Untitled Sermon (2)
Revelation 1:20
The phrase, “the Revelation of Jesus Christ,” might, so far as the construction of the language is concerned, refer either to Christ as the subject or object. It might either mean that Christ is the object revealed in this book, and that its great purpose is to make him known, and so the phrase is understood in the commentary called Hyponoia (New York, 1844); or it may mean that this is a revelation which Christ makes to mankind, that is, it is his in the sense that he communicates it to the world. That this latter is the meaning here is clear, (1), because it is expressly said in this verse that it was a revelation which God gave to him; (2), because it is said that it pertains to things which must shortly come to pass; and, (3), because, in fact, the revelation is a disclosure of events which were to happen, and not of the person or work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Which God gave unto him. Which God imparted or communicated to Jesus Christ. This is in accordance with the representations everywhere made in the Scriptures, that God is the original fountain of truth and knowledge, and that, whatever was the original dignity of the Son of God, there was a mediatorial dependence on the Father. See Jn. 5:19, 20, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for whatsoever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him (δεικνυσιν αὐτῷ) all things that himself doeth.” “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me,” Jn. 7:16. “As my Father hath taught me (ἐδίδαξέ με), I speak these things,” Jn. 8:28. “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak,” Jn. 12:49. See also Jn. 14:10; 17:7, 8; Mat. 11:27; Mar. 13:32. The same mediatorial dependence the apostle teaches us still subsists in heaven in his glorified state, and will continue until he has subdued all things (1 Co. 15:24–28); and hence, even in that state, he is represented as receiving the Revelation from the Father to communicate it to men.
To show unto his servants. That is, to his people, to Christians, often represented as the servants of God or of Christ, 1 Pe. 2:16; Re. 2:20; 7:3; 19:2; 22:3. It is true that the word is sometimes applied, by way of eminence, to the prophets (1 Ch. 6:49; Da. 6:20), and to the apostles (Ro. 1:1; Ga. 1:10; Phi 1:1; Tit. 1:1; Ja. 1:1); but it is also applied to the mass of Christians, and there is no reason why it should not be so understood here. The book was sent to the churches of Asia, and was clearly designed for general use; and the contents of the book were evidently intended for the churches of the Redeemer in all ages and lands. Comp. ver. 3. The word rendered to show (δεῖξαι) commonly denotes to point out, to cause to see, to present to the sight, and is a word eminently appropriate here, as what was to be revealed was, in general, to be presented to the sight by sensible tokens or symbols.
1:3. The prologue concludes with a blessing on each individual who reads the book as well as on those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it. The implication is that a reader will read this message aloud to an audience. Not only is there a blessing for the reader and the hearers, but there is also a blessing for those who respond in obedience.
John
The Seven “Beatitudes” in Revelation
“Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” (1:3).
“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. “Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them’ ” (14:13).
“Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed” (16:15).
“Then the angel said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” ’ And he added, ‘These are the true words of God’ ” (19:9).
“Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” (20:6).
“Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book” (22:7).
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city” (22:14).
In His dying on the cross Christ who loves us is the One who freed us from our sins by His blood (some Gr. mss. have the word “washed” instead of “freed”). Believers are now a kingdom and priests with the purpose now and forever of serving God. This prompted John to express a benediction of praise and worship culminating with Amen (lit., “so be it”).
1:7–8. Readers are exhorted to look for He is coming. This is His second coming which will be with the clouds (cf. Acts 1:9–11). Every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. Though the literal executioners and rejectors of Christ are now dead and will not be resurrected until after the Millennium, the godly remnant of Israel “will look on [Him], the One they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10). This godly remnant will represent the nation.
