Revelation Study 1. The Vision of Jesus and the Lamp stands
INTRODUCTION
As we begin our study of the book of Revelation, it is interesting to note the various responses of Christians to the reading and study of this book.
I have heard some say that the book is SO CONFUSING AND HARD TO UNDERSTAND.
Others have said that since bible scholars disagree what hope do they have in understanding it?
Still others are saying since all of this applies to believers who will be here AFTER the rapture, this book holds very little importance to the church today.
To briefly address these responses:
This book is written by the apostle John very late in the first century. By this time all of the other apostles have died. Jerusalem has been destroyed by Rome in ad 70. The apostle Paul has spent his life planting churches all over Asia and then finally has given his life as a Martyr. The apostle Peter has grown old and has given his life as a martyr. [1] It would be easy for the believers of that day to conclude that the words of Jesus in Matthew were about to be fulfilled.
Mt 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
This book was a very ‘timely’ book for the believers living at that time. But as we will see, it is a very timely book for us as well. Actually as we get into the study we will see that the church all through these past ages would find much in this book that would apply to them too.
What we will discover in this book:
In this opening verse we can take the first sentence as the thesis of the book. Everything that follows will come out of this sentence.
In this verse
- we notice the individuality of the Son from the Father (in the verse the Father is referred to as ‘God’.) What is missing from this introductory sentence is the ‘oneness’ of the Trinity.
- The ‘revelation’ is for the benefit of His servants. Who are they? I suppose there is some validity to the thought that the servants refers to pastors and teachers. I take the view that every child of God is a servant of God. I believe that God wants every one of us to know what things must shortly take place.
- events are mentioned that would shortly take place. The term shortly can mean that some of the things would happen almost immediately. Or the term 'shortly' can be a relative term ... shortly compared to what? Compared to the 4000 years of world history since Adam? Shortly compared to God's time (a thousand years is like a day to the Lord)? The term 'shortly' can also mean 'in rapid succession'. This term probably fits best.
- signified it by His angel. This is a word which commonly is used to include signs and symbols. Very likely the angel had the ability to cause events to be played in front of John as if they were videos.
So here is the sequence ... God gives the message to Jesus, who gives it to an angel to give to John so that he can pass it on to God's servants.
ESV – Re 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
This verse is somewhat of an apostolic benediction. This is the kind of thing you would expect to find at the end of the book, but here it is at the beginning. It is good to know ahead of time that God promises a special blessing for reading, listening to and obeying this book.
John’s greeting – to ‘the seven churches’. 4-8 (There will be more said later as to why there are specifically seven.)
John promises both grace and peace from the triune God.
- God (the Father) is mentioned as being ‘him who is and who was and who is to come’.
- The Spirit is mentioned as being seven spirits.
- Jesus is mentioned separately in verse 5. He is referred to as the faithful (that is, believable) witness, the firstborn from the dead, the ruler over earthly kings, (whether they know it or not).
o He loves us
o freed us from our sins by His own blood.
o Made us to be a kingdom
o made is into priests
o And … He is coming in judgment.
John underscores all of the above by sharing with us God’s own statement of authority in verse 8.
Once again (as in verse 4) God refers to Himself as ‘the Alpha and Omega’.
John begins his personal and eyewitness account of ‘the revelation’.
He identifies himself as " your Christian brother". How does he define Christianity? As a life of enduring trouble in Jesus name, and a life requiring great patience or endurance. Some have said, if at the end of my life I discover that Christianity was all a myth, I will have to say, ‘O well. It was a great life anyway. It was still worth it.’ John probably would not agree. Neither would the apostle Paul. [2]
He tells us where he was, and why, at the time this ‘revelation’ came to him.
- He was on the isle of Patmos. This is a small island, 13 square miles in area … 23 miles in circumference … no more than six miles across at its widest point and no longer than seven miles, located below present day Turkey. Patmos is mostly rock, and almost completely treeless and without vegetation. Romans often used small islands as prisons. Several are mentioned in early literature. Patmos is not mentioned in the list. So it may be that John was banished here all alone. Perhaps the original intent is that it would be for the rest of his life. He was put on this island in AD 95.
- He gives the reason for his banishment as ‘for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ.
