[We now come to the Direction of the book of Revelation.
In this text we will discover the grand vision of the Lord Jesus
Christ, who is being revealed throughout the context of the whole book
of Revelation. But before
this grand vision we are introduced to the humiliating state of the
apostle John, who received this vision of visions.
At the end of this passage we are given the course that the text
will follow as the divisions that mark out the course of the vision are
clearly proclaimed.]
A.
The
Position in the Text (vs 9-10) [-
I have often heard it said that before our Heavenly Father can use a
Christian greatly He must first hurt him deeply.
Humility is the precursor to revelation and manifestation.
Moses wandered in the wilderness for forty years as a shepherd
before God called him to lead His people out of bondage.
The apostle Paul was given a thorn in his flesh before he could
be given the vision of the third heaven and the illumination to write
two-thirds of the New Testament.
Joseph spent his best years in slavery and prison before he could
stand as the prime minister of Egypt.
Why? Because, only those who are fully aware of their humanity
and its accompanying spiritual, emotional, and physical weaknesses can
bear up under the glory of the revelation of Almighty God.]
[It was no different for the apostle John.
John was given this vision of the Revelation of the Lord Jesus
Christ. But before the
vision was given a preparation was made which is in view here in our
text.]
1.
John’s Relationship to the Churches (vs 9)
[- I John, who also am your
brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience
of Jesus Christ, . . . -
Without any doubt the
apostle John had a dear relationship to the Church of our Lord Jesus
Christ and to the Churches he initially addresses the revelation to.
This relationship is threefold as described in here in verse nine.
]
[a.
Their
Brother/Pastor - Church history bears out that the apostle John was
the Pastor at Ephesus for three years
prior to his exile.
Clarence Larkin once wrote, “John was the pastor of the
Church
of Ephesus at the
time of his banishment, and it was to that Church that the first Message
to the Seven Churches was addressed.”[1]
This being the case it would be easy to understand how the
apostle would have had a close relationship with the many churches in
that region. Some might
suggest that this relationship might account for the particular seven
churches address in chapters two and three, except that we know that
there were many other churches in the region as well.
Scripture bears out that there were churches at Colosse (Col
1.2), Hierapolis (Col 4.13), and Troas
(Acts 20.6-7). Being a
pastor and apostle among these Churches gave John a trust relationship
with these Christians.]
[b.
Their
Companion in Tribulation – The Apostle was also their brother and
companion in tribulations. Without any doubt John had endured much in
the form of tribulation. He
was persecuted as were all of the apostles and many born again Christian
believers. Of the Apostle
John Foxe wrote,]
[John certainly did not live a long life unscathed by pain and
suffering. His emotional
trials must have been considerable.
He lived during times in which those who killed of abused
Christians had nothing to fear from the law.
In fact, they were sometimes carrying out the law.
The painful death of friend after friend must have taken a heavy
toll on John. Tradition
holds that on one occasion, John was scheduled for boiling in oil.
He escaped by divine intervention.
His exile on Patmos could easily have been a death sentence.
When Emperor Domitian, who had exile him to Patmos, had died,
John was brought back to Ephesus, where he was confined for two years..
It is written tht he was compelled to drink poison but was unharmed and
finally died in peace.[2]]
[Hence, the apostle John was well acquainted with persecutions and
tribulations of those who proclaimed the glorious gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ.]
[c.
Their
Service and Anticipation – from the phrase
and in the kingdom and patience
of Jesus Christ we understand the perseverance and stewardship of
the Apostle John and his fellow Christians.
In spite of their sufferings, in spite of their separation they
all endured and continued to service our Lord Jesus Christ with diligent
determination. Had John
sulked because he had be unfairly exiled to the horrible island of Patmos
we might not have the Revelation to day at all.
But regardless of what his hardships might have been, like
Joseph, the apostle John and those Churches and Christians he loved
continued to serve God with steadfastness.
What an incredible testimony and responsibility is handed down to
each and every Christian that would read and pass on the text being
written. We must likewise
endure and persevere regardless of what our difficulties and trials
might be.]
2.
John’s Removal From The Churches (vs 9; 2
Tim 3.12) [–
. . . was in the isle that is
called Patmos, for the word of God, and
for the testimony of Jesus Christ. -
The Apostle John now reveals where he was when he received
this glorious revelation.