Christ’s second coming, however, will be visible to the entire world including unbelievers, in contrast with His first coming at His birth in Bethlehem and in contrast with the future Rapture of the church, which probably will not be visible to the earth as a whole. The present tense of the expression “He is coming” (Rev. 1:7) points to the future Rapture of the church (John 14:3). John again appended the word Amen. The salutation closes with a reminder of Christ as the eternal One, the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet (also used in Rev. 21:6; 22:13). He is further described as the One who is, and who was, and who is to come (cf. 4:8; 11:17), the Almighty. The Greek word for “Almighty” is pantokratōr, “the all-powerful One.” It is used 10 times in the New Testament, 9 of them in Revelation (2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22). The major revelation of the entire book is referred to in these salutation verses.
C. The Patmos vision of Christ glorified (1:9–18)
The location of the dramatic revelation of Christ recorded in this book was the island of Patmos, a small island in the Aegean Sea southwest of Ephesus and between Asia Minor and Greece. According to several early church fathers (Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, and Eusebius), John was sent to this island as a prisoner following his effective pastorate at Ephesus. Victorinus, the first commentator on the Book of Revelation, stated that John worked as a prisoner in the mines on this small island. When the Emperor Domitian died in A.D. 96, his successor Nerva let John return to Ephesus. During John’s bleak days on Patmos, God gave him the tremendous revelation embodied in this final book of the Bible.
1:9–11. This section begins with the expression I, John. This is the third reference to John as the human author in this chapter and the first of three times in the book when he referred to himself as I (cf. 21:2; 22:8). This contrasts with his reference to himself in 2 John 1 and 3 John 1 as an elder and his indication in John 21:24 that he was a disciple.
In these opening chapters addressed to the seven churches of Asia, John described himself as a brother who was patient in his endurance of suffering. His suffering had come because of his faithful proclamation of and faith in the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. (Some Gr. texts add “Christ” after Jesus.) “The testimony of Jesus” means John’s testimony for and about Jesus, not a testimony given by Jesus. Like many other well-known writers of Scripture (Moses, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Peter), John was writing from a context of suffering because of his commitment to the true God.
John’s revelation occurred on the Lord’s Day while he was in the Spirit. Some have indicated that “the Lord’s Day” refers to the first day of the week. However, the word “Lord’s” is an adjective and this expression is never used in the Bible to refer to the first day of the week. Probably John was referring to the day of the Lord, a familiar expression in both Testaments (cf. Isa. 2:12; 13:6, 9; 34:8; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14; Amos 5:18, 20; Zeph. 1:7–8, 14, 18; 2:3; Zech. 14:1; Mal. 4:5; 1 Thes. 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10). “In the Spirit” could also be rendered “in [my] spirit” (cf. Rev. 4:2; 17:3; 21:10). That is, he was projected forward in his inner self in a vision, not bodily, to that future day of the Lord when God will pour out His judgments on the earth.
The stirring events beginning in Revelation 4 are the unfolding of the day of the Lord and the divine judgments related to it. The idea that the entire Book of Revelation was given to John in one 24-hour day seems unlikely, especially if he had to write it all down. Being transported prophetically into the future day of the Lord, he then recorded his experience.
Hearing a loud voice like a trumpet, John was instructed to write on a scroll what he saw and heard and send it to seven churches located in Asia Minor. This is the first of 12 commands in this book for John to write what he saw, a command which seems related to each preceding vision (cf. 1:19; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14; 14:13; 19:9; 21:5). One vision, however, was not to be recorded (10:4).
Each of these churches was an autonomous local church and the order of mention is geographical in a half-moon circle beginning at Ephesus on the coast, proceeding north to Smyrna and Pergamum, then swinging east and south to Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. (For more information on these seven churches see comments on chaps. 2–3).
1:12–16. Hearing the voice behind him, John turned … to see its source. What he saw was seven golden lampstands. Apparently these were individual lampstands rather than one lampstand with seven lamps as was true of a similar piece of furniture in the tabernacle and the temple.
Among the lampstands John saw Someone “like a Son of Man,” an expression used in Daniel 7:13 to refer to Christ. The description was that of a priest dressed in a long robe … with a golden sash around his chest. The whiteness of His hair corresponded to that of the Ancient of Days (cf. Dan. 7:9), a reference to God the Father. God the Son has the same purity and eternity as God the Father, as signified by the whiteness of His head and hair. The eyes like blazing fire described His piercing judgment of sin (cf. Rev. 2:18).
