Revelation Chapter 1
(Rev 1:1-2) The Revelation of Jesus Christ
This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John, who testified to God's word, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ (vs 1)
The Book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. If you miss this point, you miss the main subject of the Book. Yes, there are many exciting and amazing events, but the Revelation of Jesus is what we should be excited about. How this world needs the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The Righteous Judge Who extends His Grace and forgiveness to all who put their hope in Him! (Greg Mason)
The head of your King James Bible says "The Revelation of St. John the Divine." That is not accurate. That is man's heading. The book of Revelation does not reveal St. John the Divine. It reveals Jesus Christ. We get the truth in verse one: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." The word revelation is a translation of the Greek word "apokalypsis" which literally means "unveiling." (Chuck Smith)
...things which must happen soon (vs 1)
Many have wondered why the things that are written here in the Book of Revelation haven't been fulfilled since it is things which must happen soon, but the word soon can have the idea of "rapid execution." Once the event begins it will rapidly take place. (Greg Mason)
Soon is the ancient Greek phrase en tachei, which means ” ‘quickly or suddenly coming to pass,’ indicating rapidity of execution after the beginning takes place. The idea is not that the event may occur soon, but that when it does, it will be sudden.” (Walvoord)
(Rev 1:3) Be blessed by reading, hearing, and doing.
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. (vs 3)
Many have been told that the Book of Revelation is to hard to understand, and that we should just wait and see how things pan out. But I would say read it! Blessed are those who read, hear, and keep those things which are written in it. (Greg Mason)
Fortunately, John didn’t say that we had to understand everything in the Book of Revelation to be blessed. There are some difficult things in this book that may only be understood as we look back at fulfilled prophecy; but we can be blessed by reading and hearing even when we don’t understand. (David Guzik)
This verse gives us the beatitude of Bible study. This is the first of seven beatitudes found in the Book of Revelation. This verse says, "Blessed is he that readeth," and that means the reader, or in the church, the teacher. Both those who read this book and those who hear it will be blessed. And both the reader and the hearer are to keep those things which are written in the book. (J. Vernon McGee)
(Rev 1:4-6) To Him who loves us, and washed us from our sins
John, to the seven assemblies (churches) that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; 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 washed us from our sins by his blood; and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
John, to the seven assemblies (churches) (4)
John writes to seven churches that are in Asia. Why seven? There were certainly more than seven in Asia (modern day Turkey).
As you go through the Book of Revelation you are going to see the number seven used many times.
The number seven here means complete. It would "indicate the complete church." These seven churches represented all the churches as a whole. (Greg Mason)
The number seven is mentioned over and over throughout this prophecy. Seven is sometimes called God's perfect number because it represents completeness or totality. Seven days make a complete week, seven notes comprise the musical scale, and seven colors are in the rainbow. Thus, seven churches would indicate the complete church. (Chuck Smith)
Seven Spirits (4)
The seven spirits are not seven angels at the throne. If they were angels, the text would say so. Since they join with the Father and with Christ in sending the message, they must be one with God and should be recognized as the seven-fold Holy Spirit. This sevenfold nature of the Spirit presumably speaks of His ministry in the whole world (note John 16:8; also II Chronicles 16:9). There is also a possible reference to Isaiah 11:2, which speaks of “the Spirit of the LORD” resting on the coming Messiah. He is there called “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” (Henry Morris)
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. (5)
Within this simple greeting can be found a neglected doctrine of paramount importance: the Trinity. The greeting is from each member of the Trinity: from Him who is and who was and who is to come (the Father), from the seven Spirits who are before His throne (the Holy Spirit), and from Jesus Christ (the Son). Before we have even begun to plumb the depths of the amazing statements made concerning Christ in the verses to follow, His divinity is already in plain view before us. (Tony Garland)
...the firstborn of the dead...(5)
Many cults will try to use the term firstborn to suggest that Jesus was a created being, but the Word of God clearly teaches that Jesus is God. Firstborn simply means preeminent. "Greatest in importance or degree or significance or achievement." (Greg Mason)
Firstborn from the dead: This speaks to Jesus’ standing as pre-eminent among all beings, that He is first in priority. Firstborn from the dead means much more than that Jesus was the first person resurrected. It also means that He is pre-eminent among all those who are or will be resurrected. Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29). (David Guzik)
...the ruler of the kings of the earth (5)
The rule of Jesus over the kings of the earth is by divine right, not by the willing acceptance of the kings themselves. For the world will reject the reign of God. The arrival of God's kingdom on earth is a major theme of this prophecy given through John and culminates in the destruction of the armies of the kings of the earth at the Second Coming of Christ (Rev. 19:11-21). (Tony Garland)
To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood (5)
For the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanses a man from all sin. In His love, Jesus shed His blood and washed you from all of your sins. For "all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6). He died in our place. (Chuck Smith)
he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father (6)
In the kingdom age we will be a kingdom of priests, going before Christ for the people and representing Christ to the people. "To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (Chuck Smith)
(Rev 1:7) He will Come in the Clouds for all to see and all will mourn.
