Imagine getting a letter addressed to you specifically from the Lord Jesus Christ. Dear Mary… Jeff… Brandon. The book of Revelation is a written account of what Jesus commissions the apostle John to write to the seven churches of Asia Minor - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. And within the entire book of Revelation, there are specific words that Jesus addresses to each of the churches. 

Imagine the weightiness of receiving these letters! It would be exciting… not like the excitement of receiving a party invitation… something far more significant. Let me give you an example. The letter to the church in Pergamum begins this way, 

The words of Him who has the sharp two-edged sword. I know where you dwell…

Woah. What an introduction. Well, next week we are going to dive into those letters and work our way through each one. They are not only for those seven churches. They are for us! The specific situations and events they were facing were unique for the seven churches in the first century, but the application is ever-relevant. So what does the Lord Jesus want to say to Real Life Church? In these letters, He will address us.

But today, I thought it would be good to finish our Revelation 1. Last week Reid took the first eight verses, and so I will take verses 9-20 today. There is so much here and I won’t give full attention to everything. We often hold the words of God too lightly. Commands we take as suggestions. Warnings as mere empty threats. And promises as too fantastical to believe. Often the words are in the arena with words/messages, competing for our time, attention, and allegiance. And it shouldn’t be that way. Jesus ends each of the letters to the seven churches with the same sobering, somewhat ominous words

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

Why does he say that? Apparently, there are two ways of hearing. There is hearing that leads to faith-filled action. And there is hearing that goes no further than entering our brains. Jesus said the wise man who built his house on the rock is the one heard and did what he said. The foolish heard, but didn’t do what he said. So we want to have ears to hear what the Spirit says… which means hearing with faith, leading to action. There is only one letter that has no correction or word of rebuke - the one to the church in Philadelphia. All the others have at least some words that bring correction or strong word of rebuke, and we should earnestly desire to hear those from Jesus: 

You have left your first love, You are putting up with false teaching. You are lukewarm.

Well, to help I want to look at the remainder of Revelation 1. Here we see the majesty and meekness of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, the way John describes the Lord Jesus is exalted beyond measure. And he responds as you would expect someone who is in the presence of a Holy God. But then we see incredible meekness or condescension of Christ as well. He doesn’t leave John writhing on the ground. But comforts him. 

Our text begins in verse 9 where John introduces himself as both a brother and partner with those he is writing to. Amazing. Even though he is receiving such amazing revelations of Jesus Christ, John still doesn’t elevate himself above those he serves. He doesn’t say, “I am the exalted apostle…” The second word he uses to describe himself is especially noteworthy. He says, “I am your partner”. The word partner is the idea of being a fellow companion in something. And he mentions three things that he was a partner with them in:

1. The tribulation. Interesting. John here says to these first century Christians, “I am a partner with you in the (definite article) tribulation”. What they were facing or about to face, John was a partner with them in that tribulation. 

2. But he was also a partner with them in the Kingdom. They had been brought into the Kingdom that cannot be shaken, and John too was a partner with them in the deep and profound blessings found in the Kingdom. 

3. And third, John said he was a partner with them in the patient endurance or perseverance. This is a pervasive theme throughout the book of Revelation. The call to perseverance. The Chrsitian life is not a short sprint, but a grueling, rugged endurance run. And John says, “I am with you in this”. 

Next, John tells us the occasion of his writing. He was on the Island of Patmos which was an island used by the Roman emperor for political prisoners. It was a prison island. And John tells us he was there on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. It is incredible the days in which we live. Just last week, I heard that the Prime Minister of Canada is pushing legislation that would give a maximum penalty of life in prison for hate speech. And when you realize that hate speech for him includes saying what the word of God says about marriage, sex, and gender, you get a sense of the evil of the day in which we live. But John tells us this is precisely why he was on this prison island - “on account of the word of God”

And while on Patmos, John was in the Spirit and he heard a loud voice, like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches…” John turned… and what he saw was the exalted majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ! 

John recorded for us what he saw… and my prayer is that we would get a spiritual glimpse of the majesty of Christ. God help us… 

** Christ’s Glorious Appearance (v. 12-16)

Verse 12 says, 

On turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands, one like a son of man.

One like a son of man. Clearly he looked like a man. But this is not a reference merely to his humanity. This is a clear allusion to Daniel 7:13-14 which says,

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

What’s going on here? This is a reference to the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. He comes on the clouds and is presented before the Ancient of Days, which is a reference to God. This is the exaltation of the Lord Jesus when he received unparalleled and unrivaled authority and dominion. Jesus himself said after his resurrection, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth”. John’s vision here, mirroring Daniel’s before is of Jesus Christ, the crowned King. 

And yet, he is standing in the midst of the seven golden lampstands… what’s that? The seven churches. Verse 20 says the lampstands are the churches. And notice, Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory stands in the midst of them. This is amazing. Jesus is not aloof from his church. He is not indifferent. He identifies with them. He is intimately acquainted with them. He sees them. He knows them. He has THE accurate assessment of what is going on, what ought to be commended and what needs to be corrected. He is in the midst of the churches. Jesus loves His church. It’s his bride. She is precious to him. And even when he needs to bring a strong warning or needs to discipline, it comes not from a distance, but in the midst of her. Next John reveals what Jesus looks like. 