This concept is further enhanced by His feet which were like bronze glowing in a furnace (cf. 2:18). The bronze altar in the temple was related to sacrifice for sin and divine judgment on it. His voice was compared to the roar of rushing waters. His face glowed with a brilliance like the sun shining. John noticed that in His right hand He held seven stars, described in verse 20 as the angels or messengers of the seven churches. Significantly Christ held them in His right hand, indicating sovereign possession. Speaking of Christ’s role as a Judge, John saw a sharp double-edged sword coming out of His mouth. This type of sword (rhomphaia, also referred to in 2:12, 16; 6:8; 19:15, 21) was used by the Romans in a stabbing action designed to kill. Jesus Christ was no longer a Baby in Bethlehem or a Man of sorrows crowned with thorns. He was now the Lord of glory.
1:17–18. John stated, When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Paul was struck to the ground in a similar way when he saw Christ in His glory (Acts 9:4). Previously John had put his head on Jesus’ breast (cf. John 13:25, KJV). But now John could not be this familiar with the Christ of glory.
John received reassurance from Christ in the words, Do not be afraid. Christ stated that He is the eternal One, the First and the Last (cf. Rev. 1:8; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13), and the resurrected One, the Living One, who though once dead is now alive forever and ever! Here Christ affirmed that He alone has the keys of death and hades that is, authority over death and the place of the dead (cf. John 5:21–26; 1 Cor. 15:54–57; Heb. 2:14; Rev. 20:12–14). Though the glorified Christ is to be reverenced, faithful believers like John can be sure they are accepted by the Son of God. The Christian’s death and resurrection are both in His hands. This picture of Christ glorified contrasts with the portrayal of Christ as a Man in the four Gospels (cf. Phil. 2:6–8), except for His transfiguration (Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2).
D. The command to write (1:19–20)
1:19–20. Following the revelation of Christ in glory, John was again commanded to write. The subject of his record has three tenses: (a) what he had already experienced: what you have seen; (b) the present experiences: what is now; and (c) the future: what will take place later. This appears to be the divine outline of Revelation. What John was told to write was first a record of his experience (chap. 1), now history. Then he was to write the present message of Christ to seven churches (chaps. 2–3). Finally, the main purpose of the book being prophetic, he was to introduce the events preceding, culminating in, and following the second coming of Christ (chaps. 4–22).
The chronological division of the Book of Revelation is much superior to many other outlines in which interpreters often seize on incidental phrases or manipulate the book to fit their peculiar schemes of interpretation. This outline harmonizes beautifully with the concept that most of Revelation (beginning in chap. 4) is future, not historic or merely symbolic, or simply statements of principles. It is significant that only a futuristic interpretation of Revelation 4–22 has any consistency. Interpreters following the allegorical approach to the book seldom agree among themselves on their views. This is also true of those holding to the symbolic and historical approaches.
In Revelation a symbol of vision is often presented first, and then its interpretation is given. So here the seven stars were declared to be the angels or messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches themselves. The Book of Revelation, instead of being a hopeless jumble of symbolic vision, is a carefully written record of what John saw and heard, with frequent explanations of its theological and practical meanings.
Revelation, with assistance from such other symbolic books as Daniel and Ezekiel, was intended by God to be understood by careful students of the entire Word of God. Like the Book of Daniel, it will be better understood as history unfolds. Though timeless in its truth and application, it is a special comfort to those who need guidance in the days leading up to Christ’s second coming.
Before unfolding the tremendous prophetic scenes of chapters 4–22, Christ first gave a personal message to each of the seven churches with obvious practical applications to His church today.
