Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. “The Revelation of
Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things
which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel
to His bond-servant John,”
Some call this Book the “Revelation of John”, but it
actually is the Revelation of Jesus Christ; in which He reveals: 1) the
things of God, 2) the future, 3) the nature of mankind, and 4) Himself.
John is the human secretary, but Jesus Christ is the Author of this book.
Actually, ALL the books of the Bible are written by the hand and heart of
God, no matter who is shown to be the human writer. What is incredible
about this particular book, is that God will take us right out of space
and time as we know it, and into the “heavenlies”
in Christ Jesus. Those who are His “bond-servants”
will be shown life and reality from the perspective of God Himself.
Just as in Ephesians 3:3, when Paul spoke of the
mystery of Christ revealed; the Person of the Lord is now revealed through
John. Our Lord Jesus is shown to you and me, though the ministry of the
Holy Spirit of God, who reveals mysteries to those who love Him. The
things in this Book must “SOON” take place, and you might object and say,
“Well, it’s been over 2000 years!” But, always remember the words of
Peter (2 Peter 3:8), quoting Moses (Psalm 90:4) – “With
the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
When the Lord speaks, He speaks from HIS vantage point; from eternity.
Trust Him – these events WILL indeed soon occur, but the Lord is greater
than our understanding and so is His timetable.
Verse 2. “who testified to
the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he
saw.”
It was John the Apostle, the bond-servant of Jesus
Christ, who saw and heard all of the things mentioned in this book, and
wrote them, just as his Lord told him. Everything! He was taken behind
the scenes and SHOWN what must shortly happen. We can read this book and
KNOW the future of mankind, the outcome of history, the end of all
things. There was no more TRUSTED man or woman in the Early Church, by
the way, than John the Apostle. His contemporaries believed in him,
because they knew his character. That which is written in this book WILL
come to pass. Just as Jesus told John, it will happen.
And so must WE, like John, be faithful witnesses of
the Lord Jesus Christ, telling simply what He has done and is doing in our
lives. We are to be honest in reporting, true in our love; faithful
witnesses of our Lord. Where there has been deceit, Lord, let there be
honesty in us. Give us, Lord, a vision of Your glory, and let us speak
faithfully, truly of what we have seen and heard. Let us be men and women
of truth, faith and love. Just like John. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Verse 3. “Blessed is he who
reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed
the things which are written in it; for the time
is near.”
“Blessed,” in
Scripture, whether the Old or New Testament, refers to someone who is
happy, blissful, joyful, ecstatic. It is “makarios”
in the Greek, and the word is used seven times in this book. The
Revelation of Jesus Christ is a prophesy, a revealing of God and the
things of God, to people like you and me. We don’t need to be afraid; for
the truth of this book will cause happiness in those who read. We need to
study, understand, and respond to that which is written, and we will know
joy at last. “Reads” in this verse, by
the way, is from a word that refers to PUBLIC reading – these words are
given to the Church and we are to share them with each other.
We need to read, hear and act on them. Note that the
reality of these three action-words (read, hear and act) is wrought in us
by the Holy Spirit of God. He drew you here to read these words; and as
you prayerfully consider them, He enables you to understand. And finally,
He strengthens you, so that you become able to respond to His will. ALL
the work of God in your life is accomplished through the Holy Spirit.
Accept His Son and be given His Spirit - THEN, you will understand and
begin to live the life He has designed for you.
Verse 4. “John to the seven
churches that 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,”
Notice that “John”
did not have to identify himself any further – his direct recipients, the
seven churches in Asia, knew precisely who he was. This writer was John
the Apostle, son of Zebedee, brother of James, who walked with Jesus for
three years, endured his Lord’s crucifixion, and then saw, heard and
touched the Lord Jesus, after He was raised from the dead. John was the
last of the original Apostles on earth, and was loved by all in the
church. The number seven, by the way, is not limited to merely seven
churches in Asia. Paul also wrote to seven churches, but it is clear he
also wrote to all churches of all time. St. Augustine stated that John
wrote this Book to the “universal church,”
which is to say it is written to all who love the Lord.
The “seven churches” were in Asia Minor and have been
thought by some scholars to represent ages (then future) in church
history. It’s also likely that these are REPRESENTATIVE churches and you
can find examples of all of them in the world today. In that sense, the
words describing the seven churches are meant to open our understanding.
