January 26, 2025
Evening Service

There is a reason Revelations is the last book in our Bible.  Not only does the Book look forward to future events, but it also ties together many of the loose ends we find in the other 65 books of the Bible.  To understand Revelations, we must have a good knowledge of those other 65 books.  Many of the symbols, events, numbers, color references are nearly encountered previously in the word of God.  My commentary refers to this book as the “Grand Central Station” of the Bible where all the “trains” of thought that run throughout the scriptures are brought together; as we will see on display shortly and John describes Jesus.  Central themes such as the scarlet thread of redemption, the nation of Israel, the Gentile nations, the church, Satan, and the end times all are brought together.  This truly makes the study of the Book one that can become as in depth as you would like it to be.  You can dig as deep as you wish.  For us, we will just dive in and see where the Spirit leads us.

The word revelation means the “unveiling, revealing or uncovering” and is tied in origin to the word apocalyptic which is an adjective of the type of writing we find in the OT books of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.  The Book of Revelations is the only book in the NT written in the apocalyptic manner.  It is full of prophetic visions of the future using symbolic references that can make the true meaning hard to fully grasp.  It is, however, the only Book with a promise of blessing to those who “read and hear the words of this prophecy.”  How many of you have read through this Book in its entirety?  It has always intimidated me with its complexities, but there is some low hanging fruit that we can understand and apply to our lives.

Rev 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, (2) who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.  (3)  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

            The author is the Apostle John, the disciple which Jesus loved, the son of Zebedee and the brother to James (the first disciple martyred).  He testifies here that these are future events that God’s angel revealed to Him through things that he saw.  That is what sometimes makes interpretation difficult in that John is trying to describe things that are hard to imagine with his words.  I can understand that in saying many times; “it is hard to find the words to describe” something I saw or experienced. Verse 3 is the promise of blessing in simply reading this prophetic book.  But again like we said this morning, we need to not only be hearers of the Word, but doers as well.  We must look for things we can apply to our lives.

 

Rev 1:4-8 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, (5) and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (6) and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.  (7)  Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.  (8)  "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

            John is writing this to the seven churches of Asia offering them grace and peace from all three personalities of the “God Head” or Trinity as some call it.  The Father, who is, was and is to come, the Holy Spirit (in His fullness being seven, the number of perfection and completeness) and the Son, Jesus Christ.  In describing Jesus John goes on a tangent of praise for all our Savior has done for us (v 6-7).  He then prophesies of His return one day where everyone will see Him and quotes our Lord proclaiming He is the “Alpha and Omega” the beginning and the end of all things.  John now begins his description of what he experienced on the isle of Patmos.

 

Rev 1:9-11 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.  (10)  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, (11) saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

            John had been exiled to the island of Patmos for punishment for his loyalty to his testimony of Jesus, but what man meant as harm, God used as good.  This isolated place became the place God chose to give John visions of glory and judgement.  John was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” meaning he was fully in tune with God and making himself available.  We need to find time to turn off the business of the world and be “in tune and available” for God to speak to us as well.  Make time to “be still and know that I am God.”

            Jesus speaks to him with the authority of a trumpet proclaiming who He is and what He wants John to do.  He is told to write the things he sees into this book and then send it to the seven churches in Asia.  He lists these churches here and over the next several weeks we will dive in much deeper to each one and the message God has for them.

 

Rev 1:12-16 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, (13) and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.  (14)  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; (15) His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; (16) He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

            Can you imagine the challenge John faced to describe what he sees in such detail?   The lampstands are made of gold having a base, a single vertical stem, and an oil-burning lamp at the top.  In the middle of the lampstands is Jesus clothed in a long robe as a judge.  The robe is girded with a golden band representing righteousness and faithfulness in which He will judge.

 

Isa 11:5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.

            John continues describing His head and hair being as white as wool and as white as snow referring to His holiness and perfect wisdom resembling the “Ancient of Days” from Isaiah.

 

Dan 7:9 "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;

            John describes His eyes as “like a flame of fire” that pierce into the soul seeing everything right down to the very motives of individuals and nations.

 

Hebrews 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

 His feet were like brass, as if refined in a furnace speaking of the time when Jesus will put all of His enemies and every power beneath His feet.

 

1Co 15:24-25 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.  (25)  For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.

            In His hands are seven stars showing that He has possession, control, and power over them.  (more on those shortly).  Out of His mouth proceeds a two-edged sword which is the Word of God that judges all humanity.

 

Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

            His countenance shines as the radiant sun putting on display His transcendent glory.  John was given a vision of Jesus in His perfection supremely qualified to judge the seven churches bringing to them purification, rewards or punishment.

            How would you react to such a vision??

 

Rev 1:17-20 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.  (18)  I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.  (19)  Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.  (20)  The mystery of the seven stars which 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 which you saw are the seven churches.

            Jesus’ touch and words and words comfort John as He again describes Himself in such unique ways (verse 18).  He then instructs John to write all that he has seen and will soon see.  He then explains that the seven lamp stands are seven churches and the seven stars are the angels of those seven churches.  The churches are to be like torches in that they are light bearers, bringing the Light of the gospel message to the world.  An angel is one who is a messenger, so this could be applied in different ways to who He is referring to here.  It could actually be an angel that dwells and protects the church, the pastor of that fellowship, or the one who actually take this message to those churches.  In either case, Jesus has control of them within His hand.