- He mentions what day it was and what state he was in. He calls it the Lord’s Day. Although there are groups today who wish to say this was the Sabbath day, it probably was not. If an event of any kind ever occurred on a Sabbath, the scripture simply says so. But the first day of the week came to be called the Lord’s Day very early on in history because that was the day Jesus rose from the grave. John says that he ‘was in the Spirit’. What does this mean? He has been keeping track of the day of the week. He is all alone. He is in the spirit of worship. True worship. (the kind of worship a believer can do when no one else is watching). In this time of solitude, but joyful praise he is wonderfully interrupted.
Behind him John hears a voice so loud that he compares it to a trumpet blast.
The voice identifies Himself as ‘the Alpha and Omega’. In verse 4 this refers to God the Father. In verse 8 it probably does as well. In this instance John says the person who was speaking with him resembled ‘the Son of Man’. The last time John had seen the Son of Man would have been fifty years previous to this. Much has taken place in the history of the church during this time. All of the apostles have been executed except for John. Historical tradition tells us that an attempt was made on his life as well; specifically that he was boiled in a cauldron of oil and somehow survived. This would have to have been a miracle. Did he survive unscathed as the three Hebrew young men who were thrown into the fiery furnace in Daniel’s time? By the way, when Jesus said to Peter, ‘If I wish for John to remain until I return, what is that to you?’ was Jesus perhaps thinking of this visit to John (this vision in Rev 1) as counting as ‘a return’?
So here we have Jesus taking the same designation as the Father did; The Alpha and Omega.
The voice says, ‘Start writing.’
John is instructed to write everything down and send it to seven specific churches.
As John turns to look, he sees …
- seven golden lampstands
- the Son of man and gives a remarkable description. 13-16. In the description he says
o ‘His eyes were as a flame of fire’.
o ‘Out of His mouth went a two-edged sword’
o ‘in His hand He held seven stars’
- Fear has caused John to fall face down at Jesus’ feet. Jesus gives him words of comfort and encouragement. Jesus once more claims the title of Alpha and Omega and asserts His authority, even over death.
- Next, Jesus gives John the format for his writing. It is a simple one; Write what you have just seen, write about the present situation existing in seven particular churches, and then write about the future. (19)
- Finally, Jesus reveals what the symbols stand for.
o Seven stars – seven angels.
o Seven lampstands – seven churches.
The number seven in scripture and specifically, in The Revelation.
Seven has often been called the ‘number of perfection’, God’s perfect number, Divine perfection etc. Some of these definitions are with us today because of the wording of old English translations of the Bible. Rather than limit the number 7 to representing perfection, it would be more accurate to think of the word 'complete' or 'completion' or 'totality'. Here is the word from the Greek text that translates in our English bibles as 'perfect', where the word 'complete' should have been used instead.
Τελειος tel’-i-os
1) brought to its end, finished
2) wanting nothing necessary to completeness
3) perfect
4) that which is perfect
4a) consummate human integrity and virtue
4b) of men
4b1) full grown, adult, of full age, mature
Using this definition we say, Creation was brought to its end, finished in seven days. Here the number seven, with reference to churches … (There were seven actual churches who received this writing from John), stands for all of God’s churches throughout all of time. Verse four mentions seven Spirits who are before God’s throne in heaven. Using the definition, ‘completeness’, the understanding would be that we are referring to the omnipresent Holy Spirit.
Seven Stars – seven angels. That would be one angel per church. What questions are going through our minds right now? Does our church have its own special angel?
It would be good to get the proper understanding of the symbolism before we begin the next chapter. Notice that each church name corresponds to a city name. As far as we can tell, then, there is only one church per city. (Some people have had the privilege of traveling to this area and have joined a tour group. The guide has taken them (supposedly) to some of these ancient churches. I say supposedly, because, in truth, they did not. The present day ancient church of Ephesus has nothing whatever to do with the one mentioned in Scripture. How do I know this? Church history shows that churches met in homes for the first few centuries. Sometimes a meeting place or hall would be borrowed or rented, but buildings were not part of the early church experience. By the time an edifice was built in the name of one of these churches, the true churches had either died out for some reason, or had compromised truth to the point of succumbing to the early Catholic movement of the fifth and sixth centuries.