If you move to a new community, the descriptions in the next two chapters
will help you understand what kind of church you are visiting. If your
church falls into error, you will find that error described in the
sections that follow within Chapters 2 and 3.
“Grace and peace” was
a lovely standard greeting of the early Church. Paul used variations of
the phrase often (1 Corinthians 1:3 and other places) as did Peter (2
Peter 1:2), Jude (Jude 2), and John himself (2 John 3). The One “who
was and who is to come” is, of course, Jesus Himself, reminding us
of the “I am” (the timeless One from
eternity) in Exodus 3:14. The phrase “seven
Spirits” is a reminder of Zechariah 4:1-10, where we see seven
lamps, olive trees, and oil, which is related to “My
Spirit” (Zechariah 4:7). “Seven Spirits”
can also be rendered “Seven-fold Spirit”, and is indeed a reference to the
Holy Spirit of God.
Verse 5. “and from Jesus
Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of
the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins
by His blood,”
Jesus Christ. Always understand that your
relationship with God is based in Him. He is our Lord who faithfully
witnessed to the love and mercy of God, and faithfully responded to the
leading of the Holy Spirit, from eternity, to the womb, to death, and then
back to LIFE in eternity once more. He was innocent of any wrong. He did
what we could not do – FULLY trust in and follow the Spirit, and thereby
became our Sacrifice, our Substitute, our Rescuer; your Savior and mine.
His faithfulness is imputed to you and me, when we place our trust in
Him.
He was the firstborn, the “prototokos” or “preeminent
One” who died out of love for you, shed His precious blood, and then rose
from the dead. We are “released” (or “loosed”) from our sins, which
carries the meaning that the prison chains of sin have been struck from
our hearts. We are now FREE, through trust in Him and what He has done,
to serve the living God. Our sins are done away, through His grace,
through His love, and through His blood. He indeed LOVES you me. He has
proved Himself worthy of YOUR faith and love. You can TRUST in Him.
Verse 6. “and He has made
us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and
the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
In what country do you have citizenship? Countries
come into being for awhile and endure, and then they weaken and are gone.
We may lose our citizenship, our country, our identity at any time.
However, your real identity, your real citizenship is in heaven when you
trust in Jesus Christ. In Him, we are a kingdom of priests, bringing God
to people, and people to God. We see this in Peter’s words: “You…
are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1
Peter 2:5).
This is also found in such places as Isaiah 61:6,
where it was prophesied that “you will be called
the priests of the Lord.” If you lose “everything” in this world,
you’ll receive far more in Christ Jesus, who has infinite resources that
are available, right this minute. Just TRUST in Him, who died for you and
me. And then, expressions like “to Him be the
glory and the dominion forever and ever” become our responses, for
He has done EVERYTHING we need. “Amen” is
a Hebrew word that was taken into the Greek and many other languages,
simply meaning, “It is so.”
Verse 7. “Behold, He is
coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who
pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will
mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.”
Daniel the prophet wrote down visions that he saw in
the night of things that were to come. He was shown future centuries,
discovering that “with the clouds of heaven, One
like a Son of Man was coming” (Daniel 7:13). John the Apostle saw
Jesus Christ rise into the sky after His resurrection, and “a
cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). They were still
staring upward with wide eyes and open mouths, when “two
men in white clothing stood beside them” and said, “This
Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the
same way as you have watched Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:10-11).
Indeed, “He is coming with
the clouds and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him…”
(Zechariah 12:10). This is a quote from the same prophetic section where
it was foretold that Jesus would be sold for “thirty
shekels of silver” (Zechariah 11:12-13). Zechariah wrote 500 years
before the birth of Jesus Christ, simply telling what he received from the
Lord: “they will look on Me whom they have
pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and
they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first
born” (Zechariah 12:10). The true Israel will turn to the Lord.
Verse 8. “‘I
am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord
God, ‘who is and who was and who is to
come, the Almighty.’”
The Lord God spoke through Isaiah the Prophet,
saying, “I the Lord am the first, and with the
last, I am He” (Isaiah 41:4), saying much the same in a later
Chapter (Isaiah 44:6). It is a reference to God the Son. Micah
5:2 is an excellent verse, because it not only prophesies that the birth
of Jesus the Messiah would be in the town of Bethlehem, but it also
revealed that He would be from eternity. Jesus, the Son of God,
became a man.
