Revelation 1
Notes
Transcript
Pray with me
If you are able, please stand for the reading of God’s word. Today we read from Revelation chapter 1, verses 1 - 20
Revelation 1:1–20 (CSB)
The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, whatever he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near.
John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by his blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look, 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.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man, dressed in a robe and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest. The hair of his head was white as wool—white as snow—and his eyes like a fiery flame. His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of cascading waters. He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth, and his face was shining like the sun at full strength.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Please be seated.
Who is Jesus? Who do we say that he is? There is perhaps no more important question. And yet - we need to be careful, as it’s something that, historically speaking, humans can get wrong.
Almost two years ago at our house church in Sioux Falls, Ekklesia, we were joined by a new man who was leaving the Mormon Church. He had been in the LDS Church for almost 10 years, but he started to grow discontent with their doctrine, and started moving back into historical Christianity, and discovered that the mormon church was much more of a cult, and less Christian - as they use christian language, but their beliefs fall outside of Christian orthodoxy.
We received him into our church, and after several months, one of the mormon bishops wanted to meet with him to, well honestly correct him for leaving mormonism and threaten him with excommunication and hell, unless he came back into the LDS church. My friend invited me to come to the meeting with him as a support.
The Mormon bishops seemed pretty upset that I was there, but changed from scolding to trying to tell this man that the LDS church and Christianity were the same thing, and that his mormon friends missed him, and that all of us, Ekklesia, and the mormon group should all get together as we all believe in JEsus.
This is where I stepped in and stopped him. I asked him who he said Jesus was. Because he said he believed in JEsus, awesome, but so do the demons, what do you say about Jesus, who is he? Is he God?
The bishop couldn’t agree with that. JEsus is A God, but not God. And like jesus, according to some LDS statements, we too can become a God if you abide by the doctrines of the mormon church. Friends - that’s heresy. That’s not JEsus. At least not Jesus the King who saved us from sin.
Sadly, counterfeit Jesuses are not rare - even in Christian Churches. We have hippy Jesus. LGBTQ Pride Jesus. Distant Jesus. American John Wayne Jesus. All of these are distortions of the Biblical Jesus.
We need our eyes opened. We need the real Jesus to be revealed to us.
For if it’s true that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through him. If it’s true that there is no other name by which can be saved except the name Jesus Christ. If it’s true that JEsus holds the keys to eternal life. If those statements are true - and we confess that it is - then we need to have our eyes opened and fixed on JEsus Christ.
Enter the Revelation of Jesus Christ. This first Chapter serves as a prologue for the prophetic epistle that is the rest of the book. And it is going to boldly cut through the fog to reveal Christ is all his glory.
Let’s start working through this passage, together. Verse 1 and 2.
The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, whatever he saw.
This work is a revelation, an unveiling of Jesus Christ, from God - why? To show or reveal his servants what must soon take place. This is an act of God, as special revelation always is - from God, about Jesus, sent through an angelic messenger to John. We read that John then was to testify to what God said, and what Jesus did, and whatever he saw.
John is going to be recording what he saw - theres an interpretive key here i think - that is, to cultivate our imagination too, and hear the words, and picture what John is saying he saw. Before we jump to “What is this literally connected with” perhaps we need to allow the images to be, and to experience them, and allow them to affect us.
Beale , in his commentary on Revelation, indicates that verse one here, is alluding to a passage in Daniel 2, verses 28-30
But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay in bed were these: Your Majesty, while you were in your bed, thoughts came to your mind about what will happen in the future. The revealer of mysteries has let you know what will happen. As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
And in those passages that John seems to be alluding too - in Daniel it says that God will reveal what will happen in the last days - John now writes that it will happen soon.
There seems to be an indication that what Daniel foresaw as the beginning of the end times or the last days, John is seeming to state that time was near, or beginning, it was at hand.
In fact it seems all the apostles believed that the time of fulfillment was present since Christ’s resurrection and ascension.
This is further made evident in verse 3 of Revelation 1.
Revelation 1:3 (CSB)
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near.
This is the first of seven blessings that we find in the book of Revelation - and this verse alone should serve as push back when we feel like not reading and working through Revelation - there’s blessing here!
Notice that the blessing for those who would read aloud the words, and in the first century a large percentage of people, if not the majority of those in church were illiterate, they needed someone to read it. But there is blessing for those who hear it - and KEEP it - for the time is near.
Beale writes in his commentary:
The message of Revelation, as it unfolds, is not designed to provide fodder for intellectual speculation about the end times but is rather a series of commands addressed to the present-day lives of all who read it.
G.K. Beale; Shorter Commentary on Revelation
Just like the prophets of the Old Testament who spoke the word of God to Israel who was in idolatrous disobedience to God, they were called not just to speculate on the prophets words - but to take action based on them.
