Revelation 1
Revelation 1
1:1-2 “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond servants, the things which must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John. Who testifies to everything he saw- that is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.”…
Revelation: This final book of the Bible could more accurately be called “The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ.” Most equate the “apocalypse” with ‘end time terrors.’ And while the end times may include some terrifying events, especially for unbelievers, we would do well to remember the full scope of the word. The Greek word “apocalypse”, translated in English as “revelation” literally means, “a disclosure of truth.”
God: The Father revealed “the things which must take place” to the Son, who revealed them to the bond servants, who had within them them the Holy Spirit. Evidence of the Trinity can be found from Genesis through Revelation.
Bond-servants: “Bond servant” in Greek is ‘doulos’- literally a slave. “Slave” holds only a negative meaning in our culture, so must translations opt for the politically correct term“servant.”
Did you know that you are mentioned in the Bible? You are if you have made Jesus your LORD. Notice that the word “bond servants” is plural. The revelation was given from God to Jesus to John directly, but because of that little ‘s’ we know that you, I and all who have taken the oath to follow Jesus are included here.
Isn’t it freeing to be a slave of God? You are a slave to holiness, you are a slave to righteousness, you are a slave to justice, a slave to mercy and grace and everything GOOD! You to have to obey them and say “No!” to evil because you are a slave of God. Truly, you are never more free than when you are a slave to God!
soon: The Book of Revelation is said to have been written in approx 95 AD, 60-ish years after Jesus was crucified, and 1,927 years before today. These events have not ‘soon’ taken place if we use the word as an American. Biblically, ‘soon’ means “to occur swiftly, suddenly.”
May we be alert that “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night,” and may this book prepare us to “walk as children of the day” (1 Thess 5:2-4).
John: John was one of Jesus’s inner circle, and noted twice as ‘the one whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23; 21:20)
Not all of the dates of the apostles deaths are confirmed, however most scholars believe that John outlived them, perhaps this is why he received this final revelation.
Tertulian, an ancient Greek Father, wrote that John was dipped in a cauldron of hot oil before an entire colosseum and emerged unharmed. Upon this, many converted to Christianity and John was then sentenced to the desolate, isolated, prison Isle of Patmos- where he received this revelation.
The Emperor Nero wanted to shut John up from preaching about Jesus so he exiled him to the place where God gave him a message that would echo throughout the earth for generations to come.
Your loneliest place in life may be where you can hear God the loudest and He can use you in a way so significant your influence will touch generations to come.
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which have been written in it; for the time is near.
Reads, Hear, Heed: The words ‘reads,’ ‘hears,’ and ‘heeds’ are Present Participles, meaning that that the action of the verb occurred in the past and has continual results.
Literally, the verse could read, ‘Blessed is he who is reading…is hearing…and is heeding the things…
The grammar alone reminds us that we, even 2000(+) yrs later, are to be reading, perceiving and putting into action the wisdom gained from this book. And for it we will be blessed!
“Heed”, or tereo in Greek, is the same word used repeatedly as Jesus, John and other biblical authors implore us to “keep” God’s commandments as our expression of love for Him. (i.e. Matt 19:17; John 14:15; 1 John 2:3; 5:3; etc…)
written: “Written” is not in the Present Active tense, rather the Perfect Passive. This allows the reader to know that the Book of Revelation is complete, finished. There is nothing missing, and not more coming.
THE TIME WILL PASS ANYWAYS. HOW ARE YOU SPENDING IT- ARE YOU PUTTING YOURSELF IN A PLACE OF BLESSING? BY READING, HEARING AND HEEDING GODS WORD? HERE IS THE TRUTH. THERE IS NO NEUTRAL GROUND. YOU ARE EITHER MOVING TOWARDS GOD OR AWAY FROM HIM. AND IF YOU ARE MOVING TOWARDS HIM, THIS VERSE PROMISES A BLESSING. NOT JUST FOR YOU. BUT THE RIPPLE EFFECT IS FOR EVERYONE YOU INTERACT WITH. YOUR HUSBAND YOUR CHILDREN. YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. BECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE THINKING OF WONT BE SOME SOCIAL MEDIA POLLUTED REELZ ON CATS JUMPING OR SOMETHING WITH NO ETERNAL IMPACT. YOU WILL BE THINKING, AND THUS SPEAKING AND ACTING IN WAYS THAT SPARK CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GOD AND PUSH OTHERS TOWARDS HIM AS WELL. DONT LET FB, TIK TOK OR INSTAGRAM TELL YOU WHAT TO THINK. DONT LET THEM ROB YOU OF YOUR BLESSING. DON’T THINK ABOUT EARTHLY THINGS, BUT ABOUT HEAVENLY THINGS.
