Revelation 1:9-20

John’s Vision of Jesus

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

John who previously introduced himself only as a servant of the Lord and transcriber of His Word in the first half of Chapter 1, now uses the terms “brother and partner” in verse 9.

John relates in an intimate way with his reader. He shares in the suffering for the Lord alongside his family in Christ.

Why is this important?

Throughout scripture, God is the husband of Israel in the OT and the Bridegroom of His Bride (The Church) in the NT. When God saves us, He adopts us into his family meaning that we are joint heirs with Christ.

Romans 8:17 - and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

This is our reasonable service. That we would present of our whole bodies to God in gratitude, praise, and worship no matter the cost.

Philippians 1:20–21 - as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Something to think about: If you hesitate to share your faith when it’s easy, how will you ever be able to stand in the face of persecution?

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet

John states that on the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week, that he was worshipping with his brothers and sisters even though he was separated from them by 40 miles of Aegean Sea.

And suddenly John who was seeking God in profound meditation finds himself meeting God in an unaccustomed fashion.

He wasn’t at church, He wasn’t leading a corporate prayer meeting, he was marooned on an Island 40 miles out to sea from Rome, separated from everyone he loved, surrounded by felons and the enemies of Rome and suddenly finds himself face to face with the master.

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.”

These churches existed in Asia Minor or more specifically in Southwest Turkey. Some like Ephesus and Pergamum were prominent, while others like Thyatira and Laodicea were less known, either way they all were made up of believers in Jesus and found themselves recipients of the Word of the Lord.

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.

Curious about the source of the voice speaking, John turns to see the Son of Man (Jesus) standing in the middle of seven golden lampstands.

The seven lampstands represent the seven churches of Asia Minor. (Ch. 2-3) But it goes beyond that.

Not only do the lampstands represent those churches but the entire church as a whole as indicated by the number 7. God’s number for wholeness and completion. The lampstands therefore represent: the local church, the global church, the church of the past, the church of the future.

Another interesting viewpoint suggest that the lampstands being made of gold, represents the church not as it is or was but as it should be - shining brilliantly in its testimony for the Lord

The golden lampstands are made of the most precious of all metals representing the value and preciousness of the church to God. The metal represents purity and holiness, which we (the church) are called to be representatives of in the world.

1 Peter 1:15–16 - but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

What is a lampstand’s purpose? To bring light to dark places. Would you say that this is also the purpose of the church?

Matthew 5:14–16 - “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

To drive the point home…In Jesus’ letter to Ephesus He tells them to repent or He will come to them and “remove their lampstand from its place”… said another way they were in danger of losing their opportunity to testify of Christ in the community.

Oswald J Smith - A church that is not seriously involved in helping fulfill the Great Commission has forfeited its biblical right to exist.

14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.

The Son of Man in verse 13 speaks to and affirms Jesus as the Messiah. John recognized Jesus. He lived with Jesus for 3 years. And now not only affirms that he recognizes who is speaking to him, but also affirms Jesus as the Mighty Son of God.

The world may have rejected him, but John had seen him as both the preacher from Nazareth and in his transfigured glory in Matthew 17. He knew exactly who Jesus was.

His hair being white as snow indicated his wisdom and divine nature.

Daniel 7:9 - “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.

His blazing eyes brings judgement upon all evil, his bronze feet point to the glory of the risen Lord, the golden sash reveals his status as our “high priest” who stepped into the presence of God and obtained forgiveness for all those who have and will believe in Him.

16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

The sword out of the mouth of Jesus symbolizes the power and force of his message, his Word is sharp - as a two edged sword.

Turning to John for just a moment - he must have felt deflated and defeated in his current circumstance, in the face of spiritual opposition and Roman persecution.

But Jesus appears and reassures him that he and his fellow believers have access to the power of God in the midst of their trials.

If you are facing difficulty, be affirmed of the same. You have the same access as John did to the power of God.

1 John 4:4 - Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Our sin convicts and sentences us, but Christ holds the keys to death and Hell.

He alone can free us from the bondage of sin and the accusation of Satan. In Christ, we do not have to fear death or Hell, all we must do is turn from sin and turn to Christ.

If we will place our lives in his hands. He’llrestore us now and resurrect us later.

We win!

19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 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 are the seven churches.

The seven stars, are symbolic of seven angels. A term for either one of two things.

A guardian Angel.

A Church Leader - Preacher.