John was exiled to Patmos for the Word
of God, and The testimony of Jesus Christ.
Of exile to Patmos John MacArthur wrote,]
[When he received this vision, John was
in exile on the island called Patmos. A
barren, volcanic island in the Aegean Sea, Patmos is at its extremities
about ten miles long and five to six miles wide and located some forty
miles offshore from Miletus (a city in Asia Minor about thirty miles
south of Ephesus, cf. Acts 20:15–17). According to the Roman historian
Tacitus, exile to such islands was a common form of punishment in the
first century. At about the same time that John was banished to
Patmos, Emperor Domitian exiled his own niece, Flavia
Domitilla, to another island. Unlike Flavia Domitilla, whose banishment
was politically motivated, John was probably sent to Patmos as a criminal, i.e. as a Christian, he was a member
of an illegal religious sect. If so, the conditions under which he lived
would have been harsh. Exhausting labor under the watchful eye and ready
whip of a Roman overseer, insufficient food and clothing, and having to
sleep on the bare ground would have taken their toll on a
ninety-year-old man. It was on that bleak, barren island, under those
brutal conditions, that John received the most extensive revelation of
the future ever given.[3]
]
[Why would anyone send a ninety year old man to
such a place as Patmos, not for any wrong that the Apostle John had done,
but merely for the testimony of
Jesus Christ. The Bible
reminds all Christians that,]
[2
Timothy 3:12
12 Yea, and all that will live
godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. ]
3.
John’s Renewal in Tribulation (vs 10) [-
I was in the Spirit on the
Lord's day . . .
- Some hold that this indicates
that John was taken out of his body; However, this may not be the
natural implication of the text here. The grammar indicates, ]
[a.
I was
-
Ἐγενόμην (Gk[4])
- from Ginomai, meaning “I became” only in the Aorist tense it indicates
that ‘I became for myself’.
Thus, indicating something that John could achieve in himself, hence “I
was.” ]
[b.
Spirit
–
πνεύματι (Gk) - The Dative Singular form of the noun
πνεύμα which finds its root in
πνεύw
meaning spirit whether good or bad.
]
[The natural implication of the text is that
John had managed to reckon his position as continually in or saturated
in the Holy Spirit, a true condition for every believer who seeks to be
filled with the Holy Spirit.
This phrase, related to the circumstances surrounding the Apostle
John when he was given the Revelation ought to remind Christians, again,
that they should be in touch with their Lord through the Holy Spirit
regardless of what their trials and tribulations might be.
For a Child of God to be distant from God merely because of
adversity should be thought of as a carnal characteristic rather than a
spiritual characteristic of our spiritual walk.]
4.
John’s Revelation In Tribulation (vs 10) [-
I was in the Spirit on the
Lord's day, . . . - Some hold the Lord’s Day to mean the Christian
Sabbath or the first day of the week; However, the Christian Sabbath is
never referred to as the Lord’s Day in the New Testament.
It is always called the first day of the week.
Old and New Testament references to the Day of the Lord
which is the nearest frame to the Lord’s day include Isaiah 2.12; Joel
1.15; 2.1; 3.14; Ezekiel 13.5; Malachi 4.5; Acts 2.20; 2 Corinthians
1.14; 1 Thessalonians 5.2; 2 Peter 3.10. Hence, the frame of reference,
including the remaining context of the verse, which states . . .
and heard behind me a great
voice, as of a trumpet all appear to apply to the day of the Lord’s
return. On this Lord’s Day the Apostle John stood in the presence of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Christ
was first revealed to John who wrote this text for you and me.]
5.
John’s Regale In Tribulation (vs 10-11; 1
Thess 4.16; John 1.1-3,14) [-
. . . and heard behind me a great
voice, as of a trumpet, - John’s
word’s here remind us immediately of the trump of God,]
[1
Thessalonians 4:16
16 For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ]
[Again referring us to the Day of the Lord for
Christians, when we will be raptured into our Lord’s glorious presence
to remain in that eternal state of perfection forever more. It is
notable that the great voice is heard coming from behind John,
indicating that John’s first vision required that he turn to face the
Lord who was manifested behind the apostle.
This is the case for all mankind, when we are lost, walking in
and working toward the sinful schemes of men and this world, we must
repent and turn away from the world and to our Lord and Savior to behold
our Lord Jesus Christ in all of His glory.
Without hesitation the apostle John turns to face the Lord.]
