Revelation Study 3

Revelation 1:9-20

What is the purpose of apocalyptic literature? As the author uses symbols and images, as he draws directly from O.T. books with their same symbols and images, as these O.T. books like Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, were written during exile, during foreign occupation and domination, the call or purpose is to bring hope. To encourage obedience and faithfulness to a God who is faithful, who has delivered, who is always in control.

Revelation 1:9–11 ESV

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

John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom—partner in the tribulation, is the tribulation happening then or is it to come? Yes, remember John is literally writing to a real audience dealing with a real situation. That doesn’t mean it can’t apply to other time periods where followers of God of Jesus were being dominated by a Babylon type government, like us potentially. These people were either suffering or compromising in order to avoid suffering, that’s why he reminds them of his partnership with them.

Was is John’s intention to write prophecy, predicting future events? Depends on what you mean by future, the immediate or the distant. Immediate yes, distant no.

These people were dealing with great persecution and living under a brutal system of the enemy, John is addressing their current situation. But, God’s word is timeless, so it also applies to us today. The details might be similar in that John is writing about life as a Jesus follower in the midst of a hostile society, a godless society crafted by the enemy.

Partner in the kingdom, the priesthood, following Jesus, loving God and loving people.

Patient endurance that are in Jesus—not just to survive, not just to get through, but to endure what is to come, without demanding relief, a quickening, or help from some source outside of Christ.

John was exiled to Patmos because of His faith and bold testimony of Jesus and is worshipping the Lord. All of Revelation is to be seen in worship of the Lord.

Remember, as his audience is surrounded by all that is Rome, Babylon, John is given a counter vision of a second King, a second city, a second set of values.

“There was very little hope for the Christian if you looked around in the first-century Roman empire. The empire was full of imagery and symbols that dripped with enormous confidence. Everywhere you looked there were images fo power and authority—lions, eagles, gods. The Romans brought the children of conquered nations to Rome because they knew it would overwhelm them and win them over to Roman culture. It was part of the way they assimilated other cultures into their own. Maybe Christians felt like that. They saw the power and pomp of Rome, and found it intimidating or alluring. Maybe you feel the same way about some aspects of our own culture.” Tim Chester, Revelation for You, pg. 24

John is in the Spirit, another indicator that the Holy Spirit is involved in the processV10

John hears a voice like a trumpet—in the NT a trumpet sounds the presence of the Lord (Heb. 12:19).Also helps us to see that these are not just John’s dreams, they are visions given to him by the Lord. V11,

The 7 Churches, the order of the cities is in geographical order, tracing the route of a courier as he moves from the mother church in Ephesus along the major Roman road in a horseshoe pattern. All of what John sees and hears is to be sent and read to all the churches, applies to them and to us.

Revelation 1:12–16 ESV

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 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. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 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.

Then John tells us what happened after he heard the trumpet voice, to see from where the voice came, He sees

7golden lampstands, maybe in a circle or horseshoe. The lampstand for the Jew is significant, it is the menorah, a lampstand with 7 branches, 7 candles to be lit, the symbol of Judaism. This image also comes from Zechariah 4:2, 10, lampstand signified the eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth and the context is the power to rebuild the temple. This is here not a 7 fold lampstand, but now 7 lampstands, the growing Church vs Judaism. These are beacons of light from Matthew 5:14-15 who are building the temple of God.

Matthew 5:14–15 ESV

“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.”

The lampstands are one thing, the 7 Churches, but who is in the midst of them? What does this signify? It’s Jesus, these churches are not alone, standing by themselves in this corrupt world, Jesus stands with them, He walks among them (2:1) and holds them in His right hand (1:16). One like the son of Man, comes from the book of Daniel, again describing Jesus.

Let’s look at Jesus’ appearance and why

John will give us 8 images all tied to the OT and are intended to invoke awe and illicit worship as we contemplate them. The use of “like” and “as” let us know we are not to take this vision literally, but symbolically. These are primarily images of Yahweh, God the Father, in the OT, but here are attributed to Christ, who is God. Some of these images are drawn from the book of Daniel.

Daniel 10:5–6 ESV

“I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.”

Long robe and golden sash—like dignitaries and rulers, long robe signifies authority and status, in the Roman army the longer your robe the higher your status. Because He’s in the midst of the Churches this is also like the robe of the ultimate High Priest who wore fine linen. The golden sash was also wore by the High Priest and is like the golden belt in Daniel. Jesus is both King and Priest

White head and hair—Daniel 7:9 says the “Ancient of Days” was white like wool, which in ancient culture represented wisdom and dignity. Jesus’ incredible wisdom, purity, and splendor, white also symbolizes moral purity and absolute victory over evil, white like snow. In Daniel 7:10 the Ancient of Days sits as the judge in a courtroom.

Blazing eyes—Daniel 10:6, will recur in Rev. 2:18 and 19:12 where judgement is the thrust. Divine insight that penetrates and also judge who knows and acts against his enemies and also the warrior who wars against his enemies. This is also a message for the churches, Jesus is among them and sees and knows all, and this, as we shall see, will result in either blessing or judgment.

