The Book of Revelation (Greek: apokalypsis), is the last of the Bible. It connects all the prophecies of Messiah from Old and New Testaments, giving a detailed picture of events signaling the end of Age of the Holy Spirit and Christ’s physical return to earth.

About sixty-five years after Jesus ascended to heaven, Apostle John was a prisoner of Rome on the Greek island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea for preaching the word of God and speaking about Jesus. On the Lord’s Day, the Spirit came upon him and gave him the missing pieces of the prophecy puzzle. Revelation was written to prepare the church for the last intervention of God in human affairs. Christians of the first century believed this event was close at hand. When it occurred, a new age of the world would begin in which Christ and the church would be triumphant.

By cloaking end time events in the code of Old Testament prophets—symbols, visions, dreams, angels, allegories—only Christians could know and understand their true meaning and when the Lord would return in glory. John’s manuscript passed inspection and was sent off the island to nearby churches on the mainland of Asia Minor (Western Turkey).

Even though the first part was written to seven churches of the apostle’s time, most of it is written for the generation that will endure and overcome what takes place in the future, and will be of comfort at the time it actually happens. Some of these prophecies are being fulfilled in this generation before our very eyes.

Invitation

Door of Your Heart illustrates the letter written to the church at Laodicea. Jesus is speaking, “Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.” In that part of the world, eating a meal together symbolized the warmest kind of friendship.

The painting has a mystery that is relevant for today. Something is missing. Look carefully at the door where Jesus is knocking. Notice that it has no door latch and it can’t be opened from the outside; it can only be opened from the inside. Why? The door represents the mystery of the human heart. No one can come into our lives and be our friend unless we open our hearts to him.

When Christ comes into our hearts, he brings his sinless nature with him in the form of the Holy Spirit—and it becomes ours. We are stamped with his seal, guaranteeing we are God’s children and partakers of the New Covenant. The same Spirit and power that was given to the disciples at Pentecost indwells us. Though he is the Lord of glory, the maker of heaven and earth—and even made you and me—Jesus won’t force his way into our lives. He offers the free gift of eternal life and all of its benefits to anyone who opens the door and invites him in.

Be still for a moment and you’ll sense an inner invitation to open it as he speaks those words to you personally, “Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.” You have a free will to choose where you want to spend eternity, and with whom; and the Lord won’t violate it. He humbly seeks permission to enter your life, bringing complete forgiveness for your sins and the gift of eternal life.

In the same way you’d open the door of your home to a friend’s knock, you can open your heart to Jesus. Say to him in prayer, “Lord, please forgive me for all my sins. Thank you for dying for me so that I may have your gift of eternal life. I open the door of my heart and invite you to come in. Reveal your presence to me. I want you for my Savior and friend.”

He will come in, and you will instantly be born from above with the indwelling of his Holy Spirit. The peace you feel is proof of his presence. That is just the beginning of blessing. You will be empowered to accomplish your calling on earth, to live an abundant life that is pleasing to the Lord, and to experience eternal life and joy, totally secure in the family of God—forever!

Door of Your Heart

The Painting has allegories and symbols of Christ in the New Testament:

1. “I am the Light of the World; he who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). The brightness of noon with only Jesus in sunlight moves your eye directly to his face. The sunlight on the top of his head leads your eye down to the light on his shoulders and along arm to hand and door. The Savior brings the light to all people (John 1:9). His white robe signifies his righteousness that he imparts to all who would believe (Rom. 3:22).

2. “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:48). The loaf of bread in the stone oven next to water pot at left center of painting illustrates “I am the Living Bread; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever” (John 6:51).

3. “I am the True Vine, you are the branches. Anyone who dwells in me, as I dwell in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:1,4,5). The grapevine in the painting behind Jesus’ head is shown at harvest time with leaves and clusters of ripe grapes.

4. Jesus said to the woman at the well, “If only you knew what God gives, and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you living water” (John 4:10). The water jars and the fountain represent the living water that will be welling up and bringing eternal life.

5. “I am the gate; anyone who enters the fold through me will be saved. He will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9). The open gate by Jesus’ left shoulder allows us to “enter by the narrow gate; for narrow is the gate and constricted the road that leads to life” (Matt. 7:13,14).

6. The door is red to signify his blood of atonement (1 John 1:7; Heb. 9:26). There are six boards in the door, mankind’s number (Rev. 13:18). The person who accepts Christ as Savior and “opens the door” is part of God’s family with all the saints, “having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the Cornerstone” (Rev. 3:20; Eph. 2:20). There are 12 stones on each side of the red door (not including the arch) representing the 12 Apostles (Rev. 21:14) and the 24 elders (Rev. 4:4).

7. Trinity symbols are: 3 water pots, 3-tiered fountain, 3 doves, and 3 steps (below bread oven).