JESUS YESHUA MESSIAH is the LIGHT of the WORLD The APOCALYPSE Revelation Chapter 1, Verses 12-20 Revelation 1:12-15 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. I saw 7 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. 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. Verses 12 and 13 When John turns to see the One speaking to him, the first thing he see's is 7 golden "Lampstands" or candlesticks, in the midst of the churches. These were stands that hold oil lamps, candles (Candles were not invented until the middle ages.) Look what these lampstands represent. The gold speak of Christ in all His deity and glory. The lampstands themselves represent the 7 churches of Asia. The olive oil burning the lamps represents the Holy Spirit residing in the believers and moving in the churches. Read Zechariah 4:2 God is speaking Zechariah. He wakes him out of sleep to tell him this. The candlestick is an olive oil lampstand. It had 7 lamps all on the same level arranged under a reservoir bowl. Oil flowed from the bowl to keep the lamps full. The bowl of oil symbolized the inexhaustible and abundant power of God through the Holy Spirit. Each lamp had seven pipes or lips with a wick, giving 49 lights in all. These lamps represent God's people giving fullness of light to the world because of the abundant flow of the Holy Spirit. God was speaking here to Zechariah to a time in the future. Revelation 1:12 So even today though the church may be persecuted, the churches still have the power and warmth of the Spirit and the light of Christ to give to the world.
Verses 13-15 The clothing of Jesus indicates both priestly dignity and royal office. The "long robe" is like that worn by priest, judges, rulers, and kings. The "girdle" or belt, of pure gold around his chest is a mark of triumphant royalty, in contrast to the worker or servant who wore a belt of cloth or leather about the waist. The whiteness of his hair represents absolute purity and holiness, not old age. This is also a picture of Christ as the Ancient of Days, as being the eternal Lord of the universe. It is also possible that this is a picture of his sinlessness and purity of mind. Read Daniel 7:9 The eyes like "a flame of fire" speaks of His penetrating wisdom and righteous judgment. This also symbolizes a piercing, penetrating power. The see's everywhere, even in the dark places and behind closed doors. His eyes search the innermost recesses of the heart. He knows all. No one is able to hide from him nor can anyone hide anything from Him. The feet of "fine brass" as if they were burned in a furnace or fire refined bronze, speak of strength and perseverance, and of the sacrifice of Christ in his triumph over Satan. The voice of Jesus is the voice of God, coming as the voice of "many waters, full and strong" and with authority. It also thunders forth majestic rebuke, conviction and judgment. In this vision Jesus presents himself to John and the seven Churches as the one Mediator between God and mankind as well as the one in whom God himself lives fully. REMEMBER * MERCY!! John says that he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. The Lord's day probably meant Sunday What do you think in the Spirit means? This commentator says that it means that Christ put John in a trance. He gave John a deep spiritual experience that lifted his mind and spirit above this world and put hin in the very presence of Christ himself. While John is experiencing this intense move of the Spirit, the vision begins, and John hears a great voice behind him a voice that sounded like the call of a trumpet. What would he have written it on? Probably a roll of writing material about 15 or more feet long, made from the inner bark of the papyrus reed grown in the marshes of Egypt. But the first thing the Lord tells John is that he is Alpha and Omega. Then he instructs John to write what he see's in a book and send it to the 7 churches of Asia. And those seven churches were Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea O LORD! In Your righteous judgements ... REMEMBER MERCY!! JESUS CHRIST is ALIVE! Revelation 1:17-20 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. 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."
Revelation 1:16 The 7 STARS In His right hand He held 7 stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. The 7 stars in Jesus right hand represent either angels who are assigned, each to a church, to assist it in its spiritual warfare, but more than likely the leaders or pastors of these churches. - Daniel 12:3 Adam Clark commentary said this verse speaks of the faithful ministers of the gospel, in the day of judgment. The preachers outline and Sermon Bible said also that it was the ministers of the churches. But once again that was for then but it still can be applied to our day also. No persecutor, no enemy of the Church, will be able to stop them from leading the churches in doing the will of God and winning victories for him. The church today is still winning souls for Jesus, even though Satan has pulled out all the stops and is using every tactic to stop the preaching of the Gospel. Satan will never win, he is a loser. The two-edged sword represents the Word of God. It's also possible that the sword speaks of reproof and punishment to the churches, judgment beginning in the house of God. The Word of God is quick & powerful, & sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul & spirit, joints & marrow, and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12 His countenance is like the sun in his strength, that is the sun its full, summertime, noon day brilliance, a glory too bright for ordinary human eyes to endure. In his resurrection appearances his body was changed and freed from limits of time and space, his full glory veiled or hidden. And the full restoration of that glory did not take place until after the ascension, or so it seems anyway, because on the Damascus Road the light of His glory was enough to blind Saul. We can Worship Christ now, and the Holy Spirit makes us very much aware of His presence, but it won't be until we are changed at the resurrection and the rapture of the Church that we will be able to see Him in the fullness of his glory. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
Revelation 1:17-18 When Jesus prayed his high priestly prayer in John 17:5, He asked that the glory be restored that he had, had with the Father before the world was. Peter and James caught just a glimpse of his glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes glistened and glittered like lightning flashes. That was just a fortaste!! Saul fell before it on the road to Damascus. John here is not able to stand the full impact of the glory of God in Christ and falls into what must have been a unconscious state, or coma of some type. John says I fell at his feet as dead. Jesus lays his right hand on John. Why does Jesus use his right hand? Because this is the same right hand that held the 7 stars. John feels the same gentle touch and hears the same "fear not" that had so often encouraged him & the other disciples when Jesus ministered to them during His life here on earth. John must have such a sweep peace. Yet he gave John reassurance. He hadn't changed. He says I AM the First and the Last, the unchanging Christ, "the same yesterday, today, and forever. The beginning and the end. I am He that lives, and was dead, I am alive forevermore. He is the source of life and healing. He has the keys of hell and death. In the Old Testament it seems that God had the keys of death and Hades or sheol. Satan did not have the keys, since God, not Satan, hd control of what Satan could do. But now Jesus had the keys because God has given Him all power and authority in heaven and earth. So Jesus can deliver us from judgment and hell. He can unlock the keys of death and deliver us out of bondage. Verse 19 - a 3 fold plan for the Book of Revelation. 1. The vision in chapter 1 "The things which thou has seen" the vision of the glorified Christ. 2. Messages to the churches in chapters 2-3, "things which are", The state and condition of the churches. 3. Future events in chapters 4-22 the things which shall be. The coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ and the end of the world. Verse 20 Jesus explains the mystery, He explains to John the symbolism of the 7 stars and the 7 golden lampstands. The 7 stars are the angels or messengers of the 7 churches. They are probably the pastors of the churches, since John is writing the message to them, and since a star gives light and the pastors were the teachers and would be the ones to read the book aloud to the churches most likely. What is the symbol of the church, it holds forth the Light of the world, the glorious light of the Lord Jesus Christ.