To understand this biblically, consider the early Jerusalem church. It grew by the thousands. And while some of them came together in the Jewish temple courtyards, for the most part they met in small house fellowships, each one led by an elder, and all of them collectively under the leadership of the apostles. Later in the book of Acts we read of Apostle Paul’s wanting to touch base with the church in Jerusalem and we learn from this, that the huge Jerusalem church, meeting in hundreds of house groups, had one pastor.[3]
Churches literally grew by dividing, (rather than by expanding). We have every reason to believe that the seven churches of Asia would be no different. Ephesus, for example, may have had many small churches, but only one lampstand and only one angel. The word angel means messenger. Each city wide church would be lead by one messenger, who would pass the message down to the elders, who in turn would take it to their respective house church. If you have not guessed it already, the angel is the one who regularly gives the message … the pastor.
How wonderful is the imagery. Jesus walks among the churches. Jesus holds the pastors in His hand. How much He loves His church.
Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
Extra Study
Matthew 24:12 speaks of love that has grown cold. This can only mean that at one time it was warm. Jesus is referring to Christians (not unbelievers) whose love has grown cold.
Please read this verse over several times and then compare it to James 4:1-4 and James 3:14. Summarize your thoughts regarding the terrible malady that had affected the Ephesus church (Revelation 2:4). How can loved be restored? What present day tools might Satan use to cause our love to grow cold?
[1] Why is this significant? (John 21:18-23) Consider the comment of Jesus which stated that Peter would grow old and finally die a martyr’s death. What Jesus said about John was misconstrued to the point where people understood that John would not die, but be still living when Jesus would return. Very likely these people are now expecting Jesus to return, since Peter has died and John is the only living Apostle who, himself, is now very old.
[2] 1Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. .
[3] Galatians 2:12 For before certain men came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
As we begin our study of the book of Revelation, it is interesting to note the various responses of Christians to the reading and study of this book.
I have heard some say that the book is SO CONFUSING AND HARD TO UNDERSTAND.
Others have said that since bible scholars disagree what hope do they have in understanding it?
Still others are saying since all of this applies to believers who will be here AFTER the rapture, this book holds very little importance to the church today.
To briefly address these responses:
- Granted, the nature and style of this book is very different from most of scripture (Daniel being excepted), the book is only confusing and hard to understand at the first reading of it.
- It can be intimidating to try to sort out the opposing views of bible scholars. That is not our intent in this study. We take the verse by verse approach and try to allow scripture to explain itself. We believe the work of the Holy Spirit is most present as we look at the word of God directly. Comparing the comments of Bible scholars will not be ignored completely but will take a back seat.
- To conclude that ‘the church will be gone’ (or NOT be gone) during the events of the book of Revelation may be the result of taking the view of a particular scholar or it may be the result of adopting a prescribed ‘system’ of beliefs. We will attempt to point out how adopting a ‘system’ can lead to particular assumptions or theological positions.
This book is written by the apostle John very late in the first century. By this time all of the other apostles have died. Jerusalem has been destroyed by Rome in ad 70. The apostle Paul has spent his life planting churches all over Asia and then finally has given his life as a Martyr. The apostle Peter has grown old and has given his life as a martyr. [1] It would be easy for the believers of that day to conclude that the words of Jesus in Matthew were about to be fulfilled.
Mt 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
This book was a very ‘timely’ book for the believers living at that time. But as we will see, it is a very timely book for us as well. Actually as we get into the study we will see that the church all through these past ages would find much in this book that would apply to them too.
What we will discover in this book:
- Symbolism.
- Imagery
- eye witness (first-hand) testimony
- A progression of events culminating with the end of earth as we know it and the beginning of eternity with God.
In this opening verse we can take the first sentence as the thesis of the book. Everything that follows will come out of this sentence.
In this verse
- we notice the individuality of the Son from the Father (in the verse the Father is referred to as ‘God’.) What is missing from this introductory sentence is the ‘oneness’ of the Trinity.
- The ‘revelation’ is for the benefit of His servants. Who are they? I suppose there is some validity to the thought that the servants refers to pastors and teachers. I take the view that every child of God is a servant of God. I believe that God wants every one of us to know what things must shortly take place.