Because the time is near! This is reminiscent to What JEsus spoke in Mark 1:15
Mark 1:15 (CSB)
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
We have this already not yet - where the kingdom of God is already at hand! and is not yet fully here.
It seems evident that John sees Jesus life, death, resurrection and ascension (marked by the indwelling of the holy spirit at Pentecost) as the inauguration of the kingdom that the Old Testament prophets such as Daniel predicted to come.
So Revelation lives in this place of what is near, what is at hand, and what is yet to come in the future.
Tim Dwyer on his work on Revelation writes this on Revelation 1:1-3.
[In light of verse 1 and 3] we must keep in mind that most of what John prophesied was near, with somethings in the far distance. The key here is that Revelation describes things that are mostly near, but sometimes far away.
Tim Dwyer; Revelation
Verse 4 makes this clear as John was writing to specific churches!
Revelation 1:4a (CSB)
John: To the seven churches in Asia.
This is the formulation of a standard letter or epistle. The author is identified, then presented to the audience - to the seven churches in Asia.
Scholars write that the seven churches, and their cities thereof, were seemingly the most important towns and churches in the region - but with apocalyptic literature - numbers matter. Especially the number 7 - which having its root in the days of creation, represent completion, and unity. We will see over the course of our study in Revelation just how important and symbolic the numbers are in Revelation.
So this letter is written to these specific Churches in the first century - but with the number seven, there seems to be a message included for the church universal - otherwise known as christians across all space and time - even Centerville SD. Remember though as we state last week - it was written TO them and FOR us. So the images should first be put through the lens of these churches, on the ground, end of the first century in Asia Minor (modern day turkey).
John continues his opening - and moves from the by line, to brilliant trinitarian blessing and doxology.
Revelation 1:4–6 (CSB)
John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by his blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Grace and Peace was a common greeting, particularly we know at least in Paul’s letters. And notice the grace and peace come from God: first from the one who is, who was, and who is to come - This refers to God the Father.
Then we get this peculiar phrase “from the seven spirits before his throne.” What? Are there seven holy spirits? I thought there was one Spirit!? This reference perhaps is linked to two different old Testament Passages. Bede the Venerable writing in the 8th century connected this to Isaiah 11:2
Isaiah 11:2 (CSB)
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
And indicates that this passage in Isaiah refers to the Spirit 7 times, but its all about the one Spirit and different attributes about the one Spirit.
Other scholars look at Zechariah 4:10 where it talks about the seven eyes of the Lord, indicating not seven different spirits - but a complete and full and all-seeing and present Holy Spirit
For who despises the day of small things? These seven eyes of the Lord, which scan throughout the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the ceremonial stone in Zerubbabel’s hand.”
John is referring to the Holy Spirit, using the Old Testament and Apocalyptic colors to communicate already.
He then turns to Jesus, the faithful witness - that’s the word Martys in the greek - and it had a judicial and legal sense - meaning he testified on our behalf, and it came to mean those who died for the faith.
John doesn’t stop there in his praise of JEsus, calling him the firstborn from the dead - So we don’t need to fear death. and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Who is in charge? Is it Caesar? No, Jesus is the king of kings.
John then expounds on the atonement and it’s benefits “To him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by his blood.” wow. How are we free from sin? by his blood.
But he didn’t just free from sin, but made us a kingdom! and priests to his God and father!
This phrase is a clear reference to Exodus 19:6 which says
Exodus 19:6 (CSB)
and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”
Notice the shift in tense, in the old testament - you will be my kingdom of priests, spoken to the israelites.
Now John says: he MADE us a kingdom and priest to God and father - Past tense - spoken to the church. What was spoken in the past to Israel - but never fulfilled, is now, according to John here - accomplished through the atonement in the Church.
It seems to me that John sees exodus 19:6 as fulfilled in the Church and thus suggests that the Church now continues as True Israel, inheritor of God’s blessings and promises as his covenant people - where we will see that the unbelieving Jews will not be described in revelation as true jews, but as a Synagogue of Satan.
What scholars also point out here, is that kingdom can also refer to “kingship” or “royal authority” meaning that we as christians do not just abide in the kingdom, but because of the indwelling of the Spirit, and the blood of Christ, we exercise the kingly power of Christ! We have already become and entered into the vocation as priests and kings - though it’s not yet fully complete in us.
But if that doesn’t make you say amen I don’t know what will! Christ has made us a kingdom, and priests to God! So John worships - to him be glory and dominion forever and ever AMEN!
We see though, that John is not content with one doxology, and in verse 7, pulling from the old testament, he returns to praise - seeing the vindication of Christ
Revelation 1:7 (CSB)
Look, 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 from Daniel 7 (which John will quote from a lot) which refers to the son of man ruling over the nations, and Zechariah 12:10 where it speaks of end times victory of israel over then enemies, with israels repentance to the lord, whom they have pierced.
