REVELATION 1

THE GLORIFIED CHRIST

Click to see "John in Exile" picture

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants; things which must shortly take place. And he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near." Rev 1:1-3

1:1

First and foremost this book is a Revelation from Jesus Christ. The Greek word translated Revelation here is apokaluyei (apocalupse). It means "unveiling" or "uncovering". It is the same word that is used in Second Thessalonians 1:7b-8...

"... rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

So, the first two words of the book of Revelation tell us what it is going to be about. It is an unveiling or pulling back of the curtain from things that were previously hidden and unknown. Many new and enhanced things will be given to us here, including an even far greater understanding of the present person and future work of Jesus Christ himself. Up to this point in the Bible, Jesus is primarily set forth as the Lamb of God appointed for sacrifice ... the meek and lowly one who quietly went to his cross like a sheep to the slaughter. But what a contrast we find of him here in the Revelation. He steps forth on these pages in all the blinding glory of the sun shining in his strength. His glory was veiled and hidden when he walked among us on earth two thousand years ago. In Revelation, he comes forth as the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), who will soon roar over the Earth and shake it to its foundation. Revelation reveals Jesus as he is now and evermore shall be ... the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Second, this book is a "Revelation"..."which God gave him". When Jesus was on Earth he told his disciples there were things locked away in the heart of his Father that even he did not know. Concerning his Second Coming, for example, he said...

"But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only." Matthew 24:36

These words indicate that the things we are about to read are things that were previously unknown even to Christ. Notice the sequence of how they came down to us. Verse 1 says they came from the Father to the Son ... then from the Son to his angel ... then from his angel to John. John, in turn, has passed them on to you and me, Christ's servants, via this book of Revelation. How it must have thrilled Jesus' heart when he received these things from his Father to pass on to us. They reveal the Father's heart for his Son and for his Son's brethern. These words are the Father's gift to the Son and to his Son's servants.

Now, keep in mind that this is not a new role for the Son of God. Jesus has always been the revealer of all that God is and has said (John 1:18; Hebrews 1:1-3). As he put it in John 17:6-8…

I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they have known that all things, which you have given me, are from you. For I have given to them the words which you have given me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from you; and they have believed that you sent me."

Third, it is a Revelation of things that, "must shortly come to pass". The word shortly may seem a bit puzzling at first. After all, it has now been over nineteen hundred years since these words were first given and they still have not come to pass. How is it then that our Lord can say here they must shortly come to pass? I believe the answer lies in the fact that the Christ's Spirit is speaking from his perspective rather than from our human perspective. From God's point of view, everything is just down the block, so to speak. As Peter so aptly put it...

"But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." 2 Peter 3:8

In this respect, someone has said, "the whole era of human experience to God is like a momentary flash of a meteor across the skies of eternity". Nevertheless, every tick of the clock for the past two thousand years has drawn our world closer and closer to the fulfillment of the things we are about to read of here in book of Revelation.

Can we step aside here for a moment? I find it very intriguing that from Adam to Abraham was a period of approximately 2000 years and from Abraham to Christ was approximately 2000 years and from Christ to where you and I are sitting today has been approximately 2000 years. According to the Bible, approximately 6000 years of human history has expired since the creation. If Christ were to return during our generation and begin his thousand year reign on Earth (Revelation 20:4), Earth’s full history, before it passes, away will have been an even 7000 years. A nice round number, wouldn't you say? Going back to Peter's statement that, "with the Lord one day is as a thousand years" and considering that God’s dealings have often been in cycles of seven (the seven day creation; the institution of a seven day work week; the coming seven year Tribulation period, etc.), it seems to me to be more than probable that you and I may well be living on the very brink of the end of this present age and the beginning of the Millennial reign of Christ. This is not a prophesy, it is just something that, in my opinion, has a very high and biblically based probability. Whether or not this is correct, the things we are about to read will indeed shortly come to pass as far as the Lord is concerned.

Last, verse one says the Revelation was "sent and signified ... by his (Christ's) angel to his servant John". John was the human agent at the end of the chain whom Christ chose to give us these words. There has always been a man involved in the transmission of the Word of God. Peter says…

"... for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:21

Now the question arises ..."which John are we talking about here?" It was generally held by the early church fathers that the man referred to here is John, the Apostle. This is also supported by a good deal of internal evidence in the book of Revelation. The Apostle John wrote the gospel of John, First, Second and Third John and the book of Revelation in the Bible.

