 
Outline of Chapter 1
The Superscription
1
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his
servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by
his angel unto his servant John: The
Revelation was:
From God...
To Christ...
To an angel...
To John...
For Christ's servants.
The word "signified" simply
means that it was delivered with signs.
That which was to be written was
the "things which must shortly come to pass."
The vast majority of all that is recorded in Revelation happened right around
that time period.
There are a few portions that deal with "final" things to come such
as the resurrection and the judgment but the majority was to shortly come to
pass.
This refutes the view that all the signs in Revelation are referring to events
unfolding throughout history.
2 Who bare
record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all
things that he saw. John
assures us that his account is accurate. A look at John from Chapter 1:
He is the Lord's servant (1:1) He
is one who bore witness of all that he saw:
As an eyewitness of the life of
Christ (John
1:1-4; 20:30-31).
As a recipient of the visions recorded in the book of Revelation.
He is a brother to the seven churches.
In the kingdom (1:9)
In tribulation (1:9)
He is on Patmos:
For the Word of God.
For the Testimony of Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed is
he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those
things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. A
blessing is pronounced on those who read or hear, and keep the things which are
written in this book. Notice
that you have to KEEP the things written.
James
1:22; Be doers and not hearers only.
James
2:15-26; Faith without works is dead.
It is so important to keep the things written because the time is at hand.
Those who say that Revelation is
strictly a foretelling of future events have a problem with this view. How
do you "keep" historical events.
The Salutation
4
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from
him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits
which are before his throne; The
specific recipients were the seven churches of Asia. They are:
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum,
Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea
Why these seven? There were
other congregations in Asia.
Seven represents fullness or
completeness.
The problems that these church had completely or fully represent qualities of
the Lord's church today. Combinations of these characteristics are
present in all congregations of the Lord's church today. The
characteristics are therefore timeless.
"Grace" = God's unmerited
favor on the churches (Eph
2:5).
"Peace" = The peace
that comes from being a Christian (Phil
4:7).
This grace and peace comes from all
three persons of the Godhead.
"From him which is, and which
was, and which is to come"
God is the eternally existing
one. The great I AM of Exodus. He is eternal in the direction of
the past as well as the direction of the future. I believe that this is
talking specifically about the father. However, the Son is also eternal
(John 1:1-4)
and the Holy Spirit is eternal (Hebrews
9:14).
"And from the seven spirits
which are before His throne" (4:5;
5:6)
Seven denotes perfection, nothing
lacking. I believe this is talking about the Holy Spirit, the second
Person of the Godhead. Notice that the Father is mentioned before and
the Son is mentioned after. Grace and peace comes from all three persons
of the Godhead. The spirits being before God's throne most likely means
that the Spirit is ready to do the Father's bidding. Jesus told us that
the Spirit is subject to the Father (John
16:13).
5 And from
Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead,
and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us
from our sins in his own blood,6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and
his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Christ
is indeed a faithful witness.
He came to bear witness of the
truth (John
18:37). He never lacked
courage or compromised. There
was no guile (lying) found in His mouth (I
Peter 2:22).
Christ is also the first begotten of
the dead.
This is not referring to chronology
but to His preeminence. Many
people had risen to the dead but He is the preeminent. Paul
attributes this to him in Colossians
1:18. Christ was the first
one to rise to never die again.
By dying and rising from the dead,
Christ became the ruler of those who had killed Him.
He has all power in heaven and in
earth (Matt
28:18). He is the King of
kings and Lord of lords (I
Tim 6:15).
But how is Christ the prince of the
kings of the earth? How does he rule the nations?
Daniel
2:20-21; He removes kings and sets up kings.
Daniel
4:25b; The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.
Isaiah
50:-5-7; Assyria is described as God's destroying rod.
Jer 51:1-2,
11, 20-23;
Babylon was to be destroyed by God's battle axe, the Medes.
Hab 1:5-6;
God would raise up the Chaldeans to do His will.
Amos 3:6;
A city has never fallen that God has not destroyed it.
In the New Testament:
Matt
24:27; The destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans was a work of God.
John
19:10-11; Pilate only had power because God gave it to him.
Romans 13:1-7;
There is no power but that is ordained of God.
Next there is a doxology to
Christ.
He loved us and washed us from our
sins in His own blood.
God demonstrated His love for us in Christ's death (Romans
5:6-8; I
John 3:16).
We contact that blood through baptism (Acts
22:16; Romans
6:3-4).
Christ has made us kings and priests
unto the Father.
Christians are a royal priesthood (I
Peter 2:9).
"Dominion" = rule or
sovereignty.
Christ received his kingdom when He
ascended to the Father (Daniel
7:13-14).
7 Behold, he
cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced
him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Christ
was taken up in a cloud and would return in a cloud (Acts
1:9-11). ALL
will see Him. It will not be in secret as some teach. Even those who
crucified Him will see Him (Phil.