1:4 “John, to the seven churches that 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…”
John: Letters in ancient literature were begun by stating the name of who the letter is from, not who it is for, as we do today. John clearly identifies himself as the human writer.
seven: While the seven churches are a literal number of churches, the number seven also symbolically represent the “complete” or “whole” church.
grace and peace: This is a favorite greeting of Paul’s (see Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, etc…) In John’s four other letters, John wastes no time with salutations. Here he takes the time to express these warm fuzzies and even elaborates on who they are ultimately from.
who is, who was and who is to come: this phrase is used to convey the eternality of God, specifically the Father, as the Son and Spirit are mentioned elsewhere in the verse.
When God ‘introduced” Himself to Moses in the Old Testament, He said He is the, “I AM.” God has no beginning, no end. Right here, right now, He really is who He says He is. John was conveying this timeless concept to his present and future readers.
How comforting to have ‘Grace and peace’ from the eternal One who can bring them now, who gave them in the past and will usher them in in the future. Remembering the eternality of God makes trusting Him so much easier! He really IS who He says He IS!
seven spirits: Let’s be clear. There are not seven spirits- God is not pantheistic nor schizophrenic. The number seven is used metaphorically to describe the “completeness” of the Holy Spirit. John and other devout Jews would quickly recognize this reference from the Book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 11:2 references seven characteristics of the Holy Spirit: He is the Spirit of…
* … the LORD * …wisdom * …understanding * …counsel
* …strength * …of knowledge * …fear of the LORD
1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood-
faithful witness: There have been many witnesses for Jesus, even to the point of martyrdom (in fact: “martyr'“ is the word for ‘witness’ in Greek)- all noble for what they have proclaimed. Jesus is singled out as the faithful witness. He was faithful by…
his sinless life prior to the cross
his excruciating death on the cross
the life he has after the cross, thousands of years later, He is still testifying to who God is by reaching into our hearts and calling us to new life in Him.
Martyrdom isn’t just about dying for God once, but dying for Him daily. (Rom 12:1)
firstborn of the dead: Jesus is the firstborn of the dead and both in time (chronology) and importance (pre-eminence).
Some may challenge that Lazarus (John 11) or the little girl in Mark 5 whom Jesus raised form the dead prior to Jesus’ death. Wouldn’t they be the firstborn from the dead???
The answer is found by delineating between resurrection and necessitation:
Jesus resuscitated Lazarus and ‘Talitha.’ Sure, he didn’t perform the CPR, however being God, Jesus didn’t need to. Having died, Lazrus and ‘Talitha’ were brought back to life for a time, yet died again years later.
God resurrected Jesus. He died, was brought back to life. He hasn’t nor will he ever die again. And He is bringing others - you and me- with Him!
This glorious inclusion began immediately after His resurrection…
“The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the Holy City and appeared to many” (Matthew 27:52-54) (Emphasis mine)
ruler of the kings of the earth: It doesn’t often feel like Jesus is the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth. But one day, every knee- Biden’s, Trumps, Hilary’s, Obamas and the rest- will bow to Jesus.
Since Israel’s first king, King Saul, every age in history has had at least one royally evil ruler on the scene (pun intended. Sorry, not sorry.) . Even those that try to follow after God’s own heart (ahem, David) can have devastating sins.
We shouldn’t be asking if a ruler will be evil or not. We already know the answer. Until Jesus is King, to some degree, the answer will be yes. Rather, we should be asking these two consecutive questions: “What evil issues might I be confronted with as a result of this leader?” and “In that, how do I submit to God rather than succumbing to the cultural ideologies that ensue?”
The answers to these question should formulate and motivate our prayers!
loves: Remember verse three where I mentioned the Greek “Present Active Participle?” We find it again here! God is right here, right now, in the action of loving us. And the Holy Spirit chose to use a verb tense that emphasizes that continual action. God is loving you, me, US right here, right now.
- Micah Taylor’s song Never Been A Moment captures this idea…
“There's never been a moment, I was not held inside Your arms
And there's never been a day when, You were not who You say You are
You're forever, it don't matter what I'm walking through,
’Cause no matter where I'm going, There’s never been a moment,
That I was not loved by You."
released: Thank you Jesus, Hallelujah! ’Released’ is not in the Present Tense as is ‘loves.’ If it were it would mean that Jesus was is in the process of releasing us, but is not finished yet. We’d still be bound.