The word Isaiah used for “Lord” was “YHVH”,
sometimes written as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah” (Isaiah 44:6). The phrase “first
and the last” appears later in Revelation Chapter 1, verses 11 and
17, referring to the Son of God. Jesus spoke directly to John, in Revelation 1:17, telling him, “Do
not be afraid, I am the First and the Last
(Alpha and Omega); I am He who lives and was dead,
and behold, I am alive forevermore” (Revelation 1:17-18).
In the Book of Hebrews, it
is said of Him, “Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Do you want that
which is permanent? Do you want Someone who is honorable, just, true,
loves you without limit, and who ALWAYS will be with you? His name is
Jesus. He will come back into history in the future, arriving just as He
left and all will see Him (Zechariah 12:10). Trust in Him now, for He
loves you, and He is indeed the Son of God.
Verse 9. “I, John, your
brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and
perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because
of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”
John the Apostle names himself once more (see also
verse 4). Certain people, like movie stars and top sports figures, have
so much name recognition, that everyone knows who they are. EVERYONE in
the church either had met or knew about John, the apostle of Jesus
Christ. All who were in the church in those days knew tribulation, which
is best described as distress or suffering resulting from oppression or
persecution. People would LISTEN to a man like this who had shared their
suffering, but also patiently endured that which came his way.
Note that that the “tribulation
and kingdom and perseverance” are all “in
Jesus”. In other words, NONE of the suffering experienced at that
time (or this) is a surprise God. He knows what you’re going through, and
has a good purpose in all that He allows. Part of John’s suffering was
that he was taken from the people he loved to serve and was isolated on
the Island of Patmos, a place 8 miles long and 5 miles wide, in the Aegean
Sea. John was faithful to the word of God, intending to continually
testify of what he had seen and heard in Jesus Christ. So we too, are to
be faithful, even when we seem thwarted in what we are called to do.
Verse 10. “I was in the
Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the
sound of a trumpet,”
John was “in the Spirit.”
We know from Scriptures such as Romans 8:9, that “if
anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” The
normal state for the true Christian is to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
If the Spirit is not present in the person, he or she does not know the
Lord. You become a Christian by receiving Christ, and there is a bonus –
you are given the Holy Spirit of God.
By this verse, and other similar verses, we discover
that special moments are given to us by the Lord, when we can be “in
the Spirit.” Something happens, in which we are enabled to
experience God in a most unusual, wonderful and personal manner. John was
already “in the Spirit” on “the
Lord’s day” (which was likely Sunday), when something more happened
- a voice called out behind him, so loud that it sounded to him like a
trumpet blast.
Verse 11. “saying, ‘Write
in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and
to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.’”
You may have wondered: how could John have remembered
what he saw, and be able to write it down accurately? From the words of
the One who spoke to him, it would seem that John had writing materials
with him at that time, taken with him for just such a purpose. He lived
his life expecting that God would speak at any moment. Here was John,
filled with the Spirit on the Isle of Patmos, listening intently to the
voice that spoke and writing furiously on the parchment in his hand,
precisely as the Lord directed.
John was instructed to primarily address seven
principal churches located in the Roman Province of Asia (Minor), a place
that we now call the country of Turkey. We’ll hear more about these
places when they are examined individually. These were actual, historical
churches, existing at the time this Book was written.
They may also be an advance look at the history of
the Church, but it is also very much a representative look at the churches
of this world. You should be able to read the chapters that are to
follow, and find a type of YOUR church, or one that you have attended in
the past. The pastor and other elders of a local body of believers can
find themselves in this list of seven churches, and be able to prayerfully
CORRECT that which has gone wrong, in their actions, beliefs and
attitudes.
Verse 12. “Then I turned to
see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven
golden lampstands;”
John turned and he was not merely on the Island of
Patmos anymore, for he was in the world that is all around us; the one we
usually do not see. Many do not believe that such a world exists, but it
is very real. In 2 Kings 6:17, “Elisha prayed
and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see.”
Suddenly, his servant Gehazi could see God's weaponry all around,
protecting them from harm. This is the prayer we need to pray continually
for ourselves and for one another: "Open our
eyes, Lord, that we may see."