1:2

In verse 2, John adds his own solemn witness to the authenticity of this book. He unequivocally states the things we are about to read are the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and the  things that he saw with his own eyes. The book of Revelation is a first hand eyewitness account.

1:3

In verse 3, John, by the Holy Spirit, declares a blessing upon all that read, hear and cherish the things they in this book. No other book of the Bible has such a blessing pronounced upon its readers and hearers. Are you ready to be blessed, dear reader? You surely will be if you read or just hear and tuck away in your heart the wonderful and amazing things that we are about read. We have God's word on it.

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Rev 1:4-6

"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, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To him who [NU changes "loved us and washed"] loves us and freed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us [NU changes "kings"] a kingdom of priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

1:4

Although Revelation is written to all of Christ's servants in all ages, the first ones to receive it were located at seven local churches of John's day. These churches existed in the country we know today as Turkey. They are named individually in verse 11, and each one will receive its own personal letter from the glorified Jesus Christ in chapters 2 and 3.

Here, in verses 4 through 6, we have the greeting or salutation of the book. It begins with the words, "Grace to you and Peace...". Isn't that great? You have to be a child of God to be able to grasp the full impact of these two wonderful words. We believers, we children of the living God, we experience these wonderful gifts on a daily basis. By these warm and meaningful words, three separate entities greet us here.

The first to greet us with the words, "grace and peace" is He "who is, and who was and who is to come". This is one of the complex names of God the Father. Let's break it down. He is:

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God."

For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’"

So, the first to greet us with "grace and peace" is none other than the ever present, from eternity past to eternity future, God the Father. That blesses me. How about you?

The second entity here to greet us with the words, "grace and peace," is actually the combined voices of a group. We read here, "and from the seven spirits which are before his throne". Now, who do you suppose they might be? That is a good question and it brings to mind an important principle of Biblical interpretation. When we don’t immediately understand something we read in God's Word, the best thing to do is just wait. Wait until the Bible sheds more light on the subject for us. This very important principle of biblical interpretation says to us, "Reserve Judgment". Good Bible interpreters reserve judgment until they have more information before they come to a conclusion about something they find in the Word of God. We don't have enough to go on here to form an opinion as to who these spirits who are greeting us ... are. All we have here is a very warm "grace and peace" from the seven spirits which are before his throne. If we are patient, we will learn, later in Revelation, who they are. We will encounter them more than once in the pages to follow and will learn a great deal more about these very important spirits as they relate to this book.

1:5

The third and final greeter to welcome us with, "grace and peace" is the Lord Jesus himself. John will say a good bit more about this greeter than he does the other two. I believe that is because the Father has decreed that, in this present age in which you and I live, the Son of God is to have the preeminence. He is to occupy center stage in all things. As you have it in Colossians 1:18...

"And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may have the preeminence."

In keeping with this, the Holy Spirit, through John, gives us a moving description of the Preeminent One who greets us here. He says he is:

"My doctrine is not mine, but his who sent me." If anyone wants to do his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the One who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him."

"But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."

And again in 1 Corinthians 15:20 ...

"But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

When Christ died for you and me, his blood purchased us lock, stock and barrel, your see, body, soul and spirit. The whole enchilada! (sorry, I couldn't resist that analogy). The bodies that you and I currently occupy, belong to Christ. They were purchased with his own blood. That's why he's going to return for them one day. We will not be truly complete until that day. As you haved it in Philippians 3:20-21...

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself."

Great news, aye?

  • 3 ..."the prince of the kings of the earth". Jesus is the Supreme Potentate of the whole Earth. His Father has exalted him far above any and all of this world's rulers and authorities. As you have it in Philippians 2:9-10...
    •

    "Therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,"

    Now, here at the end of verse 5, we come to an unexpected break in John's description of Christ. As John was writing these stirring descriptions of his Lord, he just couldn't help but burst out in praise! Listen closely to his words as our brother worships. He exclaims:

    "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

    John continues:

    "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, have obtained eternal redemption for us." (KJV)

    1:6

    "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light..."