He was clothed in a long robe. This is the royal robe of a King. It was common for a monarch, during the coronation ceremony, to wear a long robe such that attendants had to carry the train. Queen Elizabeth’s robe was about 21 feet long. Remember what Isaiah saw?: “The LORD high and lifted up and the train of his robe filled the temple”. Jesus Christ was clothed in a long robe.

Next, it says, he wore a golden sash around his chest. This is the breastpiece of the high priest. Remember when Aaron was instructed to wear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece, close to his heart, when he entered the Holy Place to bring them in remembrance before the Lord (Exodus 28:29). Think of how glorious this is! Our names are written on the heart of the Lord Jesus as he ever lives to intercede as our High Priest. We sing of this! “My name is graven on his hands. My name is written on his heart!” It’s true, if you are in Christ!

Next, “the hairs of his head a white, like white wool, like snow.” Matthew Henry made this observation: “He is the Ancient of Days (white), but even the hair of his head showed now sign of decay, but rather was a crown of glory.” 

His eyes were like a flame of fire. Piercing, penetrating, burning eyes. He sees into the very depths of men’s souls. With a look, scatters the proud. 

His feet were like burnished bronze. Again Matthew Henry is helpful when he says this communicates to us that, “His feet are strong and steadfast, supporting him in his own interests, subduing his enemies, treading them to powder”. 

His voice was like the roar of many waters. David Livingstone in his expedition through South Africa, discovered (not the first obviously) Victoria Falls - which he named after Queen Victoria. But the indigenous people had another name for Victoria Falls. They called it “The smoke that thunders” (explain). There are 300,000 gallons of water that pour over the falls every second. Now imagine sitting standing at the bottom of Victoria Falls. The sound. Deafening. The Lord Jesus Christ’s voice is like the roar of many waters. Do we have ears to hear?

In his right hand, he held seven stars. Verse 20 tells us the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. The word angel (Gk: angelos) simply means messenger - whether human or heavenly. John the Baptist was called an angelos in Mark 1:2. So these could be human messengers or heavenly. I tend to believe that they are human messengers - perhaps the pastor of each church. But either way, it doesn’t change the content of the messages.

From his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword. This refers to His word. It’s sharp, like a sword. Hebrews 4:12 says, “the word of God is living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword…” It is able to pierce hearts in order to expose and lay bare all that needs to be exposed and bring powerful transformation, like heart transplant surgery. 

His face was like the sun shining in full strength. The face of Jesus was too brilliant, too bright to behold by mortal eyes. Remember when God told Moses, “No man can see my face and live” (Exodus 33:20). You would suffer permanent retinal damage if you looked at the sun for about 60 seconds. The face of Jesus was so resplendent in glory, as God told Moses, it would kill you. John was absolutely overpowered by the site of the glory of Christ. Verse 17 says,

** John’s overwhelmed response (v. 17a)

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead…

John is absolutely overwhelmed at the site of the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you ever heard the phrase “playing possum”? It used to be believed that a possum would “play” dead when it faced a serious threat. It has been discovered that possums are not playing at all. When they face a threat so they feel their life is in danger, they go into an involuntary comatose-like state. They go limp. Their body shuts down. That can actually happen to humans too. A few years ago I was listening to an interview with a guy who was hunting for elk on Afognak island - an island that is close to Kodiak Island in Alaska. Afognak has the most dense brown bear population in the world and the largest brown bears in the world. This guy said he and some friends were sitting down eating sandwiches not too far from the elk carcass when a huge brown bear rushed them. He said for about 30 seconds, he went limp. His body shut down - like a possum. I think that is kind of what happened to John here, except it was a fear on a completely different level. 

And it’s worth noting, this is John - the beloved disciple. The one who was leaning up against the breast of Jesus at the last supper. He did not feel like leaning up against him. He fell down at his feet as though dead. We see this in other places in scripture. Daniel (twice), Isaiah, Joshua, Moses. Maybe the one that is the most strikingly similar is Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel describes what he saw in a vision, and verse 28 says:

Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face. 

** Christ’s Condescension (v. 17b-20)

But here is where we see the glorious meekness of Christ. His amazing condescension. John is on the ground like a dead man; maybe he thinks at any moment he will be incinerated, and this happens:

But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not. I am the first and the last, and the living One. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore , and I have the keys of Death and Hades…”

First he puts his right hand on him. He doesn’t leave John in terror, on the ground. He goes to him. He tells John, “don’t be afraid”. Then he reminds John he is the beginning and the end - a clear reference to his deity - the Alpha and Omega. He is living One. The One who rose from the dead. He is the One who died, but is alive forevermore. And then this statement… so epic. We need to hear this:

I have the keys of Death and Hades. 

The One who defeated death and rose from the grave has the keys. The devil does not. Evil men, pretending to be gods do not. Jesus Christ does. Then he recommissions John. For the second time, he tells him “write this down”. He doesn’t generically tell him to share what he sees, but write it down. The word translated “write” is the verbal form of the noun that is translated scripture. 

All scripture is breathed out by God… and profitable for teaching, for correction, for reproof, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent and complete for every good work.

This word is for us! These seven letters are for us! These are the words of the risen, sovereign, unrivaled King of the universe - not just for the seven churches of ancient Asia Minor, but for us! There are so many voices competing for our attention… but there is ONE we need to listen to. We ignore it at our own peril - eternal peril. I want to close with the words the Father spoke to the disciplines on the Mount with Jesus when he was transfigured… and they got a preview of coming attractions to what John saw here in Revelation 1. Do you remember what the Father said? “This is my beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5). 

Let’s pray.