Revelation Chapter 1 VERSE 18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” In the previous verse the Lord stated most emphatically that he is “the first and the last”, that is to say he is not only the first and last of the direct creation of God, the firstborn of the new creation, the first born from the dead, but likewise he…
Revelation Chapter 1 VERSE 17 “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.” AND WHEN I SAW HIM, I FELL AT HIS FEET AS DEAD: “This was the literal John’s appropriate response. The symbolic John Class falls (from any notions of self-import or from any self-made plans) at his feet (an act of worship)…
Revelation Chapter 1 VERSE 16 “He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” HE HAD IN HIS RIGHT HAND SEVEN STARS: Here we would like to present three different views of this verse as each adds a bit more insight. “In his right hand (the hand of activity and favor) he held (protected and directed) SEVEN STARS (teachers, light bearers,…
Revelation Chapter 1 VERSE 14 “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire.” HIS HEAD AND HAIR WERE WHITE LIKE WOOL, AS WHITE AS SNOW: “The Master’s hair is compared to wool to signify his wisdom and likeness unto the “Ancient of days”; he is the express image of his Father’s person (Dan. 7:9). In the early settlement of the United States, it was customary for statesmen to…
Revelation Chapter 1 VERSE 13 “and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.” AND IN THE MIDST OF THE SEVEN LAMPSTANDS: Thus overseeing them all (Compare Matt 18:20.) The following characteristics help us see why this introduction to the Churches is so important. The oversight of the Church has nothing lacking: ONE LIKE THE SON OF MAN:…
Revelation Chapter 1 VERSE 12 “Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands.” “The message that was to be sent was not limited to the seven literal churches named, but symbolically represented the entire church or Gospel age. In a symbolic sense, John represents the last or feet members of the church, who have to “turn and look back” to the early church to see what the voice (Jesus…
Revelation Chapter 1 VERSE 11 “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” “The words “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and”, are not found in the Sinaitic, which is the only complete text of the three oldest manuscripts. Most modern translations agree that those words should “not” be in the…
VERSE 10 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet…” I WAS IN THE SPIRIT ON THE LORD’S DAY: John’s perspective for the entire book of Revelation is that of standing in OUR DAY —the “Day of the Lord” which both Peter and Paul stress much in their writings. From this perspective he can look back through history and tell the story of the entire age seeing…
“The Churches, Seals, and Trumpets all have introductory passages. The Seals have two complete chapters (4 & 5). The Trumpets have only five verses (8:2-6). The Churches have as their introduction one half of Revelation’s opening chapter in which Jesus presents himself with all of those characteristics which will both comfort and strengthen the saints during all seven periods of the Church. Revelation Chapter 1 VERSE 9 “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and…
VERSE 8 (as taken from another perspective), “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” As previously stated, “Verse 8 abruptly interrupts John’s narrative and the opening theme of the Book of Revelation. It is an interjection of thought by the Redeemer himself to personally confide some important truth; namely, that he is the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the…