Revelation study, part 4
Notes
Transcript
Read chapter 1
Read chapter 1
Text:
9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.
10 On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
11 saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.
14 The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire.
15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
16 He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
18 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
19 Therefore write down the things you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that will happen after this.
20 This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
John’s Personal Testimony (v. 9)
John’s Personal Testimony (v. 9)
9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.
His personal identification
Brother: After stating his name, he calls himself, “your brother” - though an Apostle, he identifies with all other believers as family members in the family of God.
Partner: He also says that he is a “partner” or sharer with us in 3 things that are in Jesus; that is, these 3 things are shared by all who are true believers in Jesus Christ:
tribulation - not referring to the Great Tribulation, since obviously not all believers share in that; but the general tribulation of physical suffering and persecution which believers suffer because of their commitment to Christ.
10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
14 “Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
33 I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
22 strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,
Suffering for the sake of Christ and His Gospel is to be expected for believers. Jesus Himself foretold it, the Apostles preached it as well, and the Apostles themselves participated in suffering for the sake of Christ; most of them were killed for their faithful witness, and John as he’s writing here is in exile on the island of Patmos. While most of our Christian experience is that we’ve been immune to suffering, it seems that it is likely coming for us here in America as well.
John says that he is in exile on Patmos because of “the word of God” and the “testimony about Jesus.” This same expression is used throughout Revelation to refer to believers who suffer or even die because of their faithfulness to God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (see 6:9, 12:11, 17; 20:4)
9 And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld.
17 And the dragon was enraged at the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.
4 Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
kingdom - second, John says that he is a sharer with us in the kingdom of Jesus; not only referring to the future visible manifestation of His rule, but His present rule over His people. His kingdom is a current reality and also a future hope. Through Jesus we, along with John, share in His kingdom through our faith in Christ and submission to His Lordship in our lives.
6 who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
21 To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
9 And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
13 He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
By God’s grace in Christ, through faith we are even now participants in the kingdom of God, worshiping and serving our risen King, Jesus Christ.
perseverance - the third thing John says he shares with us as believers is perseverance or patient endurance; one characteristic of genuine believers that the Scriptures make very clear is persevering faith in Jesus Christ regardless of our circumstances. Those who fall away from Christ and do not return were never true believers in the first place. True believers persevere in faith and faithfulness to Jesus Christ. And one of the ways that God preserves our faith and keeps us faithful is through His commands to persevere.
10 “If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.
12 Here is a call for the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.
19 By your patient endurance you will gain your souls.
3 Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
36 You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
Persevering faith is a mark of a genuine believer. By God’s grace we keep trusting Him and awaiting the fulfillment of His promises.
John’s Commission to Write to the 7 Churches (v. 10-11)
John’s Commission to Write to the 7 Churches (v. 10-11)
10 On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
11 saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
On the Lord’s day: Sunday, the day chosen for Christian worship, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ
In the Spirit: Consistent with the OT prophets and Peter’s explanation of the origin of Scripture, this revelation of Jesus Christ comes through the Spirit of God.
2 And as He spoke to me, the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and I heard Him speaking to me.
21 For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Voice like a trumpet: the loud sound of a trumpet represents the power of God and His Word
16 On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.
Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: John is commissioned (commanded) to write down this vision and the following ones as well to send to the seven churches. Note that he is commanded to write down what he “sees” to send it to them; that is, he is commanded to put into words what he experienced with his eyes - his personal encounters with the risen, ascended, exalted, glorified Christ.
The 7 churches are here specified, and in the next 2 chapters we will study the letters sent to each one of the churches, which are not the only seven churches in that province, but are chosen perhaps because of their location or perhaps because they symbolize not only the churches of their province, but all churches of all time, which is why at the end of each letter to a church we read, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” That is, though each message was specific to each church, they are also intended to be applied to other churches in that day as well as ours.
John’s Vision of Jesus Christ (v. 12-18)
John’s Vision of Jesus Christ (v. 12-18)
As we study Revelation, we need to keep in mind that its primary purpose isn’t to fill our minds with information about the events that are to come, but to give us a glimpse of the glory of Jesus Christ which we will experience more fully when we’re with Him. John wants us to know what Jesus is like - who He is and what He has done and will do, and how all of this demonstrates His awesome glory. In these verses, John paints a picture with words of what he saw when He saw Jesus Christ in His glory, and he also records the words of Jesus Himself who reveals more about Himself.
What John Saw (v. 12-17a)
What John Saw (v. 12-17a)
v. 12-13
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.
I heard … I saw - common pattern throughout Revelation. John hears something that gives some information and then he sees something that makes it clearer.
Seven golden lampstands - later identified in v. 20 as the seven churches mentioned in v. 11 and addressed in ch. 2-3. One commentator says that the
Revelation: Verse by Verse John Sees a Vision of the Exalted Christ (1:12–16)
church is depicted as shining lights for God in the midst of a hostile world.
12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Among the lampstands - walking in the midst of the lampstands is Jesus Himself. He is present with His church.