Instead, the past tense of ‘released’ strikes a sharp contrast next to the present tense ‘loves.’ We are released. In the words of Jesus Himself, “It is finished.”
You are free my friend, whether or not you feel free, the truth is, you are. Jesus’ blood was shed on Calvary. Since then, freedom from sin has been available to all. Because freedom is a requisite of love, God gave us the freedom to choose who/what we are slaves to. We will either live free in Christ, or free from Christ.
For freedom Christ has set us free, stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. - Gal 5:1
THESE TWO VERSES COVER TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCTRINES OF GOD: TRINITY AND ETERNALITY. THERE IS NO OTHER GOD WHO CLAIMS TO BE TRIUNE. NOT ALLAH, NOT BUDDHA, NONE. THE FACT THAT GOD IS THREE IN ONE, AND WE ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE GIVES US A PREMISE FOR LIFE: THAT WE WERE MADE FOR RELATIONSHIPS. EVEN YOUR CHILDREN WERE MADE IN TRINITY: THEY ARE PART YOUR HUSBAND, PART YOU AND STILL GIVEN A PERSONALITY ALL THEIR OWN FROM GOD. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER WAYS THAT “TRINITY” MAKES SENSE OF THE WORLD, BUT THATS A NOTHER PODCAST. THE ETERNALITY OF GOD IS CENTRAL AS WELL. IF GOD HAD A BEGINNING HE WOULDN’T BE THE CREATOR. IF HE HAD AN ENDING, THEN THAT FORCE WOULD BE GREATER, HE WOULDN’T BE ALMIGHTY. GOD HAS TO BE ETERNAL. GOD HAS TO BE TRIUNE TO TRULY BE GOD . AND THAT IS WHY WE WORSHIP HIM.
1:6 and He has made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father— to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
kingdom: ‘Kingdom’ doesn’t mean a land, or territory. ‘Kingdom’ is better understood as ‘kingship,’ or ‘royal power.’
Read it again - “…he has made us a royal power.” Woah! Thats YOU! Thats ME! That’s humbling!!!
This ‘kingship’ is the fulfillment of a promise made waaaay back in Exodus 19. Moses ascended to the top of Mt Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments. There, God spoke these words, “Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
This may have been hard to comprehend given their current situation: having just spent 430 years as slaves in Egypt and narrowly escaping through the Red Sea.
They had no land, they were nomads out wandering in the dessert.
No homes, just tents.
No food, except what feel from the sky.
No water, except that what gushed from a rock.
No new clothes or shoes - nor would they for the next 40 yrs.
Yet He appointed them a kingdom, a ruling power.
God saw something in them they didn’t see in themselves. Can you relate? Believe it my friend, your royal power, my royal power is not waiting to be established. It was established on the cross. It has not been diminished. It has not been put on hold. Sure, we may not be roaming our eternal Kingdom yet, but that does not limit our kingship. Our royal power does not come from where we are, but whose we are. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, therefore royal power, kingship, is over us and within us.
priests: The Old Testament book of Leviticus details the role and responsibilities of the priestly tribe, the Levites. This is a foreshadow of the believers future priesthood.
The numerous priestly duties in the Book of Exodus can be summarized in this one verse: “After you put these (priestly) clothes on Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.” (insert, mine). Exodus 28:41.
As priests, we must be:
Anointed: literally, to paint or smear, in Hebrew, mashach. A priest would have oil poured on him as a symbol of his role. New Testament believers have the Holy Spirit poured over our lives and into our hearts, never to drip or dry off.
Ordained - the Hebrew word used here, male.’ Its literal translation is a phrase we rarely, if ever, use. It means, ‘to fill the hand.’ Yet an OT priests hand were literally filled with gifts for God as he made daily offerings and sacrifices. Figuratively, the priests’ hands held the honor and responsibility of serving God on behalf of His people.
All of our hands find something to do, something to hold, Are your hands busy and full making offerings and sacrifices for God?
Are your fists closed tight or open towards God
Consecrated - qadash is properly used to denote physical cleanness and purity. Priests underwent extensive washings prior to ministering to the Lord. By extension, spiritual cleanliness would be holiness. Priests were separated from common people and inaugurated with holy rites, the most intense of which was administering the Sacrifices and Offerings.
Leviticus details the frequency and procedure for each of five types of sacrifices and offerings: Burnt Offerings, Grain, Fellowship, Sin, Guilt, Offerings.
