The seven spirits, according to ancient symbolism, mainly Persian, later adopted by the Old Testament Church, denote the fullness of the heavenly hierarchies. The "faithful witness" is the Old Testament prophets who existed before that, there were weak witnesses who were aware of their weakness. You will remember that Isaiah chapter 6 says, "Woe is me! I am lost! for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among the people also of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." Jeremiah said, "I cannot speak, for I am still young." There is only one Witness of God, the One Who bears Him within Himself, "the firstborn from the dead, the ruler of the kings of the earth..." There is only one true authority, the supreme, that is the authority of Christ, the authority of Him Who said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto Me."

Open. 1, 5–6. These words "who made us kings and priests" remind us of the Sinai call, when God says to the people: "But you shall be with Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation," i.e., a people, consecrated to God. And from this handful of people later grew the universal Church, and from now on all of us, consecrated to God, belong to Christ and, therefore, are the kingdom of priests. This is where the dedication ends, followed by a kind of epigraph taken from apocalyptic literature.

Open. 1, 7. The cloud is a symbol of the Epiphany. This means that God appears in power and glory. "Every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him" is an allusion to the words from the book of Zechariah: "They will look upon Him, Whom they pierced..." This is the Creator from whom people have turned away, Whom they have pierced with their ingratitude, and then they will weep over what they have done; it is a prototype of the Cross of Christ.

Open. 1, 8. "Alpha and Omega" are the initial and final letters of the Greek alphabet. This means that the author is addressing people who speak Greek. Then, after the dedication, after the introduction and epigraph, there is a preface.

Open. 1, 9. Patmos is not a symbolic place, but a historically and geographically concrete, rocky, deserted island in the Aegean Sea. The places of exile were different, apparently John was exiled there. Perhaps there were some quarries in which exiles worked.

Open. 1, 10. "I was in the spirit" is a biblical expression that denotes ecstasy, ecstasy, the descent of a certain spiritual charisma on a person, when he begins to speak, as it were, not on his own behalf. "Sunday Day": It is interesting that already in the first century, two or three decades after Pentecost, as we can see, Sunday is celebrated. Trumpets were old symbols of the appearance of God, we know that trumpets thundered over Sinai.

Open. 1, 11. There is a point of view that these churches actually designate different eras in the history of Christianity, and in the original books, such as those of Lev Tikhomirov, and in translated books, for example, Baptist books, this point of view is defended. But in New Testament theology it is not accepted at all. All these churches were then glorious, famous, famous, and there was nothing symbolic in them. Therefore, we have not the slightest reason to believe that they symbolize epochs. Moreover, if the epistles to these churches, to each of them, were applied to different epochs, we would always find something in common, and it is not accidental, for all these epistles refer to each church, to each age, and to each of us. The precious lines, the wonderful lines of the chapter are addressed not only to all churches, but also to the souls of men. This is the best thing in the first part of the Apocalypse of John the Theologian.

Further the visions are described—Rev. 1, 12–20. The image of the Son of Man – gigantic, extraordinary, with white hair, with fiery feet – is to some extent the antipode of the image, the gigantic statue denoting the pagan empire described in the book of the prophet Daniel. A gigantic idol with a golden head and feet of clay is a symbol of kingdoms, powers of this world, and this giant is opposed by another, like the Son of Man. In the same book of Daniel, it is said that these monstrous kingdoms will be replaced by the kingdom of the Son of Man.

And behold, here stands the Son of Man, like the high priest, in the garb of the high priest, because he is an intercessor for the people. His face is like the sun, shining in its power — this reminds us of the Transfiguration of Christ on the mountain. In His right hand are seven stars, and there are seven candlesticks, what do they mean? At the moment when the churches were persecuted, when Christians, as in our days, were thinking about what would happen to them, Christ showed that the churches were in His hands, like these stars. The seven churches, the seven stars, the seven candlesticks, the seven angels, are unshakable, because they were ordained by Christ. Unless they themselves betray Him, they will remain protected from all storms. And Christ stands among the lamps, and if we could somehow imagine it, then, of course, it would be a fiery vision: chalcolivan means molten copper, copper flowing like magma from a volcano, burning, shining. You may ask, what did the Apostle see, what was before his eyes? I think that it was an inner vision, and he only somehow tries to express it symbolically, as on an icon, and he could not find any other images here, except for such radiant, bright, fiery, dazzling images.

2

1 To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, Thus saith he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear the wicked, and I have tried those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and have found that they are liars; 3 Thou hast endured much, and hast patience, and hast laboured for my name's sake, and hast not fainted. 4 But I have this against thee, that thou hast forsaken thy first love. 5 Remember therefore whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and do the former works; but if not, I will come to thee quickly, and will remove thy lamp from its place, if thou wilt not repent. 6 Yet it is good in thee, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

8 And to the angel of the church of Smyrna write, Thus saith the first and the last, who was dead, and behold, he is alive: 9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (yet thou art rich), and the reproach of those who say of themselves that they are Jews, and they are not, but a congregation of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of anything that you will have to endure. Behold, the devil will cast from among you into prison to tempt you, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, He that overcometh shall suffer no harm from the second death.

12 And to the angel of the church of Pergamos write, 'Thus saith he who has a sharp sword on both sides: 13 I know thy works, and that thou dwellest where Satan's throne is, and that thou keepest my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in the days in which my faithful witness Antipas is slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14 But I have a little against thee, because thou hast there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to lead the children of Israel into temptation, that they should eat things sacrificed to idols, and commit fornication. 15 So you also have those who hold to the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which I hate. 16 Repent; but if not, I will come to you quickly, and fight with them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, To him that overcometh I will give to eat the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth except him that receiveth.

18 And to the angel of the church of Thyatira write, 'Thus saith the Son of God, whose eyes are like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like a chalcolivan: 19 I know thy works, and love, and service, and faith, and patience, and that thy last works are greater than the first.' 20 But I have little against thee, because thou sufferest Jezebel's wife, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and deceive my servants, to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent of her fornication, but she did not repent. 22 Behold, I cast her on her bed, and those who fornicate with her, into great tribulation, if they do not repent of their works. 23 And I will smite her children with death, and all the churches shall understand that I am the searcher of hearts and inward parts; and I will repay each one of you according to your deeds. 24 But to you, and to others who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this doctrine, and who do not know the so-called depths of Satan, I say that I will not lay any other burden upon you; 25 Only what you have, hold on until I come. 26 Whosoever overcometh and keepeth my works to the end, to him will I give power over the Gentiles, 27 and shall feed them with a rod of iron. as earthen vessels, they shall be broken, as I also received authority from my Father; 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.