When John turned, he was confronted with "seven
golden lampstands" that must have seemed familiar. All of the
apostles had grown up with the Old Testament and all listened for three
years, while Jesus expounded on those Scriptures. Zechariah the Prophet
had been shown much, and at one point, an angel woke him out of sleep,
revealing "a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl
on top it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven
lamps" (Zechariah 4:2).
John was now looking at object(s) seen by the prophet
centuries before. He may have previously wondered what Zechariah’s vision
had meant, and now he would understand. When you don't comprehend a part
of Scripture; prayerfully ask the Lord, and moments, years or decades
later, God will answer those who yearn to understand.
Verse 13. “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.”
We will see that these “lampstands” represent
churches, and as we see from Zechariah 4:10, there is ONE lampstand, with
seven lamps that arise from it. In this vision of John, we learn what or
rather WHO that central “lampstand” is – His name is Jesus Christ. In
much the same manner, the “seven Spirits” of Revelation 1:4, are really
ONE Spirit – the Holy Spirit of God. If you do not have Jesus Christ at
the center of your religious organization; if the Holy Spirit is not the
source of your power, then your group has no standing before Almighty God
and is not part of His church.
It’s interesting that John saw the “lampstands”
(churches) first, and THEN his Lord, in the midst of them. It is our
tendency to see outward things and miss the reality at their source. Note
that Jesus was dressed in finery, as befits our King. The “gold” of the “lampstands”
is merely a reflection of Him. Jesus appeared in the human form through
which John had previously known Him. The robe is a priestly robe, and He
is not only our King and Lord, but also our High Priest, and just like He
could be known to John, He can be known by you and me.
Verse 14. “His head and His
hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame
of fire.”
John the Apostle may well have thought at that
moment, “I’ve been here before,” as he gazed anew at his Lord. What he
had seen for just a moment at the time of Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew
17:1-13), he now saw once more in the eternal and abiding form of the
risen Christ. Not only Jesus’ hair, but also His head was white as wool
or snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire. Both the utter whiteness
of His form and the flames in and around His Person, are seen in the Old
Testament.
In Daniel 7:9, we encounter the “Ancient
of days” with “the hair on His head like
pure wool.” Deuteronomy 4:24 presents “The
Lord thy God (as)
a consuming fire.”
All of this denotes not only the purity and utter holiness of Jesus
Christ, but also His role as Judge of all mankind. His white hair conveys
the wisdom of age (He’s from eternity), and the fire in His eyes depicts
His ability to respond with intelligence and also with wrath, when the
need arises.
Verse 15. “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.”
Dr. J. Vernon McGee
taught that "bronze" or "brass" (the Lord's feet in this verse), meant
"judgment" in Scripture. That’s certainly true, but I think even more is
involved. You may recall that Moses, at the command of God, made a bronze
serpent when Israel sinned (Numbers 21:9 & context). All the people had
to do was look at the serpent and they would be healed. We learn from
John 3:14-15, that the serpent pointed ahead to and represented Jesus
Christ. All we have to do is look to Him who died on the cross in our
place, and we will be healed - inside, where it really counts. Yes,
bronze represents judgment, but it's also - forgiveness! He paid the
price we could not afford to pay.
The feet represent the
part of the body that touches the earth. Jesus continued being God the
Son, but He also became a man, coming into this place for the express
purpose of dying in our place. He satisfied the holiness of God, who
decreed that "the wages of sin is death"
(Romans 6:23). The verse in Romans continues, "but
the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."
The powerful voice "like… many waters" in
our verse in Revelation is a reminder that Jesus Christ is and always was
infinitely more than a man - He is God, who entered humanity because He
knew our need; choosing to save you and me.
Verse 16. “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.”
We’ll see in verse 20, that the “seven stars”
represent the angelic beings that stand guard over the various parts of
God’s one church. Just like the hand, foot, nose, eyes, and so on, are
all parts of the human body, so God manifests Himself through angels to
people. He holds the angelic “stars” which hold the churches,
representing not only His complete authority over us, but also His divine
protection of you and me. We are safe in Him, directly, and also through
these heavenly protectors.