    Jesus has made us his kingdom of priests. As such, we have the great and unsurpassed honor of representing him to the world around us. John concludes...

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    Rev 1:7-8

    "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. ’I am the Alpha and the Omega', [NU omits: " the Beginning and the End"] says the Lord God, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'"

    1:7

    Verse 7 is a prophetic statement of fact arising from the previous statement, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. The Father himself, the Alpha and the Omega, is the one who speaks these words. In answer to John words about Jesus, the Father booms out these words. They are a description of the main event toward which all human history and all the things found in the book of Revelation are headed. Namely, the Second Coming of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Let's step aside, for a moment, and do a bit of defining of terms here. The Bible teaches there will be two yet future appearings of Jesus Christ. The first will be when Christ appears in the sky and removes his Church and takes it to His Father's house in Heaven. Theologians call that first appearing, "The Rapture of the Church". It will be an event that is entirely different from the Second Coming. These are two separate events altogether. The Rapture could occur at any moment. When it does, Christ will suddenly appear in the skies of Earth and call his Church off and out of this world. At that time, believers, whether living or dead, will all be caught up into the clouds to meet their Lord and Savior and will be taken by him back to their home and his, in Heaven. As you have it in First Thessalonians 4:16-17(KJV)...

    "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

    The Rapture of the Church is not to be confused with the Second Coming the Father is talking about here in verse 7. The Second Coming, that the Father speaks of in verse 7, will occur after the Rapture at the end of the Tribulation. At Christ's Second Coming, he will literally return down to the earth to rule and reign here for a thousand years. He will literally set foot on the Earth at that the Second Coming. Zechariah prophesies very specifically of this future "touch down".

    "And in that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south." Zechariah 14:4

    You will remember that it was from the Mount of Olives that Jesus left the earth and ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:11-12). It will also be at the Mount of Olives where he will return one day. What happens between these two appearances is the subject of the vast majority of the chapters of Revelation. All of chapters 4 through 18 take up that time period. Here is a simple presentation of Christ's past and yet future appearances that might prove helpful.

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    Christ's First Coming and life on the Earth

    (4 or 5 BC to AD 29)

    Born in Bethlehem; Died on a cross at Jerusalem; Rose from the dead; Ascended back to Heaven from the Mount of Olives

    Christ's next Appearance to Rapture out his Church

    (At the end of the Church Age, AD 2007+)

    Christ's Second Coming to Earth to rule and reign here

    (AD 2014?+)

    Christ's physical return to Earth at the end of the seven year Tribulation Period, setting foot once again on the Mount of Olives

    Christ's Millennial Reign

    (AD 2014+ - 3014?)

    Christ's thousand year reign beginning immediately upon his Second Coming

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    Coming back to our text, verse 7, is one of many prophecies in scripture that predict Christ's Second Coming. Let's take a closer look at its details. The Father says:

    "I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed." Daniel 7:13-14

    Keep in mind that the event Daniel saw above was not the Second Coming. Rather, it was the future day when Christ will come to his Father's throne to formally receive his kingdom. We will find this day greatly magnified in Revelation 4 and 5. However, Daniel's prophecy gives us the clouds of heaven aspect of the movements of the Son of God in his glorified state. You might say Christ is Heaven's Cloud Rider. When he is on the move, Shekinah glory clouds move with him. Both at the Rapture of the Church and at Christ's Second Coming, the Bible says Jesus will be accompanied by glory clouds. As you have it in First Thessalonians. 4:17a...

    "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."

    These glory clouds were observed several times in Old Testament. Ezekiel described them...

    "And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire..." Ezekiel 1:4 (KJV)

    What a sight they must be! They are surely what Jesus had in mind when he prayed concerning us…

    "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory ..." John 17:24a

    At Jesus' Second Coming, every living person on Earth will see him as well as "they that pierced him". The Father's words here about they also which pierced him sets before us two possibilities. He might simply be speaking about Jews in a general or he could be referring specifically to the actual Jews who were involved in the crucifixion. I take it to be the latter. At Jesus' trial, the Lord  told Caiaphas that he personally would one day see him coming in the clouds. Let's look at that passage for a moment. Caiaphas said...