In the new Kingdom, NONE if these offerings and sacrifices will be necessary.:
Christ is our Burnt, Sin and Guilt offerings by redemption through His own blood.
Christ is our Peace offering by reconciling us to God.
Christ is our fellowship offering as we eat and drink on Him, the true bread of life (John 6) and living water (John 4:10);
As future Kingdom Priests, I doubt our role will include making offerings and sacrifices requiring death, dying and blood, this is a priesthood after the ordinance of Aaron. Rather, our duties will be making offerings of praise, thanksgiving, joy and discovery of the fullness and riches of our God, this is a priesthood after the ordinance of Melchizedek. The only priest mentioned in the Bible who foreshadowed our role as Kingdom Priests:
The Foreshadow: He was the first priest mentioned in the Bible, Melchezidek meaning King of Righteousness. In Abrahams time, he was simultaneously King of Salem, present day Jerusalem, and a priest of ‘the Most High God’. In a fallen world, this double -duty role is a dangerous combination. God wisely separated the roles in Leviticus and even specifically forbade the co-mingling of these roles. (read 2 Chronicles 26:16-23 to see how it didn’t go so well for Uzziah).
However, Rev 1:6 and Psalm 110:4 “The LORD has sworn and will not change
His mind, ‘You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek’, as opposed to
priests in the order of Aaron. What was the difference?
Melchizedek…
never died, nor shall we in eternity
He had no successor - no death, no successor, no rivalry to challenge his crown
Was king and priest - as we will be in Rev 1:6)
Alas, in Revelation 1:6 this shadow of who we will be is coming to light.
Two theological words are shown, but not stated, here: redemption and reconciliation. Read together, verses 5-6 are a perfect picture of how God intertwines redemption and reconciliation.
When God redeemed us, we, His enemies, were spared God’s wrath and released from slavery to sin.
But He didn’t just send us out on our own to figure things out after that. He drew us in, adopted and befriended us and made a kingdom.
1: 7 “Behold, He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.”
This verse is actually an echo of both an Old and New Testament prophecy. If God said he was coming in the Old Testament, the New Testament and in Revelation HE MEANS IT! HE IS COMING! In the next few chapters I will connect the dots to more prophecies that show that it could be sooner than we think.
Lets start with a little Cross Referencing…
The Book of Daniel is like the Old Testament parallel to the Book of Revelation. Dan 7:13-14 reads, ‘…And behold, with the clouds of heaven, One like a Son of Man was coming…And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and [men of every] language might serve Him….’
Jesus Himself foretold of this moment, quoting from Daniel. Matthew 24:30 reads, “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the Earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
clouds: Why is Jesus coming with the clouds? It isn’t just a comfy seat for His tush. Clouds are symbolic. Since “no one can see God face to face and live,” God has used clouds in a delicate balance of Hide and Seek. He lets us know He is with us, yet conceals the fullness of Himself in clouds…
Reveal/Conceal His presence
Both day and night, the Lord led Israel through the dessert in a cloud to escape of the Egyptian army and find the Promised Land. (Exodus 13 -14; 40:36)
Jesus ascended in a cloud - Acts 1:9
b. …Reveal/Conceal His glory
a. The Lord’s glory was concealed in a cloud, hidden so as not to blind the Israelites;
(Exodus 16:10)
b. On Mount Sinai as He spoke with Moses for 47 days - 40 of which Moses was in the cloud speaking with God, emerging with such such a brightly glowing face he had to wear a veil! (Exo 24:16-18)
c. The cloud would would hover over the place of worship:
i. the Tabernacle (Exo 40:38; Lev 9:17-18;)
ii. the Tent of Meeting (Exo 40:35)
iii. the Atonement Seat (Lev 16:2)
iv. The Temple - 1 Kings 8; 2 Chron 5:14; Ezk 10:4
b. …Reveal/Conceal His judgement
a. Miriam and Aaron were called inside God's cloud after not following Moses’ leadership. When they left the cloud, it was revealed that Miriam had leprosy.
b. Isaiah’s prophecy of God coming in a cloud to destroy the Philistines (Isa. 14:31) and Egypt (Isa 19:1)
c. Figuratively in Lamentations, God’s cloud of anger covers daughter Zion and blocks her prayers (Lam 2-3)
c. …Reveal/Conceal His Voice…
a. to Moses and the Israelites from a cloud (Exo 19:9; 24:16, 18)
b. As recounted in the Psalms by David (Ps 99)
c. At Jesus’ baptism (Matt 17:5, Mark 9:7, Luke 9:34)
Since the beginning, God has been revealing and concealing Himself in clouds. Alas, in Revelation, Jesus is coming with, not in, the clouds, His glory, power and dominion clear for all the world to see.