- events are mentioned that would shortly take place. The term shortly can mean that some of the things would happen almost immediately. Or the term 'shortly' can be a relative term ... shortly compared to what? Compared to the 4000 years of world history since Adam? Shortly compared to God's time (a thousand years is like a day to the Lord)? The term 'shortly' can also mean 'in rapid succession'. This term probably fits best.
- signified it by His angel. This is a word which commonly is used to include signs and symbols. Very likely the angel had the ability to cause events to be played in front of John as if they were videos.
So here is the sequence ... God gives the message to Jesus, who gives it to an angel to give to John so that he can pass it on to God's servants.
ESV – Re 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
This verse is somewhat of an apostolic benediction. This is the kind of thing you would expect to find at the end of the book, but here it is at the beginning. It is good to know ahead of time that God promises a special blessing for reading, listening to and obeying this book.
John’s greeting – to ‘the seven churches’. 4-8 (There will be more said later as to why there are specifically seven.)
John promises both grace and peace from the triune God.
- God (the Father) is mentioned as being ‘him who is and who was and who is to come’.
- The Spirit is mentioned as being seven spirits.
- Jesus is mentioned separately in verse 5. He is referred to as the faithful (that is, believable) witness, the firstborn from the dead, the ruler over earthly kings, (whether they know it or not).
o He loves us
o freed us from our sins by His own blood.
o Made us to be a kingdom
o made is into priests
o And … He is coming in judgment.
John underscores all of the above by sharing with us God’s own statement of authority in verse 8.
Once again (as in verse 4) God refers to Himself as ‘the Alpha and Omega’.
John begins his personal and eyewitness account of ‘the revelation’.
He identifies himself as " your Christian brother". How does he define Christianity? As a life of enduring trouble in Jesus name, and a life requiring great patience or endurance. Some have said, if at the end of my life I discover that Christianity was all a myth, I will have to say, ‘O well. It was a great life anyway. It was still worth it.’ John probably would not agree. Neither would the apostle Paul. [2]
He tells us where he was, and why, at the time this ‘revelation’ came to him.
- He was on the isle of Patmos. This is a small island, 13 square miles in area … 23 miles in circumference … no more than six miles across at its widest point and no longer than seven miles, located below present day Turkey. Patmos is mostly rock, and almost completely treeless and without vegetation. Romans often used small islands as prisons. Several are mentioned in early literature. Patmos is not mentioned in the list. So it may be that John was banished here all alone. Perhaps the original intent is that it would be for the rest of his life. He was put on this island in AD 95.
- He gives the reason for his banishment as ‘for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ.
- He mentions what day it was and what state he was in. He calls it the Lord’s Day. Although there are groups today who wish to say this was the Sabbath day, it probably was not. If an event of any kind ever occurred on a Sabbath, the scripture simply says so. But the first day of the week came to be called the Lord’s Day very early on in history because that was the day Jesus rose from the grave. John says that he ‘was in the Spirit’. What does this mean? He has been keeping track of the day of the week. He is all alone. He is in the spirit of worship. True worship. (the kind of worship a believer can do when no one else is watching). In this time of solitude, but joyful praise he is wonderfully interrupted.
Behind him John hears a voice so loud that he compares it to a trumpet blast.
The voice identifies Himself as ‘the Alpha and Omega’. In verse 4 this refers to God the Father. In verse 8 it probably does as well. In this instance John says the person who was speaking with him resembled ‘the Son of Man’. The last time John had seen the Son of Man would have been fifty years previous to this. Much has taken place in the history of the church during this time. All of the apostles have been executed except for John. Historical tradition tells us that an attempt was made on his life as well; specifically that he was boiled in a cauldron of oil and somehow survived. This would have to have been a miracle. Did he survive unscathed as the three Hebrew young men who were thrown into the fiery furnace in Daniel’s time? By the way, when Jesus said to Peter, ‘If I wish for John to remain until I return, what is that to you?’ was Jesus perhaps thinking of this visit to John (this vision in Rev 1) as counting as ‘a return’?
So here we have Jesus taking the same designation as the Father did; The Alpha and Omega.
The voice says, ‘Start writing.’
John is instructed to write everything down and send it to seven specific churches.
