⁴ John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who ^[b]loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ⁶ and has made us ^[c]kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
⁷ Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega, ^[d]the Beginning and the End,” says the ^[e]Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Note those who read Revelation have a special blessing upon them in several ways. 1. They will be blest studying the scriptures. 2. It is a blessing to be and to read and then understand what is read as you compare Old to New. 3. It is a blessing to read and hear it read by those qualified to give us a better understanding. 4. It is not sufficient to only read for ourselves the Bible, but hear the Spirit of Scriptures, that we can keep the things that are written, we must keep them in our memories of our body, soul and spirit, so we are blessed with its deeds.  5. The closer we come to the accomplishment of the Scripture, the greater the regard we will give to them. The time is here now, so we need to pay attention to what God is allowing to happen today. Note, He is talking to 7 Churches in Asia and they are named. He gives a blessing of Grace and peace, holiness and comfort of peace. Yet what are we seeing destruction to the greatest degree with Hamas and Gaza. Yet Grace that is present toward man and His good work in us and peace, that is the sweetest evidence and assurance of this grace. No true peace with out true grace. Grace goes before peace and peace always follows. Thank the Lord for Grace we see abounding in our world of insanity. God is not finished yet!
2. Where does blessing come from; In the name of God and the whole trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are blessed in no other name, but the Name of Jesus. (1.) The Father is first named for He is the first in the trinity, God and our Lord Jesus Christ is described Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit as we wait upon Him.  So, Jehovah who is, who was, and is to come eternally. (2.) He is the first-begotten, or first born from the dead, or the first parents and head of the resurrection, the only one that raised himself, by His own power from the Grave to everlasting honor, For He has begotten us again to a lively Hope, by His resurrection from the dead. (3.) He is the Prince of the kings, of the earth, for from Him they have life and authority, and by Him their power is not  limited and their wrath not restrained and there counsels are ruled and to Him they are accountable. This is good news to the Church and good evidence of the God head of Christ. (4.) He is the great friend of His Church and the people who have done great things. This is out of pure disinterested affection. He loves all and wants to wash out our sins by His blood that will leave no stain on the soul and spirit. So, nothing can wipe out this stain of guilt and pollution, but the blood of Jesus Christ who willing shed His own blood to purchase pardon and purify us from all Sin. Secondly, He has made them kings and priest to God and His Father. Having Justified and sanctified them, He makes them kings to His Father, in His Father account with His children. As Governors we conquer Satan and have power in Praying to God the Judge of all. (5.) He will be the Judge of the world. Vrs 7 the Book of Revelations begins and ends with a prediction of the second coming of Christ. That’s the reason we should think of His return all the time. He cometh as sure as if you beheld him with your eyes, He cometh with clouds which are His chariots and a pavilion. He shall come. To the terror of those who have pierced Him and have not repented and all who have been wounded and crucified him a fresh by their apostasy from Him, He comes to take vengeance on those who do not obey the gospel of God. (6.) This account of Christ is ratified and confirmed by Jesus Himself Vrs 8.  He is the Almighty; he is the same eternal and unchangeable one. And surely whoever presumes to blot out one character of this name of Christ deserves to have his name blotted out of the book of life. Those that honor him he will honor; but those who despise him shall be lightly esteemed.
Vision of the Son of Man 
⁹ I, John, ^[f]both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, ¹¹ saying, ^[g]“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches ^[h]which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

¹² Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. ¹⁴ His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; ¹⁵ His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; ¹⁶ He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. ¹⁷ And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying ^[i]to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.¹⁸ I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of ^[j]Hades and of Death.^19 [k]Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. ²⁰ The ^[l]mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the ^[m]angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands ^[n]which you saw are the seven churches.
Now here we are seeing this vision unfold as Johns sees. (1.) By his present state and condition, for he was a brother and companion of these Churches in tribulation and in the Kingdom and patience of Christ coming. He was their brother and companion in the patience of the Kingdom of God and His suffering. (2.) Here he was in the isle of Patmos and was not suffering as an evil doer. But being a testimony of God love mercy and grace. (3.) It was the Lords day the day Christ separated and set apart himself as the eucharist is called the Lord supper our Christian Sabbath. (4.) The frame that his soul was in at this time. He was in the Spirit. Not only in rapture when he received this vision, but before He received it, he was in a serious heavenly spiritual frame under the blessed gracious influence of the Spirit of God. It is necessary we are in the Spirt and not this earthly flesh for the flesh can’t see, but the Spirit of God can see.
(2.) The Apostle gives an account what he heard when he was in the Spirit. An Alarm went off with the sound of a trumpet.  The voice of God who is the first and last. Now we are seeing what he saw. (3.) The Church shown as 7 Golden Candle Sticks the Church shines froth the light to shine before man. Churches are the light of the world, precious and pure comparable to precious gold, not only the minister but the members of the Church ought to be holy and pure. Light should shine to engage others, to give glory and Honor to God. He saw a representation for the Lord Jesus Christ in the mist of the golden Candlesticks; for He has promised to be with His Churches always to the end of the world filling them with light and life, full of love.
Now let see His glory (1.) He was clothed with a garment down to the foot, these priestly robes denoting Princely and Priestly robes. (2.) He was grit with a golden girdle the Breastplate of Righteousness. Redeemer.  (3.) His head and hair where as White like wool, or snow. He was the ancient of days, His head was no sign of decay, but was indeed a crown of glory. (4.) His eyes were as a flaming fire piercing and penetrating into the very heart and reigns of men, scattering terror among the adversaries. (5.) His feet where like fine burning brass, strong and steadfast, supporting his own interest, treading them to powder. (6.) His voice was as a sound of many water’s rivers running together, so he can make himself heard to all that are a far off, His gospel is refluent and a Mighty stream feed by the upper springs of infinite wisdom and knowledge. (7.) He has in His right hand seven stars that is the ministers of the 7 churches who are under His direction and have the Light and influence from Him and are secured and preserved by Him. (8.) Out of His mouth went a two-edged sword his word. Which both, Wounds and heals; strikes at sin on the right and left. 9 His countenance was as the sun Shining, it’s strength too bright and dazzling for mortal eyes to see. This impression and appearance of Christ made or had given John the Apostle vrs. 17 the impression with the ability to fall dead, for he was overpowered with the greatness of the luster and glory of Christs appearing even though he knew this much earlier. The condescending goodness of the Lord Jesus to his disciple was so real from the Spirit of God. God laid his hand upon his disciple, He did not plead against him, but put strength into him, as he spoke words of encouragement, words of comfort words of instruction, so Gods Spirit is acquainting him first with his divine nature. Then with His former suffering, I was dead, the very same that his disciples saw upon the cross dying for the sins of men. Thirdly with his resurrection and life; Iive and am alive for ever more, I have conquered death and open the graves and am a partake of eternal life. Fourth with his office and authority I have the keys of hell and death and sovereign dominion in and over the invisible World, opening a new age. With his will and pleasure write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are and which shall be with the meaning of the seven stars they are the seven Church’s to whom Christ would now send by him particular and proper messages to all to be saved and ready for the day!!