II. Letters to the Seven Churches: “What Is Now” (chaps. 2–3).
As stated in Revelation 1:11 Christ sent a message to each of seven local churches in Asia Minor. The order of scriptural presentation was geographic. A messenger would naturally travel the route from the seaport Ephesus 35 miles north to another seaport Smyrna, proceed still farther north and to the east, to Pergamos, and then would swing further to the east and south to visit the other four cities (1:11).
There has been much debate as to the meaning of these messages for today. Obviously these churches were specially selected and providentially arranged to provide characteristic situations which the church has faced throughout its history. Just as Paul’s epistles, though addressed to individual churches, are also intended for the entire church, so these seven messages also apply to the entire church today insofar as they are in similar situations. There were many other churches such as those at Colosse, Magnesia, and Tralles, some larger than the seven churches mentioned in Asia Minor, but these were not addressed.
As the contents of the letters are analyzed, it is clear that they are, first, messages to these historic local churches in the first century. Second, they also constitute a message to similar churches today. Third, individual exhortations to persons or groups in the churches make it clear that the messages are intended for individuals today. Fourth, some believe that the order of the seven churches follows the order of various eras in church history from the first century until now.
There are some remarkable similarities in comparing these letters to the seven churches to the movement of church history since the beginning of the apostolic church. For instance, Ephesus seems to characterize the apostolic church as a whole, and Smyrna seems to depict the church in its early persecutions. However, the Scriptures do not expressly authorize this interpretation, and it should be applied only where it fits naturally. After all, these churches all existed simultaneously in the first century.
Though each message is different, the letters have some similarities. In each one Christ declared that He knows their works; each one includes a promise to those who overcome; each one gives an exhortation to those hearing; and each letter has a particular description of Christ that related to the message which follows. Each letter includes a commendation (except the letter to Laodicea), a rebuke (except the letters to Smyrna and Philadelphia), an exhortation, and an encouraging promise to those heeding its message. In general these letters to the seven churches address the problems inherent in churches throughout church history and are an incisive and comprehensive revelation of how Christ evaluates local churches.
This portion of Scripture has been strangely neglected. While many turn to the epistles of Paul and other portions of the New Testament for church truth, often the letters to these seven churches, though coming from Christ Himself and being climactic in character, are completely ignored. This neglect has contributed to churches today not conforming to God’s perfect will.
A. The letter to the church in Ephesus (2:1–7)
1. DESTINATION (2:1)
2:1. At the time this letter was written, Ephesus was a major city of Asia Minor, a seaport, and the location of the great temple of Artemis (cf. Acts 19:24, 27–28, 34–35), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Paul had visited Ephesus about A.D. 53, about 43 years before this letter in Revelation was sent to them. Paul remained in Ephesus for several years and preached the gospel so effectively “that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:10). This large city was thoroughly stirred by Paul’s message (Acts 19:11–41), with the result that the silversmiths created a riot because their business of making shrines of Artemis was threatened.
The church accordingly had a long history and was the most prominent one in the area. The pastor or messenger of the church was addressed as the angel (angelos). The word’s principal use in the Bible is in reference to heavenly angels (William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957, pp. 7–8). But it is also used to refer to human messengers (cf. Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:24, 27; 9:52).
Christ was holding seven stars in His right hand and walking among the seven golden lampstands. The “stars” were the angels or messengers of the churches and the “lampstands” were the seven churches (1:20).
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea [Rev. 1:10–11].
I was (found myself) in (the) Spirit in the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great sound, as of a (war) trumpet, saying, What you are seeing, write (promptly) into a book, and send (promptly) to the seven churches, unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
My own transition is not a finished translation by any means, and I do not recommend it, but it is an attempt to get from the original Greek what is actually being said.
The Holy Spirit is here performing His office work. That is why I pray that the Spirit of God might take the things of Christ and show them unto us. That is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ said the Holy Spirit would do when He came. The Lord’s exact words were, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13–14).
We are beginning to get a vision of the glorified Christ. We are considering Him in His office as the Great High Priest today.