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
...and every eye will see him... (7)
There is no indication that the world as a whole will see Christ at the time of the rapture of the church. At His coming to establish His kingdom, however, all will see Him. Especially mentioned is the fact that they who pierced Him will behold His coming. This creates a problem in that those who crucified Christ are now dead. The difficulty is solved by reference to Zechariah 12:10 where Jehovah declares, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” Not only Israel as a nation shall behold Him, but also “all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” This expression is almost identical to that found in Matthew 24:30, where it states, “Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn.” (Unknown Author)
...those who pierced him (7)
John had actually seen Jesus “pierced” on the cross. He recalled the great prophecy of Zechariah 12:10, which, almost five hundred years in advance of its fulfillment, amazingly revealed that God’s chosen people would not only reject their Messiah when He came, but would even pierce Him unto death. (Henry Morris)
This is a reference to a prophecy in Zechariah, the 12th chapter, where we are told that when he appears those who pierced him shall look upon him and shall mourn for him with a great mourning. They shall ask him "What are these wounds in your hands," and he will say, "Those which I received in the house of my friends..." (Zechariah 13:6 KJV). (Ray Stedman)
All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. (7)
I believe this is a reference to that great event that is described in Philippians, the second chapter. There we are told that, "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father," (Philippians 2:10-11 NIV). At last men will realize, in the appearance of the Lord himself, where they have stood in relationship to him. They will mourn because they will see how terribly they have treated him and his work for them upon the cross. (Ray Stedman)
(Rev 1:8) Alpha and the Omega
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, "says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
I am the Alpha and the Omega...(8)
David Guzik refers to the Alpha and the Omega by saying, "In many translations, and in “Red-Letter” editions, these words are in red. This shows that the translators believed that these were the words of Jesus. John was finished with his introduction, and now Jesus introduced Himself. After all, it is His revelation (the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Revelation1:1), so it isn’t strange that He introduces it.
The idea behind these titles for Jesus is that He is before all things and will remain beyond all things. Alpha was the first letter of the ancient Greek alphabet, and Omega was the last letter. Jesus says, “I am the ‘A to Z,’ the Beginning and the End.”
If Jesus is both the Beginning and the End, then He also has authority over everything in-between. This means that Jesus has a plan for history, and He directs the path of human events toward His designed fulfillment. Our lives are not given over to blind fate, to random meaninglessness, or to endless cycles with no resolution. Instead, Jesus Christ who is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End directs all of human history and even our individual lives.