1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
20 For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”
One like the Son of Man - the God-Man, Jesus Christ; the Son of God who took on flesh to accomplish our redemption; He will forever possess the two natures, divine and human. When He took on flesh, it wasn’t just temporary, but forever.
13 In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest: the long robe indicates His authority and dignity as the King and Lord
5 I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
V. 14-15
14 The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
hair … white like wool, as white as snow
demonstrates the eternity of Jesus Christ - He is co-eternal with the Father. In Daniel, the Father is described as the Ancient of Days with similar features; this shows us that God the Father and the Son share one essential nature.
9 As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
eyes … like a blazing fire
Symbolizes His perfect knowledge of everything and His coming judgment of all who oppose Him.
6 His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
18 To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.
12 He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.
feet … like polished bronze
symbolizes His purity and strength
6 His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
18 To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.
voice … like the roar of many waters
More powerful than the roar of a waterfall, His voice is the one that created and sustains the universe. His voice here in Revelation is “proclaiming judgment upon the nations and salvation for his people.” (Osborne)
13 The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale.
2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory.
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness. 3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is heard over many waters. 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the LORD strikes with flames of fire. 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!” 10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. 11 The LORD gives His people strength; the LORD blesses His people with peace.
v. 16
16 He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
His right hand - symbolizes strength and authority (most people are right-handed)
10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.
seven stars - in v. 20 He states that they are the 7 angels (messengers) of the 7 churches addressed. Stars and angels are often associated in Scripture.
double edged sword came from His mouth - the sword of His judgment
Revelation: Verse by Verse Sword from His Mouth (1:16B)
The note that it comes out of his mouth stresses the proclamation of judgment, and the sword itself the carrying out of that judgment.
4 but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.
2 He made My mouth like a sharp sword; He hid Me in the shadow of His hand. He made Me like a polished arrow; He hid Me in His quiver.
15 And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
21 And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
His face was like the sun - the glory of his presence is as intense as the brightest sunlight, so bright that people fall down before him and themselves become radiant like Moses did after being in His presence
29 And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD.
2 There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
v. 17a
Revelation 1:17 (BSB)
17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man.
John’s reaction to his vision of Jesus Christ is to fall on his face, fearful and trembling.
6 Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
5 Then I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”
28 The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.
What Jesus Said (v. 17b-18)
What Jesus Said (v. 17b-18)
Revelation 1:17–18 (BSB)
17 … But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, 18 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
He placed His right hand on me and said Do not be afraid - while his awesome glory is overwhelming, it is not a cause of terror for those who trust in Jesus
7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Do not be afraid.”
I am the First and the Last - the Beginning and End, Alpha and Omega
8 To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
The Living One [who] was dead … [and now is] alive forever and ever
5 As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?
25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
I hold the keys of Death and Hades - by his death and resurrection, He has triumphed over death and the grave and all the forces of evil. In this way he also frees us from the fear of death
Revelation: Verse by Verse Christ Expands John’s Commission (1:17–20)
Christ triumphed over death in his resurrection, and now he has complete control over the power of death.
Revelation: Verse by Verse Christ Expands John’s Commission (1:17–20)
Jesus has power over life and death as well as power over the cosmic powers.
14 Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
John’s Commission Repeated (v. 19-20)
John’s Commission Repeated (v. 19-20)
19 Therefore write down the things you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that will happen after this. 20 This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
write down - John’s the only NT author commanded specifically what to write
things that you have seen … things that are … things that will happen after this - perhaps an outline of the book?
Some view this as outlining the book in the following way:
Chapter 1 - things you have seen
Chapters 2-3 - things that are
Chapters 4-22 - things that will happen
This is a possible meaning, but probably not the best interpretation.
Revelation: Verse by Verse Christ Expands John’s Commission (1:17–20)
others take this phrase as a common apocalyptic formula meaning God is in charge of past, present, and future (similar to the title of 1:4), and define the book as an intertwining of past, present, and future perspectives.
There are at least some things in chapters 4-22 which clearly refer to past events, so it is not completely accurate to say that chapters 4-22 is all future. How much is future is debated, but clearly some parts in those chapters refer to past or present realities, not all future.
But because God is the One “who was and is and is to come”, He reveals to John what was and is and is to come, consistent with his nature.
This is the mystery …
Here Jesus explains to John what we’ve already touched on, the identity of the seven stars and lampstands.
Who are the “angels of the seven churches” referenced here?
Not clear, but two likely explanations:
Actual angels, heavenly beings, guardian angels assigned to specific churches. This fits the usage of the word “angel” throughout Revelation.
Pastors or church leaders (“angel” can mean messenger); this works well, except that throughout Revelation, “angel” or “messenger” is consistently used of heavenly beings, not humans.
Application
Application
Persevere in your faith and obedience by looking to Jesus Christ.
Behold your God and King. Stand in awe of Him and worship Him.
Listen to His powerful voice. There is no more important voice for you to pay attention to.