2:10-11). Those
who have rejected Him will wail when he comes back. 8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is,
and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. This
is probably speaking about Christ but some think the Father is speaking here. Alpha
and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Therefore,
God is saying that He is the beginning and end. He is all inclusive. God
is timeless. This
served as encouragement to those who were undergoing persecution and should also
encourage us today also.
John's Charge to Write
9
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the
kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for
the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. The
actual meaning of the verses is that the kingdom, tribulation and patience are
all in Christ and that they all share these things. He
says that he is in the kingdom with them.
The kingdom was already in
existence! The kingdom is the
church (Matt
16:18-19). Colossians
1:13.
He tells the seven churches that he
is their brother and fellow partaker in their tribulation (John
16:33). With
the kingdom and tribulation come patience.
The steadfast endurance to overcome
tribulation (James
1:2-4).
John then tells us where he was when
he received his vision.
He was on the isle called
Patmos. (see introduction). He
was on the island for two reasons: For
the word of God. For the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
10 I was in
the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a
trumpet, John
had the Holy Spirit in a greater measure than we do today. Acts
2. The
Lord's day is referring to the first day of the week. No Old Testament
writer ever referred to the Sabbath as the Lord's day. Look
at the prominence of the first day of the week to Christians.
Jesus was raised from the dead on
the first day of the week (Mark
16:9). When the day is
identified, every appearance of Christ to His disciples after His resurrection
was on the first day of the week. The
church of Christ was established on the first day of the week (Acts
2). The first century church
assembled for worship on the first day of the week (Acts
20:7). The Lord's supper was
eaten on the first day of the week (Acts
20:7). Saints are commanded
to give on the first day of the week (I
Cor 16:1-2).
John hears a great voice behind him
that sounds like a trumpet. 11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest,
write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto
Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis,
and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. Christ
identifies Himself as the first and the last (see v.8). John
is told to write the things he SEES and send it to the seven churches of Asia.
John's Vision of Christ
12
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven
golden candlesticks; John
turns to see the speaker (a voice is invisible). He
sees seven golden lampstands or candlesticks. Verse
20 tells us that the seven candlesticks are the seven churches.
Lampstands serve to support and
provide light. If they do not use this, they are worthless. Matthew
5:14-16. Each lampstand was
separate from the others, unlike the one in the tabernacle of the Old
Testament. This could represent the independence of each church.
13 And in
the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a
garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. The
churches are inseparable from their head (Colossians
2:18). Christ
moves around among His churches and knows everything about them. His
clothing suggests an high office. Someone of great importance. 14
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were
as a flame of fire; His
hair is described as being as white as white wool. See Daniel
7:9.
White signifies purity and
holiness. Could also signify His
pre-existence.
Eyes were like a flame of fire:
They peer deep inside (John
2:25). As our judge and
ruler (Hebrews
4:13). Christ's eyes:
Were filled with wrath and
indignation (Mark
3:5). Were filled with
love (Mark
10:21). Were filled with
pity and compassion (Luke
22:61).
15 And his
feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the
sound of many waters. Feet
like fine brass....as if they burned in a furnace.
When the Lord comes in judgment He
will tread under feet and turn to ashes all that His feet touch. All
enemies will be placed under Christ's feet (1
Cor 15:25; Acts
2:34-36).
His voice was as the sound of many
waters.
See Daniel
10:6. His voice is powerful,
strong, resolute. Focusing on what it will be like at the Judgment. His
voice can be comfortable (Zech
1:13), like a mother comforting her children (Isaiah
66:17). He will speak peace unto His children (Psalm
85:8).
16
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp
twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. Holding
seven stars in His right hand...
The right hand represents power and
strength (Psalm
110:1; Hebrews
1:3-4). The stars represent
the angels of the seven churches (1:20).
The word "angel" means
"messenger."
Thus, Christ upholds the messengers
of the church with His powerful hand. What a comfort!
Out of His mouth went a sharp
two-edged sword...
The word of God is the two edged
sword (Hebrews
4:12). This is emphasizing
it being used in judgment (John
12:48). Notice its other
uses in Revelation (2:12,
16).
Countenance was as the sun shining in
his strength...
"Countenance" =
"Appearance" I
Timothy 6:15-16.
Charge to Write Restated
17
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon
me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: John
was as dead. See Isaiah
6:5; Ezekiel 1:28;
3:23; 43:3;
Daniel 8:17;
Matt 17:6.
Seeing the glory of Christ should have this effect on us as well. Christ
reassures John. Only His enemies need to fear His appearance. 18
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death. The
fact the Christ is alive forevermore should comfort us. A
key symbolizes power or authority over something (Matt
16:19). Christ
says that He has power over death and Hades.
"Hell" should be
translated "Hades." Hades = unseen. At
Christ's coming, He will empty Hades (John
5:28-29; I
Thess 4:14). I
Corinthians 15:54-58!!!
19 Write the
things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which
shall be hereafter; The
charge to write is restated. 20
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven
golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and
the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. See
discussion of verses 12 and 16. What
a glorious image of Christ we see in this chapter. It should serve to
encourage all Christians who read to know that the one they serve is alive
forevermore.
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