..."who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."(8)
As shown in the comments on Revelation 1:4, this phrase communicates the idea behind the great Old Testament name for the Triune God, Yahweh. It reflects His eternal nature and His unchanging presence. Jesus has this eternal nature just as much as God the Father does. Micah 5:2 prophetically expressed it this way: Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. Hebrews 13:8 expressed it this way: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (David Guzik)
The Almighty: This word Almighty translates the ancient Greek word pantokrater, which literally means “the one who has his hand on everything.” It speaks of the great sovereign control of Jesus over everything – past, present, and future. (David Guzik)
(Rev 1:9) John exiled on the Island of Patmos
I John, you brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God's Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John, the overseer of the church in Ephesus, was exiled to the Island of Patmos because of the Word of God and his testimony of Jesus Christ. According to Eusebius, the church historian, John was boiled in oil. This, though, had no adverse effect on him, and he was sent to the small, craggy, rocky Island of Patmos off the coast of Asia Minor, about thirty-two miles from Ephesus in the Aegean Sea. John was exiled to the Island of Patmos because God had a special message to give him. God had to get him in a quiet place, away from the disturbances and pressures of the church in Ephesus. Whether or not he was still on the Island of Patmos when he actually wrote the letter is uncertain. After his exile on Patmos (c. 96 A.D.), John returned to Ephesus where he eventually died. It is possible that when he came back to Ephesus John wrote this book of Revelation, the last of the New Testament canon of Scriptures. (Chuck Smith)
John tells us that all this happened to him one Sunday morning when he was on the island of Patmos, a tiny island only 4 miles wide and 6 miles long, just off the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea. There the Roman Empire maintained certain mines and quarries, and John, apparently, was banished to this island because of his testimony and preaching of Jesus. He was a prisoner on Patmos. (Ray Stedman)
(Rev 1:10-11) John is commanded to write
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet saying, "What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
I was in the Spirit... (10)
All prophetic revelation has its origin in the Holy Spirit (2Pe. 1:20-21) and never from man (Gal. 1:12-16). Mysteries, things which are unknown and unknowable by man, are revealed only by the Spirit (Eph. 3:3). Often, spiritual revelation by the Holy Spirit involves a transporting of the prophet, physically or in a vision, to a different location where information is revealed (Eze. 8:3; 11:24; 37:1; Dan. 8:2; 2Cor. 12:2; Rev. 4:2; 17:3; 21:10).
Here, John mentions he was in the Spirit indicating that what he is about to describe involves supernatural revelation by means of a vision. This statement puts an end to all speculation as to the motives and inititives of John himself in writing the book of Revelation. For John didn’t write the book, he recorded it!
Revelation from the Spirit is found both in the OT and NT. Being ‘in the Spirit’ in the sense John describes is not something initiated by man. It is a sovereign action initiated by God in order to impart divine instruction. As Ezekiel describes it: “the hand of the Lord was upon him” (Eze. 1:3).(Tony Garland)
...on the Lord's Day (10)
Many view on the Lord's Day as the first day of the week (Sunday) when Christians would come together for weekly worship, yet others would view this as the end time Judgment of God mentioned many times in the Bible as The Day of the Lord. (Greg Mason)
Understanding this term to refer to the “day of the Lord” emphasizes that the events which transpire in the third division of the book (“things which shall be hereafter”) are events which take place during the “day of the Lord,” a future time which begins at the Great Tribulation and concludes with the judgment of the Great White Throne at the end of the Millennium, and specifically ties in the prophecies of this book with the rest of Scripture relating to this coming day. (Tony Garland)
and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet (10)
The loud voice John heard was clear and striking as the sound of a trumpet. The loud voice belongs to the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, who is the beginning and the end of all things. Since Jesus introduced Himself with these titles in Revelation 1:8, we know this was the loud voice of Jesus. (David Guzik)
What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies (11)
The command to write, found twelve times in the book, indicates that John was to write after seeing each vision, in contrast to 10:4, where he is told not to write. The message of the entire book is to be sent to each of the seven churches along with the particular message to the individual church. The seven churches are mentioned in the order of the letters of chapters 2 and 3, based on their location geographically. There seems to have been no superintending organization over these seven churches at this time, and Christ deals directly with the local church. (John Walvoord)
(Rev 1:12-13) Jesus among the Lampstands
I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.