I fully recognize that in myself I am totally incompetent to try to explain these tremendous verses. Only the Spirit of God can make them real to us. However, Hebrews 3:1 tells us, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” So we are considering Him in His present office of Great High Priest.
“I was in the Spirit,” John says. The Holy Spirit was moving upon John and giving him a panoramic picture. This is cinerama. It is sight and sound. It is an appeal to both the eye–gate and the ear–gate.
“On the Lord’s day.” The meaning of this is controversial. Some outstanding scholars interpret this as being a reference to the Day of the Lord. While I certainly respect them and their viewpoint, I cannot accept this view, although the great theme of Revelation will deal with the Day of the Lord, which is the Tribulation period and the millennial kingdom. But John says that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day and, in my judgment, the Day of the Lord and the Lord’s Day are two different things. We recognize that anti–fat and fat auntie are two different things and that a chestnut horse and a horse chestnut are two different things. And I would say that the Day of the Lord and the Lord’s Day are two different things also, and that the Lord’s Day refers to what we call Sunday.
I … heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” Who was it? He will tell us—
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle [Rev. 1:12–13].
And I turned to see the voice which was speaking with me, and when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands One like to a Son of Man, clothed with a garment, reaching to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle.
John heard a voice like a war trumpet, and it spoke to him. When the Lord Jesus descends from heaven to remove His church from the earth, He will come with a shout. First Thessalonians 4:16 tells us about it: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” His voice will be like the voice of an archangel, and His voice will be like a trumpet, because it is identified here as just that. But it will be Christ’s own voice. He is not going to need any archangel to help Him raise His own from the dead.
What a thrill it is to see this picture of the Lord Jesus Christ! It is a vision of One like the Son of Man. He is “clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breast with a golden girdle.” The seven golden lampstands remind us of the tabernacle. There it was one lampstand with seven branches. Here it is seven separate lampstands. Since these lampstands represent seven separate churches (v. 20), the difference is explained. The function of all is the same. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the light of the world, and when I leave, you are to be the light in the world” (see John 8:12).
We see the Lord Jesus Christ pictured here as our Great High Priest. His garments are those of the high priest—check Exodus 28:2–4. The garments represent the inherent righteousness of Christ. In Him is no sin, and He knew no sin.
Concerning the girdle, Josephus states that the priests were girded about the breasts. The ordinary custom was to be girded about the loins. But the emphasis here is not on service but on strength. It speaks of His judgment in truth.
We are asked to consider our Great High Priest as He stands in the midst of the churches. He is judging the churches; He is judging believers that the light might continue to shine. My friend, it is important to see what Christ’s present ministry is.
This is a subject about which I have wanted to write. I haven’t gotten around to it yet and may never write it, but I have a title for it: The Contemporary Christ. I hear so many foolish things that are being said about what Jesus is doing in our day. My friend, the Scripture does not leave us in the dark regarding what He is doing today. It mentions three very definite ministries.
First, there is the intercession of Christ. He is our Great High Priest. He is standing at the golden altar in heaven today, where He ever lives to make intercession for us (see Heb. 7:25). We love that part of His ministry. It is a wonderful thing.
Secondly, we have the intervention of Christ. He steps outside of the Holy Place to the laver. There He washes the feet of those who are His own. He washes those who have confessed their sins. Christians have sin, and those sins must be confessed in order to have fellowship with Him. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He is girded today with the towel, and He carries the basin; He intervenes on our behalf.
John also says in his first epistle: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” He has made every provision that we sin not. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t reached that state yet. And, frankly, I have never met anyone who has. But John says, “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father …” (1 John 2:1). Christ is our advocate. That is, He is on our side defending us when we are accused, and Satan is the accuser of the brethren.
There is yet another ministry of Christ that is not very popular. It is the ministry mentioned in the first chapter of Revelation, and I think that is one reason this section of Revelation is so little known. Here we see His ministry of inspection. What Christ is doing today is clearly outlined in the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God, but He did not start twiddling His thumbs. When we are told that He “sat down,” it means that He finished His work of redemption for man. He died on earth to save us, and He lives in heaven to keep us saved. I think He is busier today trying to keep us saved than He was when He was on earth.
