of fire is piercing through he can see everything that is going on in the life of God's people his eyes sharp as it says here as a as a flame of fire his feet it's representing his righteous standing and righteous walk his feet is likened to brass as if they are burning in a furnace his voice speak of authority his voice is as the sound of many waters and then in his right hand you have seven stars and these seven stars representing the seven.

Spiritual leadership in every local assembly that they are in his hand in his right hand he knows everything how they conduct themselves how they lead the local assembly the people of God and then we read that out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword it speak about the truth of God's word and then his face his countenance speak of his full brightness that was like the sun that's shining in its strength so basically beloved brothers and sisters in verses 12 to verse 16 we see what John saw in the vision that the Lord have allowed him to see as he was carried by the Spirit of God on a special day on the Lord's day when he was in the island of Patmos And just to close for us today, the lesson that we learn from this is, although God's people at times have to suffer trials and tribulations, but the truth of the matter is that God can use His people anywhere, wherever they are.

God is able to use his own people at any place at any time even when he he allowed them to experience trial and tribulation and while Yohanan was not at Ephesus anymore he was banished to the island of Patmos yet in the island of Patmos there alone he received a special Revelation concerning the person of our Lord Jesus Christ our Lord Yeshua ha-Mashiach the glorified Messiah as a king but in a role of a judge in the midst of the assembly see everything that is going on among his own people and he the Lord who sees it he will give us in chapter 2 and chapter 3 he will address every local assembly and he will tell the local assembly I know what's going on with you I know your condition and here is how you can correct it so you can give a testimony and shine as a light in the middle of a dark world and so beloved brothers and sisters.

We will continue with the help of the Lord in our next meetings together to go over Revelation chapter 1 and we'll move on to chapter 2. But in this present meeting today, we have covered verses 9 to verse 16, the setting of the first vision that John has seen, and the vision itself of the glorified Messiah, Jesus, as a king who is in a role of an examiner, a judge, in the midst of the assembly of the believers. May the Lord help us to see that he want us all to give light in a world in which we live in in a dark world because we the believers are called to be light here in this world well beloved friend God bless you let's pray together so we can end with this meeting for today i gather now father thank you for your word thank you for the vision that Yohanan John saw and thank you for the glorified Christ the glorified Messiah who is there at thy right hand but yet at the same time he is in the midst of the assembly of the believers bless your word we pray encourage your heart we pray for we ask it in Yeshua in Jesus name Amen and Amen well my dear friend until the next time God bless you we say Shabbat Shalom Shalom Shalom