18/08/2021

Who are the 'Servants' in Revelation 1?

📰The Bible is one of the best-selling and most widely distributed books in history, yet it is also considered to be among the least understood. The Bible, which is referred to as the New Covenant and Promise of God, in which 'the way to heaven and salvation' is presented, differs in theologians' interpretations that make it difficult to understand. These differing interpretations have been the cause of the rise of denominations with each one establishing their own doctrine. With the increase in online church services and gatherings resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there has been growing interest in the comparison of various church doctrine. This paper, therefore, attempts to provide readers with the opportunity to compare differing Biblical teachings without interpretation. Among a host of online sermons and Bible-based teachings, the contrasting doctrine between the established Church and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has drawn public interest throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, is hereby compared and summarised. Best efforts have been made to provide a summary of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' understanding of the Bible. Judgment as to what is right or wrong is left to the reader’s discernment.

 

"The 'servants' are the 144,000 priests and the multitude in white of New Heaven New Earth, which is the newly created kingdom of God"
Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony
                                    ==========================================================

Let us first look at the meaning of 'revelation'. It means to 'open and show' by using the Chinese characters 啓 (open) and įĪš (show). There is a vision revelation and a fulfilment revelation. A vision revelation is a prophecy that has been seen, heard and recorded in a vision about future events that will be fulfilled. Fulfilment revelation is to show the reality that has been revealed according to the written prophecy. The book of Revelation (Revelation) was recorded about 2,000 years ago, by Apostle John, a disciple of Jesus, who was in exile on the island of Patmos, which is now part of modern-day Greece, about everything he saw and heard from Jesus in vision about the future. As in Mat 24:14 and Acts 1:8, it is a prophetic book that records the events that take place today when the gospel of the kingdom has been spread to the ends of the earth.

Just because Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation on the island of Patmos, or the history of the Old Testament was fulfilled in the nation of Israel, it does not mean that the events recorded in the Book of Revelation will take place in Patmos or in the nation of Israel. In Matthew 21:43, Jesus said to the Jews that the kingdom of God would be taken away from them, and given to people who would produce its fruits and inherit the kingdom of heaven. It is an event that will be fulfilled - not on Patmos Island or in the nation of Israel - but somewhere in the world where there are people who bear fruit, according to the words Jesus spoke.

Let's look at the Old Testament in order to understand the 
process of revelation.

In Isaiah 29, there is a revelation from God of a sealed scroll (book). This scroll was not sealed forever, but there would come a time when it would be fulfilled according to Habakkuk 2:2-3. When this revelation is fulfilled, meaning when the Word is opened, God opens the sealed scroll and feeds it to Ezekiel at the time when the chosen people are held captive by the Gentiles, as seen in Ezekiel 1, 2 and 3. Ezekiel, who takes the open scroll and eats it, preaches it to the rebellious house of Israel. However, this was only a prophecy that Ezekiel saw in vision - it wasn't the reality at that time. The reality happened at the time of the first coming of Jesus as the people of Jerusalem were being held captive by Satan's shepherds (pastors) - that is, the scribes and Pharisees, who were spiritual Gentiles. Jesus accomplished the work of salvation, fulfilling the promises of the Old Testament by delivering the word of revelation to the captive Israelites. The servants who received the revelation of the Old Testament through Jesus 2000 years ago were the 120 disciples, including the 12 disciples who came to Jesus from out of the Jewish world. The Holy Spirit came to them and they became one.

Today, let's find out through the Bible how the prophecies of the New Testament are fulfilled, how they are delivered to the servants, and who these servants are.

In Revelation 5, the sealed scroll in God's right hand appears. This scroll records the fulfilment of the Book of Revelation. Jesus took this scroll and opened all seven seals of the scroll in Revelation chapters 6 and 8, but how was Jesus able to take this book that no one in heaven or earth could open or see? Because he had overcome. Whenever God's work is being fulfilled, there is always interference by Satan. Therefore, only when Satan is overcome can the seven seals of the scroll be opened, and what is recorded within it be fulfilled. Because Jesus overcame Satan at the first coming, he could overcome Satan today and fulfil the Book of Revelation.