[a.
The
Instruction (vs 11) -
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the
first and the last: . . . - The instruction given by the voice is
clear and undeniable. The
instruction first gives its authority which is the authority of
divinity. This divinity is
first distinguished by the whole of the Greek alphabet with the
statement . . . I am Alpha and
Omega . . .thus referring to the written word and may remind us of,]
[John 1:1-3
1 In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning
with God. 3 All things were
made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ]
[John 1:14 14 And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and
truth. ]
[The divinity is also distinguished by the
statement . . . the first and the
last . . . which refers us to the fact that God and God alone is
eternal in nature. Before
there was anything else, there was God.
If there is ever a time when there will be nothing else there
will still be God. He is
the ultimate authority and the only true authority.]
[b.
The
Commission (vs 11) - . .
. and, What thou seest, write in
a book, and send it
unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto
Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto
Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. – This commission is two fold;
write, and send. The first
things John is told to do, even before he has beheld anything of the
Revelation he is about to receive, for up till now John has only heard
and he has only begun to hear.
He is told to write everything you are about to see and then send
to the seven Churches, that, as we will soon discover, represent the
whole of the Christian Church for all ages to come.]
[The next thing John does is merely turn around
and behold the glory of the reveal Lord Jesus Christ.]
B.
The
Person In The Text (vs 12-20) [– Having
heard the trumpeting voice and its first instructions The Apostle John
now turns to see who is speaking to him and beholds the first vision of
the ascended Christ in all his glory.
This is the first of the revelations that will be viewed through
the text of the Revelation.
The apostle now begins to write exactly what he was instructed to write.
He begins to write those things which he has seen.
]
1.
Christ’s Possessions
(Revelation -1.12-13) [–
And I turned to see the voice
that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the
seven candlesticks one
like unto the Son of man, . . .
- It is important to
note that the first vision of the ascended Christ places our Lord in the
midst of seven golden candle stick.
In the preceding verse the apostle is commanded to write to seven
specific Churches, here our Lord is seen standing in the midst of seven
candlesticks which represent seven Churches as clearly described in
verse twenty which states,]
[Revelation 1:20
20 The mystery of the seven
stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden
candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:
and the seven
candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
]
[Seven is a significant number in scripture,
and it is very significant throughout the book of the Revelation.
In biblical numerology the number seven seems to present a
consistent and definable theme.
F.W. Grant notes that “Seven is thus the number of perfect divine
accomplishment.”[5]
John Davis notes numerous scholars who hold that the number seven
indicates things like fullness, perfection, completeness, and full
development.[6]
Hence, the fact that the ascended Christ is seen standing in the
midst of seven candlesticks that represent seven Churches must indicate
that our Lord is standing in the midst of the Church in its universal
completeness. The vision
therefore, and the seven Churches referenced within the Revelation
itself must point toward the whole Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.]
[Now to discover the details of these Churches
or Candlesticks,]
[a.
The
Seven Golden Candlesticks (vs 12-13) - . . .
I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the
seven candlesticks one
like unto the Son of man, . . . – In the specifics of these
candlesticks we note first that they are,]
[1)
Golden
– Carl Harwood suggests that gold is “symbolical of kingdom, kingship,
especially related to deity.”[7]
Hence, these golden candlesticks are not just any candlesticks.
They are of specific divine origin, thus the Churches that they
present are of stately and royal linage.
These Churches are none other than the Body of the Lord Jesus
Christ.]
[2)
Candlesticks or lamp (Psalm
119.105; Prov 6.3; 2 Pet 1.19) – A lamp is a symbol of the Word of
God. The Bible says,]
[Psalm 119:105
105 Thy word
is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.]
[Proverbs 6:3
3 Do this now, my son, and
deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go,
humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. ]
[2 Peter 1:19 19 We
have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day
dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: ]
[Therefore the Word of God is an essential element within the Church of
our Lord Jesus Christ. ]
[3)
Oil
Filled – Candlesticks in biblical times were hollow in the center
and would then be filled with oil.
A wick was place in the candle stick and the oiled wick would
burn and provide light.
Harwood suggests that oil is symbolical of the Holy Spirit.[8]
As a candlestick could not work without oil, so the Church of our
Lord Jesus Christ cannot properly function without the oil of the Holy
Spirit.]