Bronze feet—bronze is a metal symbolic with judgement and the feet symbolize purpose and direction, but refined in the fire, His suffering and bearing judgement, now to bring judgement.

Powerful voice—Ezekiel 1:24, the wings fo the living creatures like the roar of rushing waters. 43:2, the voice of Yahweh and His coming like the roar of rushing waters.

Stars in His right hand—the right hand is scripture symbolizes power and authority and with Jesus holding the stars shows possession and protection. The stars represent the people, but this image also counters the claim of the empire. “Coins from the reign of Emperor Domitian show his heir (who died in childhood) as the infant Zeus, playing with the stars. The message was that, while the death of the emperor’s son meant he would never reign on earth, he was deified and reigning in heaven. By portraying Jesus holding the stars, John claims that Jesus is the true Son of God, who, having died, now reigns in heaven.”

Sharp two-edged sword from His mouth—represents His power to judge (Isaiah 11:4, 49:2; Revelation 2:16, 19:15) though it is two-edged suggests it can both wound and heal, judge and save (Hebrews 4:12-13) and also Ephesians 6:17. The sword was the primary image of Roman might, “the law of the sword”. The message here is that it’s not Rome who is in control, but Jesus.

Christ’s face like the sun—alludes to Daniel 10:6, suggest Jesus is a warrior who fights on behalf of His people. It is also the exalted and glorified Christ, the Mount of Transfiguration and also Moses face glowing after spending days with the Lord. The sun in its full strength is overwhelming and can’t be looked at.

Revelation 1:17–18 ESVWhen 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, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

John’s response and Jesus’ words

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead—John’s response or reaction here is the same as that of Daniel in chapter 10, strength gone, fall to the ground as if dead.

What kind of fear and awe is this? The sun is good, but if you stare at it or get too close to it, it can do very bad things to us, we must fear it in a healthy way, same is the response here, fear to be so close so someone so pure and holy and powerful. It’s not Rome who needs to be feared, but God, He has the power and is in control.

What is the first thing Jesus does?

But Jesus laid His right hand on him—the hand of power, authority, and also fellowship. The touch of a friend, the One who heals, who has compassion and extends love, mercy and grace. This could also be seen as a symbolic investiture, Jesus placing John in a prophetic office and commissioning him to write and share these words from God and on behalf of God.

Jesus then says fear not—the words to all who are safe in Christ when they come into the presence of holiness. Do not be afraid, clearly indicating that all who are in this presence are very afraid.

What Jesus says about Himself and to John

I am the first and the last—the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega of V8, terms used to describe God the Father, the eternal One. God/Jesus are eternal, not Rome.

The living One—again this is a designation of God the Father, the One who has always been and will always be, but something is different for Jesus...

I died and behold I am alive forevermore—yes He died, but resurrected, He’s alive, forever, never to die again and to reign forever from His throne, He is the all-powerful ruler of the world, not Rome. I believe this is significant because this was the turning point in history, Jesus’ death and resurrection, His ascension began the end times, just like the kingdom, the end times is a current reality, not a future event. Yes, His second coming lies in the future, but we are encouraged to live as if it’s imminent.

I have the keys of Death and Hades—He holds the power over the cosmic forces and the power that can cripple us, death and the afterlife. He triumphed over death at His resurrection, and because He defeated death, for us, and rose from the dead, we have defeated death and will rise to be with Him. Rome doesn’t control death even though they may kill. Death and Hades were not a part of the original creation, no death and therefore no need for a realm of the dead. Hades is an OT designation for this realm and it had levels, the higher the better with a separation between the good levels and the bad ones, See rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16.

Revelation 1:19–20 ESV

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

A restatement of the command in 1:11, but in light of who John has now seen Jesus to be. Verse 19 is a foundation for the book. How we understand v19 will determine how we interpret this book. What does Jesus mean by each?

Write therefore the things you have seen those that are those that are to take place after this.

Recapitulation--an act or instance of summarizing and restating the main points of something.

I believe John is writing a series of parallel visions in which God expresses the same truths in different ways, from different perspectives, with different details and therefore not identical.

The various series of judgments are parallel descriptions of the same events. The pattern is identical with each series. Toward the end of each series, there is a description of judgment followed by a depiction of salvation. repeated phrases, ex. it is done, it is finished, Situation of believers and unbelievers, 6:12-17, 9:13-11:13 and 16:12-16.final punishment of the lost, 14:14-20, 16:17-21, 20:11-15

So, the things you have seen—John is to write what he has seen and will soon see in these visions.

Those that are—the current events and states of the Church in the midst of the Roman empire

and those that are to take place after this—all that John will see that will soon take place, for the original audience.

Prophecy has its place in time, it was word from God to a prophet to be declared to the people, admonition, encouragement, warning, a call to stand firm, to not give in, to resist, to not stray, etc. That being said, prophecy can be timeless and can apply to future events as well. The things that are can also be describing the current status of the Church in America and the world. The things that will soon take place can also be what is soon to happen in our world.

Revelation 1:20 ESVAs 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.

Some definitions for us from Jesus, like in His parables.