As John turns to look, he sees …
- seven golden lampstands
- the Son of man and gives a remarkable description. 13-16. In the description he says
o ‘His eyes were as a flame of fire’.
o ‘Out of His mouth went a two-edged sword’
o ‘in His hand He held seven stars’
- Fear has caused John to fall face down at Jesus’ feet. Jesus gives him words of comfort and encouragement. Jesus once more claims the title of Alpha and Omega and asserts His authority, even over death.
- Next, Jesus gives John the format for his writing. It is a simple one; Write what you have just seen, write about the present situation existing in seven particular churches, and then write about the future. (19)
- Finally, Jesus reveals what the symbols stand for.
o Seven stars – seven angels.
o Seven lampstands – seven churches.
The number seven in scripture and specifically, in The Revelation.
Seven has often been called the ‘number of perfection’, God’s perfect number, Divine perfection etc. Some of these definitions are with us today because of the wording of old English translations of the Bible. Rather than limit the number 7 to representing perfection, it would be more accurate to think of the word 'complete' or 'completion' or 'totality'. Here is the word from the Greek text that translates in our English bibles as 'perfect', where the word 'complete' should have been used instead.
Τελειος tel’-i-os
1) brought to its end, finished
2) wanting nothing necessary to completeness
3) perfect
4) that which is perfect
4a) consummate human integrity and virtue
4b) of men
4b1) full grown, adult, of full age, mature
Using this definition we say, Creation was brought to its end, finished in seven days. Here the number seven, with reference to churches … (There were seven actual churches who received this writing from John), stands for all of God’s churches throughout all of time. Verse four mentions seven Spirits who are before God’s throne in heaven. Using the definition, ‘completeness’, the understanding would be that we are referring to the omnipresent Holy Spirit.
Seven Stars – seven angels. That would be one angel per church. What questions are going through our minds right now? Does our church have its own special angel?
It would be good to get the proper understanding of the symbolism before we begin the next chapter. Notice that each church name corresponds to a city name. As far as we can tell, then, there is only one church per city. (Some people have had the privilege of traveling to this area and have joined a tour group. The guide has taken them (supposedly) to some of these ancient churches. I say supposedly, because, in truth, they did not. The present day ancient church of Ephesus has nothing whatever to do with the one mentioned in Scripture. How do I know this? Church history shows that churches met in homes for the first few centuries. Sometimes a meeting place or hall would be borrowed or rented, but buildings were not part of the early church experience. By the time an edifice was built in the name of one of these churches, the true churches had either died out for some reason, or had compromised truth to the point of succumbing to the early Catholic movement of the fifth and sixth centuries.
To understand this biblically, consider the early Jerusalem church. It grew by the thousands. And while some of them came together in the Jewish temple courtyards, for the most part they met in small house fellowships, each one led by an elder, and all of them collectively under the leadership of the apostles. Later in the book of Acts we read of Apostle Paul’s wanting to touch base with the church in Jerusalem and we learn from this, that the huge Jerusalem church, meeting in hundreds of house groups, had one pastor.[3]
Churches literally grew by dividing, (rather than by expanding). We have every reason to believe that the seven churches of Asia would be no different. Ephesus, for example, may have had many small churches, but only one lampstand and only one angel. The word angel means messenger. Each city wide church would be lead by one messenger, who would pass the message down to the elders, who in turn would take it to their respective house church. If you have not guessed it already, the angel is the one who regularly gives the message … the pastor.
How wonderful is the imagery. Jesus walks among the churches. Jesus holds the pastors in His hand. How much He loves His church.
Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
Extra Study
Matthew 24:12 speaks of love that has grown cold. This can only mean that at one time it was warm. Jesus is referring to Christians (not unbelievers) whose love has grown cold.
Please read this verse over several times and then compare it to James 4:1-4 and James 3:14. Summarize your thoughts regarding the terrible malady that had affected the Ephesus church (Revelation 2:4). How can loved be restored? What present day tools might Satan use to cause our love to grow cold?
[1] Why is this significant? (John 21:18-23) Consider the comment of Jesus which stated that Peter would grow old and finally die a martyr’s death. What Jesus said about John was misconstrued to the point where people understood that John would not die, but be still living when Jesus would return. Very likely these people are now expecting Jesus to return, since Peter has died and John is the only living Apostle who, himself, is now very old.
[2] 1Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. .
[3] Galatians 2:12 For before certain men came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.