We are headed down the homestretch of the book of Revelation now. We have been studying this book for several months looking at the details and promises and prophecies and all that God has for us here.
We come to Revelation 22:16-17 today. Once again, we are focusing on an angel, “I, Jesus have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches.” Now, earlier in Revelation 1 He talks about His angel, and earlier in Revelation 22 He talked about His angel. Once again, He is speaking about a particular angel. That angel is never given a name or title except for “My angel.” Yet, it seems there is a predominate angel that is carrying forth this whole prophecy throughout this book even though there are many other angels seemingly involved at bringing forth other prophecies as well. There is, however, one in particular that stands out. So, “I, Jesus have sent My angel,” He said, “to testify,” meaning witness or explain or give, “to you these things for the churches.” This is addressing the churches. It is interesting that up until now the church has not been mentioned since Revelation 3. The book of Revelation started out talking much about the church. Revelation 2-3 are all about the church and giving messages to seven literal churches that were in existence in the first century. So, each church is identified by name. The message is given to that church and so forth, so it is very heavy, very dominate talking about the church. Then in Revelation 4-5, we shift from the church to a heavenly scene. Then we move on to Revelation 6-22 speaking about end time things beginning with the coming of the antichrist, the Tribulation Period, the Second Coming of Christ, the Millennial Kingdom, binding and release of Satan and so forth. Now, we come to these final messages, and He is now once again returning to the churches. Many have seen in this, at least an implied witness, to the fact that the church does not exist during the time that is being explained in Revelation 6-21 because this is a time of the Tribulation Period and all that goes with that. The church, perhaps, almost certainly is mentioned by calling it the “bride of Christ” in Revelation 21, but now by name it is called the church . . .