Oh, but it gets better…
every eye: This means the eyes that are open and alive, and the eyes that are closed and in “soul sleep,” confirmed by the fact that even those who pierced Jesus, who are unquestionably dead by the time Revelation occurs, see Him. Think Walking Dead here…kidding, not kidding.
Now, back to clouds for a moment. We established that Jesus will be coming with the clouds literally, as they are symbolic of Jesus’ presence, glory, judgement and voice.
However there are two verses in Scripture that refer to clouds figuratively, one of these is Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…” The figurative clouds are you, me and all the other multitude of believers, since creation until Jesus returns!
Now lets make the connection. Clouds represent God’s presence, glory, judgement and voice! We are God’s clouds. We are God’s presence. We are His glory. We are His judges. We are his voice. How marvelous to be used by the Most High in such an honorable way.
*Note, we don't receive His judgement but are proclaimers of His coming judgement, such as the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah.
mourn: kopto, the Greek word, is an intensive verb that literally means to “beat one’s breast in grief.” Seeing the pierced Jesus results in a world wide mourning…Why?
i. Paul wrote in 1 Cor 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, dimly, but then face to face: now I know in part, but then I shall know even as also I am known.”
a. God has always known us in full, now we are about to know Him in full.
i. We will see the truth that we exchanged for a lie
ii. We will see the glorious light we exchanged for hideous
darkness
ii. We will see the holiness we exchanged for corruptible sins.
iii. We will see the omniscient God that we exchanged for
worthless idols that can not see, hear or speak.
iv. We will see that everything we ever thought of, invested in,
cared about and loved more than Jesus- all those things that never thought of, invested
in, cared about or loved me in return.
v. We will see that even though the Roman soldiers literally pierced
Him, I was there too. My heart has spit on Him, mocked Him, beat
Him and drove in the nails as well,
Jesus, You are Who You say You are, and I missed You. I have pierced You, I am guilty…and I will mourn. Fell that for a minute. But don’t hover there. What can we do NOW to change that- are there any competing idols- anything you love more,
Rev 1:8 “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, says the LORD God, “who was and who is and who is to come, the Almighty”
I AM: Back in Genesis, God spoke to Moses from a burning bush with this very same verbiage, “I AM who I say I AM.” Literally, I am “the self-existing one.” From beginning to end, from the first letter of the Greek alphabet, Alpha, to the last, Omega, from Genesis to Revelation, God still is who He says He is:
Who was: I was not in existence back in Genesis. Neither were you. God was. He always was. The I AM title sets God apart as creator, as you and I are
creation. This alone demands we worship and praise Him.
Who Is: God is unchanging. You and I change. We are expected to change. It would be concerning if we didn’t. If a newborn never changed as time passed, never learned to sit up, walk, talk, play something would be terribly wrong. Even as adults, God expects us to change!
“For you were dead in your trespasses and sins…but God, being rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ…for we are His workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus for good works, which were prepared beforehand that we might walk in them.… (Eph 2: 1, 4, 10). God has begun a good work in us
and he will complete it! (Phil 1:6)
From dead to alive, to walking in life of good works of wisdom, joyful submission, deepening prayer, and selfless love…all the way until completion! However, if we are always changing, we need a constant. And that is God. God does not change like the shifting shadows. He always was and always is still righteous, still loving, still holy, holy, holy.
who is to come: This is a play on words. Rather than the “Eimi” verb, or the “being” verb, here is a Present, Middle, Participle emphasizing the fact that he
himself is coming! You could accurately translate this as, “…who is Coming.”
Almighty: A few notes on the curious use of this word. “Almighty”, in Hebrew, “saday”(or ‘Shaddai’ as we pronounce it) is used 48x in the entirety of the Bible. It means “the universal, supreme sovereign.”
‘Saday’ is used most frequently in the book of Job. Two lessons we can learn from his focus on the Most High God: 1. As one of the earliest men in history, Job knew God foremost as “Almighty.” Not the God of justice, grace, love, peace etc. but the God of strength, power, over every thing from weather to nature to animals, etc… and every one. When you think of God, may All-Mighty be a preeminent characteristic of Him in your thoughts as well.