[4)
Light
(John 8.12;9.5; Matt 5.14-16)
– The goal of the candlestick is light.
Jesus said,]
[John 8:12
12 Then spake Jesus again unto
them, saying,
I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. ]
[John 9:5 5 As long
as I am in the world,
I am the light
of the world. ]
[The only true light in life is the Lord Jesus
Christ. But our Lord
manifests his glorious light through His Church.
Therefore, Jesus also said,]
[Matthew 5:14-16
14 Ye are the light of the
world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 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. 16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your
good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ]
[It
is through our Lord’s Church that the gospel message will permeate our
world and reach multitudes of lost souls winning them into our Lord’s
glorious kingdom.]
2.
Christ’s Description
(vs 13-16) [– Next the
apostle begins to describe the one he saw standing in the midst of the
golden candlesticks. The
apostle first refers to the one he saw as, ]
[Revelation 1:13
13 And in the midst of the seven
candlesticks
one like
unto the Son of man, . . . ]
[Of this statement Robert Thomas wrote,]
[He was “like unto a son of man” (Rev 1:13, ASV). These words are
derived from Daniel 7:13 where one like a son of man appeared in order
to receive earthly dominion. The comparison sets forth essentially the
human appearance, and thus the humanity, of the one whom John saw. In
omitting the definite article before “son,” the author agrees with the
Septuagint version of Daniel. From this fact and from the use of
homoion (“like”) before the
words, it is apparent that the Messianic title “Son of Man,” found so
frequently in the Gospels, is not intended here. Nevertheless, there can
be no disputing the fact that this personage is identical with the
Messiah, the one who is pictured as coming triumphantly in Revelation
19:11–16. The strong impression on the author at this point, however, is
His human appearance.[9]]
[Certainly, there is no mistaking who this figure is standing in the
midst of these candlesticks.
It is our Lord Jesus Christ.
That he is like unto the Son of Man lets us know in no uncertain
terms who the apostle saw.]
[While Jesus is now a High Priest in heaven, John did not see Him
engaged in any High Priestly work.
While He was clothed in a High Priestly robe, there was no mitre
upon His head, or Kingly Crown.
The description of Him is more that of a judge.
John now goes on to note nine facets of our Lord’s appearance.
Nine is the number of judgment.
In this description we notice,]
a.
His
Garment (Rev 1.13) [-
. . . clothed with a
garment down to the foot, . . .
- Of this garment
Robert Thomas notes,]
[He was “clothed with a garment down to the foot” (Rev 1:13). In the
Greek Old Testament such language is used to depict part of the high
priest’s dress, but the same is true in an even more striking manner in
Ezekiel 9:2. There both Greek words found in Revelation are applied to
the man charged with
setting a mark upon some of the Jerusalemites before the destruction of
the rest. Of these two possible emphases, a priestly ministry and one of
mercy in the face of impending judgment, the latter is the more likely
choice, since nowhere else in the book does Christ appear in a priestly
capacity. On the other hand, one of the principal thrusts of the visions
is His activity in extending mercy to those exempted from the
punishments which are about to fall. The man in Ezekiel is associated
with six others whose office it is to smite the sinful inhabitants of
the city while passing by those who are grieved over the city’s
abominations. Herein lies the similarity to Christ’s future ministry of
administering mercy in the midst of God’s wrath upon the world (Rev
7:2–3; 9:4 )[10]]
[Others have suggested that this garment could
signify the righteousness and holiness of the one in view.
Clearly none is as righteous as our Lord Jesus Christ.]
b.
His
Golden Girdle (Rev 1.13) [–
. . . and girt about the paps
with a golden girdle. – Harwood suggests that a girdle is symbolical
of strength for activity.[11]
Which might also suggest power or authority.
The gold is related to His kingship or deityship. In that He is
girded about the breasts signifies that He is executing a Magisterial
Office. The High Priest was
girded about the waist, signifying service. ]
c.
His
Head and Hairs (vs 14; Psalm 104.2) [-
His head and
his hairs
were white like wool,
as white as snow; . . . – We note here that not only does the
apostle note our Lord’s hair but his head as well.
This expresses that our Lord’s countenance shown with brilliant
light. The Bible says of God,]
[Psalm 104:2
2 Who coverest
thyself with light as
with a garment: . . .
