First and Last

The first gift promised to faithful members of the seven Asian churches is access to the tree of life in Paradise (Revelation 2:7). that is one of the last things mentioned in John’s vision of new Jerusalem (22:1-2, 14). The first thing promised is the last delivered.

That inversion continues as we compare the seven letters to the final visions of Revelation.

1) John promises the faithful of Smyrna that they will not be harmed by the second death (2:11), the lake of fire that appears in Revelation 20:14 and 21:8.

2) Jesus promises the faithful of Pergamum that He will fight their enemies with the sword that comes from His mouth (2:16), a sword that reappears in 19:15. He promises to give the faithful in Pergamum a stone with a new name unknown to anyone but the one who receives it (2:17), and the notion of a secret name also appears in chapter 19 (v. 12).

3. The enemy in Thyatira is Jezebel, a prophetess (2:20) who commits adultery and is going to be thrown into tribulation (v. 22). Jezebel anticipates the vision of the harlot city Babylon, overthrown in chapters 17-18.

From this point, though, things go in reverse order.

4) The promise to the faithful at Thyatira includes a reference to the rod of the Messianic Son of Psalm 2 (2:27), also mentioned in 19:15.

5) The promise to the faithful at Sardis is that they will walk with Jesus in white garments (3:4-5), also part of the vision of chapter 19 (v. 14).

6) Jesus promises to make the faithful of Philadelphia pillars in His temple, the new Jerusalem (3:12), alluding to the vision found in chapters 21-22.

7) Those in Laodicea who open the door to Jesus will enjoy a meal (deipneo) with Him and will be seated on a throne (3:21). The meal might refer to the fruit of the tree of life (22:1-2), but the verbal connection is more directly with the invitation to the marriage dinner (deipnon) of the Lamb. The reference to sharing a throne also alludes to the enthroned saints of chapter 20. So we have turned the corner again and are back in chapter 19. 

In general, the end reverses the beginning, then turns back and mimics the sequence of the beginning, before (perhaps) making another turn:

Tree of life – chapter 22.

Lake of fire – chapters 20-21.

Sword from mouth, secret name – chapter 19.

Adulteress – chapter 18.

Son of God with rod – chapter 19.

Walk with Jesus in white – chapter 19.

Pillars in new Jerusalem – chapter 21.

Dine with Jesus – chapter 19 (or chapter 22; throne – chapter 20).

The pattern is complex, but we can at least draw this conclusion: The gifts Jesus promises at the beginning of Revelation are delivered at the end, in and through the city that descends from heaven.