Revelation 1:10-20

Notes for Revelation lessons are >>>HERE<<<

The original, complete audio for Revelation Chapter 1 can be found >>>HERE<<<

John was banned to the Island of Patmos and was given a vision in which he was told to write what he saw. Part of the revelation given him related to local churches to which John ministered before being incarcerated. Each one of the churches has an associated city name, and the name identifies the character of that church. It’s fascinating how these names were given to those cities just so that they would reflect those churches at the right time in history. Additionally, John puts them in a particular order, beginning with Ephesus, so that he can reveal to us the progress of the Church through the ages. I don’t think anyone would question we are living in the Laodicean age which was a lukewarm church as judged by Jesus in the vision. The next video will cover those churches (Revelation Chapters two and three.)

What would you do if you heard the voice of a trumpet behind you? You would do what John did in Revelation 1:12, namely, “turn to see the voice that spoke with me, and having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, but the seven golden lampstands are pictures of the churches I saw.” The lampstands John sees are not “under a basket” but lights to the world. John also sees “one like the Son of Man” in the midst of the lights. Why would John say it that way? Well, he knew “the Son of Man” well, didn’t he? While Christ was on this earth, who was the closest disciple to Him? John knew him better than anyone else. The phrase “Son of Man” also harkens to Daniel Chapter seven, where you’ll remember Daniel saw the “Ancient of Days” seated on the throne. That was God, the Father, and “one like the Son of Man.”

John sees Jesus Christ clothed with a garment “down to His feet, and He is girded about the chest with a golden band.” Now, in the ancient world, the higher your rank, the wider your belt. The widest belt or golden band from your waist up to the chest speaks of His deity and authority. His head and his hair were white which connotes purity, and the holiness of God. His eyes “a flame of fire” speaks of judgment. He is coming to judge those who belong to Him. Those who walk in fellowship with him have nothing to fear. His eyes were a flame of fire and notice His feet were like, fine brass. An Old Testament idea of burnished bronze was judgment as it had been purified through fire. You’ll remember Peter talks to us about the fact that, “our faith being more precious than gold tried with fire, may be found onto praise, honor and glory of a Lord Jesus Christ.” So, our faith has to go through the refining furnace, just like gold or here as burnished bronze or brass.

John heard “His voice was the sound of many waters.” If you’ve been in Niagara or Victoria Falls, you know that thundering sound. “He had in His right hand, seven stars, and out of His mouth went a two-edged sword.” There are two kinds of swords mentioned in Scripture. The Roman short sword measured from the elbow to the fingertip a broadsword which measured which could be 6 feet long. “His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last.’” That’s what Jesus would say to you and me, “Do not be afraid.” We have nothing to fear from our Savior. “I am He who lives and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore.” This speaks of His humanity. “I have the keys of Hades and death.” Why the keys of hell and death? He can open the “door to death” behind which you are locked and set you free. Or he can take the keys to hell and lock you in there for eternity. Jesus Christ alone has the power of life! One more note from this passage. “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.” The word “angel” means messenger. I take then that an angel of a church is the pastor, the messenger in that church. So the seven stars are the pastors of the churches and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches. John has made this easy for us because he has explained the meaning of the signs that he saw.

This world seems to be hurtling in the direction of the tribulation period. How important it is that we understand this book and know and apply it to our lives considering the nearness of the coming of our Lord. We should be challenged to do everything we can to bring other people who are saving knowledge of Christ and be faithful to His word in these perilous times.

