seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Revelation 1:9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that 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.
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Here's the link to the commentary I read. I did not copy and paste the "description of Jesus". Please go read the commentary for yourself. There is so much in the commentary that I did not carry over.
The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End: The idea behind these titles for Jesus is that He is before all things and will remain beyond all things. Alpha was the first letter of the ancient Greek alphabet, and Omega was the last letter. Jesus says, “I am the ‘A to Z,’ the Beginning and the End.”
If Jesus is both the Beginning and the End, then He also has authority over everything in-between. This means that Jesus has a plan for history, and He directs the path of human events toward His designed fulfillment. Our lives are not given over to blind fate, to random meaninglessness, or to endless cycles with no resolution. Instead, Jesus Christ who is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End directs all of human history and even our individual lives.
The Almighty: This word Almighty translates the ancient Greek word pantokrater, which literally means “the one who has his hand on everything.” It speaks of the great sovereign control of Jesus over everything — past, present, and future.
This great word Almighty is used ten times in the New Testament, and nine of the ten times are in the Book of Revelation. This book has a striking emphasis on God’s sovereignty, the understanding that He has His hand on everything.
I, John… was on the island that is called Patmos: The island of Patmos was a like an Alcatraz Island in the Roman Empire. It was used as a prison island and functioned as a jail without bars. The island was rich in marble, and most of the prisoners were forced laborers in marble quarries. Patmos was a rocky, desolate island about 10 miles long and 6 miles wide.
For the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ: Most scholars assume that John was on Patmos because he was arrested and imprisoned in persecution from the Romans. This is probably the case, especially because John said that he is your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. However, it is also possible that John was on Patmos as a missionary to the prisoners there.
On the Lord’s Day: When is the Lord’s Day? Among the pagans of the Roman Empire, the first day of each month was called “Emperors Day” in honor of the Roman Emperor. Perhaps Christians proclaimed their allegiance to Jesus by honoring the first day of the week as their own Lord’s Day.
This is not the same term used for The Day of the Lord in the Old Testament, nor is it the same idea. The Book of Revelation will deal with the idea of The Day of the Lord, but it doesn’t do it here.
I heard behind me a loud voice: The loud voice John heard was clear and striking as the sound of a trumpet. The loud voice belongs to the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, who is the beginning and the end of all things. Since Jesus introduced Himself with these titles in Revelation 1:8, we know this was the loud voice of Jesus.
Clarke on the phrase as of a trumpet: “This was calculated to call in every wandering thought, to fix his attention, and solemnize his whole frame.”
What you see, write in a book: Here, John was commanded to write what he saw. He would be commanded to write eleven more times in the Book of Revelation. We get the sense that unless John was commanded to write, he would have just kept it to himself. It’s always best to keep visions and revelations to one’s self unless commanded otherwise.
Send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: John was commanded to write to seven churches in seven cities. Each of these churches is in the region of the Roman province of Asia. But these were not the only cities with churches in this region. For example, there was a church in the city of Colosse (to which the Apostle Paul wrote the letter of Colossians), but the city of Colosse isn’t included in this list of seven churches. Why were these specific seven churches chosen?
I turned to see the voice: We can only imagine what went through John’s mind as he turned. The voice he heard was probably not exactly the same sound as he remembered Jesus’ voice to be (John described it as of a trumpet, Revelation 1:10). Yet he knew from the voice’s self-description (Alpha and Omega) that it was Jesus. This was John’s opportunity to see Jesus again, after knowing Him so well during the years of His earthly ministry.
First, John didn’t see Jesus. He saw seven golden lampstands. These were not candlesticks, they were not menorahs, but they were free standing oil lamp stands. The lamps set on these lampstands.
And in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man: Jesus was there in the midst of these lampstands, as the Son of Man, a figure of glory looking back to Daniel 7:13-14. Though the title Son of Man sounds like a humble title, in light of the Daniel passage, it is not a humble title at all.
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead: John was overwhelmed by this awesome vision, even though he was an apostle who knew Jesus on this earth. Even the three years John spent with Jesus on this earth did not really prepare him to see Jesus in His heavenly glory. At this moment, John knew what a miracle it was that Jesus could shield His glory and authority while He walked this earth.
He laid His right hand on me: First, Jesus comforted John with a compassionate touch. Perhaps the touch of Jesus felt more familiar than the appearance of Jesus. Then Jesus gave John a command: “Do not be afraid.” John didn’t need to be afraid because He was in the presence of Jesus, and Jesus clearly identifies Himself to John with three titles.
Write the things: This second command to write gives us a structure to understand the Book of Revelation. John is commanded to write regarding the past, present, and future (looking from John’s perspective).
The things which you have seen: This means that Jesus wanted John to write the things he had just seen in his vision of the glorious, heavenly Jesus.
The things which are: This means that Jesus wanted John to write about the things of his present day, the things regarding the seven churches which are in Asia.
The things which will take place after this: This means that Jesus wanted John to write about the things that would happen after the things regarding the seven churches, the things of the last days.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches: Jesus kindly interprets His own images. The stars in His hand represent the angels of the seven churches. The lampstands represent the seven churches themselves.
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As many times as I have read this chapter of Revelation, the one thing that always comes to mind is John's state of mind when Jesus showed up behind him.
I'm out in Arizona now where the skies seem to go on forever, clear blue with no clouds. So, when there are clouds, they are eye catching. When we stop and take a look, they are amazing... animals and angels and birds and yep even dragons seem to swim slowly in a sea of sky blue. Sometimes it looks like there are people walking around in the clouds. It's beautiful, sometimes even breathtaking. I think of John, while looking at those clouds. I think about how he was stuck on a rock island with nothing to do but hard labor... So, he was contemplating life, looking at the sky and being amazed by those glorious clouds [the TV of John's time... a cloud show!].
Jesus just showed up out of nowhere. Yes, I read the description of Jesus, but that gets preached really regularly. Jesus was spectacular... a true "God" in appearance. He wore the garment of a high priest. He was holding the presence of the seven churches in His hand.
Jesus gave John a Mission. John had to write down what Jesus was about to show him.
Jesus is coming back. John thought it would be in his lifetime.
I think Jesus wants to give the churches a chance. After all, that's the first thing Jesus talked about when he got John calmed down after sneaking up on him like that. Maybe Jesus is still giving the churches some time... or maybe He's already opened the first seal.
At any rate, John is on the deserted Island of Patmos, and while in prayer and meditation, Jesus [all gloried up in appearance] sneaked up on him, and said....
"John, Take a letter!"