Job originated the line, You give and take away…blessed be your name” - David Crowder is famous for singing it. Uttering this phrase in the wake of loss is only possible when we commit our mind to the truth that God is the Almighty. Sovereign. For anyone else to wreak such tragedy would be a heinous crime. Only God Almighty has the rightful authority and power to give and take away. Not knowing the heavenly discourse behind his sufferings,
Are you suffering from loss today? Are you shaking your fist at God for taking what you love most? You are shaking your fist at the wrong One. Anger is a natural and even good part of the grieving process, but it was never part of God’s desire for you. Even in Job’s case, it was Satan who brought the destruction. Don’t forget the end of the story, God blessed Job for his continued praise through the pain. Raise your fist at Satan. Raise your hands in surrender to YHWH.
The NIV loosely translates ‘saba’ as ‘shaddai. Thus if you read the NIV, you will come across God Almighty 345 times compared to the 48 in other versions!
The two words have the same root, however ‘saba’ accurately means, ‘war, warfare, army, host.’ In order to win a war you need to be the ‘Almighty-est’ thus, you will find most of these translations in the Books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, etc where God’s people are at war.
A far cry from the age of grace we currently live in, many people in the OT thought of God as the God of war. This likely makes us uncomfortable, but we can't ignore what we see in over 300 verses in the Bible!
Even as a God of War, God was still good- defeating evil and keeping His promise to His people to give them a land and make them a nation.
From the time Jesus shows up on the scene, we hear no more about God Almighty until Revelation.
“Almighty,” or pantokrator in Greek, is only in Revelation, except for one other use in 2 Cor 6:18, which is quoting from the Old Testament
Alas in Revelation we see God Almighty coming to erect and claim His Sovereign place among all men from every nation, tribe and nation once and for all.
Revelation 1:9 “I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in Jesus, was on the main island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
John- the apostle whom Jesus loved. Also wrote John, 1 - 3 John
Your brother - in Christ, there is no Jew nor Greek, nor slave nor free, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. (Col 3:11)
tribulation - as it is in most countries today, it was expected that if you were to follow Jesus, you were going to be persecuted. Christianity was not glamorous, but rather a death sentence.
The philosophical “Problem of Evil”- “Why do good things happen to bad people” is a “newer problem,” asked only by 21st century Americans. Peoples in other lands and in other centuries expected trouble and suffering.
Jesus Himself told us, “In this world, you WILL (not maybe, might) have suffering. But take heart I have overcome the world (John 16:33). This must have stuck with John as he recorded Jesus saying it while He was with him on earth, and he recalls it during his persecution 60 yrs later.
And to suffer for Jesus was to reign with Jesus.
Phil 1:29 “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for him…”
1 Peter 1:6 -8 “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by the fire- may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1 Peter 4:19 - “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will (aka righteousness) should commit themselves to their faithful create and continue to do good.”
tribulation, kingdom and patient endurance - a seemingly odd combination, however it is one’s patient endurance through tribulation that is our assurance that we are part of the kingdom.
Patmos- Equivalent to our Guantanamo Bay; marble yard; King Nero thought he would stop John from preaching to so many people, so they exiled him. But God used him in an even greater way than expected- he ever would have hoped, dreamed or imagined.
vs 10: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet…"
the Lord’s day: The Lord’s Day is not the Sabbath, but the day Jesus rose from the dead, and, per the Jewish calendar, the first day of the week.
trumpet: The voice like a trumpet is Jesus’ voice.
And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matt 24:31
…in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 1 Cor 15:52
vs 11. “saying, ‘Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
to- literally “into;” God knew that this book was going to be circulated, read to the masses in these churches
seven churches: All seven churches were in Asia; not written to be spread throughout the Jews (Judea, Syria, etc…)
More than seven churches existed, but seven model churches could have been chosen to receive literal letters of encouragement and reprimands, as well as figuratively represent the complete universal church which would need to heed the same warnings until Jesus’s return.
vs 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands…
golden lampstands: The original temple in Exodus 25:31 had one lamp stand with three branches extending from each side, for a total of seven lamps on the one lamp stand. Daily, the lamps’ wicks were trimmed and they were filled with oil for continual burning. The symbolism is this:
one lamp- God
seven lamps - the complete number- at the time all from one ‘people’ group and thus one lamp stand
daily oil - Holy Spirit
Years after its destruction, King Solomon built a new temple. This one had ten lamp stands, five on the north and five on the south (1 Kings ). The increased light represented a greater fellowship with God.