In Isaiah 49:2 and in other places, we discover that
the “sword” that comes out of His mouth, is the Word of God. In Ephesians
6:17, Paul describes the “sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God.” The Bible is POWERFUL, as both a
defensive and offensive weapon, in the hands of the one who TRUSTS in
God. Jesus was our ultimate Model of how a person should act on this
earth. In Matthew 4:1-11, we find that, when He “was
led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil,”
the weapon He used to parry and defeat the thrusts of the enemy, was the
Word of God.
Again we see Jesus with a face that shines so
intensely that we would be blinded, except we are also protected by Him.
Again, we are reminded of Deuteronomy 4:24, which states “The
Lord thy God is a consuming fire.” He is utterly holy and pure in
all His ways.
Verse 17. “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,’”
Now, there was a REASON
why John did not have to be afraid. The One in front of him was so
awesome that it was realistic for him to be terrified at that moment, and
initially, as we see in this verse, he WAS terrified and he fainted.
After all, not only was the appearance of the One who appeared to him
amazing in every way, but the transcending glory of who Jesus was, struck
John to the ground. Daniel did much the same (he fell down), as did
Ezekiel and many others.
There's a gospel song
that contains the words, "He touched me, and I
am no longer afraid." And that's the touch John received at that
moment. The touch of love he had received from His Lord, was now casting
out every fear. The statement that Jesus is “the
first and the last" is an indication that Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, is all-powerful and will judge this world, but we also see that He is
all-loving, and comforts those who are in need.
Verse 18. “and
the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I
have the keys of death and of Hades.”
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One of God,
is identifying Himself in these verses, lest any should fail to
understand. Many are "dead" - He is the
One who WAS dead and is now alive - forever! Muhammad lived to be 63;
then got sick and died. The one named Siddhartha Gautama, called the
"Buddha," is dead. Joseph Smith is dead. It's important to recognize
that, while there are those who have done or said interesting things and
have followers to this day - they're dead!
Jesus was seen by hundreds of people after He rose
from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:6 & context). They touched Him, looked at
Him, and heard His voice (1 John 1:1 & context). Such people are
eyewitnesses who left their report about what they saw and heard - we
should LISTEN to them. The Bible is not a dead record of "do's and
don'ts" - it's the living testimony of those who have encountered the
living God. Jesus is alive forever and He has the "keys"
that will release you from death and "hades"
(hell). "In Christ, all shall be made alive." TRUST in Him and He will
save you.
Verse 19. “Therefore
write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the
things which will take place after these things.”
This verse is what a "testimony" is all about. John
TRUSTED in the Lord. He openly LISTENED to Him, and then He was WILLING
to write about and tell what he had seen and heard. John the Apostle was
a "prophet," to whom God's intentions were shown. Much more than the
outward events of this world continually happen all around us. The wars
on earth are only reflective of the war for the souls of people that has
been occurring since the beginning of time.
In the Book of Revelation, we are taken behind the
scenes and shown not only how things really are, but also what will happen
at the end of time. This Book is very much like attending a play on a
stage. Normally, we are in the audience in one sense, and on the stage as
actors and actresses, in another. We watch and applaud, and/or recite our
lines, and then our time in the "play" is over. In this Book, we are
taken behind the scenes, and are shown not only current events, but also
those that will occur after we are gone. John would write, and we are to
prayerfully see and understand that which the Lord reveals.
Verse 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.”
The parables in Scripture are wonderful, because they
draw our attention so deeply, and when we finally see their meaning, the
message really IMPACTS our understanding! A parable can be called a "mystery,"
because it is often difficult to understand at first. Always remember
that the purpose of the parable or mystery is not to conceal or hide God
and the things of God, but to ultimately REVEAL everything to those who
love Him. If you trust in the Lord with all your heart, listen to His
Spirit and look to Him, His intention is that you will see - EVERYTHING!
The "seven stars" in
the protective hand of Jesus Christ, are shown to be the "angels"
or messengers of the Lord. Notice that the angels are in His hand and are
therefore dependant on Him. The "seven golden
lampstands" are the seven churches themselves. The oil in those
lamps is the Holy Spirit of God, sent from Him. The number "seven"
in Scripture is an expression of completeness. In Genesis Chapter One, we
see that God "rested" on the seventh day
of creation. He rested because it was FINISHED. There are MANY angels
that watch over and comfort those in His church. The ones in this verse
are those with the highest delegated authority over all who trust in the
Lord.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
P.O. Box 92131
Long Beach, CA
90809-2131 USA
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
