Here we go again—this time with the second scene in Revelation—the vision of Jesus. By the way, there will be a total of 55 scenes in the entire book. Don’t worry, we will take them one by one, slowly and thoughtfully. And remember, this is only an overview of the book of Revelation so you will have tons of time to study the entire book in depth!
Revelation 1:12-13 “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.”
One like a son of man means he saw a human body. This is a vision of Jesus. Jesus is in the middle of seven golden lamp stands. He is still in a human body and is dressed with a robe that reaches to His feet. He has a golden sash around His chest.
Revelation 1:14-16 “His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”
Jesus’ head and hair were white like wool, white like snow. His hair did not have any other attributes of wool other than its whiteness, and it did not have any other characteristics of snow other than its whiteness. The point needs to be well taken that His head and hair were extremely white!
This vision is very intense. If you want to really think through what the picture would have looked like, sketch a stick drawing using the exact words of the text. When I first studied Revelation I drew out every scene in the entire book word for word. I was drawing what the words said, not what I thought the words meant—big difference. This took many months to do, but it was well worth it. Precept Ministries has an awesome course in their PUP series which will take two years to complete. I have taught it and could not recommend any study over it. The trick is to keep inductively observing throughout the entire course and not give in to the temptation to read commentaries—not until you have observed (scoured and scrutinized) the text for yourself.
John had turned to see a trumpet-like voice which was speaking to him but when he turned around he saw the vision of Jesus instead. The voice of Jesus was like the sound of many waters. The first voice was not the voice of Jesus.
Revelation 1:17-19 “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.”
What do you do when you see Jesus? When you meet Him face to face? Sometimes I think we forget Who He is and I think many times we forget the claim that He has on our life. A right response is to fall like a dead man before Him because we are undone. Jesus is the Word! You meet Jesus, so to speak, every time you listen to God’s Word because it is Jesus. Has He gotten your attention? Do you realize His claim on your life? Do you realize, in your soul, in your spirit, who He is and who you are, and who you are not, before Him? If so, bow your body down before Him like a dead man because that's the manner of respect that He deserves.
What is Jesus’ response to John’s respect? Jesus tells John to not be afraid because Jesus is the first and the last. Jesus is the Living One—He was dead but He is now alive and will be forevermore. Jesus tells John He has the keys of death and of Hades. If Jesus says you are safe, there is no need to fear.
John was told to write the things which he has seen—the vision of Jesus. John wrote Revelation 1. John was told to write the things which are—the churches. John wrote Revelation 2-3. John was told to write the things which will take place after these things—the churches. John wrote Revelation 4-22.
Revelation 1:20 “As for 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 are the seven churches.”
Scripture interprets Scripture. The mystery is interpreted for us. The seven stars equal seven angels of seven churches. The seven lampstands are the seven churches. No more mystery.
So, you've got God, Who gives the Revelation to Jesus Christ, Who gives it to His angel, who gives it to John, who is on the island of Patmos. John then writes what he sees, and is told to send those letters to the seven churches on the mainland, the first of which is Ephesus. And from those seven churches, we receive directly from God the same thing those churches received!
In chapter 1, after he receives that instruction, we see this One standing like the son of man holding seven stars in his hand. He's in the midst of the seven lampstands. What are the seven stars? What do we know? They are angels of the seven churches. What are the lampstands? They are the seven churches. The stars are the angels, or messengers, of those churches.
Angel simply means messenger. Some people believe that means the angel must be the pastor of a church. Others believe it means the runner who would have delivered the letters. However, God’s angels are messengers, as well. We can’t know for sure what type of messenger is meant by the Greek word aggelos, but we can know they were the messengers to the seven churches.
Well, we have finished walking through the first chapter of Revelation. Was this helpful? I hope so. The next two chapters are all about the seven churches and are absolutely fascinating to study. Prepare to be convicted!