    "....’I put you under oath by the living God: tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!’ Jesus said to him, 'It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.'" Matthew 26:63b-64

    I suspect that the first part of Jesus' words to Caiaphas were fulfilled when Caiaphas died. At that time, when his spirit returned to God, he witnessed Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Power. But, what about Jesus statement that Caiaphas would also one day see him coming on the clouds of heaven? Since that clearly refers to Christ’s Second Coming, it follows that Caiaphas himself will be present at that time to see it. Zechariah, speaking many years before Christ's birth, also prophesied that the Jews who crucified Christ would be present at his Second Coming.

    "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn." "And one will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?' Then he will answer, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.'" Zechariah 12:10;13:6

    These and other scriptures indicate that the resurrection of Israel will take place just prior to Christ's Second Coming. Then, all Jews from all time, including Caiaphas and those who were involved in Jesus' crucifixion, will find themselves beholding him as he descends to Earth in the glory clouds of heaven. Then, all those who were wicked Jews will be removed from Earth by Christ's angels. This will be developed further when we get to Revelation 14.

    "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

    Notice in this scripture that Jesus places his Second Coming after the tribulation of those days. We need to tuck that important detail away in our memory banks. The Father's prophecy here of the Second Coming ends with John prayerful exclamation (and I trust, yours and mine as well), "Even so, Amen."

    1:8

    Immediately upon John's Amen, the Father's voice is once again heard. "I am Alpha and the Omega". Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. This is like saying, "I am the A and the Z". By these words, he is declaring that he is everything that is, the beginning and the end, and everything in-between. May I say to you, very sincerely, that anyone who does not come to know the true and living God through faith in his Son has missed out on absolutely everything. The chief end of man is to know God and to enjoy and glorify him forever. He is the Alpha and the Omega, you see. His great declaration of himself continues, " who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty". This confirms to us that the One speaking here is the same one who greeted us back in verse 4, God the Father.

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    Rev 1:9-11

    "I, John, [NU omits "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. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, [NU omits ‘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 [NU omits, "which are in Asia:"] to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.’"

    Click here to see "Map of the Seven Churches" picture

    1:9

    When John penned these words, the Romans had exiled him out on the rocky little island of Patmos. Patmos is a little rocky island off the coast of Turkey out in the Aegean Sea. John had been the pastor of the church at Ephesus just across the water from Patmos, his island prison. He testifies here that he had been put out there for two reasons.

    1:10

    He continues:

    Let's use our imagination here for a moment. Picture John. He's lean, having been enduring the hard life of a Roman exile. Picture him sitting all alone on the stony seashore of his island prison. He's been staring out across the sea toward Ephesus. He thinking and praying over his little flock over there across the water. Suddenly, he is in the spirit. Directly behind him, a great voice like a trumpet spoke. It is the same voice, by the way, that you and I will hear one day, dear saint. That trumpet voice will cause us to forget all our troubles, aye!? The words rang in John's ears ...

    1:11

    ..."what you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches".

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    Rev 1:12-16

    "Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 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. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire; his feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters; 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."

    1:12

    Abruptly, John turned to see who had spoken with such raw power and authority. He found himself gazing upon a scene and Person extraordinaire! He saw:

    1:13

    "I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him." Daniel 7:13

    This Messianic title emphasizes both Christ's humanity as well as his future reign. It is a well-recognized Jewish name for their future King and Messiah. When the Son of Man came into our world and lived among us, he took upon himself human flesh. He became one of us. As you have it in Hebrews 2:14, 16-17...

    "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil," "For indeed he does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people."

    Luke's gospel emphasizes this aspect of the person of Jesus Christ. There, Jesus repeatedly refers to himself as the Son of Man. As you have it in Luke 19:10 ...

    "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

    At this very moment, there is a man seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High. He is one of us. He has been here and done that. He knows all about it. He knows our trials, our temptations, our weaknesses, our fears and all of our troubles. He knows what it means to be a human being.

    "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16 (KJV)

    "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

    And again in Hebrews 4:14...

    "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession."