Gene Cunningham - April 17, 2023

The Throne Room of God

Revelation 4:1 says, “After these things, I looked and behold the door standing open in heaven.” Very interesting that “standing open” is in the perfect tense, an indication that that door was opened at some point in the past and it's still open. I would take the point of opening as the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ, and the now opened the door, is for us to enter into the presence of God. When Jesus said, “it is finished” in John 19:30, His work on the cross was done. The penalty for sin was paid. The way into heaven was open. It won't be closed until time is done. So, the door was opened, and John says, “the first voice that I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me.” The trumpet takes us back to chapter one saying, “Come up here.” Remember the passage in First Thessalonians Chapter 4, “for the Lord will descend with a shout.” What do you think your shout is going to be? I think it's going to be, “Come up here.” “Come up here and I will show you things which much must take place.” Again, we have the phrase “after this” or better translated, “After these things.” Revelation 4:2-3 says, “Immediately,” John says, “I was in the spirit. And behold, a throne said in heaven. And one who sat on the throne and he who sat there was like a Jasper and sardius.” Jasper is clear and sardius is red. So what John sees is an image sitting on the throne, but he doesn't see the clear outlines face characteristics. In Revelation 4:3 he says, “and there was a rainbow around the throne in appearance like an emerald. What is the rainbow remind us of? Remember at the flood it was a promise of peace. So, I would take this as a symbol of peace. A rainbow around the throne and “an appearance like an emerald” is very interesting. From verse three on, what we're actually seeing is something very similar to what Daniel saw in Daniel 7:4-13. You remember he saw “the Ancient of Day” sitting on the throne, being approached by “one like the son of man.” So very, very similar. And again, the connections between Revelation and the Old Testament are everywhere. Revelation 4:4 says, “Around the throne, where 24 thrones and on the thrones, I saw 24 elders sitting clothed with white robes, and they had crowns of gold on their heads.” There are lots of arguments about who are the 24 elders. A lot of people think they're angels. I'm convinced they're not because of what we see in the context of the text. I think the 24 elders probably represent the church and probably we could look at them as maybe some of the great ones that come out of the church age, maybe the ones who excelled during the church age, but they represent the church as a whole. 24 elders sitting and they've got “white robes,” of course, white robes, picture of the righteousness of Christ. They had” crowns of gold on their head.” We know in the New Testament there are five different crowns promised to the overcomer, namely, those who overcome are promised a reward at the judgment seat of Christ. As our lives are evaluated by the Lord Jesus Christ, there are those that are going to receive the reward of a crown. By the way, the word “crown” “Stephanos” – “the Victor's crown.” So, this again relates back to the overcomer. Revelation 4:5 says, “From the throne proceeded lightning and thunder, rings and voices.” Wouldn't you like to know what they said? In Revelation 10:3-4 John says the thunder spoke again and as he was going to write down as a part of this book what the thunder said, he was told not to write. Isn’t it interesting? I don't know about you, but I've heard sermons on what the seven thunders said. The truth is, we don't know. God didn't tell us. We might be better off for not knowing. We were not allowed to know at this point. Verse 5 continues, “Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.” Why the seven spirits of God? Isaiah 11:1 says, “There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” It is interesting that the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to both as “the root” and the offspring of David. As God, He is “the root of David,” as man, He's the offspring. So we have the deity and humanity of Christ pictured. Isaiah 11:2 says, “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom, and understanding, the spirit of counsel, and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” I think all of these are simply expressing the character of the Holy Spirit. So I take this to be the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:6 says, “Before the Throne, there was a sea of glass like crystal.” What does that mean? I don't know. Obviously, it would imply purity. Later in the book, the sea is used as a picture of the nations. The multitudes of the nations could represent the multitudes of those who have been purified standing before the Lord. That would be the closest that I could give you. The verse continues, “sea of glass, like crystal in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.” Very interesting. Revelation 4:7 says, “The first living creature was like a lion. The second living creature was like a calf. The third living creature had the face of a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.” If you go back to Ezekiel chapter one these same creatures are not described in the same way, but they are described as a lion, a calf, a man and an eagle. Why is that? Well, one suggestion that's been presented, these four represent the story of the life of Christ. If you think about it, a gospel of Matthew presents Christ our King of Israel, symbol as lion Jesus -- the lion of the tribe of Judah. The Gospel of Mark presents Him as the calf, or Ox, a symbol of what is servant. It's interesting that the key word of the Gospel of Mark is immediately. It's a word that was specifically used of an obedient servant. It's translated “straightaway,” or “immediately” in the Gospel of Mark. Luke, of course, places emphasis on the humanity of Christ. Luke is a very human gospel, and it deals a lot with his interactions with the down and out people. And then, of course, the eagle Flying Eagle, a picture of the Gospel of John, The Deity of Christ. Revelation 4:7 says, “The four living creatures, each having six wings were full of eyes around and within.” The emphasis on eyes, I believe, has to do with divine intelligence or supernatural intelligence. What do our eyes through our eyes tell us? That's how we gather information. Revelation 4:8 says, “They do not rest day or night saying, Holy, holy, holy.” Where have we met these before? Is it Isaiah 6:3, “Holy, holy, holy.” Why three times? It's this Father, Son, Holy Spirit. “Holy, holy, Holy Lord, God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” Who’s that? Jesus Christ. Revelation 4:9-10 says, “Whenever the living creatures gave glory and honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before him, who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever and casts their crowns before the throne.” I’ve run into a lot of believers who say I'm not interested in eternal rewards. I don't care whether I get a crown or not. I'll just be happy to be there. We need to understand that winning the Crown is not for us. It's not to our credit. It's for His glory. Every one of us can win eternal rewards. He offers us the opportunity to live lives of faith and obedience so that we are, as he said in Matthew 6:20, laying up treasure in heaven. And what's the value of all that? All of it is going to speak to the glory of Christ. It's in honor of what He's done for us. It's a way of expressing, if you will, our gratitude for his sacrifice and our great salvation. So, they cast their crowns before the throne. Revelation 4:11 says, “You are worthy, oh Lord, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they exist and were created.” Now, bear in mind Who's sitting on the throne of God. The Father. Right? We're about to see the Lord Jesus come into the picture. So, God, the Father is sitting on the throne. And to God the Father, Glory, “honor and power for You created all things.” This is Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Right? What does John tell us in John 1:1? “In the beginning was the word. And the word was with God. And the word was God.” And then down in verse three, “all things were made by Him. And without Him was not anything made. It was made. So, who created” the Father or the Son? The answer is “yes!” They work together, right? In Proverbs 30, the question is asked “What is God's name? Do you know it? And what is his Son's name?” That's a very interesting question. You must wonder how many ancient Hebrews pondered on that and wondered, “What does this mean”? And of course, if they pondered long enough and searched the Old Testament scriptures enough, they would know.

Scripture References: Revelation 4:1-11