Preterits (past) interpretation: applies specifically to the problems and persecutions of the early church under the Roman Empire. Revelation was encoded so only Christians at that time would understand it. Preferred by amillennials.
Historical interpretation: the events symbolically described represent chronological historical events up to the coming of Christ. This includes the Roman Catholic System and the pope, the rise of Islam, and the Napoleonic Wars.
Futuristic or dispensationalist interpretation: chapters 4-22 describe events at the end of the church age and uses a lot of symbolism as well as literal.
Cyclic interpretation: combines the previous past, present, and futurist views by using cycles to represent repetition of some events in Revelation
Idealistic interpretation: Revelation is a series of parables and allegories meant to encourage believers
Jesus’s ecclesia (church) wasn’t mentioned until chapter 22, but the hageos (holy ones) is mentioned
Revelation is the only book that says read me and be blessed
Ephesus is the cold-hearted church, not the loveless one
pretty famous church. Paul spent most of his time here; Aquila, Priscilla, and Apollos were here; young Timothy was a pastor; and John himself taught in there.
the temple of Diana was also in Ephesus
the problem Jesus had with Ephesus is that they had forgotten the zeal they had started with. They had all the work but none of the passion
When you don’t continue the love you had at first for the Lord you will fall.
J.C. Ryle Practical Religion.
When Jesus takes your lampstand and put it away, it doesn’t mean you will lose your salvation; it means that He won’t use you as a witness for others anymore
Fun fact: Jesus can hate things lol
We don’t know who the Nicolaitans are, but there are a few ideas:
probably a subgroup of Christianity that started right but got off track
Nicholas, an early deacon of the church in Acts, created his own heresy
The Greek word nicolaitan is a compound word of nicao (“I conquer you”) and laos (“people”). So they would be people who believe in conquering others