We have the three ministries of Christ; we have His intercession, His intervention, and His inspection. The inspection of Christ is what we are going to look at now. Where is He now? We see Him walking in the midst of the lampstands. In the Book of Exodus we see the golden lampstand. It was the most beautiful article of furniture in the tabernacle. It was made of solid gold, and there were three branches on each side of the main stem. The top of each stem was fashioned like an open almond blossom, and the lamps were set there. The lamps represent the Holy Spirit; the golden lampstand itself represents Christ—His glory and His deity. Christ sent the Holy Spirit into the world. The golden lampstand holds up the lamps, and the lamps, in turn, reveal the beauty and glory of the lampstand. That is the picture we have in Revelation. I trust that even now the Holy Spirit will make Christ, in all of His glory, wonder, and beauty, real to you that you may see yourself in the light of His presence as He inspects you. That is not a popular teaching today. We don’t like to be inspected, but in Revelation we see Him walking in the midst of the lampstands, performing His ministry of inspection.
In the tabernacle the high priest had the sole oversight of the lampstand. The other priests had other duties to perform, but the high priest took care of the lampstand. He was the one who lighted the lamps. He poured in the oil and trimmed the wicks. If one of the lamps began to smoke and did not give a good clear light, he was the one who snuffed it out. The Lord Jesus is walking in the midst of the lampstands today. He is in the midst of His church, made up of individual believers. He is doing several things: He trims the wicks. In John 15 we are told that He prunes the branches of believers so that they might bring forth fruit. One of the reasons He lets us go through certain trials on earth is so that He might get some fruit off our branches or that He might make our light burn more brightly. He is the One who pours in the oil, which represents the Holy Spirit. I get so tired today of hearing people say, “The Holy Ghost this, and the Holy Ghost that.” My friend, Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. He is the One who sent the Holy Spirit into the world. He said that when the Holy Spirit came He would do certain things, not just any old thing you want Him to do. The Holy Spirit is doing what the Lord Jesus sent Him into the world to do. Christ is the Head of the church. The Lord wants light, and He is the One who pours in the Holy Spirit to get that light. If there is any light coming from my ministry, it comes from the Holy Spirit. He is the source. No light originates in Vernon McGee. I found that out a long time ago.
Christ does something else, and it makes me shiver. He sometimes uses a snuffer. If a lamp won’t give good light and it keeps smoking up the place, the Lord Jesus snuffs it out. This is what John meant when he said that there is a sin unto death (see 1 John 5:16). You and I can be set aside. Oh, the number of people whom I have known to be set aside—preachers and elders and deacons and Sunday school teachers! Christ put them aside. He is walking in the midst of the lampstands, and He wants them to produce light.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters [Rev. 1:14–15].
“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow” speaks of His eternal existence. He is the Ancient of Days (see Dan. 7:9).
“His eyes were as a flame of fire” speaks of His penetrating insight and eyewitness knowledge of the total life of the church. He knows all about you. He knows all about me. He sat over the treasury and watched how the people gave. Last Sunday He watched you when you put your offering in the plate. You didn’t think anybody knew what you gave, did you? Also, His eyes met those of Simon Peter after he had denied Him. After that happened, Peter went out and wept. If you could only see the eyes of your Savior today! My friend, He is looking at us.
“His feet like unto fine brass” or burnished brass is symbolic of judgment. That brass or brazen altar outside the tabernacle proper represents Christ’s work down here on earth when He died on the cross. It was there that He bore your judgment and my judgment for sin. And now He is judging those of us who are His own.