I saw seven golden lampstands (12)
The "seven golden candlesticks" takes us back to the tabernacle in the wilderness (Exodus 25:31-39). A part of its furnishings was a golden menorah, a candelabrum with three branches protruding from each side of the main stem. These seven sticks had little cups which served as candleholders. This furnished the light in the sanctuary. These seven golden candlesticks represented what the nation Israel was to be to the world. It was to be God's light to the world. The seven golden candlesticks, when applied to the church, show God's intention for the church in the world. The church is to be God's light in the world. Jesus said, "Ye are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). (Chuck Smith)
He saw a vision of the glorified Christ. Revelation 1:20 makes clear that we must not interpret this vision literally, for it is made up of symbols. The seven lampstands represent the seven churches that would receive the book. Each local church is the bearer of God’s light in this dark world. Compare this vision with Daniel’s (Dan. 7:9–14). (Wiersbe)
And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man (13)
The lamp stands represent the churches as we will see further down in this chapter. Jesus is among the churches today, and His message to the seven assemblies or churches in John's day is the same message for us today. How we need to hear the same message! (Greg Mason)
(Rev 1:14-16) A description of Jesus
His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
Christ’s garments are those of a Judge-King, One with honor and authority. The white hair symbolizes His eternality, “the Ancient of Days” (Dan. 7:9, 13, 22). His eyes see all (Rev. 19:12; Heb. 4:12), enabling Him to judge righteously. His feet of burning brass also suggest judgment, since the brazen altar was the place where the fire consumed the sin offering. The Lord had come to judge the churches, and He would also judge the evil world system. The “sound of many waters” (Rev. 1:15) makes me think of Niagara Falls! Perhaps two ideas are suggested here: (1) Christ gathers together all the “streams of revelation” and is the Father’s “last Word” to man (Heb. 1:1–3); (2) He speaks with power and authority and must be heard. The sword from His mouth certainly represents the living Word of God (Heb. 4:12; Eph.6:17). He fights His enemies by using His Word (Rev. 2:16; 19:19–21) (Wiersbe)
(Rev 1:17-18) John feared, but Jesus reassured
When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, "Don't be afraid. I am the first and the last, and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
This is John's commission to write this book, and his reaction is one frequently seen whenever a man encounters the glorious God. He "fell at his feet as though dead," struck dumb by the awesomeness of the character of God. Isaiah does the same when he sees the Lord high and lifted up with his train filling the temple. Job does this also when to him is revealed the wisdom and wonder of God. Throughout the Bible it is the only place to be when God appears -- fall on your face as though dead. But the reaction of Jesus is typical, very characteristic of him. Notice that he does three things. First, he touched him! He laid his right hand upon him. Read the Gospels and Jesus is always touching people. When he healed a leper he touched him. When he opened the eyes of the blind he put his hands upon their eyes. So here, he touched him. And, then, he reassured him. "Fear not," he said. "Don't be afraid. I am not your enemy. I am your friend. I am the First and the Last. [i.e., I set the boundaries of time and history. Everybody must live within the limits that I have determined]. I am the Living One [I am always available.] I am alive forevermore, for ever and ever. [There will never be a moment when you need me that I will not be there, available to you.] And I hold the keys of death and Hades [death, the enemy of the physical life]; Hades [or Hell], the enemy of the spiritual life. [I am in charge of both places, both forces.] So you need not fear." (Ray Stedman)
(Rev 1:19) The Key to understanding the Book of Revelation
Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter.
In the 19th verse we get the threefold division of the Book of the Revelation: “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter”-or “after these things.”
“The things which thou hast seen” are the things of chapter one- the first division of the book of the Revelation.
“The things which are” follow in the next two chapters and make the second division, which deals with the present dispensation. The seven churches give us a picture of the whole professing church’s history from the apostolic period to the coming of the Lord Jesus. These two chapters portray the condition of the church on earth in seven distinct periods. The church’s history ends at the rapture, when Jesus comes as the bright and morning Star. That event closes the present dispensation.
“The things which shall be after these things,” are the events described in chapters 4 to the end, and make the third and last division of the book. These are the things which will take place after the church’s history ends-the great tribulation, the kingdom, and the eternal state. (H. A. Ironside)
(Rev 1:20) The mystery of the seven stars and seven golden lampstands
The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.
John would have understood almost everything that he saw in chapter 1 by reference to other Bible books. However, he would not have understood the 7 stars or the 7 lampstands (objects that held a burning oil lamp), so Christ explained it.
The 7 lampstands meant the 7 churches in verse 11; the 7 stars meant their angels. One angel had responsibility for each of those churches, as chapters 2 and 3 show us.
Usually by 'angels' we mean God's special servants, whom he sends to help his people (Hebrews 1:14). That could be the meaning here too, but other meanings are more likely. That is because we would not expect God to give a message to a man (John) for an angel.
In the original Greek language, the word for angel really means a person whom someone has sent. Usually, that person's job is to take a message. The word appears in the original Greek Bible with those meanings in Matthew 11:10 and James 2:25. The first Christians used the same word for angels because, of course, angels bring messages from God.
So, here and in chapters 2 and 3, the word could mean the people who took John's book to the 7 churches. It could mean the leaders of those churches.
If the word means the church leader, that is a very serious thought. God considers the church leader responsible for what happens in his church (James 3:1). By means of words, actions and prayer, the leader must constantly help the members to serve God properly. Christ sees and knows what is happening in his churches. (Keith Simons)