    You may wish to read Hebrews 5, just to refresh your thinking concerning Jesus, our great High Priest, who God has eternally appointed after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4), to whom Abraham paid tithes in Genesis14. We learn from Hebrews that this priesthood is separate and far superior to the old Aaronic priesthood of the Law. Jesus couldn't have been an Aaronic priest because he was not from the tribe of Levi. He was from the tribe of Judah. Therefore, God appointed him a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. And, guess what child of God, when Christ has made you and me a kingdom of priests (Rev. 1:6; First Peter 2:9), by virtue of the fact that we are in Christg ... we also have been placed into the priesthood of the order of Melchizedek of whom our Savior is High Priest. Our priesthood predates and is far superior to the Aaronic priesthood of the law of Moses. So, if anyone ever asks, just tell them you are of the order of Melchizedek.

    "... THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." Luke 23:38b

    Before John stood that very King. And, though I believe this is the primary emphasis here, he certainly was far more. He was also the King of kings of Daniel 7:14...

    "Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed."

    1:14

    "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2

    His white head and hair also emphasizes this One is Wisdom Himself. I Corinthians 1:31 says that Jesus is the, "wisdom of God". That being the case, it is Jesus is speaking through Solomon's pen in Proverbs 8, where Wisdom is personified. There, he says...

    "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion." "I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me." Proverbs 8:12,17

    Ruth Paxton, one of God's great saints and writers about the Holy Spirit, is said to have received Christ as her Savior when she realized that the Wisdom who was speaking in Proverbs 8 was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself. What an amazing Person was standing before John. There stook non other than the white-haired, eternal Ancient of Days, the very Wisdom of God!

    "Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?" says the LORD ..."

    And again, as you have it in Hebrews 4:13...

    "And there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

    In Psalm 139, we read of the extent that he is intimately acquainted with each one of us. Nothing about us escapes him. It says he sees our retiring at night and our getting up in the morning and even reads our thoughts from afar. It was no accident that John's eyes fell swiftly away to the ground from the Fiery Eyed One who stood before him. I believe your eyes and mine will fall away from them as well, one day. Looking down, John was now staring at the feet of the Son of Man. He says...

    1:15

    "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him."

    "The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is over many waters. the voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty."

    1:16

    "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

    Again, in Ephesians 6:17 we read...

    "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;"

    Standing before John was the very One who speaks with the sharp sword of the Word of God. How amazing and powerful his words are, how irresistible, eternal and unstoppable! By the words from these lips the universe was spoken into existence and presently is holding together. Hebrews 11:3 says...

    "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."

    And, again in Colossians 1:16 (KJV), speaking of Christ, we read...

    "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist."

    And, again in Hebrews 1:3 (KJV)...

    "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;..."

    Oh, the raw power of the Word of God! It's reach is limitless and its strength is irresistable.

    "And now, O Father, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was."  John 17:5

    Christ Jesus stood before John in all the fullness of the glory of God. John saw him as he is right now and as you and I will see him one day. His was utterly resplendent. Struggling to describe it, John simply says he was like the sun shinning in its strength. In First Timothy 6:15 -16 we read...

    "... He will manifest in his own time, he who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen."

    So, there you have it. Here, in Revelation 1, we are given a verbal description of the glorified Christ as seen nowhere else in the Bible ... awesome ... majestic ... resplendent. That's an unveiling indeed, wouldn't you say?

    ...............................................................................................................................................................................

    Rev 1:17-20

    "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.’ I am he who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. [NU adds] Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands [NU omits "which you saw"] are the seven churches."

    1:17

    John had often leaned affectionately against Jesus at meal times. We read in John 13, that he did so at the Last Supper. Now, however, he fell before him like a sack of potatoes! Compassionately, Jesus reached down and touched his old friend and disciple and said...

    ... "Do not be afraid". Immediately, John was strengthened. He went on to say...

    ... "I am the First and the Last". With these seven words, Jesus claimed for himself an unmistakable title of deity from the Old Testament. They come from a remarkable verse in Isaiah 44:6.

    "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; besides me there is no God.'"