General Nathan Twining was the man who gave the command to drop the first atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He later became the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and he dropped another “atom bomb” on December 10, 1959, and it had just about as great a repercussion as the literal bomb did. He dropped the latter bomb when he told the French in particular, and the other European countries in general, that they were not carrying their share of the defense of NATO and that they were falling down on their responsibility in defending Europe. He told them that NATO was coming unglued. The repercussions from his announcement are still reverberating through Europe today. Although General Twining was accurate in his charges, the reaction was bitter, and there were counter charges made, and denials and excuses were offered. About that time, when President Eisenhower went to Europe, he received the coolest reception he had ever experienced. Why? The human heart resents criticism.
Human nature rebels against judgment being passed upon it. Man likes to be handed a passel of little rules and regulations which he can keep. That is the reason so many study courses are popular with Christians—they want to be legalistic. They don’t want to live by grace. Give Christians a few little rules they can go by, and they are very happy. The result, however, is a group of Band–Aid believers. They put on a little Band–Aid here and another one there, and they think that is all that is necessary to heal a broken leg. Why? The human nature that man has will purr like a pussycat when flattered, but it will bristle like a porcupine when failure to do a job is noted. That is the reason that the present position of Christ and His contemporary work of inspection are largely ignored by the church. He occupies the position of Judge of the church, and He does not flatter; He does not ignore what He sees; He does not shut His eyes to sin and wrongdoing. His constant charge and command to His own is “Repent!” We are going to see this as we move along in the Book of Revelation. He says to His church, “Change or I will come to you and I will remove your lampstand” (see Rev. 2:5). The church has smarted and squirmed under this indictment down through the ages and still does. This is the result of the natural resentment that is in the hearts of lukewarm believers. And the “Laodicean” church pays scant attention to what Christ has to say. As someone has said, “There is a Man in glory, but the church has lost sight of Him.”
“His voice as the sound of many waters” is the voice of authority—the voice that called this universe into existence, the voice that will raise His own from the grave, the voice that will take His own out of the world to be with Him.
All these figures add to the picture of Christ as our Great High Priest, inspecting and judging His church. Consider your Great High Priest. The Spirit of God will help you see Him in all of His beauty and glory. How wonderful He is!
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two–edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength [Rev. 1:16].
“He had in his right hand seven stars” means that He controls this universe.
“Out of his mouth went a sharp two–edged sword.” One man asked me, “Do you think that a literal sword goes out of His mouth?” Of course not! Scripture tells us that the sword represents His Word. In Hebrews 4:12 we read, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two–edged 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.” God judges by His Word. He judges by it today. When He speaks the Word, my friend, you had better sit up and take note because He means business.
“His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” You can’t even look at the sun. Do you think you will be able to look at the Creator who made the sun, the One who is the glorified Christ? How wonderful He is!
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 [Rev. 1:17].
John is the disciple who had an easy familiarity with Christ on earth. He is the man who reclined upon His bosom in the Upper Room. John was very close to the Lord Jesus—in fact, he didn’t mind rebuking Him on an occasion. But when he saw the glorified Christ on the Isle of Patmos, he did not go up to Him and pat Him on the back or shake hands with Him. He didn’t even try to begin a conversation. He fell at His feet as dead! The effect of the vision upon John was nothing short of paralyzing.
My friend, since John reacted like that, we can be sure that when you and I get into the presence of the Lord Jesus, we are not going to approach Him in a familiar way. We will fall at His feet as dead. He is the glorified Christ today. And let me say that I do not like the irreverence of the “Jesus culture” that we see today, speaking of Him or to Him as if He were a buddy. Nor do I like to hear someone sing or say that Jesus is a friend of theirs. Now, you may think I am hard to please. You are right; I am. But Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). If you say that Jesus is a friend of yours, you must be implying that you are obeying Him. Oh, my friend, if we could see Him in all of His glory and His beauty, we would not get familiar with Him.
But the marvelous thing is that He says, “Fear not.” This is the greeting of Deity addressing humanity. And He gives four reasons why we should not fear.