]
[Such statements also identifies Him with the
Ancient of Days ]
[Daniel 7:9-12
9 I beheld till the thrones were
cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit,
whose garment
was white as snow, and
the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne
was like the fiery
flame, and his wheels
as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and
came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him:
the judgment was
set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the
voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld
even till the beast was
slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
12 As concerning the rest of the
beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were
prolonged for a season and time. ]
[Hence, the idea that our Lord in John’s
vision in this text is one of a judge rendering judgment is again
reinforced. Harwood
suggests that snow[12]
symbolizes purity and hair symbolizes strength.[13]
]
d.
His
Eyes (Rev 1.14; Heb 4.13; 1 Cor 3.11-15)
[- . . . and his eyes
were as a flame of
fire; - The mention of our Lord’s eyes speaks of His omniscience.
We are reminded that our Lord is, ]
[Hebrews 4:13
13 Neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in his sight: but all things
are naked and opened
unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. ]
[Harwood suggests that an eye is symbolical of
knowledge or seeing,[14]
While Fire is symbolical of the act of purifying, searching, or testing.[15]
We are remind by our Lord’s eyes of fire in this context that we
will all stand before the Judgment seat of Christ.
The bible says,]
[1
Corinthians 3:11-15
11 For other foundation can no
man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon
this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be
made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be
revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort
it is. 14 If any man's work
abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be
burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as
by fire. ]
[Who can stand before the all seeing and
all-knowing eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ.
They search, not outward appearances but to the very heart of
each and every man, woman, and child.
To those who have persevered and mastered the Christian life
these eyes will manifest the glory of a life lived out for our Lord.
But for the rebellious, self-willed, haughty, and selfish these
eyes of fire will burn away all of the chaff that kept many from living
godly lives.]
e.
His
Feet like fine Brass (vs 15; Rev 19.15) [-
And his feet like unto fine
brass, as if they burned in a furnace; . . . – Harwood notes that
brass is a symbol of judgment, strength, and endurance.[16]
That our Lord’s feet are viewed as brass reminds us that the
Bible says,]
[Revelation 19:15
15 And out of his mouth goeth a
sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule
them with a rod of iron:
and he treadeth
the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
]
[Thus revealing that the actual work at the
end of this judgment will be carried out by Christ Himself, as He will
tread the winepress of God’s wrath. ]
[f.
His
Voice (vs 16; Ps 29; Jer 25.30) -
. . . and his voice as the sound
of many waters. - There is
nothing more fearful to the criminal than the words of a judge as he
passes judgment.
Waters is symbolical of many
nations or seems to point toward the gentile nations, while in contrast
the earth is often thought to point toward
Israel. In respect to judgment, these
many nations have heard God’s voice through the testimony of countless
born again Christians of every race, creed and nationality; so there is
no excuse for those who have refuse the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible reminds us that it is by the Word of God or the voice of the
Lord that He accomplishes His will within His creation.
The Bible states,]
[Psalm 29:1-11
1 Give unto the LORD, O ye
mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
2 Give unto the LORD the glory
due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
3
The voice of the
LORD is upon the
waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD
is upon many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD
is powerful; the voice
of the LORD is full of
majesty. 5 The voice of the
LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He maketh them also to
skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young
unicorn. 7 The voice of the
LORD divideth the flames of fire. 8
The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD
shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 9
The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and
discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of
his glory.
10 The LORD sitteth upon the
flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.
11 The LORD will give strength
unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace. ]
[Jeremiah 25:30
30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words,
and say unto them,
The LORD shall
roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy
habitation; he shall
mightily roar
upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread
the grapes, against all
the inhabitants of the earth. ]
[Hence, the apostle John sees the Lord of
Glory as a judge rendering his verdict, and the power of His mighty
decree will be to all the nations.]
g.
His
Hand Full of Stars (vs 16, 20) [-
And he had in his right hand
seven stars: . . . – Like the candlesticks the stars are interpreted
for us in verses 20.]
[Revelation 1:20
20 The mystery of the seven
stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden
candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and
the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. ]
[These stars are the Angels of the seven
Churches and clearly indicate the source of their strength, power and
accountability. The right hand is symbolical of possession, strength,
and power. Therefore the angels of these Churches receive their
authority and power from the Lord Jesus Christ.
The fact that they are held in our Lord’s hand indicates that
they are under His complete control.