Now we see seven lamp stands. The symbolism is that God is still the lampstand- what makes the light stand out, shine out. However there are seven, all 7 different churches- in Asia, Gentile regions. Our light as Christians ought to always be shining but we are dependent on the lamp stand to hold us up and the oil/anointing of the Holy Spirit to keep shining.
vs 13 - and in the midst of the lamp stands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
Son of man: used 189x in scripture
Typically used to denote mankind’s frailty and weakness
Most frequently used by God when addressing the prophet, Ezekiel to remind him of his humanity, and thus his dutiful obedience to YHWH
Then there is a twist - Dan 7:13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. This verse is a prophecy thousands of years ago by Daniel. It is of the end times after Jesus slays the “beasts of the Earth” or the Antichrist. Verse 14 continues, “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.”
Jesus referred to himself as “the Son of Man” 80+ times in the Gospels
long robe: long robes were only worn by those who didnt have to work much; a picture of status and authority; i.e. priests, kings
King Saul had the corner of his robe cut off by David (1 Sam 24:4);and David when being crowned king(1 Cir 15:27) ; Jesus was mocked in a scarlet robe (Matt 27:31, Luke 23:11, John 19:2,5); the Father in the prodigal son hiked up his robe to run to his long lost son (Luke 15), then clothed him with a long robe; we too are clothed with righteousness after receiving salvation (Isa 61:10)
Exodus 39:1-5 says that there were golden threads in the band that went around the chest of the high priest of Israel. Jesus’ band has more than a few golden threads. It is all gold! How much greater is the eternal, heavenly priesthood of Jesus!
One of the duties of the Old Testament priests was to tend the golden lampstand in the tabernacle. Every day they had to fill the oil, clean the soot, and trim the wicks. They had to closely inspect and care for the lamps so they would burn continually before the Lord. Here is Jesus, our High Priest, in the midst of the seven lampstands, carefully inspecting and caring for the lamps, helping them to always burn brightly before the Lord.
Long robe and sash were part of the High Priestly garments expounded on in Exo 28, 39, and reiterated throughout Leviticus. Jesus is our High Priest, forever.
vs 14. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
white like wool, snow: shows Jesus’ purity,
Isa 1:18 …though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow”
wisdom, glory, and eternality (Dan 7:13, “Ancient of Days”)
flame of fire: Fire is often associated with ‘judgement’ in the Bible, from Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24) through Revelation 21, God has/will “rain down fire” and even those whose names are not found in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire. Jesus knows our hearts, his very eyes are able to refine like fire- to discern the evil or good within us
the entirety of this verse is prophesied in Dan 7:9 which reads, “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.”
vs 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
brass: - In the ancient culture ‘brass,’ once purified in the fire, was the strongest metal known to man at the time;
One of the three most used metals in the construction of the temple, the “brazen altar” used for sacrifice was made of brass
The foundation of sacrifice and judgement is what upholds Jesus
Like brass, Jesus is unmovable and incorruptible
sound of many waters: like a mighty waterfall, or rushing ocean, His voice commands attention and reverence
vs 16 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.
right hand - dominant hand, the right was always considered the place of first importance
- Jesus is seated the right hand of God: Matt 26:64; Mar 14:62; Luke
22:69; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Hey 8:1, 12:2; Rev 5:1,7
two-edged sword - two types of Greek swords:
machaira: a small tactical sword, spoken of in Her 4:12 “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.”
rhomphaia: heavy sword used for swinging and slaying. This is what is coming forth from Jesus mouth. Not that He is a monster who opens his mouth and a sword instead of a tongue comes out, but what comes out of our mouth? Words! He uses His words to kill and destroy the enemy.
We have this power NOW. Eph 6:17 - 18 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”
sun shining - Jesus’ glory is finally, fully revealed!
“What do you see in Christ’s right hand? Seven stars; yet how insignificant they appear when you get a sight of his face! They are stars, and there are seven of them; but who can see seven stars, or, for the matter of that, seventy thousand stars, when the sun shineth in his strength? How sweet it is, when the Lord himself is so present in a congregation that the preacher, whoever he may be, is altogether forgotten! I pray you, dear friends, when you go to a place of worship, always try to see the Lord’s face rather than the stars in his hand; look at the sun, and you will forget the stars.” (Spurgeon)
On earth Jesus is said to “have no majesty about him that we should be attracted to him” (Isa 53), now in heaven he is seen in his full beauty, majesty, power and glory.
vs 17 - “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:”
dead: “Even the three years John spent with Jesus on this earth did not really prepare him to see Jesus in His heavenly glory” - David Guzik
John didn’t bow in worship, or kneel in honor. He went limp. Jesus’ glory is so powerful that we are paralyzed. No one has ever seen God and lived- not because God is sneakily hiding himself from us so we can’t fully know him. Rather, he hides Himself because of His grace. For in our fallen human state, we just can’t handle His perfection.
right hand: Jesus comforts the disciple He loves; John, although on the ground as though dead, notes Jesus’ right hand- His touch must have been strong and firm, showing His authority and engendering trust;
fear not: Of the 365x in the Bible that we are told not to fear, this is one of the last. How wonderful that after Jesus returns there will be no more tears, no more sorrow and no more fear!
