The Revelation As Viewed By Antipas  Purpose of Study  Develop a greater appreciation for our early brethren as we see the Revelation through their perspective  Be encouraged by the faithfulness of these early brethren  Intensify our desire for heaven and preference over this life  Antipas Rev 2:13  Faithful  Witness

Prophetic Background of the Revelation  In the days of these kings Dan 2:44, Dan 8:20  Julius Caesar  Augustus31BC - 14AD Jesus’ Birth Lk 2  Tiberius14AD - 37AD Kingdom Established Lk 3  Caligula  Claudius  NeroPersecution of Christians  Galba  OthoDan 7:17-27  Vitellius “Made war with saints  Vespacian“Given into his hand until a time and times  Titusand half a time”  DomitianIntense Persecution of Christians

The Revelation As Viewed By Antipas  Background  “The Revelation of Jesus Christ…things which must shortly come to pass”  Roman Persecution Rev 1:9  PergamumRev 2:12-13  Concilia  Principle Enforcement City  AntipasRev 2:13  Faithful  Witness  Killed in Midst of Christians “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life” Rev 2:10

The Revelation As Viewed By Antipas  Within the Church  False Apostles Rev 2:2Ephesus  Idolatry Rev 2:14Pergamum  Idolatry/Fornication Rev 2:20-24Thyratira  Dead Church Rev 3:1Sardis  Lukewarm Christians Rev 3:16Laodicea “Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place” Rev 2:5

The Revelation As Viewed By Antipas  World Around Him  Tribulation Rev 1:9  Ungodliness Rev 9:20-21  Beast Made War with Saints Rev 13:1-8  Death for Those Who Do Not Worship Beast Rev 13:15  Economic Oppression Rev 13:16-17 “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus Christ” Rev 17:6

The Revelation As Viewed By Antipas  How Bad Was It? “And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood? “..and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were” Rev 6:9-11

The Revelation As Viewed By Antipas  John Returns with Letter  Rev 21:1-4 “Antipas, my witness, my faithful one” “…Be thou faithful until death, and I will give unto thee the crown of life” But…Antipas never heard the letter He had already died as a faithful witness!

The Revelation As Viewed By Eastside  The Differences  No persecution  Protected by law  Thousands of christians in Limestone County (1 out of 10 in attendance Sunday morning in 1982)

The Revelation As Viewed By Eastside  Remember…  Ephesus…left first love  Sardis…good reputation, but was dead  Laodicea…lukewarmness (the first step towards apostasy)

The Revelation As Viewed By Me  Encouraged by faith of these brethren  Challenged… Is my faith strong enough to enable me to stand with Antipas and be faithful until death? Do I believe, as Antipas, that heaven is worth it all?