That these stars are called angles means literally that they are
messengers. These
messengers could be: ]
[1)
The pastor’s of the Churches, as they would gain
their strength and usability from the Lord Jesus Christ. ]
[2)
The Confessing, believing remnant of the Church;
those that have experienced redemption and have the real spiritual power
within the Church. ]
[The idea of these stars being in our Lord’s
right hand reminds us of, ]
[John 10:27-30
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me: 28
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man
pluck them out of my hand. 29
My Father, which gave
them me, is greater than all; and no
man is able to pluck
them out of my Father's
hand. 30 I and
my Father are one.
]
[Hence, these stars are in the hand of
Almighty God, never to be removed.
Safe and secure even at the time of the coming judgment.
It might be said as well the if the saved are secure in the hand
of our Lord, then we will be with our Lord at the time when He renders
His judgment, which may speak to us of the doctrine of the rapture, to
be studied later when we enter into chapter four of the Revelation.]
h.
His
Mouth (vs 16; Heb 4.12; John 12.48) [-
. . . and out of his mouth
went a sharp twoedged sword: . . . - Some claim this to be more a
Sword of Justice than the Sword of His Word.
Still the fact remains, all of His judgments are delivered by His
divine decree. His mouth is symbolical of testimony or His spoke word.
The sword is symbolical of the Word.
The Bible reminds us,]
[Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God
is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart. ]
[In that our Lord will
use His voice and words to render judgment upon all who have rejected
Him was declared by our Lord when He said,]
[John 12:48
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath
one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day. ]
i.
His
Countenance (vs 16) [- . . .
and his countenance
was as the sun shineth
in his strength. - As the sun shines in his strength refers to the
fact that light, especially brilliant, powerful light manifests. Thus
indicating that His whole person, all that Jesus Christ is about or
represents, is manifestation.
He manifests His own righteousness and glory, and at the save
time reveals our sinfulness, unworthiness, and defilement; in this
judgment. ]
3.
Christ’s Persuasion (vs 17-18) [–
And when I saw him, I fell at his
feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear
not; I am the first and the last: 18
I am he
that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death. - The Aposlte John, having
beheld the glorious revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ was completely
overcome by His presence.
John fell at His feet as dead.
This statement reminds us of how Daniel responded when he saw his
visions. The Bible states,]
[Daniel 10:4-11
4 And in the four and twentieth
day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which
is Hiddekel;
5 Then I lifted up mine eyes,
and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins
were girded with fine
gold of Uphaz: 6 His body
also was like the
beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as
lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished
brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
7 And I Daniel alone saw the
vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great
quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
8 Therefore I was left alone,
and saw this great vision,
and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me
into corruption, and I retained no strength.
9 Yet heard I the voice of his
words: and when I heard the voice of his words,
then was I in a
deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
10 And, behold, an hand touched
me, which set me upon my knees and
upon the palms of my
hands. 11 And he said unto
me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak
unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he
had spoken this word unto me,
I stood
trembling. ]
[Many gospel songs have been written about the
joy of standing in the presence of our Lord and Savior one day.
The truth is that we will likely fail and fall out in the
overwhelming glory and holiness of our Lord first.
But then, by His grace and faithfulness, our Lord will lift us up
and give us a standing in His majestic presence.
What a glorious day that will be!]
C.
The
Plan Of The Text (vs 19) [Finally, at
the end of chapter one we come to the overall plan for how our Lord’s
revelation will be presented in the text.
The Text reads,]
[Revelation
1:19
19 Write the things which thou
hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be
hereafter; ]
[Three Major divisions are given for the text of The
Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
These are,]
1.
The
things which thou hast seen [– The
apostle John was commanded to write the vision of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which we have already studied. This is chapter one of the book of The
Revelation.]
2.
The
things which are [– This division of
the text will includes chapters two and three and includes the letters
to the seven Churches.
These letters reveal the
conditions of these Churches which already exist but also provide a
prophetic revelation of what will occur within the Church of our Lord
during the Church Age, as dispensationalist call it.
]
3.
The
things which shall be [– This division
of the text deals with future events which will occur after the rapture
of the Church and covers from chapter four to the end of the book and
the Bible. Nothing in this
last division of the text will be fulfilled until after the rapture of
the Church. However, the
preparations to fulfill these many prophecies are manifesting themselves
all around us.]
CrossRoads Bible Study October 19 & 26, 2009