Jesus gives the open scroll to the angel who, in turn, gives the scroll to John in Revelation 10. After receiving the scroll, John delivers the words of this opened scroll to many peoples, nations, languages and kings. What is most important to understand is that when the book of Revelation is fulfilled, it is not Apostle John of the past who re-appears, but one like John today (the 'new John'), who is the shepherd (pastor) chosen by Jesus who eats the word of Revelation according to Revelation 10, and testifies the entire prophecies and fulfilment of Revelation to the servants today. Therefore, the one who reads in Revelation 1:3 is new John, who received and ate the opened scroll today; those who hear it are the peoples, nations, languages and kings; and those who keep it are the servants who learn and keep the word of revelation delivered through new John.

Regarding these servants, it is written in Revelation 7 that there are the sealed 144,000 of the twelve tribes, and in Revelation 7:9 and on, there is a great multitude dressed in white robes who wash their clothes with the blood of Jesus at the time of the great tribulation. In Revelation 14, these 144,000 people sealed with the word of Revelation are the ripened firstfruits who are harvested and gather on Mount Zion. In Revelation 15, the kingdom of God is the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, where those who overcame the beast, his image (idols) and the number of its name gather, which, in Revelation 21, is the new heaven and new earth that is created after the first heaven first earth, and the sea, pass away.

The servants of Revelation 1:1 are the 12 tribes of Mount Zion, where the harvested firstfruits - that is, the sealed 144,000 people of new heaven new earth - are, together with a great multitude in white. Today, God's will and purpose is to preach the word of revelation that is being fulfilled to the servants of Revelation 1:1, who are the sealed 144,000 and multitude in white of the 12 tribes of Mount Zion.

"The 'servants' are those people who were persecuted by the Roman Emperor Domitianus - that is, the people in the seven churches of Asia Minor at that time"
Korean Church

Pastor A, Presbyterian Church
"Please note that not all my interpretations of the Bible are absolute. I don't think that what I'm preaching is absolute - whether about Revelation, Matthew, Genesis, or wherever. I'm just doing my best to study and understand.

He said that he would send his angel to his servant John to make known to his servants what must soon take place. To whom did he show it? To his servants. Who are those servants? They were the seven churches in Asia Minor that were being persecuted by Domitianus at that time."

==========================================================

Related Blogs
Is the Book of Revelation Really an 'Epistle'?

What is the 'iron sceptre' that Jesus gives in Revelation 2?

What is the 'white stone' that Jesus gives in Revelation 2?

What is the 'hidden manna' in Revelation 2?

What is the 'abomination that causes desolation' in Matthew 24:15?

Who are the 'pregnant women' and 'nursing mothers' in Matthew 24?

Who are the Two People in the Field in the Last Days of the Second Coming? 

Who is 'someone like a son of man' in Revelation 1? 

Who are the 'Kings of the Earth' in Revelation 1?

What does it mean that Jesus 'is coming on the clouds' in Revelation 1:7?

Who are the 'Children of the Light' in 1 Thessalonians 5?

What is the Spring of Water that Wells Up to Eternal life in John 4:14?

What is the 'Expanse of the Sky' (Firmament) in Genesis 1:6?

Who Are Those Who Invaded the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 11? 

Who is the Merchant Who Finds Fine Pearls in Matthew 13?

Where is 'Heaven' in John 14?

Who are the 'Two Witnesses' in Revelation 11? 

Who is the 'Rider on the White Horse' in Revelation 6?

Where is the 'Mountain' We Must Flee to to be Saved in the Last Days?

Where is the 'East' from which the Angel Comes Up in Revelation 7?

What is the 'Key of the Kingdom of Heaven' that Jesus gave Peter in Matthew 16?

What is the 'Kingdom of Heaven' in Matthew 13, where the Mustard Seed is Sown to Become the Largest of Trees for Birds to Nest? 

What is the 'New Thing' in Jeremiah 31:22? 

What is the 'Book of Life' in the Book of Revelation?

What is the True Meaning of 'Hades' in Revelation Chapter 6?

What is the True Meaning of the 'Sun of Righteousness' and the 'Healing in its Rays' in Malachi 4?