1. “I am the first and the last.” This speaks of His deity. He came out of eternity, and He moves into eternity. The psalmist says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Ps. 90:2). The word everlasting means from the vanishing point in the past to the vanishing point in the future He is God. He is first because there were none before Him, and He is last for there are none to follow Him.
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death [Rev. 1:18].
2. “I am he that liveth, and was dead”—or, the living One who became dead. This speaks of His redemptive death and resurrection. Most of us have a guilt complex. We are afraid somebody will point a finger at us and say, “You are guilty.” We are, of course, but Paul deals with this question in Romans 8:34, where he says, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Where is the fellow who is going to condemn you? Paul says, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ who died.” Do you find fault with me? Do you say I am a great sinner? I want you to know that Christ died for me, and He is risen from the dead. He rose for my justification to show that I am forgiven and that I am going to heaven someday. And He is even at the right hand of God—how wonderful—and He makes intercession, that is, He prays for me. We see this in His next reason:
3. “And, behold, I am alive for evermore.” This refers to His present state. He is not only judging, but He is also making intercession for us. How we need that!
4. “And have the keys of death and of hades.” The keys speak of authority and power. Jesus has power over death and the grave right now—because of His own death and resurrection. Hades is the Greek word for the unseen world. It can refer to the grave where the body is laid or to the place where the spirit goes.
My friend, you and I can take comfort in the fact that Jesus has the keys of death. He is the One who can relieve us of the terrible fear of death.
TIME DIVISION OF THE APOCALYPSE’S CONTENTS
The following verses give us the chronological order and division of this Book of Revelation in three time series: past, present, and future. Right now I am making this division arbitrarily, and then as we progress through the book I can demonstrate that it is accurate.
Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter [Rev. 1:19].
1. “Write the things which thou hast seen.” Up to this point what had John seen? He had seen the glorified Christ. Let me remind you that this is a Christocentric book. The glorified Christ is the subject. Don’t get your eyes on the horsemen or on the bowls of wrath or on the beasts—they are just passing through. Fix your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who was, who is, and who will be. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And John is to write the vision he has had of Him.
2. “The things which are.” What are the things that are? They are the things that pertain to the church, church things. And we are still here after nineteen hundred years. The matters concerning the church are recorded in chapters 2–3.
3. “The things which shall be hereafter.” Or, as my own translation reads: the things which you are about to see after these things [meta tauta]. This is the program of Jesus Christ, and we shall see that the church goes to heaven, and then we shall see the things that take place on the earth after the church leaves it. This program of Christ is covered by chapters 4–22.
INTERPRETATION OF SEVEN STARS AND SEVEN LAMPSTANDS
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches [Rev. 1:20].
You see, John will make it clear when he is using symbols, and he will help us understand what the symbols mean. Otherwise, he is not using symbolic language but is talking about literal things.
“The mystery of the seven stars … and the seven … candlesticks.” A mystery in Scripture means a sacred secret, that which has not been revealed before. And this had not been revealed before it was given to John. It pertains specifically to that which John has seen. He is the only one who has looked upon the glorified Christ. You may ask, “Hadn’t Paul seen the glorified Christ?” Well, what did Paul see? He said that he saw “… a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun …” (Acts 26:13). I can’t even look at the sun, and I don’t think Paul could have seen Christ in all of His glory, but he knew that He was there. The brightness even blinded Paul for a few days. Therefore, John was the first to see the glorified Christ.
The “seven stars” are identified as the “seven angels.” The stars represent authority. In Jude, verse 13, apostates are called wandering stars. The word angel literally means “messenger” and may be either human or angelic beings. It could refer to a messenger of the angelic hosts of heaven or to a ruler or a teacher of a congregation on earth. I like to think that it refers to the local pastors of the seven churches which we are going to look at in the next two chapters. I like to hear a pastor called an angel because sometimes they are called other things. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll hold to that interpretation.
“The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” The English word candlestick should be lampstand since it holds lamps rather than candles. It represents the seven churches of Asia, as we shall see. Then, in turn, these represent the church as a whole, the church as the body of Christ.