The world, Satan at its head, wants us to fear. Everything from Covid, terrorists, global warming right down to not having the right shoes. Not God. He IS our peace.
Sometimes you read scripture, depending on your translation. You will read “Fear God…” Why? This fear is a reverent fear. We should have a healthy fear of God, so as to motivate us not to disobey Him. Just as any good parent has instilled in their children a healthy level of respect and obedience, A.K.A., fear.
first and the last: The Alpha and Omega, which are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the language the New Testament was written in.
Jesus is the First, showing His eternality, that before the foundations of the world, He was. For in Him all things were created
Col 1:16 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
Jesus is also the last: Because Jesus is the first, the creator, Jesus is the final word, the final authority. He maintained his authority throughout all of human history.
Although he has shared it in part. You know that you are strong and secure in your personhood, your role, when you are willing to bring others into it, allow them to experience and even glory in it. It’s not a threat to you because you aren’t afraid of losing it. You can pick it back up again at any time. He has shared his authority with the saints, with you and me, even with Satan.
Yet Satan was and is not the biggest threat to Jesus. It was Death. That is why he tells us, he is living….
vs 18 “and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
forevermore: Having been resurrected from the dead He lives forever more, never to die again.
“We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him (Rom 6:9).
Because He lives we know we also will live with Him. The verse right before it, Rom 6:8, Now if we have died with Christ, we believe
that we will also live with him.”
The Resurrection is KEY to Christianity. If Jesus didnt rise from the dead, He was not truly God. He had to overcome death.
Others in the Bible were raised from the dead - Lazarus, the little girl, etc. What sets Jesus apart? Others were recessitated. Jesus never died again. He is The Living One.
Death and Hades:
Death - What are these? Most think of death as the end of life. But we are eternal. Rather, death is separation. There is a physical death, which separates the body from this earth. But there is also a Spiritual death, separation from the body and the soul. Even while physically alive “We are dead in our trespasses and sins (Col 2:13).” If we never become spiritually alive/reborn, we will pass through death’s door, only to die again, and be cast into Hades, which will be thrown into the lake of fire, “this is the second death” (Rev 20:14).
Hades - This is the equivalent of the Hebrew, Sheol, and the English, Hell. It is the place of the second death. It is eternal separation from God. It’s everything God is not. Holiness means “separate unto God.” Hades is the opposite of that. Separate apart from God. Think of all that God is - love, joy, peace, hope, light, life…this place is empty of all that. It is torment and turmoil.
Death and Hades will be cast into the Lake of Fire: Rev 14: 9-10 adds of those who receive the mark of the beast and worship the Beast, “no rest day or night;” “be tormented with with burning sulfur…”; “the smoke of their torment will rise forever.”
vs 19 - Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.
Revelation follows this outline:
Chapter 1 recaps the vision of Jesus that John has just seen;
Chapters 2-3 tells the conditions of the churches that which are;
and Chapters 4-22 are the symbolic foretelling of the things that are to take place
vs 20 - As for the mystery of the seven stars that 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 which you saw are the seven churches:
This sounds like an odd ending to the first chapter. However it is a helpful ending in that enables us to understand the beginning of the next Chapter, Chapter 2, where John begins addressing the seven churches.
angels: In Greek the word, angelos, literally means “messenger.” This could be a literal angel, perhaps a guardian angel for each church. It might also mean the Pastor, who delivers messages to the church, teaching and equipping the saints. I prefer this interpretation, as it’s more likely that a Pastor of a church in the end times is going to need the support, strength and protection of being held in Jesus’s hand.
churches: Again, note that they are all in Greece, spread throughout what was known as the world at that time. Jesus isn’t just upholding one messenger from each of the churches, He is in and among the churches, the whole congregation. And His presence doesn’t just start in the end times- although I might argue we are in them now. He is in and among us, the lampstands for the world. Are you in the church today? You are a lampstand. Spread throughout the world, Jesus is in and among you, holding you up tall and strong, tending your light and anointing you with oil so that you continue to Glow for God.