    Notice how this scripture says that both the Lord, who is the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, who is the LORD of hosts, share the same name ... the First and the Last and that both are said to be God. There are several names of the Deity that are used interchangeably between the Father and the Son. In this way they declare their equality in the godhead and their oneness of essence. Isaiah 9:6, for example. There, the prophet speaking specifically of Jesus Christ, we read...

    "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

    1:18

    ... "I am he who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death". The NIV more correctly translates this, "I am the Living One; I was dead..." If we didn’t know who this was by now, these words make his identity crystal clear. He identifies himself as the One who was dead but behold, I am alive forevermore. The Greek literally says here "I am alive to the ages of the ages!" This is the risen Christ, indeed. By the way, I'm so glad that you and I serve a living Savior, aren't you? All the other founders of man's bogus religions are dead as a door-nail and lying in their graves. But our Savior, Jesus Christ is alive. Therefore, he alone can truthfully say I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Jesus has conquered them both, you see. As he put it in John 5:26-29...  

    "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself, and has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."

    The Apostle Paul writes in First Corinthians 15:55-57...

    "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

    Matters of life and death and the grave (Hades) are exclusively in the hands of Christ Jesus our Lord. He owns them. He has the keys.

    1:19

    In verse 19, the Lord again commissions the now revived John to be his designated writer of the book of Revelation. He tells John...

    "write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this". These words form Christ's outline of the book of Revelation. It is as follows:

    1:20

    Lastly, in verse 20, we come to the Lord's explanation of the two obscure symbols of the seven stars in His right hand and the seven golden lampstands. Let's consider each separately. ,

    He says the seven stars, "are the angels of the seven churches." The word angel in the Greek is aggeloi (angeloi). Each one of the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 begin with the words ..."unto the angel of the church at (such and such) write". This Greek word is usually translated "angel" in the Bible. Its basic meaning, however,  is "messenger" and is sometimes translated that way. So, it is a word that is used both for men who are sent out as messengers as well as angels. I do not believe that our Lord is speaking here of an angel messenger. So, this translation "angels" in the KJ and NKJ is unfortunate. Nowhere in scripture are angels said to be assigned to or have any special function in regard to a local church. Rather, angel's function is to minister to individual believers (Hebrews 1:11). So, it doesn't seem to make sense for Christ to address his letters in chapters 2 and 3 to angels. On the contrary, it is more reasonable that Christ is addressing these letters to individuals who could actually receive and read them to each congregation. The better translation then is, "unto the messengers of the seven churches, write" and, "To the messenger of the church at ....... write", and so it is translated in several other translations of the Bible.

    Having said that, who are these messengers that our Lord is addressing his letters to in these churches? Well, he is probably referring to one of their chief elders, the pastor-teacher of each of these churches. Logically, such men would receive and read to their congregation any communication that was received . Also, they were, in a very Biblical sense, Christ's messengers because they were men who Christ had personally sent to each of these churches. As you have it in Ephesians 4:11...

    "And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,"

    One of the tragic things about our church culture today is that many do not see their pastor-teacher for what he is, a gift and messenger to them from the Lord Jesus Christ. Take it for what it is worth, I believe this is the best translation of aggeloi here. It is refers to the local elder, pastor-teacher in each of these churches.

    Finally, concerning this symbol of the lampstands in the midst of which our Lord was standing, Christ says they represent "the seven churches" themselves. What a wonderful and appropriate symbol he has chosen for his churches, aye. In Jesus' eyes, each one of his churches are a pedestal for lightg to dispel the darkness around them. As you have it in Matthew 5:15-16 (KJV)...

    "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

    Philippians 2:15-16a says...

    "... that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, ..."

    Jesus is the Light of the World. Right now, however, he is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High. He shines forth in this present darkness through his churches. Every true church is a lampstand for Christ.

    You will remember that when John first turned to see the trumpet voiced One, he saw the Lord standing in the midst of the lampstands. This too is quite significant. In the Old Testament, it was the job of the High Priest to tend the lamp stands that were in the Holy Place. It was his responsibility to trim their wicks, replenish their oil, and keep them burning brightly. Christ, standing in the midst of the seven lampstands, is a beautiful picture of that relationship. He, our great high priest, is always in the midst of his churches tending to each one to ensure that their light shines to its maximum potential for him..

     

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