What Kind of Place is the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Revelation 15?

Where is Mount Zion in Revelation 14?

What is the 'first heaven and first earth', and the 'New Heaven and New Earth' in Revelation 21? 

What is the 'Temptation and Distress' Recorded in Matthew 24 at the Time of Jesus' Second Coming?

Who or What is "The Man of Lawlessness" in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2?

Who was John the Baptist who Appeared at the First Coming?

Who are the 'Spirit' and the 'Bride' in Revelation 22?

What is the True Meaning of the 'Advocate' Recorded in John 14?

Who is the One Who Gives 'Food at the Proper Time' at the Second Coming of the Lord?

Who are the Nicolaitans who Destroy God's Kingdom in the Book of Revelation?

What is the True Meaning of 'Idol' Recorded by the Old Testament Prophets and in the New Testament?

Who can call God 'Father' and What is the Qualification for doing so? 

What is the True Meaning of 'Your Kingdom Come' in the Lord's Prayer Jesus Taught?

Why did Jesus Speak about the Secrets of Heaven in Parables at the First Coming?

What is the 'Israel' Recorded in Chapter 7 of the Book of Revelation?

What are the 'Four Living Creatures' Centred Around God's Throne?

Where Are the 'Seven Spirits' Recorded in the Book of Revelation?

What is the Reality of the 'Four Beasts from the Sea' Recorded in the Book of Daniel?

What are the 'Tree of Life' and the 'Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil' in the Centre of the Garden of Eden, and their Fruits?

How did "Satan" Come to Be According to the Bible?

What is the True Meaning of the 'Two Seeds' in Jeremiah 31:27? (Shincheonji Church) 

What is the True Meaning of 'Circumcision' Recorded in the Bible? 

What is the True Meaning of the 'Light' Created on Day One in Genesis 1?

What is the "Earthquake" at the Lord's Second Coming in Matthew 24?

Where is the 'Wilderness' that the Woman Clothed with the Sun, Moon and Stars Flees to in Revelation Chapter 12?

What is a 'Liar' Who Lives Outside the City of Heaven?

What and Where is the 'Paradise' Jesus Spoke of?

What is the True Meaning of 'Eternal Life' Recorded in the Gospel of John Chapter 6?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-is-true-meaning-of-eternal-life.html

What Really is the 'Serpent' that Deceived Adam and Eve into Eating the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?

What is the True Meaning of the 'Famine' Promised to Occur at the End Times and the Second Coming?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-is-true-meaning-of-famine-promised.html

What are the Biblical Characteristics of Speaking in Tongues and Why were Tongues Given?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/03/speaking-in-tongues-and-reason-they.html

What is the True Meaning of the Sacrament of 'Communion' Eating the Bread and Wine?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-is-true-meaning-of-sacrament-of.html

What is the True Meaning of the 'Talents' in the Parable of Matthew 25?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-is-true-meaning-of-talents-in.html

What is the True 'War' in Matthew 24?

What is the True Meaning of 'Rapture' and 'Being Caught Up in the Clouds to Meet the Lord in the Air'?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-is-true-meaning-of-rapture-and.html

Where is 'Armageddon' in Revelation 16?

What is the Reality of '666' in Revelation Chapter 13?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-is-reality-of-666-in-revelation.html

How and When Will Jesus' Promised 'Time of Harvest' Appear?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/03/how-and-when-will-jesus-promised-time.html

When will the Promised 'End Times' recorded in Matthew 24 Fulfil, and What will Be its Signs?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/03/when-will-promised-end-times-recorded.html

What are the 'Four Fields' recorded in Matthew Chapter 13?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/02/what-are-four-fields-recorded-in.html

What is the Biblical Significance of Jesus' Birth?

What is the True Meaning of 'Being Born Again with Water and the Holy Spirit?' Is it a Condition to Go to Heaven?

The 'Trinity' - What is It and How Did It Originate?

What is the 'Daily Bread' Recorded in The Lord's Prayer, and Where Can I Find It?http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/02/what-is-daily-bread-recorded-in-lords.html

No comments:

Post a Comment