This is a section that seems to have a near and far fulfillment - as we will see Rome and the romans who pierced Christ perhaps are in view as well as the ultimate vindication of Christ at the end.
Let’s look at verse 8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Make no mistake, reader, this word may be written by the hand of John, but the author of this word is God. The beginning and the end, the eternal one and the almighty.
We then turn in scene to John’s first vision - and his commissioning by Christ.
Verse 9:
Revelation 1:9 (CSB)
I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
John indicates that he was on Patmos island due to the word of God and testifying on Jesus. He is a partner in the affliction - also translated as tribulation, as if the tribulation is an ongoing reality - kingdom and endurance - he is in it, with the church - and because of the work - he has likely been exiled on Patmos - which was an island off the coast of asia minor. This island was not uninhabited at this time - and had a contingent of occupants, as well as a shrine to Artemis, a patron idol of Ephesus. let’s read on
Revelation 1:10–11 (CSB)
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
We read that John was “in the Spirit” on the lords day.
In the spirit has been a phrase that scholars look at in many different ways - some saying that he was in an ecstatic like trance - but more likely, he was in prayer, discerning God, but perhaps in line with the Old Testament Prophets like elijah.
This was on the Lord’s day, which is almost certainly Sunday - scholars are nearly unanimous on that. Interestingly enough, Craig Keener writes that in this time, one day a month was dedicated to honor the emperor in Asia minor, but Christians dedicated one day each week to Christ’s honor, declaring him as Lord, perhaps in view of the coming “Day of the Lord.”
John then heard a loud voice that was like a trumpet. This is an allusion, likely, to Exodus 19 16 where they heard trumpet like b last from mount sinai, and so John is indicating the special revelation from heaven was making itself known.
The voice says to write down what he is about to see - similar commands were given to Moses, elijah, and jeremiah - John is again, taking up the mantel of the Prophets of old. and then send it to the seven churches, (which again were of the most prominent cities in Western Asia Minor) and he lists the cities.
Let’s read what John sees, verse 12—16
Revelation 1:12–16 (CSB)
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man, dressed in a robe and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest. The hair of his head was white as wool—white as snow—and his eyes like a fiery flame. His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of cascading waters. He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth, and his face was shining like the sun at full strength.
John turns to see the voice - this will be a repeated things in Revelation - where JOhn will hear something, then turn to see something - and taken together, we get a broader image.
He sees as he turns around sees seven golden lampstands - think of a jewish menorah - this image comes from Zechariah 4:2-6 in which the lampstand is a figurative expression by which part of the temple furniture stands for the whole temple, and thus all of faithful israel. We will read more about the lamp stand in verse 20, where John will say the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
but among these lights on the light stand is a great man, Jesus in all his eschatological glory. And this list is dripping in old testament imagery to show and highlight Jesus as the fulfillment of the promises of God.
First he is one like the son of Man - this is from Daniel 7 again, where one from heaven would come and have dominion over all the nations.
Then we see he has a robe - which seems to be indicated Christ in priestly garb,
and he has a golden sash wrapped around his chest - this is similar to Daniel 10 - but that records a garment around the middle of the body - where this is on the chest - again perhaps associating Jesus as the ultimate high priest.
We read his hair was white as wool as snow - this again is from Daniel 7, but in Daniel 7 these words are used for the ancient of Days - John is unquestionably declaring the divinity of Christ here. White hair in this time was regarded as wisdom and held in high regard.
We read his eyes were like a fiery flame - again alluding back to Daniel 10, and the idea is that Christ can see what others can’t - burning away the cover, he can see to the heart of the matter with a perfect and penetrating gaze.
His feet were like fine bronze completely pure like it was in a furnace, the idea seemingly to indicate completely moral purity - and it on the feet perhaps that Christ is on the move, spreading that purity as he goes about the seven churches, and the universal church.
John says his voice was like the sound of cascading waters - perhaps an illusion to Ezekiel 43:2 here - when he speaks - one cannot hear anything else - its a roar.
We see that in his right hand are seven stars - which we read later are the angles of the seven churches - but perhaps even more, as ancients tried to derive meaning from stars, perhaps indicating Jesus sovereignty over all humans destiny.
From his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. This seems to come from Isaiah 11:4 where he will “strike the land with a scepter from his mouth. The two edges indicated that he will judge both the disobedient in the church, and those who oppose him in the world. Make no mistake - Jesus sees the hearts of all, in the church and out - and executes judgement with the power of his word.
Lastly we read that his face was shining like the sun at full strength. This is likely an allusion to Judges 5:31 (and for sure to Matthew 17:2) but the portrayal out of Judges helps us view that Christ is the Ideal end-time messianic warrior king.
What is the response when John turns and see Jesus in his glory? verse 17a
Revelation 1:17a (CSB)
When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.
John sees Jesus in his glory - his eyes open able to see Christ in his holiness - and the disciple who once reclined on Jesus at supper, falls at his feet as if he were dead.
This is the response of creation when the veil to heaven to opened - awe. Righteous and holy fear. Christ is so perfect, so radiant, John cannot help but fall on his face.
But notice - John isn’t dead - and Christ reaches for him verse 17 and 18
Revelation 1:17–18 (CSB)
When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Jesus touches him - even in his holiness, filled with compassion, and look at what he says - no need to fear - he, like the father, is the first and last - he’s alive. And now he holds the kets of death and hades - likely referring to Eliakim in Isaiah 22:22. Because he was victorious over the grave - Jesus now has the access and authority to unlock the door for others. John - covered by the blood of christ, is right to be in awe of Christ, and is welcomed with compassion by Christ, even in all his glory.
Jesus now gives instructions to John Revelation 1:19-20
Revelation 1:19–20 (CSB)
Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
There is a common phrase when it comes to Bible reading and study - what is the therefore there for. This is significant - John is being commissioned to communicate prophesy based on what he has witnessed, namely Jesus and his victory over the darkness and everything recorded in verses 12 - 18. Now what exactly does verse 19 refer to? In account of the first three verses of this chapter seeming to indicate JOhn feeling the time of fulfillment, and the end times is being consummated in his day, I’d submit this.
It seems that first he is to write down what he has seen - namely the visions he is about to receive or what is recorded as the rest of the book. These visions do directly refer to what is, and what will take place after this.
Therefore, since it seems John is standing at the beginning of the end times, I agree with Beale and Dwyer that he is to record both what is happening around him and the things which will continue to unfold as the end times proceed.
To quote beale:
The scope of Revelation deals with all of the events of world history commencing with the death and resurrection of Christ and concluding with His final return. The events recorded in it will recur throughout human history and thus remain relevant to readers of all times, though they also point to a final climax at the time of the Lord’s return.
G.K. Beale; Shorter Commentary on Revelation
Verse 20, jesus reveals that the stars John saw are the angels of the churches, and the lampstands are the seen churches.
This too is insane - as i mentioned earlier - the lampstand in the tabernacle was a picture of all of faithful Israel - now being viewed as the Church. Jesus stands amongst the churches - in their victories, and their shortcomings which we will read in the next two chapters. There is a reality we need to grasp though that while he is ruling, the church is also suffering. This is the same as the mystery of the cross. That through the suffering, Jesus was victorious.
But there is a strength and presence here - Jesus is standing amongst the congregation as it appears before the throne of God. Jesus is there amongst them and between them and the throne. Through it all - all time. Jesus is here. And we will see, he comes to bring messages of comfort and Judgment.
As we arrive at the end of chapter one of this marvelous book, it’s time to ask our question:
So What?
Friends - we could look at this passage for a long time and draw deep insights at great length - here are some things that jump out to me in my study and prayer that I believe this prophetic pastoral letter is calling us to.
At a whole, I like how Beale summarizes this chapter - that this revelation was ultimately given so that John would bear witness to what God has done in Christ and so that believers would be blessed by understanding God’s perspective on history and obeying His commands.
And as we zoom in on the vision already that John witnessed, I cant help but think that seeing King JEsus, in all his glory, standing among the churches as first a sign of security.
The one who is first and last who holds the sword and whose face is brilliant and powerful is with his bride, and speaks to his disciple “Do not be afraid.” Wow. If Jesus is the one who conquered death and who hold the cosmos together says to not be afraid - what do i have to fear?
second, I can’t help by think of Hope. In the midst of broad fear and persecution in the early church, where apostles are murdered and exiled - John sees the one who was killed alive, glorified, and eternal. And he has the keys of death and hades. So his story, if we are in him, our story - we will rise again. What a glorious and living hope.
And third, its a call to discipleship. Blessed is the one who hears this prophecy and keep what is written in it. for the time is at hand. We are called to obedience. to be disciples.
Michael Gorman writes about this chapter calling us to ultimate security, cruciform hope, and faithful discipleship.
Beautiful.
Finally - John is awakened to Christ is his glory. in all his power and radiance. His eyes are opened to Christ. And it’s the truth of Christ by which all of the rest flows. Friends - Revelation is about revealing Jesus Christ. The True Jesus. The Revelation of Jesus Christ
We must take our distorted views and subject them to the revealed Lord. For we know that here in this moment JEsus is here, and if the veil were pulled back - John records the glorified vision he saw of JEsus - the fact of the matter is we would all fall on our faces and worship. Friends - Who do you say JEsus is?
Would Jesus, in his mercy and providence, open our eyes to his glory and majesty and grace . Would he grant us faith and hope - and would our views of Christ conform to that of scripture so that we can be fully focused on Christ as we work with God to raise the spiritual temperature of south eastern South Dakota.
Let’s pray